asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what steps are being taken to reserve sites for Territorial drill halls and parade grounds in the new satellite towns; and whether he will ensure that the planning officers work in full co-operation with local Territorial Associations over this matter.

The responsibility for the development of a new town rests with the Development Corporation concerned who will, in due course, submit their proposals for my approval. I have no doubt that if local Territorial Associations will consult the appropriate Development Corporation their requirements will be fully and sympathetically considered, and, indeed, I have asked that this should be so.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether he intends to make provision for the hearing of representations, evidence or argument, in difficult cases referred to him for his certificate under Section 80 of the Town and Country Planning Act. 1947.

No. The burden of work arising from these cases makes it impossible to grant interviews as a matter of course, but where the position cannot readily be explained by letter my Department will grant an interview.

asked the Minister of National Insurance what benefits are available to an expectant mother who intends to resume her employment after confinement but is unable because of the heavy nature of her employment to continue work up to the 39th week of pregnancy as required by the regulations; and what are the regulations about her maternity benefit.

I assume that my hon. Friend is mainly concerned with the special maternity allowance of 36s. a week payable from a date about six weeks, before childbirth to women normally in employment. The contribution conditions for this special allowance require that out of the 52 weeks before the date when it becomes payable the woman must have had 45 contributions paid or credited, of which 26 must be for weeks of actual work. A woman who failed to satisfy these contribution conditions would normally still qualify for maternity grant and also for the attendance allowance which is the alternative provision for the housewife.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he has now decided to replace form B.R.1, which is used for a retirement pension claim, by one which can be more easily read, understood and completed by the applicant.

This is an essential document which replaces substantially similar forms in use for many years. The difficulties of completing it have been exaggerated but it is, like all other forms in use by my Department, under constant review and I should be glad to consider any specific suggestion which my hon. Friend may have for its improvement. I would add that assistance in completing pension claim forms will gladly be given at any local National Insurance office and I should like to see this invitation accepted more often.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how many pension orders annually are unclaimed by pensioners; how many are unclaimed because of pensioners' confinement in a hospital; and what is the amount of money annually withheld.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what provision exists to enable a workers' representative to be present at the scene of the accident, in all cases of industrial accident, when examination is being made by the officials of the Board of Trade and of the employers; and if he will make regulations to ensure this right to workers' representatives in all cases.

I am not aware of any such legal provision, and I am advised that I have no power to make regulations conferring the rights mentioned.

asked the Minister of Labour on what grounds it was decided that training in cutting for the retail bespoke tailoring trade should be excluded from the vocational training scheme.

The advice given me by both sides of the industry was that only journeymen with good experience in tailoring would justify training for the few openings for cutters. Training has been given in a number of cases where this condition was justified.

asked the Minister of Labour why the receipt of a 1939–45 war disability pension is not considered sufficient evidence of disability for the purpose of registration under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act.

Under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act registration is open only to those whose disability causes a substantial handicap in getting or keeping employment. The receipt of a war disability pension does not necessarily show that there is a substantial employment handicap.

asked the Minister of Labour how many girls recently became temporarily redundant at the Anglo-Celtic Watch Co. Ltd., Ystradgynlais; how many claimed unemployment benefit; how many have been disallowed benefit because of their refusal to transfer to Birmingham; how many are under the age of 21; how many have been reabsorbed by the same firm; and why was not work offered in South Wales rather than in England.

Forty-one. Sixteen were under the age of 21. Sixteen have been re-engaged by the firm. Hospital domestic work in Wales was offered, but there were no factory vacancies available within travelling distance. They all claimed benefit and five claims were disallowed for refusing employment in Birmingham.

asked the Minister of Labour how many days were lost during the year, registering the highest figure, by strikes in industry; and what were the corresponding figures for 1945, 1946 and 1947, indicating the numbers caused by unofficial strikes separately.

The highest figure of days lost owing to industrial disputes was 162,233,000 in 1926, the year of the general strike. The next highest figure was 85,872,000 in 1921. The figures for 1945, 1946 and 1947 were 2,840,000, 2,160,000 and 2,430,000 respectively. The available information does not permit a distinction to be made between official and unofficial strikes.

asked the Minister of Labour the total increase in weekly cash earnings from October, 1938, to April, 1948, on the basis of the statement on page 331 of the Ministry of Labour Gazette, October, 1948.

On the basis of the figures referred to, the total weekly cash earnings of all the wage earners employed in the industries covered by the inquiry made by my Department rose by about £28 million between October, 1938, and April, 1948. This calculation takes account of the fact that the number of wage earners in employment in these industries increased between the two dates by about 600,000.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men have registered under the National Service Acts since January, 1948; how many have been deferred and for what reasons; and how many have been granted complete exemption and for what reasons, respectively.

The number of men registered under the National Service Acts since 1st January, 1948, is estimated to be about 160,000. With regard to deferments I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mr. Symonds).

asked the Prime Minister what proportion of medals has now been issued to next-of-kin of those killed in the war.

Nine per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what loss in receipts of dollars or other hard currency to the sterling pool has occurred to date in the present financial year as against last year, consequent upon the disturbances in Malaya; and if he will give an estimate of the full loss that will be incurred in the present financial year.

Dollar receipts by Malaya are running at rather over last year's rate. I cannot estimate what the sales to hard currency areas would have been if there had been no disturbances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what complaints he has received about the refusal of tobacconists to supply Old Age Pensioners with dockets; and what steps he is taking in this matter.

There have been a few complaints that some tobacconists are not prepared to accept tobacco tokens. Pensioners should have no difficulty in finding a tobacconist who will accept them since tobacconists generally, while not compelled to accept tokens, are willingly co-operating in this scheme.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the provisions of Section 55 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, entail hardship and anomaly upon owners of dead ripe land in respect of which a notice to treat was served between 6th August, 1947, and 1st July, 1948; and whether he will recommend preferential treatment in the claims to be made under Section 58 of the Act for the purposes of alleviating the hardship.

In preparing the Treasury scheme under Section 58 of the Act, special consideration will be given to cases of land compulsorily acquired at existing use value before the appointed day which would have qualified for a certificate under Section 80 had the claimant remained in ownership until after the appointed day.

asked the Economic Secretary the amount of payments made up to the most recent date on account of the Special Contribution.

£20,900,000 up to 13th November.

asked the Economic Secretary to the Treasury if he will give an assurance that owners of building plots purchased before 1st July, 1948, will, if they now sell at existing use value, receive the full amount of the compensation assessed under Part VI of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947.

No. I can give no such assurance. I would tack this opportunity of re-inforcing the advice given to purchasers and sellers by the Central Land Board, namely, that they should adopt one of the three methods of sale set out in the Board's pamphlet "House 1," copies of which were recently made available in the Vote Office and Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the importance of winter activities in country districts and particularly during the Christmas holidays, he has yet reconsidered the limits of the concession regarding exemption from Entertainments Duty under Section 17 of the Finance Act, 1948.

I am afraid I cannot anticipate the result of the review of this concession which I undertook to make before the next Budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to state, to the nearest £1 million, the amount of debt held by Government Departments on 31st March, 1948, under the separate headings of floating debt and other internal debt, excluding bonds intended for Death Duties, respectively.

£405 million and £3,217 million.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the U.S. offer, made in the early part of this year, to provide our builders with the timber for 10,000 houses without payment for five or six years, was refused by his Department.

Because acceptance of the offer referred to would merely have established an eventual dollar liability, which we cannot afford.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what consultations took place with the Lancashire cotton industry before the recent trade agreement with Japan was concluded.

I understand that the Chairman of the Cotton Board has been aware of the negotiations leading up to the recent trade arrangement between a number of Commonwealth countries and the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers in Japan. The National Production Advisory Council on Industry were also informed that negotiations were in progress, but no formal consultation with individual industries has taken place.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that under the provisions of the Copyright Acts claims are now being made on small music teachers and others for royalties on the use of music for elementary tuition; and whether he is prepared to consider an amendment of the law.

Licences for the public performance of copyright musical works are matters to be settled by agreement between the copyright owners and the prospective users, but if my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind and will furnish me with full details, I will look into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ensure that facilities for overseas visitors and hotel accommodation in London and the chief cities will be expanded to meet the increased tourist traffic, especially the U.S. traffic, promoted by the activities of the Travel Association overseas.

Yes, within the limits of the resources available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is satisfied that good class hotel accommodation in London will be sufficient for the increasing U.S. traffic in 1949, resulting from the Travel Association's activities overseas; and if he will arrange for the re-equipment of hotels frequented by overseas visitors with the finest British products in order that the hotels may advertise British craftsmanship.

Good class accommodation in London is limited, and the overseas publicity undertaken by the British Tourist and Holidays Board through its tourist division, the Travel Association, is directed towards persuading visitors to spend as much time as possible in other parts of the country. If this, and our efforts to extend the tourist season, succeed as we expect they will, I think that there will be enough accommodation for United States visitors in London next year. As regards the second part of the Question, I have already helped some 100 hotels, selected by the British Tourist and Holidays Board as of outstanding importance to the tourist trade, to get equipment not generally available on the home market, and I propose to continue and extend this policy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement about the effect upon this country of the recent decision of Turkey that she must bring her import trade from Britain to a standstill, owing to the fall of her sterling balances in this country; and what steps is it proposed to take to assist Turkey to re-open this trade at the earliest possible opportunity.

I am aware of the difficulties which have recently arisen in our trading relations with Turkey but these have not resulted in a standstill in trade. Existing import licences are still valid and the issue of new licences has not, I am informed, been completely suspended. So far as the future is concerned a small mission is leaving shortly for Angora to discuss trade and payments questions with the Turkish Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total amount of timber in stock in Scotland to the latest available date; how much timber has been or will be allocated to Scotland for all purposes during the first quarter of 1949; and whether the different purposes will be specified with the respective amount.

I give below the information asked for in the first part of the Question. It is not the practice to give details of timber allocations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what use the buildings at Rochester lately occupied by Messrs. Short Brothers and now leased by his Department from the Ministry of Supply are being put; and how many men and women, respectively, are now employed there.

The factories lately occupied by Messrs. Short Brothers at Rochester, which were finally vacated on the 8th October, 1948, have now all been allocated with the exception of one small building. The following is a list of the occupying firms, who were employing in total at the end of October 2,137 men and 816 women. In addition, other firms introduced by the Board of Trade into the Medway Area since the war are employing a further 1,500 workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of the money available under the Inshore Fisheries Acts has been, since the passing of the last of these Acts, allocated and paid in grants and loans, respectively, to inshore fishermen in Scotland in general and in Aberdeen in particular; how many applications during that period for such grants and loans were refused, and from what districts; and how much money now remains available for this purpose.

Since the White Fish and Herring Industries Act, 1948, became law on 30th July, grants amounting to £44,427 and loans amounting to £75,120 have been offered to Scots fishermen under the Inshore Fishing Industry Act; of these amounts £50 and £84 respectively were offered to a fisherman in Aberdeen in supplement of assistance given earlier. Seven applications, made by fishermen from Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Lerwick, Mull, Campbeltown and Troon were refused. In the same period actual payments (mostly in respect of earlier offers) amounted to £63 167 in grant and £90,311 by way of loan. The amounts still available under the Inshore Fishing Industry Act for Great Britain as a whole are £451,000 for grants, and £843,000 for loans.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland for what period allowances under the Local Government Act, 1948, may be claimed retrospectively by members of local authorities in Scotland.

Members of local authorities in Scotland have been entitled to claim allowances for financial loss and, where payable, allowances for travelling and subsistence as from 24th March last when the Local Government Act, 1948. received the Royal Assent.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses will the timber allocation to Scotland cover.

Available supplies of timber are spread over schemes at present covering 42,000 permanent houses under construction, and, during 1948, have maintained an output at the rate of about 20,000 completed houses a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland why it has been necessary to introduce a form of means test for members of the medical profession when applying to the Glasgow local medical committee for a fixed annual payment.

The arrangements made for this purpose were made in accordance with the wishes of the medical profession.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report of the Scottish Advisory Council on Education, on Scottish library questions, will he published.

The comprehensive inquiries necessitated by this remit make it unlikely that the report will be submitted to me until late in 1949.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses were erected in Edinburgh by private builders and the corporation respectively during years 1932–38 inclusive.

During the period referred to private builders erected 22,637 houses of which 7,157 were to the order of the corporation.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of unemployability supplements, special hardship allowances and constant attendance allowances now being paid; the annual cost of each group of these allowances; and the proportion the totals bear to the present annual war pensions expenditure.

The number of unemployability supplements in payment at 30th September, was 9,590; of special hardship allowances 4,300; of constant attendance allowances 5,580. The annual costs are about £820,000, £200,000 and £280,000, respectively. The proportions which these bear to the total expenditure on disablement pensions and allowances are 1.6 per cent., 0.4 per cent. and 0.6 per cent., respectively.

asked the Minister of Pensions the average age of all 1914–18 war disability pensioners; the death rate amongst them during the past five years; and the comparative death rate amongst the general male population of the same age groups.

The average age of 1914–18 war disablement pensioners is now 59. The death rate in the five years 1943–47 was 24.7 per thousand pensioners. For the same five years the average male death rate for England and Wales in the age group 45–74 was 23.5 per thousand males.

asked the Minister of Supply what is the approximate proportion of the products of the 107 iron and steel concerns, proposed to be nationalised, which is being sold abroad and how much is being sold in this country.

I give below the approximate proportions and tonnages for various categories of finished steel, based on the first half of 1948. Particulars of the export by the concerns of other products are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies on what basis police officers who were formerly in the Palestine Police and have now been transferred to Malaya are being given seniority in relation to those officers who have spent all their service in the Malayan Police.

The seniority of officers transferred from Palestine vis-à-vis officers previously serving in the rank to which they were transferred is assessed in accordance with the standing regulations governing the seniority of officers on transfer within the Colonial Service. One officer was, however, appointed to the rank of deputy commissioner and four officers to the rank of superintendent, who held lower ranks in Palestine. The reason for these appointments was the need for outside reinforcements at all levels in the Malayan Police Force from officers with recent experience of emergency conditions. I understand that some police officers in Malaya are submitting a memorial on this Question to my right hon. Friend who will give it the most careful consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why, on 18th October, all employees at His Majesty's Dockyard, Chatham, were given a full day's holiday.

This was one of the privilege holidays of the 1948–49 leave year. It was taken on 18th October by local agreement through the Whitley machinery.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the last appointment held by William Todd in his Department; and what were the circumstances of its termination on 30th September.

Mr. Todd was a temporary Senior Traffic Movement Officer in the Road Haulage Organisation. This appointment, with that of other officers holding similar appointments, was terminated when the Road Haulage Organisation was disbanded on the 30th September.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when an official reply can be expected to the Report of the Select Committee on Estimates on Colonial Development.

The official reply was submitted on 15th November.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power under what statutory powers he has authorised the London Electricity Board to raise charges to domestic consumers and cancel existing contracts, without the consent of the other parties.

The Electricity Boards require no authorisation from the Minister to alter their charges to domestic consumers and my right hon. Friend has issued no such authorisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors were employed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, during the year 1947; how many places registered for experiments on living animals were visited by them; how many licensees were on the register; and how many performed experiments.

The figures are 4,439, 2,851 and 1,947 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in view of the heavy sentence passed by the Israeli State on Mr. Sylvester, a British subject employed by the Jerusalem Electric Light and Power Company, what steps he is taking to secure his immediate release.

According to information received from His Majesty's Consulate-General in Jerusalem the conviction has now been quashed on all three charges. Mr. Sylvester has already been released.

asked the Minister of Food if, in allocated sugar stocks, he will give sympathetic consideration to the need for an increased ration of sugar for persons suffering from, or recovering from tuberculosis.

Rations for patients suffering from active tuberculosis have recently been very fully reviewed and, as a result, they are now allowed each week 14 pints of milk and three priority eggs, as well as an additional 3 oz. of butter or margarine, 1 oz. bacon and 1 oz. of cooking fat. Ample supplies of carbohydrate are available off the ration in the form of potatoes, bread and other cereals and my medical advisers see no necessity to increase the supply still further by making any special additional allowances of sugar to tuberculosis sufferers. They will, however, like other consumers, of course, obtain from 5th December the 25 per cent. increase in the domestic ration of sugar and the increased sweet ration and will be able to buy preserves off the ration as a result of our additional purchases of sugar abroad.

asked the Minister of Food from what source the 10,526 extra officials stated in Command Paper No. 7522 to have been employed by him during the last July quarter in connection with the annual exchange of ration books, were recruited; and whether they are still employed by him.

Extra staff for ration book distribution are engaged through employment exchanges. A few individuals have been retained but the total staff in local food offices is now 11,068 fewer than at 1st July last.

asked the Minister of Food whether in connection with supplies of raw cocoa, cocoa beans, he will now consider allowing the West African Produce Control Board to sell direct to chocolate manufacturers in the United Kingdom; and if he will explain his reasons for hitherto retaining the existing method by which his Ministry act as middlemen.

The bulk purchase of raw cocoa by the Ministry was introduced shortly after the outbreak of war to secure co-ordination and economy of resources in procurement and first-hand distribution. Since the war, the world demand for raw cocoa has far exceeded supply and in order to maintain the controlled prices of sweets containing chocolate or other cocoa products, we have found, and still find it necessary to continue to buy in bulk and to allocate supplies among the manufacturers at fixed prices. The West African Produce Control Board has not dealt in cocoa since the 1946–47 season, and we buy from the London companies of the local Marketing Boards.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that dentists in Nottinghamshire are unable to obtain supplies of Forms E.C.17 and E.C.25, and that in consequence immediate attention to patients is rendered difficult; and what steps is he taking to overcome this shortage.

Substantial supplies of these forms were despatched to the executive council on 11th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what liaison is maintained by his Department with the Dominions, particularly the dominions of New Zealand and Australia, with regard to the formulation of a common British Commonwealth policy regarding Japan; and whether he is aware that the closest consultation and collaboration in this respect is essential.

Close and continuous liaison, both by correspondence and by oral discussion, is maintained with the Governments of other Commonwealth countries in regard to policy affecting Japan. I am of course in the fullest agreement with the view expressed in the latter part of the Question.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, although sanction has been given to the use of the Welsh language in the Post Office, constant delays still occur in the delivery of letters in North Wales addressed in the Welsh language; that recently a delay of eight days occurred in the delivery of a letter from Denbigh to Mold, a distance of a few miles; and what action he proposes to take to improve this state of affairs.

Lists showing the Welsh and English alternative versions of place names in Wales are held at all offices in Wales and the Border Counties and at all other offices where they are likely to be needed. Complaints of delay to letters for delivery in Wales addressed in the Welsh language are very rare. In the case mentioned inquiries following a complaint by the sender have failed to reveal the cause of the most regrettable delay that occurred but I do not think that it was due to ignorance of the Welsh language. A full apology has been tendered to the sender.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephone installations are outstanding in the telephone area of Tunbridge Wells; and how many have been outstanding for more than six months.

Eighty-eight applications for telephone service are outstanding in the telephone exchange area of Tunbridge Wells. Of these, 35 have been outstanding for more than six months.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations whether His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom have decided the conditions under which compensation should be granted to European judges who have served in India, Pakistan and Burma, and who retire owing to the constitutional changes.

Yes. The conditions which apply to the grant of compensation to Barrister Judges are similar to those which apply to civil officers of the Secretary of State's Services. Judges who are also members of the Indian Civil Service or Burma Civil Service (Class I) are entitled to compensation under the same conditions as other members of those services. The amounts of compensation which have been or will be granted to European High Court Judges who were recruited from the Bar and have served in India, Pakistan or Burma are shown in the table below. The Chairman of the Arbitral Tribunal, who was formerly Chief Justice of India, has received a special grant of £5,000. Judges who accept permanent pensionable appointments under the Crown will receive instead of compensation a resettlement grant of £500.Scale of compensation for European Barrister Judges of High Courts in India, Pakistan or Burma:

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that reception of B.B.C. programmes in Kent are being interfered with seriously by jamming from a Soviet station on the Baltic coast; what representations have been made to the Soviet Government in this matter; and with what result.

People in Kent listening to the B.B.C. Home Service broadcasts on 342.1 metres are experiencing interference which the B.B.C. believe comes from a radio station near the Baltic coast. I have no reason to suppose that there is "jamming" in the sense of deliberate interference. My Department have asked the Soviet Ministry of Communications to look into this with a view to removing the interference and we have been informed that steps are being taken.