asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an assurance that all extradition of Germans from Germany to foreign countries except for murder has now been stopped; and how many persons are still detailed at Fallingbostel, near Hamburg, waiting decision as to their future.

Since 1st September the Military Governor has accepted applications for the extradition of suspected war criminals only if they show a clear prima facie case of murder as defined in the German Penal Code. There remain, however, a number of applications submitted prior to that date in which a decision has not yet been taken. On 23rd October, which is the latest date for which figures are available, six war criminals were in custody awaiting extradition and 72 were awaiting decision in their cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he now has any information to give regarding the number of Germans extradited from the British zone of Germany for trial on account of alleged war crimes who have been awaiting trial for more than six months in Poland, France, Belgium and Holland, respectively.

No. As was stated in the reply to my hon. Friend's Question on 22nd September, the Governments concerned are, however, being pressed for this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the nature of the declaration made by the French Government to him following upon the announcement of the disposal of the mines and steel industries; and what reply he has made.

I have nothing to add to the statement which my right hon. Friend the Minister of State made on this subject on 15th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) why 13 guards were required for 12 internees on the work carried out for Grube, shipbuilders, Rerchwerder, on the banks of the Elbe; how much were the men paid for the work; and what amount did the firm pay for the total work carried out;(2) on what date was work started on the sewage plant adjoining 6, C.I.C. Camp, Hamburg, Germany; what hours were worked on the site, including internee labour; what was the total cost of the sewage plant, including guards and other costs; and what was the total, number in the camp for which the plant was intended when work ceased;(3) how many have committed suicide in the 6, C.I.C. Camp, Hamburg, Germany, since it was opened; how many have attempted suicide; how many have died; what were the numbers in the camp when the deaths took place; how many trucks were hired from Hamburg for work carried out by internees of the camp; on what date were the trucks used obtained on loan from Bergedorf; what was the difference in miles; and what amount of petrol could have been saved if the trucks had been obtained from Bergedorf all the time they were used.

I regret that as No. 6 Civilian Internment Camp, to which all these Questions relate, was closed on 1st September, 1948, and the camp staff and records have been dispersed, most of the information which my hon. Friend has requested is not available. Between April, 1946, when the camp was taken over from B.A.O.R., and 1st September, 1948, there were nine suicides, one attempted suicide and 30 natural deaths. During this period the total population of the camp decreased from approximately 6,000 to approximately 400.

asked the Minister of Defence what steps he is taking to ensure that men demobilised from the Armed Forces are provided with sufficient coupons and purchasing power to replace those civilian garments which no longer fit them after their service.

As I have previously informed the House, men called up in 1947 and 1948 will, on release, receive a supplementary allowance of 60 clothing coupons; they are allowed to retain certain articles of Service clothing, and if necessary, to purchase cheaply a suit of battledress and a Service greatcoat.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will consult with the three Service Departments with a view to alleviating the financial burden on officers of the three Services who pay Purchase Tax on all articles of uniform which require modification and change according to the regulations on promotion to a higher rank; and if he will bear in mind that while relief has been afforded by the grant based on prescribed scales and standards to officers on commissioning, it still leaves officers promoted to a higher grade without assistance.

Yes. This is under review but I cannot at this stage make any commitment.

asked the Minister of Food the average weekly quantity of home-produced pork and bacon, respectively, supplied to consumers in the first nine months of 1948 as compared with the same period in 1939.

During the first nine months of 1948 the average weekly consumption of home-produced pork was 330 tons and of home-cured bacon 1,740 tons. Comparable figures for the same period in 1939 are not available, but in the calendar year 1939 the estimated average weekly consumption of pork was 3,860 tons and of bacon 3,830 tons.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware of the poor quality of much of the feedingstuff now supplied to farmers; and if he will allow the feedingstuffs trade more freedom in purchasing raw materials and adjusting selling prices according to the quality of the product.

Rationed straight feeds are of pre-war quality and the permitted composition of compounds must be governed by the ingredients available from time to time. Control of the distribution, manufacture and prices of feedingstuffs is a part of the Government's agricultural policy, and is necessary at present to support the production programme.

asked the Minister of Food if he is taking to secure an increased output of fish meal for animal feeding.

The limiting factor in the output of fish meal is the supply of fish waste for processing. This is entirely dependent upon the volume of fish landed. The question of the removal of the financial advantage on the heading of fish at sea is under consideration, as I told the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. J. Morrison) on the 8th November.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will de-ration cheaper sweets for children in time for Christmas.

The sweet ration is being increased to 4 oz. per week from 5th December and on present stocks we could not until the New Year de-ration the cheaper sweets as well.

asked the Minister of Food whether self-supplying owners of pigs who, through ignorance of the regulations, failed to register them at the right time for eventual slaughter, may be permitted to do so, retrospectively, on producing proofs of their bona fides.

It would be manifestly unfair to those who have carried out their obligations under the scheme to permit others to gain advantage simply by pleading ignorance of rules which have been very widely publicised. During the first months of the revised scheme, however, every application to slaughter an unregistered pig is being considered individually by my Department and in those cases where good cause can be shown some degree of concession is being given.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that butchers and registered pig-keepers are dissatisfied with his Department's regulations which stipulate that pigs to be slaughtered for bacon should be killed at specified slaughterhouses; and whether he will consider allowing pig-keepers to choose for themselves the most convenient licensed slaughterhouse at which their pigs should be killed.

No. But I am always willing to consider exceptional cases on their merits.

asked the Minister of Food whether, now that the stocks of tea have been built up, he will restore the cut in the tea ration.

I am afraid I cannot speculate about future ration changes.

asked the Minister of Food what was the estimated charge on the Exchequer involved in the guaranteed prices for potatoes this year; and what increased charge is involved as a result of his decision to buy surplus potatoes for processing into stock feed.

Fixed growers' prices for ware potatoes cause loss to my Department only on the quantity offered by growers which cannot be resold for human consumption. Processing into stockfeed is one of the methods employed for utilising such surplus potatoes; but its cost, and that of the whole disposal programme, cannot be estimated until the extent of growers' offers is known.

asked the Minister of Food what were the reasons for his decision to allow the co-operative societies a priority supply of 22½ per cent, of the 10,000 tons of additional sugar to be made immediately available; and why this extra tonnage was limited to 3 per cent. of the datum usage of sugar, which was reduced by 25 per cent, in January, 1948, despite the stocks of sugar being sample and this year's beet crop having a high yield.

asked the Minister of Food why, in allocating additional supplies of sugar to the flour confectionery industry, he has given a priority supply of 22½ per cent. to the co-operative movement.

I have given the cooperative societies 22½ per cent. of the extra sugar allocations granted to certain industries, because their existing percentage of manufacturing sugar was disproportionate to their general trade; for example, they were only getting some 10 per cent. of the sugar for cake and biscuit making while they held some 25 per cent. of sugar registrations and distributed some 20 per cent. of the bread of the country. The cake and flour confectionery trade have only been allocated 10,000 tons in all because the rest of the extra sugar for manufacturing will go for points foods, for sweets, for preserves, etc., or for increasing the domestic ration.

asked the Minister of Food what was the total weekly authorisation of supply of milk to the various categories of priority and non-priority consumers during the month of September, 1948; and what was the amount of milk actually distributed weekly during this month to these categories.

Detailed figures for September could be extracted only with great difficulty but the routine half-yearly review of milk statistics showing the position during October is in hand and the relative figures, which will I hope serve my hon. Friend's purpose, will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as they are available.

asked the Minister of Food whether, notwithstanding the de-rationing of jam, he will continue the allowance of sugar to housewives who are desirous of manufacturing their own jam at home, to prevent those who endeavour to assist themselves in this manner from being penalised.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to hon. Members for East Grinstead (Colonel Clarke) and West Leicester (Mr. Janner) on Monday, 15th November.

asked the Minister of Food to what districts in Germany his Department is exporting beef, mutton and pork.

None. The only meat we are sending to Germany is for the Services and for Control Commission staff.

asked the Minister of Food if he will authorise a limited export, under licence, of coffee to British nationals working abroad.

Commercial exports of roasted, ground and processed coffee, other than by parcel post, are permitted under licences issued by the Board of Trade. The needs of the Services and other British officials in Germany are catered for by N.A.A.F.I.

asked the Minister of Food whether in the interests of consumers generally and of the smaller butcher in particular, future allocations of offal may be based on registrations and not, as at present, on permit value.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar Question by the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Renton) on 21st September last.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the shortage of soap and washing powders, particularly in Newport, where one family of eight people, particulars of whom have been sent him, have been unable to obtain any supplies for three weeks; and what steps he is taking to improve the supply.

I find, on inquiry that retailers in Newport have sufficient soap to meet local needs, and I understand that the family to whom my hon. Friend refers, had succeeded in buying their ration before this inquiry was made. No other complaints have been received by the local food office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the estimated total number of unemployed in Jamaica; how many of these are in Kingston; how many are ex-Service men; and how many ex-Service men have now been resettled on the land or in industry.

It is estimated that there are 64,000 men unemployed of whom 14,000 are temporarily unemployed as is usual at this season in the sugar industry. The total includes 1,500 ex-Service men and 6,000 of the unemployed are in Kingston. Three thousand three hundred and fifty-one ex-Service men have so far been settled on the land and in industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the tonnage of rubber bought from Malaya in October by the U.S.S.R. and Great Britain respectively; and what are the total purchases by the U.S.S.R. this year as compared with the corresponding period of last year.

Exports to Russia in October were 17,332 tons, and to the United Kingdom 9,240 tons. Total exports to Russia in the first ten months of 1948 were 87,738 tons, compared with 29,249 tons for the corresponding period of 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any arrests have yet been made of those responsible for murdering several constables in the Batang-Padang district on 9th November; what police and military forces were in the district at the time; and what have arrived since.

No arrests had been made up to the afternoon of yesterday. I am informed that at the time there were 112 special constables and two British sergeants, but no troops, on the estate on which the ambush took place. Regular police were on the scene within two hours of the incident. I anticipate that by now troops will have arrived.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that the removal of the additional export duty on tin concentrates constitutes a grave danger to the Malayan smelting industry, as against the U.S. industry; and what action he proposes to take to remove this.

I have nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Hornsey (Mr. Gammans) on 14th July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the villagers of Xylophagou, Larnaca district, Cyprus, have been warned off their fields for 28 days; what is the nature of the ground tests being made in the area; and what compensation is being offered for the land proposed to be compulsorily acquired.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much land in Cyprus has been, and is being, taken away from farming for the purpose of constructing aerodromes; how many peasants are affected; and what alternative arrangements, including compensation, are made for the displaced peasants.

No recent proposals for compulsory acquisition of land for aerodromes have been made and the consequential questions therefore do not arise. An order was made on 25th September to permit soil bearing tests to be made upon certain lands in the Xylophagou area during a period of 28 days when the land was lying fallow. The villagers were not warned off their fields but only required not to exercise their rights while the tests were actually being made. The order required reinstatement of the land to its former condition and provided for compensation. No claims have so far been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the growth of subversive activity in Cyprus; and, in particular what organisations are responsible.

There have recently been a number of breaches of law and order in connection with industrial disputes between the trade unions associated with the A.K.E.L. party and those associated with their rivals, in which the responsibility for acts of violence seems to be attributable primarily to the former. These have been accompanied by some political tension seen in public speeches and the Press, reflecting the views of all political parties in Cyprus.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the nature of the application required to be made, and to which authority and under which law must it be made, before permission is granted for a speech to be made in public in Cyprus.

Under the Cyprus Assemblies, Meetings and Processions Law of 1932 it is an offence to organise or take part in a meeting of five or more persons for the purpose of hearing a political speech, without a permit from the Commissioner of the District. The Commissioner may attach such conditions as he thinks fit to the grant of a permit. Applicants are normally required to state who will be the speaker or speakers and what will be the subject of the speeches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Africans in Northern Rhodesia are industrially employed in skilled occupations as a result of technical training given in courses provided by the Government of the territory.

I am consulting the Governor on the subject and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as I have received his reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to give details of the action taken by the Government of Northern Rhodesia to implement the proposals of the report of the Dalgleish Commission on the advancement of Africans in industry.

No. The matter is still under consideration by the Government of Northern Rhodesia in consultation with the interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give further details of the project to establish pig and poultry production in the Gambia, including the amount of expenditure involved in the work of clearing 10,000 acres of bush and the estimated production of pig and poultry products in 1949 and 1950.

The project is being undertaken by the Colonial Development Corporation, and I would invite the hon. Member to approach them for the information he desires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to prevent uncontrolled large-scale migration of Chinese into the already overcrowded Colony of Hong Kong due to the worsening of the situation in China.

This problem has for some time been under consideration in Hong Kong. The physical and other difficulties of preventing an influx of refugees are obvious and it would only add to them if the Governor were asked to disclose any measures he may be able to devise for meeting those difficulties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will provide the figures of rice and other cereals grown in Nigeria and the West African Colonies, respectively, during the 24 months ended in August last; and what steps are being taken to increase production.

Production figures for the period in question are estimated as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the position with regard to recall to the Royal Navy of ex-personnel of the Royal Indian Navy.

Former service in the Royal Indian Navy carries no liability to recall for service with the Royal Navy; such liability may, however, exist in cases where there is also previous service in the Royal Navy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty on what ships, at present building, work has been suspended during the past year; for what periods; and for what reasons.

In his statement explanatory of the Navy Estimates, 1948–49, my noble Friend explained that the work on certain ships under construction was temporarily suspended. This remains the case, and there has been no further suspension apart from a single small experimental vessel, effective work on which had not actually begun.

asked the Postmaster-General how long mails take to reach Aden from the United Kingdom, and vice versa, by surface route and by air, respectively.

The time between despatch and delivery is about 14–18 days by surface, and about four days by air, in each case in each direction. In arriving at a total transit time, allowance must be made for the interval between posting and despatch.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the present rate for mailing printed matter by air to East Africa; what profit this represents to the Post Office; and if he will consider reducing it, in view of the urgent need for a fuller and speedier exchange of information between the United Kingdom and the African Colonies.

Apart from air letters, for which the rate of postage is 6d., the air postage rate to East Africa for all classes of correspondence, including printed papers, is 1s. per ½ oz. This is a zonal rate applicable to a number of destinations in the Eastern Hemisphere and it is not possible to deal with East Africa in isolation in assessing the profit and loss of the service. As stated in my answer on 10th November to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lewisham (Mr. Skeffington) the possibility of reducing air postage rates for newspapers and other second class mail is receiving consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the definition of a Post Office engineering technician; how long the training of such a technician takes; and what certificates are needed to obtain this grade.

Technicians are defined as men who are fully qualified and competent to construct, install, demonstrate, test or maintain telecommunications equipment of a highly intricate character calling for a considerable degree of theoretical knowledge, or employed on planning and estimating duties, or on responsible duties in connection with contractors' works. The training of a technician normally consists of two years as a youth-in-training followed by about three years as a skilled workman. No specific technical certificates are prescribed for admission to the grade.

asked the Postmaster-General when he received the latest wage application from the Post Office Engineering Union on behalf of the engineering and stores grades; and what reply he has given thereto.

My Department received the claim on 2nd April, 1948, and has now put proposals to the union.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will make a statement showing the current rates of pay received by the various grades of Post Office engineers, giving separate figures for technicians in London; technicians in the provinces; skilled workmen, Class 11B, in London and the provinces; skilled workmen, Class 11A, in London and the provinces; and labourers in London and the provinces, respectively.

Following is the information:

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the delays in telephonic communication throughout the country, with special regard to trunk and toll calls, he will take steps to expedite telephonic com- munications and increase efficiency throughout the service.

Our records of the quality of service on trunk and toll calls show no evidence of general delay throughout the country, as suggested by the hon. Member. On the contrary, the service is continuously improving as a result of the additional lines available since the war and the steady rise in operating efficiency.

asked the Postmaster-General, what categories of inland and external mail are subject to visual and radiographic inspection; what principles govern whether such mail is returned, stopped or transmitted; how much more mail is examined now than in 1939; and whether, in order to allay public anxiety, he will make as full a statement as security considerations permit.

I am glad to have this opportunity of making a statement on this matter. I presume that the hon. Member is not here referring to those categories of postal packets—such as printed papers—which are liable to examination under the normal conditions of the services in question as set out in the Post Office Guide, or to undeliverable postal packets which are opened by officers of the Post Office under powers conferred by the Post Office Act of 1908 in order that, whenever possible, they may be returned to the senders.There is no general inspection, visual or radiographic, of postal packets as such beyond that visual scrutiny which necessary to get them to their destination. Except under the authority of a Warrant issued by a Secretary of State, it is an offence for an officer of the Post Office to open a packet in course of transmission by post save in the case of postal packets sent from or to the United Kingdom if requested to do so by the proper officer of Customs and Excise. Such opening is undertaken under powers conferred by the Exchange Control Act, 1947. In disposing of such postal packets after examination by the Customs, officers of the Post Office act on the instructions of the Customs officer who alone is responsible for deciding whether they shall be returned, stopped or transmitted. Information as regards the numbers of items opened under the authorities I have mentioned is not available.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the villagers have to walk over a mile to post a parcel, he will consider opening a sub-post office in the village of Melton, East Yorkshire.

I regret that the circumstances at Melton are not such as to warrant the provision of a sub-post office there. The postman delivering in the area accepts parcels for the inland post. on request.

asked the Postmaster-General why the copy of HANSARD of 26th October containing the Debate on the impending trial of the German field-marshals sent to the field-marshals by the hon. Member for Ipswich has not been delivered.

I understand that delivery was effected on the 6th of November

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in Iserlohn, British zone, there are 40 empty houses still not derequisitioned by the British Army; and whether, in view of the crowded conditions in the neighbourhood, he will take immediate steps to have them released.

These houses are temporarily unoccupied as a result of moves of units. All will be reoccupied before the end of the year and it is not intended to derequisition any of them.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will have a copy of the photostat document concerning the order issued by Field-Marshal Runstedt regarding the treatment of paratroopers put in the Library for information of Members of this House.

No.

asked the Minister of National Insurance (1) if he has considered a request from the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis respecting the hardships imposed on tuberculosis patients who have had their sickness benefits reduced to 5s. per week under the National Insurance (Overlapping Benefits) Provisional Regulations; and what reply has been sent to the Association;(2) if he will instruct the advisory committee now considering the National Insurance (Overlapping Benefits) Provisional Regulations, to receive a deputation from the National Association for the Prevention of Tuberculosis, relative to the hardship caused by the present reductions in sickness benefits.

I have received a letter from the National Association about the application of the Overlapping Benefits Regulations to tuberculosis patients in hospital and have passed it for consideration to the National Insurance Advisory Committee. I have no power to instruct this Committee, which is an independent statutory body, as to the manner in which it shall take evidence. I may add, however, that the Overlapping Benefits Regulations, so far as they relate to patients in hospital, are still under consideration by the Committee and I understand that the Committee is prepared to received further evidence bearing on this part of the Regulations from responsible persons or bodies.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements have been made for the distribution of Medresco hearing aids in Derbyshire.

There are diagnostic clinics at the Royal Infirmary, Derby, and the Royal Hospital, Chesterfield. The related distribution centres are at the Royal Sheffield Hospital and the Nottingham General Hospital.