asked the Minister of Supply (1) if he will publish a list of the subsidiary companies in overseas countries in which each of the companies listed in the Third Schedule of the Iron and Steel Bill have a controlling interest or a majority shareholding in accordance with Section 154 of the Companies Act, 1948;(2) if he will publish a list of all the subsidiary companies in the United Kingdom in which each of the companies listed in the Third Schedule of the Iron

I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the 74 subsidiary companies in the United Kingdom and overseas countries in which, according to my present information, companies listed in the Third Schedule to the Iron and Steel Bill have a controlling interest or majority shareholding. These are in addition to the wholly-owned subsidiaries listed in my reply to the hon. Member on 15th November.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he is now in a position to give particulars of the amounts of any subsidies to iron and steel firms during the last three years, specifying the names of-the firms and the amounts of the subsidies.

Up to 31st March, 1946, subsidies were paid through the medium of a Central Fund created during the war to stabilise iron and steel prices. The Central Fund was financed partly by the industry itself and partly from public funds and the amounts paid from public funds to individual companies cannot, therefore, be accurately assessed. I append details of direct subsidies paid to individual firms during the financial years 1946–47 and 1947–48. The greater part of the subsidies to the industry are paid in bulk in respect of (i) freight on foreign iron ore; (ii) loss on imports of scrap; (iii) the difference between the import cost and sale prices of imported iron and steel. These imports are centralised and it is impossible to, assess the benefit derived by individual firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what proposals have been received from the United States occupation authorities in Germany regarding the opening at the earliest opportunity of all German shipyards for the construction of merchant ships without limitation of tonnage; and what reply has been made.

No such proposals have been received. The second part of the Question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action His Majesty's Government were taking in view of the recent resolution of local parliament at Hanover that political parties in opposition to the Socialists should not combine for the purpose of fighting the next elections.

The hon. Member is presumably referring to the Clause in the Lower Saxon Local Government Electoral Law which forbids all political parties (not necessarily anti-Socialist) from combining to form joint lists at local government elections. Rejection of this Clause would have involved the rejection of the whole Law. This in its turn would have meant the postponement of the local government elections which all political parties had agreed should take place at the end of November. In these circumstances the Regional Commissioner decided not to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that heavy sentences have been imposed by Control Commission courts on men in the British zone in Germany for minor offences such as neglecting to inform the police that a person who had befriended him was in possession of a revolver; and if he will review such sentences, with a view to reductions or remissions of the unexpired part.

No. I am not aware that this is so, but if my hon. Friend will send me full details of any case he may have in mind, I will certainly make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will place in the Library a copy of the recent Anglo-American Military Government ordinance concerning the Ruhr coal, iron and steel industries, including the preamble thereto.

Yes, when they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the freely-elected German Government referred to in the preamble to the Military Government Ordinance concerning the future of the Ruhr coal, iron and steel industries refers to a Government of the whole of Germany, of Western Germany or of any appropriate land.

The words "freely elected German Government" in the preamble to the Military Government Ordinance concerning the future of the Ruhr coal, iron and steel industries is intended to include a freely elected Western German Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give a list of, or otherwise define by category, the persons who will in no circumstances be permitted to share in the future ownership of the Ruhr coal, iron and steel industries.

It is not possible to say more at this time than that the Allied Military Government will not permit the return to positions of ownership and control of those persons who have been found, or may be found, to have furthered the aggressive designs of the National Socialist Party.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how long Mr. Evans has been in prison in Roumania awaiting trial; under what conditions he is being confined; if he has a cell to himself; and if he is allowed to receive British visitors daily.

Mr. Evans was released on bail at noon on 20th November. His arrest occurred on 8th June last and he had been in prison ever since. His trial opened on 28th July and sentence was pronounced on 15th October.

asked the Minister of Food how many fish friers' licences in the city of Aberdeen were applied for and refused and on what grounds were they refused during the years 1946, 1947 and 1948 to the present time, respectively.

The number of applications for fish friers' licences in the city of Aberdeen which have been refused were two in 1946, two in 1947 and one in 1948 to date. The refusal in each case was on the grounds that the need on the part of consumers for an additional fried fish shop was not sufficiently great, in relation to the amount of fat available at those times, to justify us in granting additional licences.

asked the Minister of Food why goods porters who do night duty, some for a fortnight at a time and others for a week at a time, at the Brighton railway goods depot, having been granted an extra cheese ration for one month, as is given to shunters and other railway employees, have now had this extra ration withdrawn.

The special cheese ration was withdrawn from porters at Brighton railway goods depot in April last because it was not known that they were wholly employed out of reach of canteen facilities. I find that they are so employed and the extra cheese ration is being restored.

asked the Minister of Food the current price per long hundred of eggs imported from Canada, the Netherlands, Denmark and Poland, respectively.

For eggs of the standard size weighing 15 lbs. to 15¼ lbs. per 120 the f.o.b. prices paid to Canada and Denmark at present, for fresh shell eggs, are 26s. 5d. and 29s. respectively. By agreement with the Governments of the Netherlands and Poland the prices of eggs from these countries have not been published. I can say, however, that they are comparable with those paid to Denmark.

asked the Minister of Food whether it is his intention to introduce an Order amending S.I. 2234 of 1948.

Yes.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a statement about the food negotiations with Poland.

The negotiations are proceeding and I regret that I cannot make a statement at the present stage.

asked the Minister of Food what is the total amount of sugar imported into Britain under the Marshall Plan from April to September, 1948, inclusive.

None.

asked the Minister of Food how many pigs were sent to bacon curers and Government slaughterhouses, separately, for the months of August, September and October, 1948, or to the latest convenient date.

The figures are as follow:

asked the Minister of Food how many bottles of wines and spirits were imported into this country during 1947, indicating each variety separately; the country of origin and the cost in each case; and whether hard or soft currency was involved.

The value of wines and spirits imported into the United Kingdom in 1947 was as follows:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many smallholdings were established in the county of Bedfordshire in the past 30 years; what expenditure was incurred in purchasing the land, apart from expenditure on equipment; and what was the area and price of the land and the cost of equipment in each case.

Eight hundred and eighty-one of the Bedfordshire County Council's smallholdings were established during the last 30 years. Four thousand eight hundred and ninety-five acres were purchased at an approximate cost of £230,000 or £47 per acre and the remaining 2,448 acres were purchased by annuities or are held on lease. The provision of the additional detailed information asked for would involve work which in present circumstances I do not consider would be justified.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the heavy losses already reported to him caused to poultry keepers in the counties of Northamptonshire and Leicestershire by foxes, and the deterrent these foxes are to farmers wishing to employ their land to increase the numbers, health, and output of their poultry, he will extend to bona-fide fox destruction societies in these counties the same payment per fox killed, as is now enjoyed by Welsh fox destruction societies.

Fox destruction societies normally operate where there are large areas of unenclosed land, and it is not possible to fix individual responsibility for fox destruction. Grants paid by the Ministry to fox destruction societies are not restricted to any particular counties and would be extended to societies in the counties of Leicester and Northampton if conditions in those counties warrant the formation of fox destruction societies similar to those established in parts of Wales.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will issue directions to the British Transport Commission that road freight rates are not to be raised above the level of railway rates for similar goods.

No. The Commission will, in due course, submit charges schemes to the Transport Tribunal. In the meantime, I see no reason for any general interference with the discretion of the Commission in regard to their road freight rates. As in the case of all other road hauliers, however, any road haulage charge made by the Commission may be challenged before the appropriate Regional Transport Commissioner, under the Road Haulage and Hire (Charges) Orders, 1942 and 1946.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if in view of the return of competitive trading conditions in Britain, he will increase the permitted maximum allowances of petrol for commercial travellers.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend, to the hon. Member for Brighton (Mr. Teeling) on 18th November.

asked the Minister of Health why he has decided to reverse the decision not to close the Gallowhill Hall Hospital, Morpeth, Northumberland, and proposes to transfer the inmates to premises in Whitchurch, Shropshire, previously used as an American Evacuation Hospital; whether he is aware that this accommodation consists of huts of a character wholly unsuitable to receive tuberculous patients; and whether he will reconsider this decision.

The hospital is to be closed because it is an unsatisfactory unit. No. 4 Polish Hospital at Whitchurch already accommodates 400 tubercular patients, and I cannot accept the suggestion that it is unsuitable for the purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many experiments on cats were performed during the year 1947, under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, with anaesthetics, without anaesthetics, and in which the animals were allowed to recover from the effects of the anaesthetic, respectively; and how many such experiments were performed on dogs.

The following table gives ale required information:

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Clowne Rural District Council are unable to get an adequate supply of water to certain parts of their area where a pipe line is already laid because of usage by tenants of the newly erected houses, thereby causing great concern because of lack of pressure during a recent fire; and will he take steps to enable this local authority to obtain from Manton Colliery, Worksop, a greater volume of supply for a period of years from that which is now being pumped but is not put to domestic use.

I understand that the Clowne Rural District Council are submitting a scheme to me within the next few days for improving pressure in the areas affected. I will give what assistance I can to enable the Council to obtain any additional water required.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the approximate number of gallons of water being pumped at Manton Colliery, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, each day; how much of it is considered fit for domestic use; the authorities taking it and the quantities allocated to them by agreement in each case; and what representations have been made by the local authorities for extra supplies out of the margin that is now running to waste.

I have been asked to reply. I am obtaining the information and will send it to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available.

asked the Minister of Works at what dates were suggestions made by the Committee of Education for Poles as to alterations and renovations to the Technical School at Lilford; when were plans submitted to carry out the suggested renovations; and what was the estimated cost of such alterations and renovations.

The Committee for the Education of Poles in Great Britain first submitted on 30th June a list of the works they wished my Department to undertake at Lilford Hall. It was, however, impossible to meet their wishes without explanatory sketches, which the Committee supplied on 30th July. The preparation of working drawings was immediately started. Some time was taken in agreeing details with the Committee but on 21st October the drawings were completed and £30,725 was notified to the Committee as the estimated cost. With a view to reducing the cost by omitting some of the work originally asked for, there have been further meetings with the Committee, the last of which took place on 15th November. As a result, the estimated cost will be reduced by about £10,000, but it is not yet possible to state the exact amount.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will specify how the £66 million subsidy on imported feedingstuffs is divided between coarse grains and other feedingstuffs.

£36.2 million on coarse grains and £29.7 million on other feeding-stuffs.