asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he is aware that on the death of British workers who had been insured under the National Health Service Acts, but who had transferred to work in Southern Ireland, their widows are being denied widows' pensions; and whether he will take the necessary steps to correct this anomaly.

I understand the hon. Member has in mind the possibiltiy of reciprocal arrangements with Eire in the field of widows' pensions. The provisions of the present scheme of widows' pensions in Eire differ widely from those of the British scheme, and so far as can be seen at present, there is no practicable basis for a reciprocal agreement to allow contributions paid under one to be counted for benefits under the other. Should this position, however, change at any time the possibility of such an agreement would again be explored.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the hardship suffered by the widows of men who have their work transferred from England to Southern Ireland? They lose the benefit of the widows' pension.

Yes, Sir, but the only possibility of preventing that is by reciprocal arrangement. We have examined this matter very carefully, but the difference between the two schemes is so wide at present that no possible basis exists for such an arrangement. If there is a change, however, I shall be glad to enter into such an arrangement.

asked the Minister of National Insurance on what date contributors since 5th July, 1948, to the National Insurance scheme will become eligible for sickness benefit.

28th December, 1948, is the earliest date on which employed or self-employed persons who were new entrants to National Insurance on 5th July, 1948, could qualify for sickness benefit. I trust that the early approach of this date will serve to remind all self-employed persons who have not yet obtained their insurance cards that they may suffer loss of benefit unless they take immediate steps to obtain them and to pay the contributions which are due.

asked the Minister of National Insurance if he has considered the hardship caused to old age pensioners in receipt of only 10s. weekly and who have continued in employment, when they fall sick and are refused either sickness benefit or a temporary increase in their pension to 26s. and are told to apply for help to the National Assistance Board, which they do not wish to do; and will he take steps to remove this grievance.

The position of these 10s. pensioners is the same as that of all insured persons who reached pension age before 5th July, 1948, and I cannot vary it in the ways suggested. The supplementation of insurance benefits in appropriate cases is one of the objects of the scheme of National Assistance, and special arrangements are in force to ensure that these 10s. pensioners are made aware of the position. If the hon. Member has any individual case in mind I should be glad to have particulars.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in present circumstances it is in the national interest that these people should continue in employment? Cannot we take a more generous view of their request that they should get sickness benefit when they are ill?

The Act lays it down that persons who were over 65 on 5th July cannot become contributors under the new scheme.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he will consider raising the upper limit of 30s. which widowed mothers are permitted to earn without reduction of pension and allowance; and what the total cost of wholly removing the limit on earnings of widowed mothers would be.

Any change in this limit would require legislation involving consideration of the purpose for which the widowed mother's allowance is provided. The initial cost of making the allowance payable regardless of earnings would be about £1 million a year, and it might rise, ultimately, to about £2 million.

In view of the severe loss which a household suffers by the death of its normal breadwinner, and the fact that many women could put in more hours than at present, thereby increasing their earnings, does not the right hon. Gentleman consider £1 million or £2 million would be worth it?

In these cases we increased permitted earnings from £1 to 30s., but in the case of widows with children a big social problem is involved. It has to be considered if it is desirable in all cases that they should take work.

Instead of deducting 1s. for every 1s. above 30s. would my right hon. Friend consider deducting 1s. for every 5s. over 30s.?

The scheme has been in operation for only a few weeks. We are watching it very carefully, and when we have had more experience we shall give it further consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour what decision he has come to on the recommendation of the Inter-Departmental Committee on Social and Economic Research that he should obtain and publish information about absenteeism in industry.

The collection of statistics of absenteeism would involve the maintenance by a considerable number of firms of running records showing the extent of and reasons for absence by individual workers. In present circumstances, I do not feel justified in requiring employers to undertake this additional burden, nor in recruiting additional staff to summarise the returns.

While appreciating that point of view, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether it is not the case that the Committee which was set up by the Government strongly recommended that the Ministry of Labour should produce these figures? Is not absenteeism fundamental to the question of productivity of industry, with which the Government and the nation are vitally concerned? Will not the right hon. Gentleman reconsider this important matter, and take the advice of the Committee which made this urgent recommendation?

We are governed by three factors: first, legislation would be required; second, every firm would require additional staff: third, the Civil Service would also require additional staff.

Is it not hard luck on the miners that they should be the only people to be accused of absenteeism, whereas workers in many other industries are a good deal worse?

I agree that it is hard luck that the miners should be so accused, and it is a pity that those who are now looking the other way, should be the ones who have been accusing them.

asked the Minister of Labour what additional steps he is taking to attain the labour target for the textile industry for 1948.

This industry has first preference for the supply of labour; intensive recruiting campaigns for whole-time and part-time workers are conducted; day nurseries are being developed; and foreign workers are being introduced. We are taking all possible steps to supply the labour needed. Supply of additional labour is not the only, or indeed the most important factor in increasing production.

Are the Government still aiming at the target laid down early in the year? Did not the right hon. Gentleman, in a speech he made in Manchester, indicate that that target had now been abandoned?

We are taking all the steps open to us to get as much foreign and native labour as we possibly can. The gravamen of my speech was that it is much more important to bring about redeployment in the textile industry.

How many European Volunteer Workers are sent to the industry each month?

The total number of foreign workers who have been put into the industry is 18,713, and I anticipate that the number now going into industry will be about 800 per month.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that many married women have had to give up mill work because of lack of provision by any authority for the care of their children during the long school holidays? Will he look into this point?

I have commended to the industry the project which was carried out in Bradford last year, and we are bringing all the pressure to bear that we can, to see that proper holiday provision is made for children.

asked the Minister of Labour how many ex-officers and other ranks of the Fighting Services were registered as unemployed at the latest convenient date.

The numbers of ex-Service men and women registered as unemployed at 11th October, 1948, were 56,965, of whom 6,286 were ex-officers registered with the Appointments Department. Separate figures for ex-officers registered at employment exchanges are not available.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say how these figures compare with, say, six months ago or twelve months ago, and will he undertake to make representations to his colleagues that in cases of hardship or distress these men should be paid at least part of their post-war credits?

I will take note of the second part of the supplementary question. With reference to the first part, I shall be very glad to give the figures to the hon. and gallant Member so that he can make a proper comparison. We have already placed 20,000 of these ex-officers and we have special ex-officers associated with our Ministry canvassing employers throughout the country to find out where posts are available.

asked the Minister of Labour what instructions he gave to manufacturers of materials and semi-finished products for estimating in their monthly returns the number of employees engaged on work for export, having regard to the fact that usually they would not know the ultimate destination of goods sold for manufacture in the United Kingdom; and what consequent probable error is attached by him to the aggregate figures in his "Monthly Digest."

I am sending the hon. Member copies of a leaflet and the form itself which contain the relevant notes and instructions. I have no reason to believe that the procedure leads to material errors in the aggregate figures.

Will the right hon. Gentleman agree that many of these manufacturers cannot possibly know the ultimate destination of a large proportion of their goods and that these statistics must, therefore, necessarily be unreliable?

No, Sir. We do not accept that. Of course, there may not be 100 per cent. accuracy, but from the inquiries we have made and the information which is sent out to obtain the figures we think they are fairly reliable. If, when the hon. Member has read the papers, he thinks we can make them more clear, I shall be glad to discuss the matter with him.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether, in the case of those ex-prisoners of war who applied, and were allowed to stay here to help in agriculture, and who wish to continue in service after 1948 but are not in a position to renew their farm contracts, he will consider retaining them in this country is some useful capacity instead of forcing them back to Germany against their wills;

(2) whether, in the case of those ex-German prisoners employed in agriculture who were previously resident in countries outside Germany and who are anxious to remain in useful work in this country after 1948, he will consider affording them European Volunteer Workers' status and transferring them to hostels.

No, Sir.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that this is a most foolish decision to have taken in view of the shortage of British labour in agriculture and other industries?

No, Sir. We do not regard this as a foolish decision at all. Our first obligation, as I have said in this House many times, is to the victims of the Germans who are now in Germany, and we are bringing them over here as fast as we can. If there is accommodation or work available anywhere, it is these displaced persons who should have first priority.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether he will reconsider the situation in cases where these men have lost their jobs with one farmer, through no fault of their own, but have been offered jobs with other farmers?

No, Sir. We have plenty of European Volunteer Workers in this country now. We are very anxious to place them and at this time of the year the problem is very pressing.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman recognise that his answer means that the number of displaced persons in Germany will be increased as a result of the Government's policy?

If Germans are displaced in Germany I am afraid it is a consequence of their own irresponsible action.

In view of the thoroughly unsatisfactory answer, I shall raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest opportunity.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has considered the report of the Joint Committee on Conditions in Iron Foundries; and what action he proposes to take to have the recommendation contained therein embodied in the Factory Act.

I have considered the report, and I would refer to the reply on this subject which I gave on 4th February last to the hon. Member for Stoke (Mr. Ellis Smith). I have since amended the Order under Section 1 of the Factories Act, as recommended by the committee, and I understand that considerable progress has been made in the industry towards carrying out the other recommendations. I propose at the end of the year to review the position and consider whether any further legislative action has been found to be necessary.

asked the Minister of Labour whether in view of the fact that employees cannot be dismissed without his sanction, he was consulted by the Wolverhampton Council before their introduction of a closed shop for their employees.

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The Wolverhampton Council are not under any obligation to obtain my sanction before dismissing an employee.

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman has perfectly effective control over any such action, in as much as under the Control of Engagement Order these men cannot be replaced without the permission of his officers?

The hon. Gentleman has asked a specific Question and I have given a definite answer to the Question he asked. If he wants to put another Question, will he please put it on the Order Paper?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is now 21 months since the decision was taken by the Wolverhampton authority? If the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Mr. Boyd-Carpenter) wishes to give the Corporation advice in future, I shall be grateful if he will do it more promptly. Secondly, can my right hon. Friend say how many of these employees not paying trade union subscriptions are refusing to benefit from the improved wages and conditions?

In view of the apparent lack of appropriate advice available to the Wolverhampton Council, will the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that he will see that the machinery of his Department will not be used to facilitate the imposition of a closed shop by this or any other authority?

If the hon. Member wanted to put that question to me he should have put it on the Order Paper. I shall be very glad of his assistance in inducing employers who flatly refuse to employ trade unionists, to break down their attitude.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons whom he has directed to remain within an industry since the coming into force of the present Control of Engagement Order.

Between 6th October, 1947, and the end of September, 1948, 129 directions were issued to workers normally employed in agriculture and 338 to workers normally employed in coalmining.

asked the Minister of Labour why, by Regulation VII of the Youth Employment Service (Administrative Expenses) Regulations (S.I., No. 1742, 1948), he has excluded the jurisdiction of the courts of law.

This Regulation, which follows established practice over a number of years, makes it clear that the Minister must be free to determine what expenditure he feels can properly be recognised by him in discharge of his responsibility to Parliament for this service.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the paragraph to which I invited his attention goes further than that and provides that the Minister shall be the sole judge of the interpretation of the Regulations which he himself has made? Is there any good reason why the job of interpretation should not be left to the ordinary courts of law?

Only the good reason that I am following the precedent set up in this House by ex-Ministers and hon. Members of the Party opposite.

asked the Minister of Labour what agreement has been reached between the American Officer-in-Charge of U.S. troops in Britain and his Department, respecting the employment of coloured workers at or near the U.S. bases.

No agreement on this subject has been made by my Department. We are told what the employer's requirements are and do our best to meet them.

Are we to take it that a certain part of England now belongs to America and that the right hon. Gentleman and the employment exchanges have no authority to send workers to employment there if the Americans take objection to it?

I invite the attention of the hon. Member to his Question. He asked, "what agreement has been reached?" I said no agreement has been reached.

asked the Minister of Labour why Mr. Harold Brown, an electrician, was informed at the Green Lane Employment Exchange in Liverpool, that no coloured men would be employed at the R.A.F. camp adjoining the U.S. base at Burtonwood, Lancashire.

I have made inquiries but have been unable to find that any such statement was made to Mr. Brown.

May I send the Minister information on this point? If I do, will he take it up and see that no objection of any kind is placed on any workers being employed in any part of England?

Certainly, I will look into that matter. To prove the point, we have recently sent a coloured man from the Department to this particular place.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will define the scope of the limitation which he placed upon the assurance given by the Parliamentary Secretary on 24th July, 1946, that coal miners, who are discharged from a particular colliery, will be at liberty to find for themselves employment at other collieries.

So far as I am concerned, there is no such limitation.

Last Thursday the right hon. Gentleman said the assurance had no relation to disciplinary measures. Will he, then, explain what he means? He has attempted to qualify the assurance given by the Parliamentary Secretary. Does he mean to abide by that assurance?

I am standing by the assurance given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary. The hon. Member wanted to know if it related to disciplinary measures and I said it did not enter into the question. Therefore, I am standing by the assurance as originally given.

Surely, it would be best, if the right hon. Gentleman wants to escape from the clear-cut nature of that assurance, that he should openly withdraw from it and not seek to wriggle out in this way.

I have stated quite categorically that I am not trying to escape or wriggle out. I am standing by it.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the average wage now paid to the British workman as compared to December, 1938.

I would refer the hon. Member to the details given in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for October, 1948, a copy of which is in the Library.

Would the right hon. Gentleman also give information about the difference in the purchasing power of the £ between 1938 and what it is today?

asked the Minister of Labour how many European Volunteer Workers are employed in Scotland; and of these how many are in agriculture.

Approximately 7,000 European Volunteer Workers have been placed in employment in Scotland and of these, approximately 4,500 have been placed in agriculture.

In view of the fact that the arrangements for potato planting next year must now, or very soon, be under way, will the hon. Gentleman try to secure more European Volunteer Workers rather than use schoolchildren for the ingathering of the crop?

There will no difficulty in supplying Scotland with the European Volunteer Workers required.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he proposes to reestablish the status of the infants' mistress as head of a department of the school;

(2) if in future he will assess the responsibility payment of the infants' mistress on the status of the position and on the number of pupils in the department.

I am not aware of any regulation or instruction which has changed the status of the infants' mistress as head of a department of a school. As regards responsibility payments, I will give careful consideration in preparing the 1951 Salary Regulations to any recommendation as to the salaries of these teachers that may be made by the National Joint Council, on which they are represented.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the majority of these teachers have had their responsibility payment reduced, in some cases by more than 50 per cent. under the Teviot scale? Has he received representations from the recent conference of infant mistresses about their status and emoluments?

As the hon. and gallant Member may be aware, I am guided in these matters by the advice of the Joint Council upon which the infant mistresses are represented.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress of negotiations for the amalgamation of the police forces in Ayrshire.

The police authorities for the county of Ayr and the burghs of Ayr and Kilmarnock were informed in June that unless they submitted to me by 31st October a satisfactory amalgamation scheme covering the three police areas, I proposed myself to make a scheme under the powers given to me by Section 2 of the Police (Scotland) Act, 1946. No scheme was submitted to me by the end of October, and I shall shortly give to the three police authorities notice of the general nature of the scheme which I propose to make.

In view of the fact that Kilmarnock burgh has delayed the appointment of a Chief Constable for more than a year will my right hon. Friend carry on with his idea of getting this amalgamation as speedily as possible, for the benefit of the county and the burgh?

Yes, Sir.

Will that scheme be open to examination or debate in this House?

No, Sir.

What are the Minister's qualifications for making such a scheme?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mass radiography units are in operation in Scotland; and where they are.

Four mass radiography units are at present in operation in Scotland: two in Glasgow, one in Edinburgh, and one in Motherwell.

While recognising that the Department has done valuable work, may I ask whether the Secretary of State will, in view of the continued and welcome expansion of industry in Ayrshire side by side with the continued but unwelcome housing conditions, take steps to set up one of these units in Ayrshire?

We expect three additional units to be delivered to Scotland next year, and more if they are required.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the housing programme for Scotland for 1949.

We estimate that the building trade will maintain a completion rate of 20,000 permanent houses per year although we feel that this might be improved upon if conditions throughout the year are favourable. In order that the maximum number of houses should be completed in the year, it is essential that the programme should be brought into balance. Strict control will therefore still have to be exercised over the approval of new tenders to avoid the dissipation of building force labour over too many houses. The starting of new houses will, however, continue to be authorised for priority cases such as agricultural workers, miners and key workers and for certain other exceptional needs.

In view of the fact that the programme appears to be lower than this year's programme, will my right hon. Friend use his persuasive powers with his colleagues in the Cabinet to persuade them that Scotland really needs some degree of preference to meet its very urgent needs?

Could the Minister say how many people are waiting for houses in Scotland, having lodged requests with the local authorities?

It is estimated that nearly 500,000 houses are needed to satisfy all the various needs in Scotland. I believe that there is some misunderstanding on the part of my hon. Friend the Member for North Edinburgh (Mr. Willis). The Question I replied to was in regard to permanent houses. The 20,000 are permanent houses. The number this year includes a large number of temporary houses.

Is not the plywood which is coming from Russia likely to be of very great help in housing? Will the right hon. Gentleman see that Scotland gets its fair share of it?

We have not yet been able to build plywood houses in Scotland, but any kind of wood that comes into this country is welcome if it is useful for houses.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give particular attention to the position in Edinburgh, where the Corporation are authorised only to build 200 houses next year?

The City of Edinburgh have many houses yet to finish of those which have been started.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his answer will give profound dissatisfaction to Scotland? Will he say whether shortage of materials is the limiting factor?

I am sorry if my answer was not clear. I said that we estimated that the building trade would be able to maintain a completion rate of 20,000 permanent houses. It is the capacity of the building trade that is in question and not the materials.

Do I understand that the right hon. Gentleman says that there is no shortage of materials whatever and that the limitation is the limitation of the building trade?

Answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what study is being made by his Department of recent inventions of new types of mechanised agricultural machinery in the U.S.A. with a view to their introduction into Scotland.

My Department, through the agricultural machinery station in Midlothian, are in close touch with machinery experimental stations in U.S.A. If an American machine is thought to be suitable for use in Scotland, arrangements are made to import it for trial purposes. If my hon. Friend has some particular machinery in mind, perhaps he will let me know.

Will the right hon. Gentleman use his persuasive powers with the Chancellor of the Exchequer to see that some of this machinery comes over as part of our Marshall Aid? Will he also ask for priority to be given to the agricultural machinery demand?

If the hon. Member will let us know to what machinery he refers, we shall see that the matter is taken into consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he has any statement to make on the results of the scheme initiated by the Don Suisse for the treatment in Switzerland of ex-Service men disabled by tuberculosis.

With the hon. Member's permission I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a short account of the scheme under which, through the generosity of the Don Suisse organisation, 180 British ex-Service and Service men suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis were provided with free sanatorium treatment in Switzerland. I have conveyed to the Swiss Minister the cordial thanks of His Majesty's Government for the generous and friendly gesture of the Swiss people.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many ex-members of the Polish naval detachment, the Polish armed forces or the Polish Resettlement forces are receiving pensions from his Department.

It is estimated that 2,065 disablement pensions were in payment at the 30th September last to ex-members of all Polish forces.

Are these pensions assessed through the ordinary machinery of the Department, or is there a special committee composed largely of Poles who are assessing them?

I should like notice of that question, but it is my recollection that it is being done in the ordinary way by my Department at the present time.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will raise pensions granted to widows of those killed in the 1914–18 war in order to bring them into line with the increased cost of living.

The standard rate of pension for widows of those killed in the 1914–18 war is the same as that payable to widows of the 1939 war. It has been increased substantially since the outbreak of the last war and compares favourably with similar benefits payable under the other social service schemes. I regret that in the present circumstances I cannot promise any increase.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the fact that recipients of the war widows' pension are now called upon to pay a contribution of 3s. 8d. a week to the National Health Insurance, he will reconsider the whole basis of this pension in the light of this additional expense on top of the rising cost of living.

The requirement to pay National Insurance contributions is, of course, a general one and I am unable to take this consideration into account in relation to a particular class of pensioner. A widow may claim exemption from contributions if her income is less than £2 a week. Children's allowances are not regarded as income. A widow who qualifies for old age pension by paying her contributions will receive the old age pension without any reduction of her war widow's pension.

Does not the Minister feel that by their cheeseparing attitude in this matter the Government are not discharging the duty which the nation owes to those who lost their lives in the war and left dependants in our care?

We are talking about insurance under the National Insurance Regulations applicable to all citizens. I do not understand the reference to cheese-paring in this matter at all.

In view of a certain amount of dubiety which seems to exist about the payment of pensions, will my hon. Friend make it known that there will be duplication of payment in these cases.

I carefully introduced that sentence into my answer in the hope that it would became publicly known that a widow who qualifies for old age pension by paying her contributions will receive the old age pension without any reduction of her war widow's pension.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Private Richards, A.T.S., particulars of whose illness were supplied to him last August, has yet been transferred from Berlin to Hamburg as promised last September; and when will she be brought home to the U.K. for proper treatment.

This auxiliary was brought to the United Kingdom and admitted to the Connaught Hospital, Hindhead, on 15th November.

In view of the fact that there has been some three months' delay in bringing this convalescent girl back to England, will the hon. Gentleman tell the House whether any attempt was made to enlist the services of the R.A.F. to bring her back to England?

The hon. and gallant Member is mistaken when he mentions last August; it was not until the middle of September that the parents approached the Department. I think I am right in saying that the hon. and gallant Member did not take it up with us until October and not August. There was difficulty in getting this Auxiliary back to this country, but as I have said, that has now been done.

Is it not quite clear to the House that the hon. Gentleman has not answered the question which I put to him: Was any attempt made in August or September to get this unfortunate girl back to England by applying to the R.A.F. for a Transport Command Dakota?

To the best of my knowledge, no attempt was made. It was considered more desirable to bring her home by ship.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has considered details, which have been sent to him, regarding personal losses suffered by Mr. L. H. Moss at the A.C.F. Summer Camp, Shorncliffe, Kent, between 14th and 21st August, 1948; and if he will make a statement.

The details sent by the hon. Member on 2nd September have been investigated and the results of the investigation sent to him. The further details sent by him on 15th November are now being investigated and I will inform him of the results as soon as possible.

In view of the fact that this officer claims it is not his fault, if the decision goes against him is there any appeal? Can the whole thing be put before a Court of Inquiry?

I think it would be better first to examine the information sent to me recently by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many applications for war medals have been received at the latest available date; and how many have been dealt with.

Up to 30th October, 1,132,488 applications had been made for campaign stars, the Defence Medal and the War Medal for service in the Army; issues had been made to 539,635 applicants.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that many applications made months ago—some five months ago—have not yet been met? How is he dealing with the situation now? Is it being done by means of rotation?

The rate at which applications can be met fluctuates according to the burden of other work, some of which must take priority, which falls on Record Offices. The hon. Member will notice that the 540,000 issues to which I referred were made since 1st July, which indicates a satisfactory rate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many National Savings Officers are employed; what are the numbers of their staffs; and what is the annual cost.

The hon. Member will find the information in Class I, 15 of the Civil Estimates.

While I thank the Chancellor for the lack of information, may I ask him if he agrees that this work could now be undertaken by voluntary efforts and thus save a good deal of the country's money and also utilise labour more advantageously?

As the hon. Member knows, of course, a very great part is done by voluntary effort. This is merely a small staff to keep together the voluntary effort.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the rearmament programme is likely to have on the housing plans for Scotland in the coming year.

The effect on Scottish housing is expected to be negligible.

In view of the fact that the Secretary of State for Scotland has just told the House that 500,000 houses are needed in Scotland and in view of the grave concern which is felt all over Scotland above the housing problem, will the Chancellor give an assurance that no further men and materials will be diverted from building into rearmament?

Certainly I will not give any such assurance but will answer the Question put to me in the way I have answered it.

In view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, I give notice that I will raise this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconsider the application of the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division for permission to remit £5,000 to France to be spent on erecting a War Memorial at Rauray.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the recent decision to allow the transfer into French francs of the £1,000 collected by the Scottish Branch of the National Union of Mineworkers for the French miners on strike, he will reconsider the application in respect of £5,000 subscribed by the 49th (West Riding) Division to erect a war memorial in Normandy.

No. I regret that I am unable to reconsider the application. I am, however, prepared in this and similar cases to allow £500 to be remitted either in goods or in cash, for a temporary memorial.

Does not the Chancellor think that a memorial to commemorate those who fought for freedom and democracy is a more worthy cause than support for those who are fighting against it?

I am not dealing here with the merits of the cases but with the amounts of money. If this were allowed for one case, it would obviously have to be allowed for a great many other cases.

Can the Chancellor of the Exchequer explain to the House on what basis it was considered justifiable to transfer £1,000 to the French miners on strike when it was not considered justifiable to transfer the £5,000 which, as my hon. Friend said, has a more worthy object?

The basis of the transference of the former sum of money was on the same basis as the transference of other charitable funds to assist distress in Europe.

As His Majesty's Government are making available many millions of pounds to France by way of a gift under the European Recovery Programme, why will not the Chancellor allow this transfer of £5,000 which would lessen the burden on the taxpayers and place it on people anxious to bear it?

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to make exceptions of that kind for a particular country. If it were permitted for France, demands would be made for Belgium, and, as the hon. Member knows, that is a very difficult case.

Does the Chancellor recollect that in replying to me last week about the £35 tourist allowance, he said he would be delighted to allow more British money to be spent in France were it not for an agreement with the Swiss Government? Is there an agreement with the Swiss Government to prevent the erection of war memorials in France?

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the position regarding compensation in respect of British-owned industries in Poland which have been nationalised; and what is holding up the negotiation of other agreements.

Compensation for nationalised British properties in Poland is now being discussed in Warsaw. As my hon. Friend is aware, discussions on trade and payments with Poland are also proceeding, but I have no statement to make at present.

Can my right hon. and learned Friend say whether the conclusion of a food agreement with Poland is being held up pending some settlement of this question of compensation for British industries and British property which are going to be nationalised in Poland, and, if so, does he not think that a great mistake?

I have just stated that I have no statement to make at present.

Is not this demand for compensation which is holding up an agreement, a case of what the Chancellor referred to the other night as too many people being concerned about what they can get and not about what they can give?

In view of the fact that the British housewife is now going very short of bacon and other products for the breakfast table, does not my right hon. and learned Friend consider that when the principle about the repayment for nationalised industries has been agreed by the Polish Government, he has no right to continue to prevent the ratification of the agreement?

As far as I know, nobody has suggested that anything is preventing an agreement being entered into.

Is it not becoming more and more plain every day that the present Chancellor of the Exchequer is a more dangerous and vicious fellow-traveller than his predecessor.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases have war credits been paid to entitled persons before the due date, on compassionate or other grounds.

None, Sir.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider the advisability of reviewing those difficult and hard cases which have been sent to his Parliamentary Secretary so that they may be prevented from going to the Public Assistance Board when they happen to be creditors of His Majesty's Government?

I have no powers to make any concessions in this matter at all.

Would not the right hon. and learned Gentleman consider those cases of parents who are applying for post-war credits in respect of their sons who have been killed in action?

No, Sir. I have authority at all to go beyond what is laid down in Acts of Parliament in this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered Mr. Justice Vaisey's strictures on the Inland Revenue Department's practice of harrying individuals to pay Income Tax promptly while allowing the tax due from companies to be outstanding for a number of years; and what action he proposes to take.

There is no such practice. The Inland Revenue is concerned to obtain prompt payment from companies and individuals alike, but it will be understood that in particular cases there may be difficulty in reaching a determination of the liability.

But is the Chancellor aware that the Judge, in addressing counsel for the Inland Revenue, said, "if you had not paid your Income Tax since 1941 you would be languishing in gaol," and does not the Chancellor think that the wide difference in treatment meted out to different classes of taxpayers in arrears ought to be narrowed?

There is no such difference at all.

Oh!

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will introduce legislation to permit compensation in cases of war damage for loss of rent because of delays in rebuilding beyond the control of the owner.

No, Sir. I am afraid that this is only one of many types of loss which must be regarded as outside the field of public compensation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the communication sent to him by the Abercarn Urban Area Chamber of Trade; and if he will state the nature of his reply.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of my reply to this letter.

May I ask my right hon. and learned Friend if his reply has been framed to meet the desires of these people who are responsible for sending the letter?

Perhaps my hon. Friend would read the reply and judge for himself.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Poles are receiving pensions and allowances from public funds other than through the Ministry of Pensions.

Three senior Polish officers receive pensions from Service Votes. About 11,000 Poles receive free maintenance in camps and hostels of the National Assistance Board and some others receive assistance allowances from the Board. About 2,700 Polish students receive maintenance allowances while attending British universities and technical colleges, the Polish university college and other Polish institutions of a similar type.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the number of additional district valuers which will be required because of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947; and what will be the estimated additional cost per annum.

With regard to the staff required, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary on 15th April, 1948. The estimated annual cost of the extra staff is £1 million for five years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been drawn to the printed circular issued by the Central Land Board entitled, "Advice on buying and selling a site for building a house"; and whether he will explain the meaning of the sentence in paragraph three which states, that the amount will in any case be related to the circumstances of the owner of the land on 1st July, 1948.

The payments from the £300 million are to be made in respect of interests in land, whether freehold or leasehold, existing on 1st July, 1948, which have suffered depreciation due to the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947. The Act provides that the Treasury scheme, which will distribute the payments, may have regard to the development value of such interests or to other circumstances affecting those interests. In either case the interest referred to is that of the person owning on 1st July, 1948. The treatment of the claim and the amount of the payment would be unaffected by any assignment to some other person of the right to receive the payment.

Can I have an assurance from the right hon. and learned Gentleman that the word "circumstances" in this case does not mean the financial circumstances of the owner?

It means the circumstances which rule on the date I have given, 1st July, 1948, and not the circumstances which might rule at some future date.

But does it refer to the financial circumstances?

No, it refers to the factual circumstances.

asked the President of the Board of Trade at approximately what rate dollar tobacco leaf is being re-exported to soft currency countries in the form of cigarettes or pipe tobacco.

Separate records are not kept of the country of origin of the unmanufactured tobacco contained in manufactured tobacco products exported from this country. The value of total exports of manufactured tobacco in the first 10 months of this year was nearly £14 million. The great bulk of these exports were to Commonwealth countries which rely on the United Kingdom for their requirements.