asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to find employment for the staff of nationalised Airways Corporations who have been dismissed for redundancy.

The services of employment exchanges and appointments offices are available for all workers who become redundant and they may register before their existing employment comes to an end.

asked the Minister of Labour the average net weekly increases in the numbers of workers in the coal-mining and textile industries from 1st July, 1948, to the latest date for which figures are available.

The average net weekly increase in employment in textiles during July, August and September was 700. The number of workers on colliery boks at 13th November was the same as at 3rd July.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will estimate the net increases in manpower required during the month of December in the coalmining and textile industries in order to achieve the manpower distribution described as necessary in the Economic Survey for 1948.

The latest available manpower figures relate to end-September for textiles and 13th November for coal-mining. At those dates employment in textiles was 77,000 and in coalmining 25,000 below the figures adopted as manpower targets in the Economic Survey for 1948.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest figure for the number of unfilled vacancies registered at employment exchanges in the United Kingdom; and when he proposes to include this item in his report on the operation of the Control of Engagement Order.

The number of unfilled vacancies at employment exchanges was 432,128 at 29th September. My last two reports on the operation of the Control of Engagement Order have included statistics of unfilled vacancies.

asked the Minister of Labour how many factories are now operated by the Disabled Persons Employment Corporation; how many disabled persons are there employed; how many are awaiting such employment; and what prospects there are of this being provided.

The Disabled Persons Employment Corporation is now operating 30 factories and employing 1,685 severely disabled persons of whom 86 are working in their own homes. There are 10,660 unemployed persons who are registered as disabled and classified as needing employment under special conditions. The majority of these should be employed in due course in these factories and in about 90 others which are included in the Corporation's programme and in home workers schemes linked with these factories.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the cost of training at Government centres on an annual basis for each year since July, 1945; and what is the estimated cost of further proposals for training.

The cost of training (exclusive of the provision and maintenance of buildings) at Government training centres since 1945 has been approximately as follows:

• For the financial year 1945–46—£1,650,000.
• For the financial year 1946–47—£7,400,000.
• For the financial year 1947–48—£5,000,000.
• For the period from April to October, 1948 —£1,250,000.

The cost of training of this kind in the future will depend on a number of circumstances which cannot be foreseen and I am unable to estimate it.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons from Wales have been directed by his Department to work outside Wales.

Between 6th October, 1947, when the Control of Engagement Order came into force, and 30th October, 1948 (the latest date for which figures are available), no persons in Wales were directed to work outside Wales.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will estimate the numbers of men to be called up for military service in 1949; and, based upon a 46 hour working week, the number of industrial man-hours likely to be lost as a result of increasing their term of service from 12 to 18 months.

I am not yet in a position to state the number of men likely to be called up in 1949.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now allow local authorities to include three-apartment houses and flats in their building programmes.

There is no ban on the building of a proportion of three-apartment houses where the circumstances of a particular area justify it, and in fact some 8,400 permanent houses of this size have so far been approved in the post-war housing programme. In addition, nearly 32,000 temporary houses of three-apartments have been completed. Any proposals for the provision of flats will be considered on their merits.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning when it is expected the findings of the public inquiry into the proposed New Town at Basildon, Essex, will be published.

I am considering the report of my inspector on the public inquiry into this case and I hope to issue my decision in two to three weeks time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to publish the Economic Programme for Great Britain recently submitted to the O.E.E.C. in Paris.

The United Kingdom Long-Term Programme will be published as a White Paper in the form in which it was originally submitted to O.E.E.C. when the Interim Report of the Organisation is handed to the European Co-operation Administrator towards the middle of December.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate direct loss sustained by Britain in the period 1st January, 1946, to 30th June, 1948, as a result of the deterioration in the terms of trade obtaining between Britain and the Western Hemisphere.

Our Western Hemisphere trading deficit over this period would have been £314 million less if prices had remained at 1st January, 1946, level. Of this difference of £314 million only part can be attributed to the terms of trade, since the volume of our imports is much greater than that of our exports and prices were rising. Perhaps one-third of the difference might be attributed to terms of trade, and the rest to generally rising prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will issue a table showing the number of charities and political or quasi-political organisations in France to which payments in sterling have been authorised since 1st January, 1948, and the sums involved.

It would not be proper to disclose the details of individual applications, except with the consent of the bodies concerned. Since 1st January, 1948, 27 charities and political or quasi-political organisations have been authorised to remit £43,931 to France.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for permission to remit money for charitable purposes abroad by recognised charitable institutions and other organisations have been made since the coming into force of the Exchange Control Act; how many of such applications have been allowed in whole or in part; what is the total sum so remitted; and whether he will circulate with the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the date, the amount, and the country of destination of each case in which permission has been granted.

Remittances by recognised charitable organisations are governed by a quota, and it would entail considerable research to ascertain the detailed information for which the hon. Member asks. I can, however, say that during the year ended 30th September, 1948, 181 recognised charitable institutions and other organisations remitted £1,206,783, of which £803,000 was in the form of goods.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the principles upon which he permits, or refuses, the transfer of money abroad by individuals or organisations for political purposes.

All such applications must be considered on their merits. If there is no exchange difficulty then broadly speaking, I would approve contributions made for the purpose of strengthening the democratic forces in any country, and I would disapprove contributions made to organisations whose activities are hostile to that purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why British personnel, seconded to and resident in Pakistan and paid from British Service Votes, are liable to United Kingdom tax on their pay, in view of the fact that certain retired Indian personnel on British Service special list pay Pakistan rates of Income Tax and not British rates; and, as both categories of personnel derive their pay from the same source and as there is no difference between them, will he review the position.

No. The two cases are different. Personnel in the first category receive British rates of pay from British Service Votes and are liable to United Kingdom tax on their pay like other members of the British Forces serving abroad. The position was fully explained in a statement by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 30th May, 1946 [OFFICIAL REPORT, Vol. 423, c. 1366–73.] Former Indian personnel on the special list are paid by Pakistan at Pakistan rates and their pay is subject only to Pakistan tax so long as they are not resident in the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the efficiency of the various research institutes is still diminished by reason of the difficulties and delays which ensue as a result of the obligation imposed upon them to recruit their scientific staff centrally; and whether, in view of the specialised requirements of these institutes and the important scientific work which they are doing, he will arrange for an early modification of the present procedure.

I cannot agree that central recruitment is diminishing the efficiency of research institutes. This system was introduced in accordance with the White Paper on the Scientific Civil Service (Command 6679) for the express purpose of keeping up high standards throughout the Scientific Civil Service; and the scarcity of scientists throughout the country makes it the more important to retain the main principles of the system.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the extra pressure of work placed on doctors under the new Health Act, he will exempt from Purchase Tax articles necessary for the use of doctors in their professional duties, especially the doctor's bag.

No. It would not be possible to give doctors special privileges for the few chargeable articles they use professionally.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of ex-Service men and women appointed to posts in the General Clerical Class of the Civil Service from the First Review, Parts I and II, held under the recommendations contained in Government White Paper, Command 6567; also in the 10,000 scheme dealt with in the Agreement dated June, 1947.

Out of 4,637 temporary male clerks so far established under these schemes as members of the General Clerical Class, 3,681 are ex-Service men. Of the 2,376 temporary women Civil Servants established in this way, 102 are ex-Service women. These figures are not yet complete because the closing date for the Second Review and for the 10,000 scheme is the 31st December, 1948.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider setting up a Select Committee to investigate the circumstances of the building of the Grantham factories at the instigation of the Air Ministry, their war-time management and the negotiations ending in the various allocations of those factories made by the Board of Trade.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the delay in permitting London merchants to trade in sisal, whilst local sellers in Tanganyika are now free to deal with foreign buyers, is leading to loss of business in the London market and is damaging to entrepôt trade, perhaps permanently.

Before the London merchants could be permitted to trade in sisal, it was necessary to ensure the proper disposal of Government stocks both in this country and abroad. I am now satisfied that adequate arrangements can be made and merchants are being authorised to deal in East African sisal on and after tomorrow, 1st December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will make a statement on the progress of the Anglo-Polish trade discussions.

Negotiations with Poland are still in progress and I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many firms which were wholly or partly evacuated during the war have returned to the Greater London area.

I regret that the information asked for by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now given consideration to the representations made to him by the Canvey Island Winter Gardens Ratepayers' Association on the question of road construction and other matters affecting the welfare and health of the residents of the Winter Garden area; and what steps he has taken in the matter.

Yes. The matter has been discussed with representatives of the Urban District Council and any reasonable proposals they submit will be considered, in consultation if necessary with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport.

asked the Minister of Health the conditions for granting priority in the letting of new dwelling-houses in mining areas.

No specific conditions have been laid down, but I have asked the local housing authorities to give special consideration to the needs of miners. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the circular isued to the local authorities on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the original port installations at Akaba and the cost of building them; and for what sum were they disposed of.

The installations at Akaba, which were erected for the most part during the 1914–18 war, consisted of jetties, hutting, single-line track and a quantity of machinery and plant. A military lighter wharf and two transit sheds were completed during the recent war. It is estimated that the installations originally cost approximately £500,000. It would be contrary to practice to disclose the price for which they were sold.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will set up an independent tribunal with a judge or leading K.C. as chairman before which evidence can be taken on oath to inquire into and to report to this House on the whole system of piece-work rates and time rates and expert supervision in Army workshops.

I know of no reason for thinking that any useful purpose would be served by such an inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what is the approximate annual cost, to the latest convenient date, of the grant to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Road Accidents; what steps are taken to supervise the Society's activitites; and whether he is satisfied that the grant is justified;(2) if he will arrange for a representative of his Department to sit on the Executive Committee of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Road Accidents, in view of the fact that a grant is made to this body from the Exchequer.

Present arrangements enable me to exercise a proper influence with the Royal Society over their road safety activities and I see no need for my Department to be represented on their Committee. The Society's estimates of expenditure and their accounts are subject to approval by my Department and the Treasury. The subvention from public funds was £96,000 for 1947–48. I am satisfied that the Royal Society is doing excellent work.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he is considering any system of compensation for those senior examiners who are ex-Service men of the 1914–18 war, who were reverted to a lower rank before their juniors during the period of redundancy in his Department in 1945 and who have since left the Service.

No. Reversions of senior examiners to meet the redundancy in the Aeronautical Inspection Department in 1945 were carried out in accordance with a procedure agreed by the Ministry of Supply with the Staff Side of their Departmental Whitley Council. This procedure resulted in a number of Senior Examiners, including some transferred with their work to the Air Ministry, being reverted to a lower rank before their juniors, but I am advised that this possibility was foreseen by the Staff Side when the Whitley agreement was made.

asked the Minister of Food if he will consider increasing the meat ration by the addition of further supplies of corned beef.

The meat supply position for some months ahead will not permit of any increase in the ration. I can assure the hon. Member I shall increase it as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Food what was the approximate annual profit or loss on Government cold storage to the latest convenient date.

I presume the hon. Member refers to Government-owned cold stores, on which the net profit for the latest completed year ended 31st March, 1948, was £113,871.

asked the Minister of Food what is the capacity in cubic feet of Government-owned and privately owned cold storage, respectively; and how much of this capacity was in use in each case at the latest available date.

Government-owned cold storage available for refrigerated produce amounts to about 13½ million cubic feet, of which about 74 per cent. was occupied on 19th November. Privately owned stores of over 5,000 cubic feet capacity, capable of maintaining temperatures of 14–18 degrees, amount to about 31 million cubic feet, of which about 87 per cent. was occupied on the same date. We have no information about other privately owned stores.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places were registered for experiments on living animals during the year 1947, under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876; how many of the experiments were performed on horses, asses, and mules, with and without anaesthetics; and how many experiments were performed for the purpose of cancer research, with and without anaesthetics.

The number of registered places in 1947 was 459, of which 30 were new registrations. The following table gives the other information for which my hon. Friend asks:

Experiments performed	With anaesthetics	Without anaesthetics
On horses, asses and mules	43	213
For cancer research	8,619	23,305

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of governors who have been newly appointed to the Prison Service during the past year; whether or not they are in charge of prisons; the number who had no previous experience of civil prison work; and what qualifications are necessary for these appointments.

As regards governors appointed during the past year to take charge of prisons I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Cardiff (Mr. G. Thomas) on 11th November on this subject. In addition there have been 15 appointments to the training grade, which includes housemasters in Borstals and assistant governors in prisons. Of the persons so appointed three prison officers and one clerical officer were from the Prison Service and 11 were from outside. The qualifications necessary for this grade are related to personality, vocation for the work and education. The necessary experience before appointment to the governorship of an establishment is obtained within the service