asked the Minister of Food what are the changes in circumstances which have led to the reduction in the maximum price of West African cocoa as indicated in S.I., 1948, No. 2534.

The world price for raw cocoa has fallen so that we have been able to make cheaper purchases.

asked the Minister of Food what amounts of sugar he proposes to issue by way of special bonuses for home preserving in 1949; and when he expects to make a statement about an issue for those who wish to make marmalade.

There will be bonus issues of sugar for jam making next season but how many must depend on how supplies come in. I am not unhopeful of some further improvements

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements obtain in his Department for the extra feeding of diabetics.

Persons who produce a medical certificate indicating that they suffer from diabetes retain all their rations excepting sugar. In addition they are allowed 12 oz. of butter and margarine, 12 oz. of cheese and two rations of meat a week. Where the medical certificate classifies a diabetic patient as being in need of a special supply of milk, a priority allowance of seven pints a week is also granted.

asked the Minister of Food, in view of the fact that his regulations prevent persons in this country from sending to friends in Europe parcels containing foodstuffs which have been taken off the ration, whether he will now consider altering the scheme so as to allow senders to include some percentage of foodstuffs which have ceased to be rationed.

I am at the moment looking into this and will let the hon. Member know the outcome.

asked the Minister of Food why many fish friers in the heavy woollen district of the West Riding of Yorkshire have been compelled recently to change their fat suppliers; whether he is aware that in some instances fats have now to be carried greater distances; and what guarantee there is that suppliers will supply in full the entitlements of friers who have been forced to deal with them.

British Melters Limited, a Government sponsored company engaged in the production and distribution of dripping, is in course of deconcentration. This has resulted in a number of fish friers getting their supplies of dripping from a different member of British Melters Limited; this change, however, will not imperil the supply of dripping to the friers affected.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will revise the 30 m.p.h. speed limit regulation on those vehicles hitherto classified as commercial to which now no red petrol allowance is permissible.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22nd November to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Sir J. Lucas). of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport why, in view of the subsidy to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, their charge for the hire of road safety exhibitions has been higher than would be made by commercial firms.

The charges made by the Society for the services they render in respect of exhibitions are designed to cover their actual costs. As no profit is included I see no reason to suppose that the charges would be lower if the work were undertaken by commercial firms.

asked the Attorney-General whether he can yet say when the Departmental Committee inquiry into leaseholds and the rents of business premises will issue its recommendations.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will introduce legislation to establish the status of legitimacy of all infants born in wedlock, where both parents are cohabiting at the time of conception.

There is a legal presumption that children born in wedlock are legitimate. Difficult questions have arisen in regard to the legitimacy of a child born during wedlock in a case in which cohabitation existed at the time of conception but did not take place after the marriage. Further difficult questions have arisen where a child is conceived either by means of artificial insemination or in spite of the fact that there has been no complete intercourse. Such cases are very exceptional, and my noble Friend doubts whether special legislation is desirable, but the matter is being kept under review.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that landowners desirous of carrying out afforestation or re-afforestation schemes are not yet able to ascertain from nurserymen what plants will be available this season because the Forestry Commission has not yet made an allotment to the nursery trade; and whether, in view of this delay, he will take steps which will ensure that the nursery trade is told, as soon as possible, the number of young trees with which they will be supplied.

This has already been done.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will publish a table showing the percentage of woods thinned by the Forestry Commission in relation to their total woods between the ages of 15 and 50 for each of the three years ended 30th September last, as compared with each of the three years ended 30th September, 1939; and if he will give an explanation of the differences in the pre-war and post-war percentages.

The following table takes account of all woods, from 15 to 50 years of age, belonging to the Forestry Commission, except the New Forest and the Forest of Dean:

Forest Year	1937	1938	1939
Percentage of woods of 15–50 years of age that were thinned.	5	6	5

Forest Year	1946	1947	1948
Percentage of woods of 15–50 years of age that were thinned.	5	6	11

The rise in 1948 as compared with prewar years reflects the increasing areas now reaching the thinning stage. The total figures on which these percentages are based include large areas of Forestry Commission plantations in the 15–19 year age class, much of which has not reached the thinning stage. If the areas of these plantations are deducted from the totals the percentages for 1937–39 become 12, 17, and 13 per cent., respectively, as compared with 14,. 14, and 23 per cent. for the three years 1946–48 inclusive.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many men trained under the Forest Workers Training Scheme have not continued in forestry.

Sixty-seven of the men who completed training under the Forest Workers' Training Scheme did not continue in forestry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the expectations of more rapid progress in the provision of houses for the Forestry Commission staff, expressed in the Commission's latest annual report, are being fulfilled; and if he will give illustrative figures.

Considerable progress has been made although it is not as rapid as could be wished. Comparative figures are:

—	Numbers at—
	30th September, 1947	30th November, 1948
Houses completed	52	221
Houses in course of erection.	178	272
Houses for which contracts placed but on which work not yet commenced.	32	208

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to the recurrent flooding of the River Roding in the region of Clare Gardens, Barking, and to the damage caused to gardens and inconvenience to the public; whether he is aware that this nuisance has contined unabated for many years; and what steps he is taking to secure some amelioration.

Yes. This flooding arises from the overflowing of the Mayesbrook. The River Roding Catchment Board have prepared an improvement scheme and have sent it to the Barking Corporation for their observations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the estimated sugar beet crop for the year 1947–48; what quantity of beet pulp will be available to farmers delivering beet; what quantity does he estimate will be available for the general feedingstuffs pool; and what quantity of beet pulp has been imported from overseas during the past 12 months.

I assume the hon. Member is referring to the 1948 harvest, from which it is estimated 4,166,000 tons of sugar beet will be produced. Under the terms of their contract with the sugar beet factory, growers of beet are entitled to receive up to 1½ cwt. of pulp for each ton of clean beet delivered to the factory, and it is not at present expected that there will be any surplus for the feedingstuffs pool. No pulp has been imported from overseas in the last 12 months.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is prepared to convene a conference representing the National Farmers Union, the agricultural workers unions and other representative bodies, in order to give the industry the benefit of a long term policy which will guarantee economic prices for farming and conditions of prosperity and security for those engaged in it together with the supply of cottages and equipment upon a priority basis.

No. Government long-term policy has already been framed and announced. The Agriculture Act, 1947, gives the agricultural industry a system of assured markets and guaranteed prices for its principal products, and the Agricultural Expansion programme drawn up last year, after consultation with representatives of the industry, provides definite targets up to 1952, which all sections of the industry accepted as their share in the national effort. Efficiency of production is being encouraged under the Act through the National Agricultural Advisory Service and county A.E.C.'s. and rates of wages for workers in the industry are safeguarded by the Agricultural Wages Act. The Government are also actively pursuing their policy of providing the necessary equipment to enable the industry to achieve its programme, including the supply of rural cottages.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give an estimate of the amount of food consumed annually by racehorses in Great Britain.

The quantity of rationed feedingstuffs allowed in rations for racehorses in Great Britain in the twelve months ended 31st October, 1948, was 12,007 tons. I cannot give an estimate of the unrationed food consumed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what will be the size of the grant in aid to the National Institute of Agricultural Engineering when it is reconstituted.

This cannot be determined until the new governing body of the Institute has submitted its programme of work and estimates of expenditure and receipts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement regarding the demonstrations of protest against dismantling at Kiel; and how these have affected the process of demolition started on 7th December.

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the demonstrations which followed the announcement of the intended demolitions at the Torpedo Factory at Eckernforde. Following the announcement of this decision, demonstrations were planned at various local centres for 7th December, the day on which demolitions were to start. Except for an orderly and quiet procession at Kiel, these demonstrations came to nothing. They had no effect on the demolitions, which started as planned on 7th December and are proceeding smoothly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to deal with the influx of refugees from Eastern Germany to the British zone; what is their number; and whether, temporarily, he will use the camp at Munster Lager for housing and feeding them.

All persons in this category found to have crossed the zonal border are directed to transit camps where they are temporarily housed and fed. In the camps they are examined by German officials to ensure that they are bona fide interzonal travellers or genuine refugees. Those found eligible are directed as early as possible to that part of the zone in which they are authorised to take up residence. Care of the refugees is a German responsibility and their welfare is a matter for the German Refugee Committees and German voluntary societies. Invaluable assistance has, however, been given by British and other Allied voluntary societies operating in the zone. Approximately 3,000 individuals enter the British zone every week from the East. The future use of Munster Lager Camp is at present being considered, and the probability of its use as a refugee centre will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any date has yet been fixed for the promised visit to this country of Señor Miranda.

Señor Miranda has informed His Majesty's Embassy at Buenos Aires that he will leave Buenos Aires about 10th January. All arrangements have been made for this visit which, as hon. Members will be aware, has had to be deferred more than once at Señor Miranda's wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps were taken by His Majesty's Government to sponsor the original allocation of Akaba to King Abdullah as part of Transjordan.

The frontier between Transjordan and Palestine was defined in a resolution submitted by His Majesty's Government as Mandatory Power and approved by the Council of the League of Nations on 16th September, 1922.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what date His Majesty's Government ceased to recognise the Polish Armed Forces in the United Kingdom as owing allegiance to the Polish Republic under Article 3, Paragraph 1, Appendix 2 of the Military Agreement of 5th August, 1940, between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Poland; and whether this withdrawal of recognition was co-incidental with the date on which this military agreement lapsed.

On 5th July, 1945, His Majesty's Government withdrew recognition from the London Polish Government with whom they had concluded the Anglo-Polish Forces agreement of 5th August, 1940, and simultaneously gave provisional recognition to the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity in Warsaw. The Polish Armed Forces under British Command were unwilling to owe allegiance to, or accept officers appointed by, that Government. On 14th February, 1946, the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity formally informed His Majesty's Government in an official note that

"from today the Polish land, sea and air units abroad can no longer be considered as units of the Polish Army."

However, discipline in the Polish Forces continued to be based on Polish law until the passing of the Polish Resettlement Act on 27th March, 1947, which legalised that state of affairs retrospectively to 1st January, 1945.As regards the agreement of 5th August, 1940, it was never fully applicable between His Majesty's Government and the Polish Provisional Government of National Unity owing to the circumstances described. It could not in any case be regarded as effective after 14th February, 1946.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the net cost of the tea subsidy per week per head after allowing for the collection of Customs Duty; what is the annual total collection of import duties on all the subsidised rationed foodstuffs; and will he explain his policy of, at the same time. subsidising and taxing some foodstuffs.

The present cost of the tea subsidy per week per head on the basis of the 2 oz. ration is 1¼d. The Customs Duty on 2 oz. of tea is ¾d. I estimate the current annual total collection of import duties on all the subsidised rationed foodstuffs at £40 million. I do not consider that there is any direct connection between the import duties on foodstuffs and the subsidies. The import duties are a feature of general long-term fiscal policy, whereas the food subsidies are designed to meet a temporary period of high prices.

asked the Minister of Health if he will amend the National Health Service Regulations so as to reduce the administrative work of doctors and enable them to devote a larger proportion of their time to treatment.

My right hon. Friend is always ready to consider any specific suggestions to this end, as long as the intentions of the Act are safeguarded.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now considered the observations of Mr. Justice Streatfeild on 19th November in the King's Bench Division, with regard to his circulars, which purported to sub-delegate requisitioning powers, and criticising them as unintelligible and inaccessible to those whose rights were affected; and if he has any statement to make.

Yes. The circulars in question were not renewed after 30th June, 1948, but were replaced by a procedure under which the conditions are expressed more clearly and the terms of delegation are brought to the notice of the owner in each case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the financial responsibility of His Majesty's Government for the maintenance of Jewish detainees in Cyprus.

Up to 15th May expenditure incurred on the Cyprus Camps was a liability of the Palestine Government. The question of liability incurred since that date will have to be determined in the light of developments in the Palestine situation, and I cannot anticipate the decision.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he is aware that owing to his Department's failure for more than three years to fulfil its written promise of 17th October, 1945, to fence in the island on Crewe Hall Pool, only four pairs of herons bred in the heronry this year; and if, in view of his recent reaffirmation of this promise, he will now take steps before the next breeding season to erect a good quality five-strand barbed-wire fence around this part of the Duchy's property.

As I have already informed the hon. and gallant Member, I am prepared, without now discussing the merits of the advice tendered to my Department in March, 1945, to erect a barbed-wire fence around the heronry before the next breeding season.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has considered the observations of Mr. Justice Hallett at Stafford Assizes on 26th November criticising, as an attempt to avoid publicity, his request to the Stourbridge magistrates that they should deal summarily with two of his former employees charged with fraud; and why he instructed this course.

My right hon. Friend has considered the observations which the learned Judge is reported to have made. The Post Office takes a very serious view of offences committed by its servants and it does not hesitate to prosecute an offender. It has been for very many years the practice of the Post Office to press in some cases for committal for trial and in others, where the circumstances seem to warrant that course, to make it clear to the local justices that the Department is prepared to accept the jurisdiction conferred on them by the Criminal Justice Act of 1925, if in their opinion the cases are proper to be dealt with by them. The decision, of course, rests with the magistrates. Publicity follows automatically whether the case be dealt with summarily or committal for trial sought. The present practice has not given rise to any serious difficulty in the past and there has never been at any time any question of the Department instructing its legal representatives to press for the summary treatment of a case. In order to avoid misunderstanding in the future, however, my right hon. Friend has issued instructions as to the precise way in which the Department's willingness to assent to summary treatment is to be expressed if, in the magistrates' view, such treatment would be appropriate.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation when the deterioration of Luqa aerodrome became apparent; and what steps have since been taken to remedy it.

I regret if anything that I said in my replies on 17th November has given rise to misunderstanding. In the early Summer of 1947, because of representations from civil pilots about the unsatisfactory operating conditions at Luqa aerodrome, British Overseas Airways Corporation withdrew their four-engined aircraft services from Malta. Since that date some improvements have been made but the aerodrome is still substantially below the standards regarded as satisfactory for multi-engined civil aircraft.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many cases were brought and how many convictions obtained since July, 1945, against employees of his Department on charges of bribery or corruption; and how many persons thus convicted are still in the public employment.

None. The second part of the Question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many cases were brought and how many convictions obtained since July, 1945, against employees of his Department on charges of bribery or corruption; and how many persons thus convicted are still in the public employment.

Since July, 1945, there have been three such cases, in one of which two employees of the Board of Trade were charged. All the four employees were convicted and were discharged from the Board's employment.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will arrange for the publication of the remaining volumes of the Official History of the War of 1914–18 in the near future.

The volume on Passchendaele will be published in January, 1949; that on Cambrai about March. The remaining volume dealing with the Italian theatre will follow as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Works the number of Government buildings such as art galleries and museums that suffered damage in the war indicating in each case the location and extent of the damage; what steps have been taken to repair the fabrics; to what extent is it now possible to restore the use of such buildings for public use; and in instances where portions of these buildings are still unfit will he give an indication when each one, respectively, will be reopened to the public.

Twelve museums and galleries, all in London, suffered air raid damage during the war. The extent of the damage varies considerably, but the Geological Museum, the Imperial War Museum, the National Maritime Museum, the Science Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Wallace Collection are cases where repairs should be completed by 1951 and possibly earlier. The National Gallery and the Natural History Museum suffered greater damage, and it is unlikely that repairs will be complete before 1952. The British Museum suffered most damage, and the date for completing repairs is 1953. The collections of the London Museum are being transferred to Kensington Palace. All these institutions, except the London Museum, have reopened some Gallery space. The reopening of the remaining damaged parts of the buildings, when the repairs have been completed, is a matter for the governing body of each institution to decide.

asked the Minister of Works when the Working Party on the Building Industry is expected to report.

I cannot at present forecast when the Working Party will report.

asked the Minister of Education what exchange arrangements for teachers exist outside the British Commonwealth; and which European countries are accepting them.

Apart from the scheme for the exchange of teachers with the U.S.A. a small number of teachers have been exchanged with Norway and with Sweden. I am at present in communication with the authorities of those two countries with a view to increasing the number of exchanges with them, and I have proposed the extension of the exchange of teachers to Denmark and to the Netherlands. My Department has, moreover, reciprocal arrangements with France, Belgium, Switzerland, Austria and Germany under which a considerable number of assistants are placed in the schools for part-time work in reading and conversation.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether he is aware that the sum of 5s. per week is being paid to unmarried long-term patients in hospitals, that this is insufficient to cover elementary needs such as smokes, soap, toothpaste, razor blades, newspapers, writing materials and stamps and that the amount is less than was paid by benevolent societies, and whether he will take steps to increase same.

The National Insurance Advisory Committee is still considering the appropriateness of the rates of benefit for patients maintained free of charge in hospitals which are prescribed in the National Insurance (Overlapping Benefits) Regulations. I cannot anticipate my consideration of the report of the Committee on these questions. The hon. Member is no doubt aware that hospitals in the National Health Service while not providing individually all the items mentioned do meet the ordinary needs of patients for maintenance and care.

—		Edinburgh			Kilmarnock
		£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
1.	Consolidated Rate—
	(a) 1948–1949		8	6		17	5
	(b) 1947–1948		8	6		15	3
2.	Estimated Government Grant under the Local Government Act, 1948—
	(a) Equalisation Grant:
	Section 18	—			53,820	0	0
	Section 28	68,808	0	0	7,588	0	0
	(b) Transitional Grant:
	Section 21	198,308	0	0	—
	(c) Total	267,116	0	0	61,408	0	0
3.	Estimated Reduction in Rateable Value under Local Government Act, 1948.	168,447	0	0	42,457	0	0
4.	Estimated amount payable to the Burgh under Section 100 of the Local Government Act, 1948	166,195	0	0	8,685	0	0

The estimated increase in the expenditure of Kilmarnock on the various services in 1948–49 as compared with expenditure on similar services in 1947–48 is £67,000. This increase would have meant an increase in the rate of 4s. 1d. in the £1, but as the result of the savings arising from the transfer to the State of the health and poor law Services and the changes introduced by the Local Government Act, 1948, the potential increase is reduced to the 2s. 2d. shown above. These figures do not take account of an increase in expenditure in 1948–49 of £5,000 on water. This increase has necessitated an increase of 4d. in the water rate which together with the increase of 2s. 2d. referred to makes the total increase 2s. 6d. in the £1.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average period of time in Glasgow which elapses between a patient presenting a prescription for spectacles to the executive council and the recovery of that prescription approved; and what is the lapse of time when it is presented to the optician before spectacles are obtained.

Because of the enormous demand at the present time it takes about eight weeks for the Glasgow executive

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the following figures for Edinburgh and Kilmarnock, respectively: the consolidated rates, 1948 and 1947; the Government grants, 1948 the rateable value lost under the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1948; and the amounts received from rates pool in lieu.

The Information is as follows:Council to give their approval to the ordering of spectacles. Demand is however slackening and this period should be considerably reduced shortly. Delivery by opticians takes an average of about 12 weeks, though the time varies greatly according to the date of the order and the firm from which they are ordered. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Health and I have recently set up an Ophthalmic Optical Production Committee, which includes representatives of both consulting and manufacturing opticians, to advise on this and other problems of production.