asked the Minister of Labour why the application of Mr. G. S. Barrow for a grant under the Further Education and Training Scheme has been refused; and if he will reconsider this case.

Mr. Barrow is in paid employment and in such cases the rules provide that earnings are naturally taken into account in assessing grant. Mr. Barrow's circumstances are such as to preclude payment of grant and I cannot make any exception in his case. If he had pursued a different course of training and his circumstances had therefore been different, he would have obtained the appropriate rate of grant, but it is not possible on that account to make him a payment to which his actual circumstances do not entitle him.

asked the Minister of Labour what request his Department has received from either the employers' or workers' side to intervene in the industrial dispute over rate fixed times at the factories of the De Havilland Company; and whether he will make a statement.

No request for my Department's intervention has been received from either side. There is ample machinery available in the industry for dealing with matters in dispute. After a resumption of work on Friday last to allow negotiations to proceed a further stoppage took place and discussions were suspended. While the parties are considering these developments I am not in a position to make any further statement.

asked the Minister of Labour whether an alien permitted to enter this country to take up a particular post in domestic service is allowed to transfer at any time to other approved employment; and what arrangements exist in such a case for reimbursement to the original employer of the alien's fare to this country and for release from his responsibility for the return fare.

An alien admitted to this country on a permit for domestic employment with a particular employer is not allowed to take other employment without the permission of my Department. Payment of fares to and from this country of an alien admitted on an individual permit is a matter for private arrangement between the employer and the alien. If the alien is permitted to take other employment, the original permit employer is, so far as my Department is concerned, relieved of any responsibility for defraying the cost of the alien's return to her own country, but I have no authority to reimburse the first employer for any expenses of the inward journey incurred by him.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a list of the amounts of Purchase Taxes and Customs and Excise Duties which now enter into the items of the household budgets on which the official cost-of-living index is based.

Purchase Tax is chargeable on the wholesale value of certain of the items which are covered by the interim index of retail prices, but it is not practicable to state the amount of tax which is included in each of the actual retail prices quoted for such items. Moreover, many of the items on which Purchase Tax is payable carry very little weight in the calculation of the index, as will be seen from the description of the method of calculating the index published in Supplement No. 2 to the Industrial Relations Handbook. The general effect of the removal or reduction of the Purchase Tax would, therefore, have a relatively small effect on the index. It should also be noted that many of the taxes were in operation at the date from which the index started (June, 1947) and that it is only changes in the rate of tax since that date which affect the level of the index.

asked the Minister of Labour what facilities now exist in North Staffordshire for the training of disabled persons; in what trades training is given; and what vacancies at present exist.

As regards training with local employers, the main trades in which training facilities are available are in the pottery industry, but there are also vacancies for agricultural trainees in Staffordshire. At Government Training Centres classes serving the whole Midland Region are provided at Birmingham or Coventry in the following trades:

• Carpentry.
• Painting.
• Plumbing.
• Stone Masonry.
• Wood Machining.
• Heating and Ventilating Engineering.
• Draughtsmanship.
• Fitting.
• Machine Operating.
• Welding.
• Basket Making.
• Boot and Shoe Repairing.
• Shorthand Typing.
• Electrical Contracting.
• Hairdressing.
• Motor Repair.
• Radio Repair.
• Retail Bespoke Tailoring.
• Typewriter Repair.
• Coach Body Building.
• Coach Painting.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a list of wages councils established under the Wages Councils Act.

The following is a list of 60 Wages Councils at present in existence:WAGES COUNCILS ACTS, 1945–48List of Wages Councils

asked the Minister of Defence if in view of the difficulty in obtaining crews for fishing trawlers and of the importance of the work in connection with home supplies of food as well as from the point of view of national defence, he will consider the possibility of granting exemption from National Service to men who have completed more than three months' training in the industry as is done in the case of the main group of agricultural workers.

I have been asked to reply. No. I have no power to grant anyone exemption from his liabilities under the National Service Acts, and it is not the Government's policy to allow deferment of call-up on industrial grounds except in the two basic industries of coalmining and agriculture.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the response made to his appeal for restraint in profits, wages, salaries, price reduction and control; what steps he intends to take to reduce prices; and when does he expect that his policy of restraint will satisfy the economic needs of the country.

As my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has said on a number of occasions, I regard the response to the policy set out in the White Paper on Personal Incomes, Costs and Prices as satisfactory. The Departments who administer price controls will continue to make such reductions as are practicable in the light of costs and margins. I am not clear precisely what my hon. Friend has in mind in the last part of his Question, but he will find a review of the economic situation which will no doubt show the need for continuance of restraint in the Economic Survey for 1949 which will be published before the Budget.

asked the Chancellor of, the Exchequer the percentage of national income taken in wages, salaries, profits, respectively, in 1939, 1947 and at the latest possible date.

For 1939 and 1947, I would refer my hon. Friend to Table 253 of the Annual Abstract of Statistics, 1937–47. Comparable figures for 1948 are not yet available but will be contained in the next White Paper on National Income and Expenditure.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the desirability of reducing the size of £1 and 10s. notes.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the National Debt Commissioners purchased £1,566,237 3s. 6d. undated 2½ per cent. Treasury stock at par for the County Court Funds Investment Account; what amount of this stock has been sold; and at what price.

This was acquired to replace Local Loans Stock when the latter was redeemed on 6th January, 1947. Such a proportion of undated stock is entirely suitable for this Account, a large part of which can be regarded as being of a permanent nature. None of it has been sold.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his regulations require a resident in a Dominion landing in this country and wearing for his personal use a watch bought secondhand in the Dominion to be charged Customs Duty and Purchase Tax respectively.

The law makes no provision for the waiver of duty and tax on chargeable articles on the ground that they are imported as passengers' baggage or effects, nor does it distinguish between new and secondhand goods. There are various administrative concessions in force and I will send the hon. Member a memorandum setting them out in detail.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the maximum lapse of time which it is his practice to allow to any country privately to settle fair compensation with the owners of British property expropriated by that country, before action is taken by His Majesty's Government to secure that fair compensation is paid.

There can be no fixed rule in this matter. His Majesty's Government gives suitable support to the owners in each case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of British overseas investments realised since the end of the war either as a result of action by or with the knowledge of His Majesty's Government; and what is the policy of His Majesty's Government with regard to further sales in 1949.

In the last three years realisations (including redemption) of British overseas investment outside the sterling area have been: 1946, £68 million; 1947, £51 million; 1948 (a provisional estimate), £176 million. The figure for 1948 included £155 million for the sale of assets in Argentina. The policy of His Majesty's Government is to permit the sale of overseas assets whenever this is in the interests of this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is taken by His Majesty's Government to ensure that dollars and other hard currency released to other countries from the reserves of this country are used by the countries concerned only for the purchase of essential goods.

If the hon. and gallant Member has in mind some form of audit or follow-up procedure the answer is "None." On the other hand, there is, of course, close and continuous consultation with members of the Sterling Area on the need to limit hard currency expenditure to the absolute minimum. As regards countries outside the Sterling Area, any provision of dollars would be the result of some general trade or financial agreement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the constitution of the committee appointed by him to consider the distribution of functions between central and local government authorities; what are their terms of reference; when their report is expected; and whether it will be made public.

The terms of reference of the Local Government Manpower Committee are as follows:

"To review and co-ordinate the existing arrangements for ensuring economy in the use of manpower by local authorities and by those Government Departments which are concerned with local government matters; and to examine in particular the distribution of functions between central and local government and the possibility of relaxing departmental supervision of local authority activities and delegating more responsibility to local authorities."

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the present market value and the original cost of the £80,877,223 2½ per cent. Treasury Stock, 1975 or after, held by the Unemployment Fund Investment Account; and whether he will now give an assurance that no stocks without a definite date of redemption will be bought for this fund.

A statement of the original cost and market value of this Stock will appear as usual in the Statutory Accounts of the Unemployment Fund for the period to 4th July, 1948, which will be presented to Parliament in due course. In the second part of the Question, I assume that the right hon. Gentleman is referring to the National Insurance (Reserve) Fund to which this Stock was transferred on the 5th July last under the National Insurance Act. 1946. The answer to this is "No."

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an assurance that, while exchange control is in force, no further remittances will be permitted to Communist-controlled organisations in foreign countries.

The circumstances in which people ask for permission to remit are so varied that each application must be considered on its merits. As to remittances for political purposes however, my right hon. Friend said on 30th November last that, if there is no exchange difficulty, he would, broadly speaking, approve contributions made for the purpose of strengthening the democratic forces in any country and would disapprove contributions made to organisations whose activities are hostile to that purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in order to provide expanding and stable export markets for British goods, he will make application on behalf of the United Kingdom for admission to the newly formed Council for Economic Mutual Assistance.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the resumption of drawings on the 1946 Canadian Loan, he will now restore to £5,000, spread over four years, the limit of currency allocated to emigrants from the United Kingdom to Canada.

No. In spite of the resumption of drawings on the 1946 Canadian Loan, our difficulties in meeting essential expenditure in Canada are still such that no easement of the kind suggested can at present be contemplated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the purchasing power of the £ today is approximately 36 as against 100 in 1914, he will give an estimate of the extent to which this reduced purchasing power is due to the effects of Purchase Tax; and of what would be the purchasing power of the £ if Purchase Tax were removed entirely.

Purchase Tax has in all been responsible for less than three per cent. of the rise since 1914 in average retail prices, reckoned over the whole field of personal expenditure. If there were no Purchase Tax the consumer's £ would have no more than 37 per cent. of its 1914 purchasing power, compared with the 36 per cent. that it actually has.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the exemption from Purchase Tax of kindergarten chairs not exceeding 15 inches in height was not continued in Public Notice No. 78 published last April; and whether, in view of the hardship this tax is inflicting on Sunday schools, he will consider renewing this exemption.

The exemption stands and does not need renewal. But as was made clear in Notice No. 78 it does not apply to chairs suitable for domestic use

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why there is a delay of several weeks before any acknowledgment or receipt is sent by the Special Commissioner of Income Tax for the Special Contribution instituted in the last Budget; and why no provision has been made to deal with these payments.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the hon. Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Spearman) on 21st January. The arrear of acknowledgments should have been overtaken by the end of this week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the fact that the Reference Committee lack disciplinary powers over an official arbitrator appointed under the Acquisition of Land (Assessment of Compensation) Act, 1919, he will take steps to amend the existing law, in order to give them power to deal with alleged personal misconduct.

The Government will soon be introducing a Bill to amend the Act for other reasons. If it is approved the hon. Member's question will no longer arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will request the Commissioners of Inland Revenue to examine the manner in which the fees and commissions known to have been paid to Sydney Stanley by Great Universal Stores Limited are recorded in the Income Tax returns of that company;(2) why no request for Income Tax return has been made against Mr. Sydney Stanley since 1940; and what action has been taken by his Department in this matter.

I canont give any information about the Income Tax affairs of individual taxpayers.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why properties in Scotland in the occupation of the Territorial forces, but belonging to private owners, are exempt from owners' rates.

Privately-owned property in the occupation of the Territorial forces would not normally be exempt from owners' rates. If the hon. Member will send me details of any particular case he has in mind, I will look into the matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if in view of the fact that there were 4,000 applications for the 50 posts in the home Civil Service recently advertised by the Civil Service Commission and the Commissioners only selected for interview one candidate in seven, those who were not interviewed will be repaid the £1 application fee.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that out of some 4,000 applicants for the recent open competition for the appointment of principals in the home Civil Service the Civil Service Commissioners only interviewed one in every seven, the remainder receiving a stereotyped notice informing them that they had not been selected for interview, although each candidate had been required to affix a £1 stamp to his application; and whether he will cause this sum to be repaid to unsuccessful applicants.

I understand that the Civil Service Commissioners summoned to preliminary interview about 600 out of 4,000 applicants for the 50 or so vacancies allotted to this competition, and that every single application was most carefully considered before the decision whether or not to summon the candidate was taken. The Commissioners inform me that it was made clear from the outset that the competition would be conducted on these lines and that the fee of £1 could not be, returned to applicants.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it is proposed to dismiss, on the ground of redundancy, temporary civil servants who are persons registered under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944.

The discharge of redundant temporary non-industrial civil servants is governed by an agreement between the two sides of the Civil Service National Whitley Council. Departments have been instructed, in applying this agreement, to pay regard to the special claims for retention of temporary civil servants who are registered disabled persons to the extent of the current standard percentage prescribed by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Labour and National Service, under Section 10 of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act, 1944. In addition, it has been agreed that preference for retention may be given in individual cases to severely disabled persons who would have very substantial difficulty in obtaining suitable alternative employment or in adapting themselves to a change of work.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position now to announce the withdrawal of the regulation requiring clothing coupons on the sale of handkerchiefs.

No.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what duties will remain after 1st April for the Wool Control to perform; and whether it is now possible for this war-time body to be disbanded.

The principal remaining duties of the Wool Control are rationing worsted yarn and ensuring the maximum production of cloth for export and a proper balance among the various types used at home. We are anxious to remove controls wherever possible, but I cannot yet say when the Wool Control will be wound up.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that British manufacturers who have fulfilled contracts for rolling stock for Argentine railways have been awaiting payment for a long time; and if, in view of the adjustment of the wheat purchase, he will press for the discharge of those outstanding obligations.

Yes. I am aware of these difficulties and the firms concerned have been in touch with the Board of Trade. Representations have already been made to the Argentine authorities on this matter through His Majesty's Embassy in Buenos Aires and assurances have been received that steps are being taken to discharge the obligations referred to. I understand that officials of the Argentine Ministry of Transport have now arrived in this country to deal with this among other matters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the activities of the diplomatic and consular representatives of His Majesty's Government in the U.S.A. in the development and expansion of the U.S. market for British exports; if he regards the present organisation as adequate; and if further efforts will be intensified.

All our diplomatic and consular representatives in the United States have express instructions that one of their most important duties is the furtherance of United kingdom exports to that market. Our representation on the commercial side has been steadily expanded since the war. As increased supplies of goods become available for exports so will there be an increasing need for such representatives and we shall continue to expand so long as this can contribute to increased sales.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any special measures are in process for the extension of the markets for British goods in Colombia and Venezuela; if the commercial staffs attached to the Embassies are adequate and if vigorous publicity is being maintained.

Both Colombia and Venezuela are among the markets to which the attention of exporters has been energetically drawn by His Majesty's Government on many occasions, and exporters are given the fullest practical assistance in developing their trade with these countries. Publicity is being maintained by the Board of Trade and by the Information Offices of the Embassies in the two countries, whose commercial staffs are adequate. The Federation of British Industries have appointed a full-time representative in Venezuela. Exports to Venezuela have increased from £1,446,000 in 1938 to £13,812,000 in 1948 and great credit is due to exporters for this achievement. In the case of Colombia, whose capacity to absorb United Kingdom goods is much more limited, the corresponding figures are £1,761,000 and £4,361,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many licences were issued in 1946, 1947 and 1948, respectively, for the import of gladioli corms from Canada; and what were the values of these imports in the three years respectively.

Gladioli corms can be imported from Canada under open general licence, and no individual licences are issued. Separate statistics of the value of these imports are not readily available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the exports from Western Germany to other foreign countries of light finished steel goods, and particularly cutlery, are being sold at prices appreciably below British export prices for similar goods.

I regret that information is not available about the proportion of Western Germany's total exports of light steel goods which are being sold at prices appreciably lower than those of comparable United Kingdom goods.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why no mended bags or sacks may be exported from this country to Germany.

I assume the Question refers to jute bags. The need for mended jute bags for essential purposes in this country is so great that export is only possible in very exceptional cases, whether the destination is Germany or anywhere else.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much Purchase Tax has been repaid to date to Scottish craftsmen by the Crafts Centre of Great Britain.

No Scottish craftsman has so far received relief under the scheme announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 30th July, 1948. The scheme began to operate only on 1st October, 1948, and the total amount so far paid by way of relief is very small. Applications from a number of Scottish craftsmen are at present under consideration by the Crafts Centre.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that steps are being taken to establish a Crafts Centre for Scotland; and whether he will be prepared to accord to it the same degree of protection and assistance as is now accorded to the Crafts Centre for Great Britain.

I am aware that certain Scottish societies are considering the establishment of a Crafts Centre for Scotland. My right hon. Friend will, of course, be prepared to consider, in consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, any suggestions which may be made in connection with the establishment of such a centre.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date the Timber Control issued a licence for the felling of trees at Town End, Bardsea, near Ulverston; and what consultations took place with the Minister of Town and Country Planning and the Lancashire County Council before this was done.

The felling licence referred to was issued on 13th November, 1948. This application did not come within the categories which the Board of Trade refers to the Ministry of Town and Country Planning, who represent the views of planning authorities in such matters. It was therefore not referred to my right hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give an assurance that when arranging new regulations reducing the issue of licences to fell home-grown timber he will ensure that no timber merchant at present in the home trade will be denied his proportionate quota on the grounds that he was not in business before 1940.

We would prefer, at this stage, not to prejudice in any way the discussions which are at present proceeding between the Board of Trade and the interests concerned on the measures to be taken to reduce felling.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how long discussions have been going on with the Administrator of E.R.P. concerning Section 117 (d) of the Economic Co-operation Act; and whether he is operating this Section before his discussions have ended.

Discussions arising out of the obligations imposed upon the Administrator under Section 117 (d) of the Economic Co-operation Act have been taking place from time to time over a period of nine months. No obligations can be laid on His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom by the Economic Co-operation Act, and the second part of the Question does not therefore arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a full statement as to the circumstances under which he has decided that there can be no general review of the paper allocations of the major football pool organisations before next season.

As my hon. Friend was informed on 25th January, the allocation of paper to the individual pool promoters is at present fixed at levels which were agreed with them in October, 1947. These levels were maintained at the beginning of the current season and I do not feel that it would be appropriate to introduce any changes at this stage in the football season.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state the capacity of the fibre board industry in Great Britain; and how many firms are now producing fibre board.

The term "fibreboard" has various meanings in the paper trade but I assume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to such boards as boot and shoe board and trunk and suitcase board. Precise information as to existing capacity for the production of such board is not available but it is of the order of 15,000 tons a year and there are 13 firms at present engaged on this type of production.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the approximate monthly wastage in numbers of volunteers in Territorial Army units; and for what reasons.

The average monthly wastage from all causes from 1st May, 1947, to 31st December, 1948, was 234 all ranks. The causes included death, resignation or retirement, commissioning or enlistment in the Regular Forces, and discharges on medical grounds, at the volunteer's own request, or for misconduct or other reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for War why Army tradesmen carrying non-commissioned rank who now gain promotion for length of service only are thereby debarred from gaining more rapid promotion due to diligence and proficiency, in the new peace time shadow scheme.

Although some tradesmen are not subject to the shadow scheme, it is not the case that their prospects of promotion are reduced in consequence; on the contrary, their prospects of promotion are more favourable. Promotions are normally to fill vacancies in establishments, but for some tradesmen promotion by length of service in the trade offers better prospects and quicker promotion.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that little progress is being made by the forces under his control in bringing about order in Malaya, because the population is more favourable to the rebels than to the Government; and if he will consult with the Secretary of State for the Colonies with a view to the establishment of a higher degree of self-government for Malaya.

I cannot accept the statement that little progress is being made by the security forces in Malaya. They have in fact had significant successes. British, Gurkha and Malay units operating in most difficult circumstances and living in very trying conditions have in the past six months carried out in the most praiseworthy manner a large number of difficult and arduous operations in aid of the civil power. It is not true that the population is more favourable to the bandits than to the Government. Much of the support of the bandits has come by extortion and intimidation. On the other hand, support for orderly life and government authority increases every day. His Majesty's Government's policy in Malaya is to obtain by a steady and continuing process an ever increasing measure of responsibility by the people.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the declarations by Reinhold Bruchardt and others concerning cruel methods adopted by the London District Cage during 1946 to secure statements and confessions; and whether, in view of these statements, he will order a full and public inquiry into the administration of that Cage.

The only declarations by Bruchardt alleging cruelties at London District Cage of which I am aware are allegations made at his trial, on which the counsel for the defence cross-examined one of the witnesses, and the statement dated 13th September, 1948, sent by my hon. and learned Friend. This statement was prepared between 28th August, 1948, when Bruchardt was arraigned, and 11th October, when his trial started; it appears to be a document prepared for the purpose of briefing the German counsel who was to defend him; it supplied the material for the few questions about alleged cruelties at London District Cage which the counsel for the defence put to one of the witnesses at the trial; the defence did not press the matter.Similar allegations were made by some of the accused who were tried in the first Stalag Luft III trial during the summer of 1947. The allegations made at this trial were investigated with the greatest care by the court which heard the evidence of some Germans who had nothing to do with the case but who alleged that they had been ill-treated at London District Cage. The trial (in which there were 18 accused) took 50 working days. All the accused were convicted, and it follows in the circumstances of the case that the court rejected the contention that the statements made by the accused at London District Cage were induced by ill-treatment. In all the circumstances my right hon. Friend does not propose to institute any further inquiry into the allegations referred to in the Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War what facilities and financial assistance will he granted to parents who lost their sons during the war and who desire to visit their graves in Italy.

My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to make a statement on this matter, but he hopes to be able to do so in a few weeks' time.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements have been made for maintaining Area Combined Headquarters of A.A. Command in such a condition that they may be immediately available in the event of an emergency.

I am not clear what headquarters the hon. Member has in mind, as there are no Area Combined Headquarters in Anti-Aircraft Command. In any case, however, it would not be in the public interest to publish detailed information about the organisation of that Command.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what consideration is now given, in approving acquisition and use by Government Departments and other bodies of land in proposed National Park areas, to the effect such acquisition and use may have on the amenities of the parks; and what steps is he taking, or contemplating, to survey the present use of land in the areas by such bodies from this standpoint.

There are general arrangements for consultation with my Department in cases where Government Departments propose to acquire or develop land. Due weight is given in these consultations to the effect of the proposals on amenity, whether in special areas such as those of the proposed National Parks, or elsewhere.Proposals by statutory undertakers and nationalised industries which require sanction by a Government Department are subject to special procedure under which the planning authorities are consulted. Other development by these bodies is subject to ordinary planning control. My right hon. Friend has no reason to fear that the local planning authorities are not mindful of the special requirements of the parts of their areas which have been included within the proposed National Parks. The question how-far certain classes of permitted development should be brought under control in Park areas will be reviewed if and when such parks are established.As regards the second part of the Question, local authorities are required to survey their areas for the purpose of preparing development plans, and they have been advised, in doing so, to take note of the recommendations of the Hob-house Report in so far as they affect their areas.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning whether, in view of the request from the Lancashire County Council that he should confirm a Tree Preservation Order for the Town End Estate, Bardsea, near Ulverston, he will now consult with the President of the Board of Trade with the object of withdrawing the licence for the felling of these trees.

My right hon. Friend confirmed this order provisionally on 26th January and a public inquiry has been arranged and will be held shortly. In accordance with normal arrangements, the Board of Trade will he consulted before a decision as to the final confirmation or otherwise of the order is taken.

asked the Minister of Health from which local authorities he has not yet received representations, and with which local authorities he has not yet had consultations under the provisions of Section 1 (1) of the Furnished Houses (Rent Control) Act, 1946; and in respect of which local authorities who have made representations or with which he has had consultations under the said Section 1 (1) he has not yet made orders under that Section.

My right hon. Friend consulted all local authorities in a circular issued on 3rd April, 1946, and has made or is making orders applying the Act to the areas of all those who asked for it. No representations have been received from 462 authorities and my right hon. Friend is consulting them again.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can give any statistics, other than those published in the Scottish White Paper, regarding Scottish industry.

In the White Papers on Industry and Employment in Scotland for 1946 and 1947 I published statistical and other information about Scottish industry in the most suitable form in which it could be made available. I have asked the Departments concerned with production to consider specially whether they can provide me with any more detailed statistics for publication in the White Paper for 1948.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many permanent houses in Scotland have been built, respectively, by the State, local authorities and private persons in suitable years for which figures are obtainable since 1918.

With the exception of a few districts in Scotland where local authorities use direct labour, all houses were built by private builders. In all, 278,297 were built for local authorities, 115,515 for private owners and 7,973 were built for the Scottish Special Housing Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what factories in Scotland producing permanent non-traditional houses have closed down through lack of orders; and for how long has he been aware of their position.

I have no information that any factories producing permanent non-traditional houses have closed down in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what body is responsible, now that the Highlands and Islands Medical Service Fund has ceased to exist, for the reimbursement of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution when a lifeboat is called out to enable a medical emergency to be dealt with.

Where a lifeboat has to be used to convey a patient to hospital, the expense will be met by the regional hospital board. Where a lifeboat has to be called out to convey a doctor to a patient, the liability will fall on the local executive council.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of recent decisions making E.R.A.'s and mechanicians interchangeable in so far as duties in His Majesty's ships are concerned, it is proposed to continue the arrangement whereby a fixed proportion of the promotion vacancies for warrant rank are reserved for mechanicians irrespective of marks obtained at the annual examination for the ranks of warrant engineer and warrant mechanician.

Yes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of E.R.A. apprentices promoted to cadet (E); the number of E.R.A.'s promoted to sub-lieutenant (E); and the number of chief and E.R.A.'s promoted to warrant engineer during 1948.

During 1948, three engine room artificer apprentices were promoted to Cadet (E), three engine room artificers to acting sub-lieutenant (E), and 21 chief and engine room artificers to the rank of warrant engineer.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the total number of chief and E.R.A.'s promoted to commissioned rank under the mate (E) and sub-lieutenant (E) schemes, from the inception of the mate (E) scheme to 31st December, 1948; and the numbers who have reached the ranks of engineer rear admiral, engineer captain and captain (E), and engineer commander or commander (E), respectively.

Between 1914 and the end of 1948, 316 chief and engine room artificers were promoted to commissioned rank under the mate (E) and sub-lieutenant (E) schemes. One has attained the rank of engineer rear admiral, 11 the rank of engineer captain or captain (E), and 112 the rank of engineer commander or commander (E).

asked the Minister of Defence what approximate acreage of land in the United Kingdom is occupied by the Service Departments under D.R. 51, under D.R. 52 and through renting and ownership, respectively; and what were the comparative figures 12 months ago.

The approximate acreage of land in the United Kingdom occupied by the Service Departments in November, 1947, and at the end of 1948 was as follows:

asked the Minister of Supply why it was found necessary to add 600 tons of steel to the structure of the Brabazon assembly hall as originally designed; and what was the cost of the extra strengthening so involved.

I am informed that the only extra strengthening to the structure of the assembly hall was to the main rib of the centre bay. The amount of steel involved was five tons and the cost was £1,500.

asked the Minister of Supply what was the reason for his decision to press on with the completion of the east wing of the permanent assembly hall for the Brabazon aircraft regardless of cost, instead of making use of the temporary erection site.

The temporary erection site was unsuitable for the final assembly of the Brabazon. The additional costs arising from this decision to complete the east wing first have been carefully examined by my Department.

asked the Minister of Supply what were, respectively, the fees and the expenses paid to the consulting engineers who advised him on the design and construction of the Brabazon assembly hall; and by how much the final cost exceeded their estimate.

It would be contrary to normal practice to disclose the amount of payments to individual firms.

asked the Minister of Supply what was the total cost of the Brabazon assembly hall, together with the originally estimated cost of completion.

The original estimate of the cost of constructing and equipping the assembly hall in its present form was £1,567,000. The total cost is not yet available, since final accounts have not been submitted, but the final estimate, which is at present being examined, is £3,294,456. As I have already informed my hon. Friend, the main causes of the increases are the rise in the cost of labour and materials since 1946, and the novelty of the building, both in construction and size. Many of the engineering problems were not foreseen when the earlier estimates were prepared.

asked the Minister of Supply what was the value of works executed in connection with the construction of the Brabazon assembly hall, without prior approval by his Department, financial grants for which had to be made after the completion of the work.

It is not possible without undue labour to give the value of work completed before approval was given, but the amount is thought to be small.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of posts in the establishment of his Department in October, 1939 and January, 1949, respectively, in the grades of higher clerical officer, junior executive officer, clerical officer, clerical assistant, typist and shorthand typist and sorting assistant; and the numbers of these posts in the Post Office Savings Department established in January, 1949.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether all airmen may still wear civilian shoes with uniform during off-duty hours; and under what circumstances a unit commander or higher authority has discretion to order airmen to wear boots instead of civilian shoes when not on duty.

Airmen may wear civilian black leather shoes with uniform when off their stations on leave or pass, or when going or returning on leave or pass. The wearing of suede, canvas or patent leather shoes is forbidden.

asked the Minister of Works what sum of money has been spent on Sandgate Castle within the last three years.

The Castle is in private ownership but the Ministry of Works have spent about £600 on the removal of military defence works and subsequent making good.