asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware of the dissatisfaction amongst British wives in Germany regarding the quantity, quality and price of food available; and if he will make a statement on the subject.

Complaints have been received from time to time about the rations available to Control Commission families in Germany. The rations have to be imported and are supplied from Army sources as the German economy cannot provide the necessary supplies. The complaints have been carefully looked into by independent nutrition experts and I am assured that both in calorie and protein content the rations are sufficient.

Is it true that, in some respects, our families in Germany are receiving worse rations than the German civilians?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of German prisoners of war from the camps under British control in the former Italian territories in North Africa which the Egyptian Government have been permitted to enrol for service in their Army.

None, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs on what grounds S.S. Gruppenfuhrer Dirlwanger, whose name appears on several lists of war criminals was allowed to leave the British zone in Germany to take service with the Arab High Command in Palestine.

No exit permit has been applied for or granted in this name. I have no evidence that he has been in the British zone at any time since the occupation.

Will my right hon. Friend consider taking special steps to make this Question and answer and my previous Question and his answer widely known in the United States, where these baseless statements and other similar statements are doing great harm to our national interests?

I am indebted for the suggestion which my hon. Friend has made. Certainly this ridiculous canard has had a limited circulation in certain propaganda newspapers, but I would hesitate to agree that the circulation had been wide. However, we will do what we can to see that the replies are circulated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many orders of extradition in respect of alleged war criminals were made against persons detained in the British zone of Germany during 1948; and to which countries they were extradited.

Ninety applications for the extradition of alleged war criminals were granted between the end of January, 1948, when the present arrangements were introduced, and the end of December, 1948: in consequence persons were extradited to Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, France, Greece, Holland, Norway and Poland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the safety of British subjects in Burma.

My right hon. Friend is in close touch with His Majesty's Ambassador at Rangoon regarding the safety of British subjects in Burma, which he has under constant review. There does not at present seem to be any particular danger to British subjects, since none of the insurgent groups is inspired by anti-British or anti-European feeling. Where local danger threatens, arrangements are being made for the evacuation of British subjects who wish to leave; wives and children of members of the British Services Mission were temporarily withdrawn on 5th February from Mingaladon to Rangoon and a similar withdrawal of part of the British community has since been made from Insein.

in view of the fact that this deplorable state of affairs has arisen out of the failure of the Government's policy towards Burma, would it not be advisable to withdraw all these people of ours at once?

Our information does not suggest the necessity for any such course. The Burmese Government have given undertakings, which have been upheld. I cannot for a second accept the suggestion that these consequences flow from the policy of His Majesty's Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what munitions and military stores have been or will be dispatched this year to the Government of Burma; and how they will be paid for.

The hon. Member will appreciate that I cannot provide the information requested in the first part of the hon. Members Question since it is jointly the property of the Government of Burma. As to the second part of the Question, prepayment is normally required for all war material sold to the Government of Burma.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the British public will be perturbed at the prospect, which his reply does not deny, that British arms will be sent to Burma for use against the Karens, who were the mainspring of the resistance in Burma to Japan?

Such arms as are sent to Burma are sent to the entitled Government of Burma for purposes which they hold to be proper.

asked the Minister of Food what are the stocks of corned beef in this country at the present time; and what were the stocks at the same time in the two previous years.

I regret that it would not be in the public interest to give information as to our stocks of imported foodstuffs.

asked the Minister of Food what steps are being taken to ensure that the price per pound of fish in fishmongers' shops is plainly marked.

All fishmongers must display maximum price schedules in a conspicuous position where they can be read by customers.

Is the Minister satisfied that that regulation is being generally observed?

There is no reason to suppose that it is not.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give an assurance that it is his policy for a substantial portion of the onions available next winter to be home produced.

The bulk of the home crop of bulb onions is marketed in the autumn. This year's production is about 16 times pre-war and it will no doubt remain large. But we cannot rely on home production to provide more than a small part of our winter as distinct from our autumn supplies.

In view of the small part which the home production provides, could the right hon. Gentleman explain his failure to provide a market this year?

No, Sir. In the autumn the home production provides a much larger part. It is in the winter, with which the hon. Member's Question deals, that it plays a small part.

In view of the great popularity of the Spanish onion, will my right hon. Friend give an assurance that he will do nothing to rob the people of the onion of their choice?

Certainly.

In order not to discourage farmers from growing onions, will the Minister make use of the Market Supplies Committee to give him advice about the import of onions?

Will the right hon. Gentleman say when autumn ends and winter begins for the purpose of the extraordinary argument he has advanced?

For the purpose of this argument, it might be said that it is the day before that on which we prohibit the import of onions.

If the right hon. Gentleman does not want home-grown onions, will be consult with the Minister of Agriculture and ask him to tell the farmers that they are not to produce any onions for the autumn?

asked the Minister of Food what was the purchase price per ton of the maize bought by the United Kingdom and lent to Eire.

The approximate c.i.f. cost was £32 9s. 4d. per long ton.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the price of the maize with which Eire repaid this country was very much cheaper, and what is the point of subsidising Eire agriculture, from which we get nothing?

There was no question of a penny of subsidy to Eire agriculture in this transaction.

asked the Minister of Food why permits are given for parcels containing 4 lb. of coffee to be sent by commercial freight to France, but not by post.

I am grateful to the hon. Member for pointing out this anomaly. As I told the hon. Member on 19th January, we are modifying the regulations for gift parcels, and in addition we have now arranged that in future parcels accompanied by a Board of Trade export licence will also be accepted for dispatch by parcel post.

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain how the Board of Trade came to issue permits for the despatch of 4 lb. of coffee by air at a cost of about two or three times the value of the coffee, while not allowing the coffee to be sent by post?

No, Sir. I could not answer questions on behalt of my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Food whether he can now make a statement in connection with the removal from the rationing of boiled and other sweets, in view of his assurances given towards the end of 1948.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has now reached any further decision in connection with the rationing of sweets.

I am afraid I cannot today add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton (Mr. Turton) on 2nd February, but I now hope to make a statement at a very early date.

Is the Minister aware that the weight of public opinion is continuous in this matter; further, is he aware of the convincing argument that there is for the removal of the rationing of sweets or sugar because there is a world surplus? Are we to have this trotted out just before the election? Take sugar off the ration now.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the fact that he has stated that the Government are prepared to purchase sugar from Empire countries, it will be his policy to use this sugar for increasing the ration, or for re-export.

The additional sugar which will, I am sure, become available under the guarantee which we have given to all Commonwealth producers to buy their entire exportable surplus until 1952, will be used both to free the Commonwealth from making any net import of dollar sugar and to increase the ration and the distribution generally in the United Kingdom.

In view of the colossal failure of his administration, as shown by the recent Supplementary Estimates, when will the Minister realise that it is only by stopping bulk purchase and allowing healthy competition to operate that we shall get more and cheaper food?

Perhaps the hon. Member is not aware that the Empire sugar producers are strongly pressing us to continue bulk purchase.

Does not that argument give away the whole of the right hon. Gentleman's case? They can squeeze him when they cannot squeeze Mincing Lane.

The hon. Member wishes to give the Empire sugar producers away.

Has the right hon. Gentleman discussed this matter with his former colleague, Lord Baldwin?

asked the Minister of Food if he is satisfied that the 1949 cropping programme for the groundnuts scheme in East Africa will conserve the fertility of the soil and prevent soil erosion after the bush has been cleared.

Yes, Sir. As the hon. Member knows, comprehensive measures are being taken to prevent soil erosion and maintain fertility.

Will the right hon. Gentleman allow the House to share one of his secrets about the groundnuts scheme, and that is what crops are actually being grown in order to attain this purpose?

This year groundnuts and sunflowers have been planted, but of course the preservation of soil fertility and anti-erosion measures depend upon the crop rotation over a number of years.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us whether any lessons can be drawn from the very small area of ground where groundnuts have been grown for two years?

I think that the scientific advisers of the Corporation would say that it was shown that it is safe to grow groundnuts for at least two years in succession, but they would not go further than that.

asked the Minister of Food if he will expedite the publication of the first annual report of the Overseas Food Corporation; and how soon after 31st March the House may expect to see the accounts of the groundnuts scheme in East Africa.

I rely on the Corporation to submit the report and accounts as soon as they reasonably can, having regard to the normal practice of large commercial undertakings in this matter. I cannot commit them to a particular date.

Does that mean that the House may not see the report and accounts until possibly October or November, or even after the General Election?

Oh, no, long before the Election, but I cannot really add to my answer at this stage.

Surely the right hon. Gentleman is aware of the intense public interest in this matter? Is it not possible for him to produce a White Paper or some other document in order to keep the public informed?

I have already stated to the House that I would welcome the Debate which I understood was going to be arranged through hon. and right hon. Gentlemen opposite on this matter at as early a date as they like.

If the right hon. Gentleman is to supply information to the House during a Debate, will he not make that information available in advance so as to give us an opportunity of studying the position?

I can only repeat what I said on an earlier occasion. I am not willing to ask the Corporation to supply an additional report in the middle of the first year of their operations, as well as their first annual report. Apart from that, I am being asked to publish my speech in writing in advance, which is quite a novel custom for this House.

As the right hon. Gentleman has promised a report, can he say why we should not have it now?

I promised that this information would be ready at any time for a Debate on this subject if hon. Members opposite, through the usual channels, would arrange a date.

asked the Minister of Food if schools are now being provided for the children of workers on the groundnuts scheme in East Africa as part of the welfare activities of the Overseas Food Corporation; what proportion of the children are attending; if there are facilities for adult education; and what is the estimated cost.

asked the Minister of Food (1) what medical facilities are provided for the Africans employed on the groundnuts scheme at Kongwa; what proportion have received medical attention during the last six convenient months; and what are the most prevalent diseases;

I have requested the Overseas Food Corporation, who are responsible for these matters, to reply to the hon. Member's Questions direct.

Is it not the responsibility of this House and of the Minister to take particular care of the welfare of the Africans employed on this scheme?

Yes, Sir, it is part of the responsibilities of all of us to do that, but it has been clearly laid down that these Questions, which go into very considerable detail, should be answered direct from the public Corporation; again, all these matters can be arranged in our forthcoming Debate on the subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman suggesting that the Overseas Food Corporation is the educational authority for that area?

No, Sir; that shows the width of these Questions, some of which no doubt are the responsibility of the Tanganyika Government, which should be inquired into through my right hon. Friend the Colonial Secretary.

Is the Minister aware that this morning I have had a most unsatisfactory letter from the Overseas Food Corporation, but that the point really is that this letter will not appear in HANSARD, and that I am the only person who will get that information?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this is not a satisfactory situation, because many hon. Members on all sides of the House would be interested in this type of information, and it is not practicable for us all to write to the Corporation? If it can be arranged for the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) to have this information, cannot it be made available to all?

If the Question is one which seems to us and to the Chair, with respect to you, Mr. Speaker, to be within the Ruling which has been laid down for the future in Debates on this subject, I do answer it, as I answered the Question put down by the hon. Member just now. As for the kind of Question relating to matters of detail which the public Corporation should answer, the other procedure is taken; but this House can have that information in the forthcoming Debate.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that he has said that he is ready to answer questions in Debate and have them included in HANSARD, but that he is not prepared to answer Questions now? How does he differentiate between the two?

I must follow the line agreed to. A Ruling has been given in regard to all the public Corporations, and I cannot deviate from it.

Does my right hon. Friend not remember that this particular matter raised in Question 43 was discussed in Committee, when he promised us very definitely that these schools would be extended as the work of the Corporation proceeded and that children would not have to wait for education? Can he tell us whether that policy has been carried out?

I am perfectly willing to say that educational facilities, provided on the part of the Tanganyika Government and the Corporation, are extending as rapidly as possible.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the Colonial Office has some responsibility, in this matter, and is it necessary that there should be two authorities responsible for education in the Colonies?

That is a question on which the Corporation feels strongly, and wishes these responsibilities to be borne as much as practicable by the Tanganyika Government.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind the fact that, when replies are given in the winding-up speech at the end of a Debate to points raised in it, they are often of a general and perfunctory kind, and necessarily so, whereas the particular replies asked for in these Questions would be full and precise? Would he therefore make inquiries from the Corporation himself and circulate the answers which he receives from the Corporation in HANSARD?

On a point of Order. May I appeal to you, Mr. Speaker, to have this matter made clear? These two questions were, in fact, addressed to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. I think it would be most helpful if we could have some clear Ruling.

Further to that point of Order. Are we not still awaiting your final Ruling, Mr. Speaker, and a further debate on this matter of Questions regarding the Overseas Food Corporation?

With regard to a further Debate, I have no knowledge. As to a further Ruling, I considered the matter very carefully and I came to the conclusion that there was nothing further to be done, because there was no complaint that any Questions had not been allowed by the Table and that is all I am concerned with. So far they have all been allowed. How Ministers answer Questions is not a matter that concerns me. The Question put down by the hon. Member which he says was transferred was, I presume, transferred by the Table to the right Department, and it was considered that the right Department was the Ministry of Food, and not the Colonial Office. Such Questions are transferred automatically to the right Department by the Table, and that has always been our custom.

With regard to what you have just said, Mr. Speaker, can we take it at least that questions on the lines of those allowed today will continue to be allowed by the Table, so that we can continue to chivy my right hon. Friend if he does not give full and satisfactory answers?

I cannot say what the future attitude to such Questions will be, or whether they will be allowed. Those put down for today have been allowed, but whether any future Questions will be allowed I cannot prophesy.

Surely, this is becoming rather ridiculous. Nobody can seriously declare that education is the business of any Corporation, yet Questions about education are bandied about from one Department to another and hon. Members are being referred to a Corporation which may or may not answer them Surely, some Ruling should be given which would ensure that the hon.

I cannot rule how an answer should be given. All I can say is whether a Question shall be put or not. What the Minister may do, or whether he is going to answer or not, has nothing to do with me at all.

Would it be possible for you to give further consideration to this problem, Mr. Speaker? We are in the position that hon. Members are instructed to write to the Corporation and receive information which would he of interest to a large number of other hon. Members in the House. Would it be practicable for you to give consideration to some means whereby the information made available to one hon. Member could be made available automatically to all hon. Members of the House?

I remember that, on the Christmas Adjournment, the Leader of the House suggested that we might have a further Debate on these matters, and perhaps this is a matter which might he debated. I will certainly give the matter my consideration, but I am not in the position to give instructions to Ministers as to how they must answer Questions; that is not part of the Speaker's duty. Where a Minister thinks the Question is so important that he would like to publish the answer of the Corporation in HANSARD, that is a matter entirely for him, and has nothing to do with me.

asked the Minister of Food whether local interests were consulted before the decision was taken to transfer the local food office to the Corner House Hotel. Winchester and whether he is aware of the unsuitability of its situation for that purpose.

The Ministry of Works have been trying to get better premises for us in Winchester since 1943 and have at last succeeded. They are a great improvement on the old offices. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works that local interests were consulted.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the local council is protesting against the fact that it was not consulted and neither was the Food Control Committee; further is he aware that the premises which have been obtained by the Ministry of Works are unsuitable for a food office since they are situated at a junction of six main roads where there is a very narrow pavement, and women calling at the food office with prams will have no place in which to leave them?

My right hon. Friend, whose responsibility it was, informs me that the local interests, meaning I understand the local council, were consulted. Certainly, from our point of view, these premises are not ideal, but they are a very great improvement.

Will my right hon. Friend go into the matter further before taking occupation of the premises, if I supply him with the facts?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Food what progress has been made in his experiments on the use of fish albumen for the manufacture of many products, including confectionery and ice cream, and for the laundry industry.

A small plant for producing fish albumen has been installed by an association of manufacturers and is undergoing trials. I understand that the stage of commercial production has not yet been reached.

asked the Minister of Food what is the estimated crop of Royal Kidney potatoes in the Wisbech and Boston areas; how much of it has been exported; to which countries has this part gone; and what is being done with the remainder.

The 1948 crop of Royal Kidney potatoes in the Isle of Ely and Holland areas is estimated at 4,200 tons. No ware has been exported—nor is that customary. Four hundred tons of the seed have been sent to Morocco by my Department and licences to export 2,800 tons of English Royal Kidney seed have been issued to private traders. Any remaining stocks may be sold on the home market or offered to my Department for purchase under the guarantee.

In view of the value of the remainder as an export, why is the right hon. Gentleman not taking a little more trouble about them and preventing them from being used for stock feed, which is what is happening?

Private enterprise traders have a perfect right to export them and some have done so, I am glad to say.

asked the Minister of Food why merchants who export potatoes have to pay a charge of £2 per ton exported; and what effect this has had on the export trade.

The charge is made under the Seed Potatoes (Export) (Charges) Order, in order to recover the acreage payment made to potato growers. I am glad to say that our exports now are higher than in the past two or three years.

While not contesting the Minister's suggestion that overall in the whole country, they may be up, is he aware that the Wisbech area has not exported any potatoes for two years now, largely because of this charge which makes it an uneconomic proposition for exporters?

It is doubtful whether my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer could be persuaded to subsidise potatoes for export by the acreage payment. That is what is at issue.

Would it not be cheaper to do that rather than that the Ministry should lose £4 5s. 0d. a ton on exporting ware potatoes?

There is a case there which I am very willing to examine with my right hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Minister of Food whether he can now make a statement about the Food Ministry official who entered a Manchester businessman's home on or about 4th February, 1949, particulars of which have been forwarded to him; and whether this was done by his authority or instruction.

The person referred to was not a Ministry of Food official, nor was she acting on behalf of the Ministry. No survey work has been carried out for for us in Didsbury since 1943

Can the Minister tell us whether at the present time, Ministry of Food officials or inspectors are still going round Manchester calling at houses, and whether notice is given to the householder before the inspector calls?

The only form of survey carried on now is the Family Food Survey. which has been going on for eight years, and the housewife is always written to in advance and asked whether she would like to collaborate in the survey or not.

asked the Minister of Food how many fat cattle were exported from Eire to Great Britain and the Continent respectively during last year; and how the numbers compare with the previous year.

During 1948, Eire exported 18,621 fat cattle to Great Britain and 47,087 to the Continent. For the previous year the numbers were 49,698 and 57,847 respectively

Is not the Minister aware that, despite the much advertised agricultural agreement with Eire, Eire is exporting a far larger proportion of fat cattle to the Continent and far fewer to this country than before?

That is why we arranged with the Eire Government to limit their exports of cattle, both fat and store, to 10 per cent. of the total exports, beginning on 30th June next.

But is not the Minister aware that things are getting much worse instead of better?

That arrangement only comes into force on 30th June, so they could not very well be getting better now under that arrangement.