asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will instruct his regional petroleum officers to stop the practice of requesting correspondents to complete and return gummed address slips, in view of the waste of time involved.

This practice which is already widely used in other Government Departments and business circles has been adopted in one regional office and if successful will be extended to other offices. Its purpose is to reduce staff and to deal with applications more quickly.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware of the feeling of resentment that has been caused by the decision to increase the residential charges in all the South Yorkshire Miners' Hostels; and if he will represent to the National Service Hostels Corporation the desirability of reconsidering their decision.

The National Service Hostels Corporation manage miners' hostels as agents of the National Coal Board. I am informed by the Board that in view of the heavy losses incurred in running miners' hostels, they recently decided to bring their charges into line with those paid in industrial hostels.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the surcharge, the object of which was to restrict the domestic consumption of electricity, is no longer necessary; and whether he will now abolish it.

No. I believe that the introduction of a differential tariff has helped to reduce demand for electricity this winter and so to diminish the risk of load shedding. My hon. Friend will appreciate that owing to the practice of continuous meter reading, it was not possible to bring all consumers on to the higher winter rate at the same time. There is bound therefore to be a period during which some consumers will be charged for electricity at the higher winter rate while others are paying the reduced rate. Those who have paid the surcharge for the winter quarter will, of course, get the benefit of the rebate for the next nine months. For example, if the rate for the winter quarter was 1.1d. per unit, it will only be 0.65d. per unit for the rest of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what approaches have been made to him by local authorities to introduce legislation to repeal the Lord's Day Observance Acts; and what action he proposes to take.

An association representing the local authorities of certain holiday resorts, and the local authority of one of these resorts, made representations to me last summer urging that the law relating to Sunday entertainments should be amended. I carefully considered the representations but was unable to hold out any prospect of the early introduction of amending legislation on this controversial subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average values in cash and in kind, giving the highest and lowest figures, of the emoluments of tenants and managers of State-controlled licensed premises in the Carlisle district.

The cash wages of managers of public houses in the Carlisle State management district range from £5 to £7 15s., the average being about £5 13s. In addition, the managers receive free living premises, fuel and light, the value of which is assessed by the appropriate required to assist in the work of the Catering Wages Board at a flat rate of 25s. Where the manager's wife is establishment—and in the Carlisle district this applies in most cases—she receives 30s. a week, irrespective of the number of hours worked.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the British delegation leaving for the Argentine this week for trade negotiations contains experts from the Treasury, the Board of Trade, the Ministry of Supply, the Ministry of Food and the Bank of England but none from the Ministry of Agriculture; and whether he will make arrangements for this deficiency to be remedied.

Yes. But the negotiations are to be conducted by the Ambassador and as the Embassy staff includes an Agricultural Attaché, an expert from the Ministry of Agriculture is not thought to be necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether national formulary preparations, compounded or otherwise, obtained for National Health Service purposes, are exempt from Purchase Tax in the same way as British pharmacopoeial preparations and those in the Pharmaceutical Codex.

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many dollars he has authorised for the purchase of American poultry equipment by the Overseas Food Corporation for the Gambia poultry scheme.

The Treasury have authorised the Colonial Development Corporation, who are responsible for this scheme, to spend up to £15,000 in dollars on American poultry equipment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why travellers to Italy are not able to obtain a limited amount of lire in cash in London; and whether he will take steps to bring the lira, in this respect, into line with other Western European currencies.

No such steps as my hon. Friend suggests are necessary. There is nothing to prevent the banks from meeting their customers' authorised requirements of lire although in some cases a few days' notice may be necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that there is widespread dissatisfaction amongst followers of the sport of speedway at the high rate of tax, which is three times the amount imposed upon other comparable sports; and if he will arrange for a substantial reduction in this tax.

I have received representations for a reduction in the Entertainments Duty on admissions to speedway racing, but I cannot anticipate my right hon. and learned Friend's Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to how far it is intended to extend the practice that applicants for certain posts in the Civil Service are to pay a fee of £1 for the registration of their applications; and whether he will ensure that when such fee has been paid the applicants will at least be guaranteed an interview.

Fees have always been charged for all Civil Service competitions. The amounts have recently been substantially reduced and the fee does not now in any case exceed £1. It is for the Civil Service Commissioners to decide, subject to the regulations governing each competition, whether to summon to interview all the candidates who apply or not.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now arrange for the publication of the report of the Chorley Committee on the remuneration of the higher posts of the Civil Service; and what decisions the Government have reached on its recommendations.

Yes. The report is being published as a White Paper and copies will be available in the Vote Office later this evening.The main recommendation of the Committee is in favour of increases in the remuneration of the higher grades in the administrative, professional, scientific and technical classes of the Civil Service. Subsidiary recommendations deal with certain other questions, such as complementing and superannuation. In determining their attitude to the Committee's recommendations on remuneration, His Majesty's Government have given most serious consideration, in particular, to the bearing upon them in present circumstances of the principles of the White Paper on Personal Incomes. They recall that a claim for a general and substantial increase in salaries was submitted to the Treasury as long ago as March, 1947, by the First Division Association, representing the Administrative Class. It was not possible, for various reasons, to reach a decision on the claim immediately, and it was because of the need to obtain an impartial, authoritative and representative opinion on its merits that the Government decided to follow the precedent of the Asquith Committee after the 1914–18 war, and about a year ago invited Lord Chorley and his colleagues to advise them in the matter. Having regard to the views expressed by this independent Committee, His Majesty's Government have decided that the improved salaries recommended must be accepted in principle as the appropriate levels of remuneration of the grades concerned. But when regard is had to special circumstances and the difficult times through which we are passing, some measure of postponement must be involved in the adoption of the new scales of salaries recommended.The representatives of the grades concerned, with whom I have discussed the matter, have also recognised this possible difficulty, and have indicated that, while they are anxious for the recommendations of the Committee to be implemented with the least possible delay, they are willing, in the circumstances, to acquiesce in the postponement of action on the report for a period, and thereafter in the application of the new salaries by gradual stages.I should like here to pay tribute to the public spirit shown in this attitude and to acknowledge this contribution by the people concerned to the sacrifices which all sections of the community are being called upon to bear.The Government propose to proceed accordingly. It is their intention that a start should be made before long to give effect to the salary improvements recommended by the Committee, and they hope that it may be possible to do this before the end of the present calendar year. The action to be taken on the other recommendations of the Committee will be the subject of further consideration and discussion with representatives of the staff concerned.

asked the Minister of Health why his Department have refused to allow Norham and Islandshire district medical officer to represent them on the Berwick-on-Tweed hospital management committee; and why the council have no direct representation on the committee.

Under the National Health Service Act, 1946, local authorities as such are not given representation on hospital management committees and the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Health how many doctors were in practice at Port Dinorwic, Caernarvonshire, on the coming into operation of the National Health Service; and how many have joined the National Health Service; and whether it is now proposed to authorise an additional doctor to practise in the area.

The three doctors in practice at Port Dinorwic on the coming into operation of the National Health Service all joined the Service from 5th July. One of these doctors, practising in partnership, has since resigned. His partner is understood to be engaging an assistant.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered the case of Miss Bennett, 2 Edmund Road, St. Mary Cray, particulars of which have been sent him, who was suffering from severe toothache on 28th January, 1949, and whose dentist, Mr. Shay, High Street, Sidcup, would only perform an emergency extraction on the payment of a fee of £1 Is.; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. I hope shortly to be able to announce particulars of the scheme now in preparation to facilitate treatment of emergency cases.

asked the Minister of Health how many foreign visitors have received medical attention under the National Health Service in Britain during the past six months; and how he proposes to compensate the State doctors for the services they have rendered to those foreigners who contribute nothing to the National Health Service.

Separate figures are not available but the population statistics on which the remuneration of general practitioners is calculated include foreign visitors who have been in the country for 28 days. A doctor attending a foreign visitor receives the usual fee for a temporary resident.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that there is considerable dissatisfaction among patients at the Llangwyfan Sanatorium, Denbigh, about the quality of the food served; and if he will take steps to remedy matters as the position is causing anxiety both to patients and to their relatives.

No. If my hon. Friend will let me have further particulars I will go into the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that female laundry workers aged 18 and employed in laundries doing 75 per cent. of hospital work earned £2 8s. 9d. weekly up to 5th July, but since that date in the laundries taken over by the South Western Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board their wages have been increased to £3 15s. 11d. weekly; and if he is satisfied that this increase of over 50 per cent. has been justified by increased output.

This increase is confined to the Chichester laundry and is due to the payment of the nationally negotiated wage rates for hospital laundry staff.

asked the Minister of Health what progress has been made respecting the supply of analgesia apparatus both to hospitals and to midwives; and what other methods of relieving pain in child-birth are now being investigated with the possibility of their adoption or alternatives to existing methods.

Later figures than those given in reply to my hon. Friend's Question of 10th June last are not yet available. Investigation is proceeding into the possibility of devising a safe apparatus for the administration of trilene by midwives.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will now arrange for nurses in hospitals to be issued with greatcoats or mackintoshes as part of their uniform without having to surrender clothing coupons for them, in view of the fact that a certain range of clothing will no longer require the surrender of clothing coupons.

No.

asked the Minister of Health when he will be able to submit his proposals on the terms and conditions of service of hospital staffs; whether he is aware that the delay is causing real hardship to ex-Service full time consultants whose remuneration is well below that of many other consultants who are employed part-time on a sessional basis; and whether, whilst discussions are taking place, he will consider making a retrospective payment of an interim nature.

I cannot say when the proposals will be available for publication, but I am doing all I can to complete discussions with the profession's representatives. Meanwhile I cannot contemplate any additional retrospective payment.

asked the Minister of Health what complaints he has received that opticians are advising customers that if private payment is made, prescribed spectacles can be provided much more quickly than if the customer elects to receive the spectacles free under the National Health Service; whether he will make inquiries as to the source of supply and ensure that materials are distributed with more regard to the optical requirements of patients.

A few complaints have been received, some of which relate to appliances of a type not available under the National Health Service. The organisations representing opticians deplore any preference for private patients and I do not think further action is called for.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in some cases, dentists have informed patients that plastic dentures are not provided under the National Health Service and, if desired, must be purchased privately; and what steps should be taken by the patient following a refusal by a dentist to supply this type of denture.

Yes. The National Health Service (General Dental Services) Fees Regulations, 1948, make it clear that plastic dentures are included in the National Health Service and the fees have been calculated on this basis. A patient who is informed that this type of denture is not included should bring the matter to the notice of the local executive council.

asked the Minister of Health the number of people in Cardiff who have registered for benefit under the National Health Act.

I am not quite sure what my hon. Friend has in mind but the number of people in Cardiff on doctors' lists on 1st January, 1949, was 229,405.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has now taken action in connection with the four doctors in Grangetown, Cardiff, who operate from one small surgery having had their other surgery altered to a garage after the National Health Service started; and steps he is taking to see that propel facilities are afforded their patients.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 16th December. The Cardiff Executive Council are looking into the matter and I am assured that everything will be done as soon as possible to provide adequate accommodation.

asked the Minister of Health how many applicants for housing accommodation are on the waiting list of the Sutton and Cheam Council.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether houses situated at 136 and 146 Mulgrave Road, Sutton, Surrey have been requisitioned for housing purposes by the local council; and whether the whole or part of the houses referred to are now unoccupied and, if so, for how long have they been unoccupied.

No. 136 Mulgrave Road is requisitioned for local authority housing and part is temporarily unoccupied pending re-arrangement of lettings. No. 146 Mulgrave Road is not under requisition and I am informed that it is occupied.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to ensure that ex-regular Service men and other persons not in a position to comply with local authorities' residential requirements are given a fair opportunity of becoming tenants of houses erected by local authorities.

Advice on this point is included in a report which I have just received from my Central Housing Advisory Committee. This report is now being printed and will be sent to all housing authorities.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give the necessary facilities for an adequate supply of alpha tocopherol, vitamin E, to be imported into this country from Canada, in view of its proved efficacy in the treatment of certain cardio-vascular diseases.

asked the Minister of Health (1) what application he has received from Bioglan Laboratories, Limited, for permission to import by air, for sterling, from Canada, finished Vita E gelucaps, which are urgently needed by the medical profession for the treatment of heart diseases; what reply has been given; and whether he will arrange for the importation to continue until a similar product of equal value can be manufactured in this country;(2) why he is proposing to permit a monopoly by one firm in the manufacture in this country of alpha tocopherol Vita E; and whether he will arrange for other firms to participate in the importation of the special oil from America, so that they can proceed to manufacture the finished product which is in urgent demand for treatment of heart diseases.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements are in force or in contemplation for the importation from the United States of America of the special oil required for the manufacture of alpho tocophenol, vitamin E.

Alpha tocopherol (Vitamin E) is manufactured in this country from imported intermediate materials, but its value in the treatment of heart disease is regarded here as not yet established. Sufficient supplies are available for doctors who are investigating its use. It is open to any manufacturer to apply to the Board of Trade for a licence to import intermediate materials but I have been unable to recommend that the finished product should be imported from Canada.

asked the Minister of Health what are the names of the members of his Central Health Council; when it was first formed; and how many times it has met since formation.

The names were published in the OFFICIAL REPORT of 30th July last, except that of Mr. C. F. Corner, who has been appointed subsequently. The Council has met three times.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent he has been consulted by the British Electricity Authority on their proposal to divert the present course of the Afan Ro River in the Conway Valley; and if, in view of the effect of such diversion upon public health services in that area, he will take steps in conjunction with the other Departments concerned to ensure that no action will he taken to divert the river before all local interested parties are informed and have been given an opportunity of being heard at a local inquiry.

I have not been consulted by the British Electricity Authority about this proposal, but I am in touch with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power who is instructing them to publish notices and deposit plans for public inspection so that interested parties can make any representations they think fit. I understand that if objections are made, he will consider holding a public local inquiry, at which local interested parties would be given an opportunity of being heard.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths from smallpox occurred in England and Wales in 1947 and 1948; and what were their ages.

Fifteen in 1947 and none in 1948; the ages were—7, 27, 49, 69, 70 (2), 72, 75 (3), 76, 78, 79 (2) and 86.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the hardships arising from continued uncertainty, the Metropolitan Water Board have either indicated any intention to abandon the scheme to flood the Enborne Valley or have now submitted for his consideration any concrete proposal.

No. I have no reason to believe that the Metropolitan Water Board wish to delay their decision.

asked the Minister of Health if he has yet received any further proposals from the Metropolitan Water Board in connection with the Enborne Valley reservoir project.

Apart from three applications for authority to enter and survey lands no proposals from the Board in connection with the Enborne Valley reservoir project have been received.

asked the Minister of Health when he received the letter from the Bullingdon Rural District Council complaining that the Oxford Corporation statutory water undertakers had not commenced work, although three years have elapsed since the terms were agreed; and whether he will state when he proposes to take steps to compel the water undertaking to carry out their agreement.

The letter was received on 8th February, and I am in communication with the Corporation and the rural district council on the matters raised. Detailed plans were not submitted by the Corporation until November, 1948.

asked the Minister of Health why he refuses the Market Rasen Urban District Council permission to purchase the local water company as they have requested in letters dated 14th April, 1948, 27th September, 1948, and 13th January, 1949; and why no reply has been sent to the last letter from the Council.

Consent has not been refused. I understand that the company have offered to sell their undertaking to the Caistor Rural District Council, who are considering the offer. The letter to which the hon. Member refers was acknowledged but I am not yet in a position to make any further reply.

asked the Minister of Health why he has ruled that members of local authorities are not debarred by the form of declaration under the regulations from claiming subsistence allowance at the rate determined by the local authority should they think fit so to claim notwithstanding that they may not have actually expended the amount of the allowance claimed.

I have given no ruling on this matter though, where asked, I have advised local authorities in the sense indicated in the Question. It is normal practice for subsistence allowances to be paid according to scales without required proof that the amount of the allowance has been spent. Any system which depended on proof would be impracticable since it would impose on local authorities the duty of checking payments for which receipts are not normally obtained and would be out of proportion to the relatively small payments involved.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will give the names of the schools in Wales which have been closed and where the parents have refused to send their children to neighbouring schools as well as of the schools which have been closed and where the children are being conveyed elsewhere under protest; and what is being done to avoid such protests arising in the future.

Parents have so far refused to send their children to other schools in the case of two recent closures in Wales. The schools concerned are the Llanymawddwy School in Merionethshire and the Llaneugrad School in Anglesey. Following the closure of the Vaynor School in Breconshire, I have been informed by some parents that they have accepted conveyance to another school under protest. Representatives of local education authorities normally meet the parents before proposals for closure are submitted, so that the educational advantages to the children may be fully explained, and I hope that authorities will increasingly adopt such a procedure.

asked the Minister of Education whether he will be prepared to consider holding a new school-leaving certificate examination twice a year.

The question whether the examination for the general certificate of education should be held twice a year is being considered in the first instance by the Secondary School Examinations Council. I would add that this examination is not designed as a school-leaving certificate examination.

asked the Minister of Education what guidance is given by his Department to education authorities in respect of appropriate sex education in schools; and approximately how many of these authorities have now included this subject directly or indirectly in school curricula.

A pamphlet on sex education was issued by my Department in 1943, and I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. I have no statistical information to show the extent to which such education is included in school curricula.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to enable Palestinian Arab students now in this country to complete their studies here, bearing in mind that most of them have, owing to the war in Palestine, been cut off from the financial help which they had when their studies started, and which they expected to receive throughout the time necessary to complete their studies.

I am informed that the scholarships of those students from Palestine who previously held awards in this country are being continued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The students who are in difficulties are the private students, whom I am afraid that I cannot help from funds at my disposal. I understand that some of them have been provided with financial assistance from the Assistance Board and that an appeal on their behalf is being made by the International Students' Service. Their circumstances have been brought to the attention of the Governments of the Arab States.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he has taken to introduce new methods of building and new types of structure in State school architecture in order to cheapen costs and enable the large increase of young children to receive full-time primary education.

I have circulated to all local education authorities and recommended to their attention the report of the Technical Working Party which deals with forms of prefabricated construction for schools, and various new types of structure are now being used in a large number of projects. I have also set up a development group in my Chief Architect's Department to study, and advise local education authorities on, the practical application of the new principles and to co-ordinate the efforts of manufacturers. I am trying to plan the building programme as far ahead as possible so that the full economies of prefabrication can be secured.

asked the Minister of Education when he proposes to set up a National Advisory Council for the training and supply of teachers.

The constitution of this Council has been fully discussed with the bodies concerned and I shall very shortly be asking them for nominations, so that it can be set up and can begin its work.

asked the Minister of Education the number of classes of over 40 pupils, and also of over 50 pupils, in January, 1949.

I regret that this information is not yet available.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give details of schemes for the exchange of teachers and students between this country and abroad for the year 1949.

Following is the information:

asked the Minister of Education how many teachers were in training in 1938 and how many in 1948; and how many children there were to each teacher in each of these two years.

The number of teachers in training in permanent training colleges and in the professional year at University Training Departments was 11,741 at the end of 1938, and 19,709 at the end of 1948. At the later date there were also 9,725 teachers in training under the Emergency Training Scheme. In January, 1948, there were 27.4 pupils for each full-time teacher in primary and secondary (other than nursery or special) schools maintained or assisted by local education authorities. The comparable figure for March, 1938, was 29.4.

asked the Minister of Education what instructions or advice are given by his Department to local authorities in regard to the disposal of milk issued to schools and which, for one reason or another, may be surplus to requirements.

Paragraphs 13–15 of Circular 119, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy, gave instructions to local education authorities on this matter.

asked the Minister of Education how many schoolchildren were receiving milk and how many midday meals in 1938 and 1948, respectively; and what was the cost of these services in these two years.

:Following is the information:

—	1938–39	Latest figures available
School Milk:
Number of pupils receiving milk (grant-aided schools).	2,500,000	4,614,000
		(October.1984)
Cost to public funds.	£1,497,803*	£6,549,814‡
		(1947–48)
School Dinners:
Number of pupils receiving dinners (grant-aided schools).	150,000†	2,742,000
		(October, 1948)
Cost to public funds.	£942,803†	£16,653,961
		(1947–48)
* Includes the cost of remitting the charge for milk in cases of hardship. The charge was abolished in August, 1946.
† Elementary schools only: the figures for Secondary schools are not available.
‡Includes cost of milk supplied to pupils at independent schools participating in the Milk in Schools Scheme.

asked the Minister of Education what steps he is taking to ensure that the decline in providing canteens for children at school is halted and that his object of providing all children with school meals is speedily carried through.

I am doing everything possible within the limits of available resources to increase the provision for school meals. The slightly smaller advance in the number of new canteens during 1948 does not mean that less was done; as time goes on a greater part of the work goes into improving or replacing canteens which are unsatisfactory or much too small.

asked the Minister of Education how much money was spent on the provision of schools during the three years after the 1914–18 war; and how much in the comparable period after the last war.

During the three financial years 1919–21 the total capital expenditure incurred by local education authorities in respect of all education services, including the provision of sites, was about £5 million. For the three financial years 1945–48 no comparable figure is available but total expenditure on educational building, excluding the provision of sites, is thought likely to be slightly under £30 million.

asked the Minister of Education the value of school building which has been approved by his Department since 1945; the value of the buildings constructed during that period; and the value of buildings in the process of construction.

Between 31st December, 1945, and 31st December, 1948, the latest date for which the information is available, my Department approved building work to an approximate total value of £61 million. The total value of building projects completed during the same period was about £20 million. The value of work under construction on 31st December, 1948, was about £29 million. These figures cover all educational building with the exception of work on Emergency Training Colleges and School Meals Service projects carried out by the Ministry of Works on an agency basis, and work, mainly for independent and direct grant schools, carried out under civil building licences issued by the Ministry of Works after consultation with my Department.

asked the Minister of Education if he will give a list of the publications in which the post of secretary of the newly-constituted Welsh Joint Education Committee was advertised.

I am informed that the post was advertised in the following journals: "Times"; "Western Mail"; "Liverpool Daily Post"; "Times Educational Supplement"; "Education"; "Municipal Journal."

asked the Minister of Education if he will give a list of the county councils whose education development plans have not yet been approved by his Department.

I have approved the plans submitted by the local education authorities for Isle of Wight, Rutland, Yorkshire (East Riding), Yorkshire (North Riding), Kent and Anglesey. In the case of every other county, except those mentioned below, I have sent the local education authority my comments on the plan, and in the large majority of instances am still awaiting their reply. I am still examining the plans submitted by the local education authorities for Berkshire, Lincolnshire (Lindsey), Oxfordshire, Staffordshire, Surrey, Warwickshire and Monmouthshire. Complete plans for Cumberland, Durham, Carmarthenshire and Glamorgan have not yet been submitted.

asked the Minister of Education by what annual amounts in the financial years 1946–47 and 1947–48 the percentage grants paid to local education authorities were reduced by their contributions to Government finances in the form of Purchase Tax on paper.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many copies of certified invoices his Department compels exporters in this country to supply with each consignment of goods sent to countries of the British Empire; and how far a different form of certified invoice is demanded in respect of each different Empire country.

Certified invoices are not required by the Board of Trade for exports to any destination. The Exchange Control procedure prescribed by the Treasury for exports to destinations outside the sterling area requires the exporter to lodge a single certified copy of the sales invoice with his bank when he has received payment by an approved method. The only destinations in the British Commonwealth affected by this requirement are Canada and Newfoundland.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many individuals were employed by the Wool Control on 1st February, 1949, or on the last convenient date; and how many will be employed on 1st April, when further of the duties of this war-time control cease.

The staff of the Wool Control on 1st February, 1949, was equivalent to 114 full-time workers. The relaxation of control announced for 1st April concerns the export of merino tops. The detailed licensing work for this is done by the Wool Export Group so that this particular relaxation will not reduce the work at the Control, but other reductions will be made as soon as circumstances permit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the subject of our exports of finished steel to Canada.

Yes. I am glad to say that in conformity with the importance which His Majesty's Government attaches to increased supplies to Canada, the steel industry has agreed to make available to Canada increased quantities of finished steel in 1949. They are aiming, at a total tonnage for the year of from 80,000 to 90,000 tons. This represents a three-fold increase in supplies compared with 1948 and a six-fold or even greater increase compared with 1947. Canada will thus be one of the United Kingdom's largest steel markets in 1949.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will give an assurance that sufficient yarn will be supplied to justify the capital expenditure incurred by those manufacturers in the woollen textile industry who instal new automatic looms.

All the woollen spun yarn required for new automatic looms can be supplied. The supply of worsted yarn is not, however, sufficient for all demands; a weaver who instals new automatic looms is being allocated extra worsted yarn on the basis of single-shift working of those looms until the shortage, which is temporary, has been further reduced.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will take advantage of the improvement in the timber supply position to review all licences granted for the felling of trees, with a view to preserving as many as possible of the surviving ones.

A review of licences, under many of which felling has already started, would cause too great a disturbance of business contracts to be practicable. It is not practicable at present to reduce felling beyond the extent intimated in the reply on 25th January to my hon. Friend the Member for West Ealing (Mr. J. Hudson).

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that there is still considerable delay in the delivery of drift nets for East Anglian herring fishermen, which is likely to handicap many of them during the forthcoming season; and what arrangements are being made to expedite deliveries.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my answers to my hon. Friend the Member for Lowestoft (Mr. Edward Evans) on 10th February and to the hon. Member for East Aberdeen (Mr. Boothby) on 15th February.

asked the Minister of Supply of the total machinery produced in Great Britain during the years 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949 to date, how much in numbers and value, respectively, were produced in England and Scotland, respectively; and, in particular, how much machinery, and what kinds, were produced in Tullos factory, Aberdeen, during those periods.

Precise information about the production of machinery for these years is not available by numbers, but an estimate of value can be given. For this purpose machinery is defined as including all the complete new machinery and equipment, and parts sold separately, contained in Group III G of the Trade and Navigation Accounts, together with machinery fitted in ships, and does not, therefore, cover all engineering products. On this basis the value is estimated roughly at £400 million, £550 million and £700 million for 1946, 1947 and 1948, respectively. About seven-eighths was produced in England and Wales and one-eighth in Scotland. It would be contrary to the practice of Government Departments to give details of production at a particular factory.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is satisfied that, in the arrangements made by His Majesty's Government with the Australian Government for the testing of rocket and other weapons of war in Australia, proper protection is to be afforded to the aboriginal population.

The protection of the aboriginal population is entirely a matter for the Government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The Australian Minister for Defence has stated that the measures which will be taken to protect the welfare of the aborigines affected are such that no injustice to them is involved.

asked the Minister of Defence the annual cost of dental and ophthalmic treatment to His Majesty's Forces, as between 31st December, 1939, and 31st December, 1948, giving separate figures for each year and for each type of benefit.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement setting out the precise details of the proposed arrangements for the exchange of students and professors between British and American universities under the Fulbright Act.

The detailed planning of the arrangements for the exchange of students and professors under the Fulbright Act is not in the hands of this Department, but is carried out by the United States Educational Commission in the United Kingdom which consists of seven British and seven American members. The offices of this Commission are at 55, Upper Brook Street, London, W.1.

asked the Minister of Food by how much the cost of living rose during 1948; and what were the main items contributing to the rise, giving details.

I have been asked to reply. The interim index of retail prices, on the basis of June, 1947=100, was 104 at 13th January and 109 at 14th December, 1948. Details of the increases in the various items are given in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for January, 1949.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the new release arrangements where Service personnel are granted leave before their final discharge, he will, in the case of the Royal Navy, either arrange for Service references to be given out prior to leave, or for men to be finally discharged before they are given leave, in order that they may be given the opportunity of applying for civilian jobs as soon as they get release leave.

Arrangements have already been made for final discharge routine to be carried out before men are sent on release leave.

asked the Minister of Labour how many registered medical practitioners are now reported as unemployed in Scotland and in England and Wales; for how long they have been unemployed; and what steps are being taken to utilise their services.

The number of unemployed registered medical practitioners registered for employment at Appointments Offices on 14th February was 18 in Scotland and 42 in England and Wales. Thirty-seven had been registered as unemployed for less than six months; one for 11 months; and 22—including 12 Poles—for over 12 months. In common with other registrants at Appointments Offices these men and women are submitted for any suitable vacancies notified to my Department.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of operatives in the building industry at the latest date available; and giving the separate figures of the numbers in the various trades within the industry.

The latest available analysis relates to July, 1948. The following Table shows the estimated total number of male employees in the building industry in Great Britain at that date, with separate figures for each of the main crafts:

General Foreman	8,090
Carpenter, Joiner	146,440
Bricklayer	112,280
Mason	9,180
Slater, Tiler (Roof)	11,400
Plasterer	34,450
Painter, Decorator, Paperhanger	152,860
Plumber	60,630
Glazier	2,190
All other Occupations (including labourers)	506,130
Total	1,081,890*
*This total includes 38,240 men aged 65 and over. The occupations of these men are not known and they are therefore excluded from the analysis in the Table.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give the following particulars in the form of a table; the numbers of combined harvester machines imported from Canada since last harvest, of Massey-Harris eight-foot cut combine harvester machines manufactured in the United Kingdom in the same period, of each type allocated to each county, respectively, of applications for these machines that have been submitted through the agricultural executive committees, and of the machines it is proposed to import, or to manufacture, in this country between now and next harvest season.

It is not the normal practice to disclose figures relating to individual manufacturers or to individual counties. The other information requested is as follows: the number of applications for combined harvesters received by county agricultural executive committees in England and Wales and by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland is over 5,000. The total number of new combined harvesters, both home-produced and imported, expected to be available for the 1949 harvest is rather more than 2,000, of which nearly 1,000 will be imported. None of the combined harvesters to be imported from Canada has yet arrived. The Massey-Harris 8-feet

TIMES OF FINAL COLLECTION FROM STREET POSTING BOXES
—				February, 1939			February, 1949
				Monday-Friday	Saturday	Sunday	Monday-Saturday	Sunday
				p.m.	p.m.	p.m.	p.m.	p.m.
Birmingham	…	…	…	8.15/9.30*	7.0/7.45	5.0/6.0	5.30/6.30	4.0/4.45
Bristol	…	…	…	8.15/9.15	8.15/9.15	7.0/8.0	5.30/6.30	4.15/5.30
Leeds	…	…	…	8.30/9.30	8.30/9.30	5.0/6.30	5.45/6.30	3.0/4.0
Liverpool	…	…	…	8.0/9.30	6.30/7.0	5.15/7.15	6.0/6.30	4.0/5.45
Manchester	…	…	…	8.15/9.0	8.15/9.0	6.0	6.0/6.30	4.0
Newcastle	…	…	…	8.15/9.0	6.15/6.30	345/4.0	5.45/6.30	3.30
*Confined to selected boxes.

In February, 1939, letters could be posted in the box at the head post office and at station sorting offices up to later times than those quoted. The position in this respect is much the same today, the precise times of clearance varying according to the destination to which a Month letter is addressed.

asked the Minister of Food what was the number of pigs slaughtered by individual self-suppliers and by pig clubs, respectively, for the months of August, September, October, November and December, 1948, and January, 1949.

asked the Postmaster-General at what times the last collections of mail take place in Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle, respectively; and what were the comparable times in February, 1939.

On the assumption that the hon. Member is referring to the final collections from the street posting boxes the information is as follows:

The information is as follows:

Month		Number of Pigs slaughtered
		By individual self-suppliers	By co-operative and similar pig clubs
August, 1948	…	2,043	478
September, 1948	…	7,835	788
October, 1948	…	41,201	1,668
November, 1948	…	129,145	2,524
December, 1948	…	142,289	3,120
January, 1949	…	143,014	1,498

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what permission he has given to the Scottish Hydro-Electric Board to purchase diesel alternators as a substitute for hydro plant.

Under the Electricity Act, 1947, the Board may generate electricity within their district by any means and diesel plant is being installed to supplement existing plant in certain areas and to provide current in other areas where hydro power is not available and may not be available for a considerable time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the petition presented to the Goveror of St. Helena by the St. Helena Association regarding the unemployment and general poverty in the island; and how much money has been allocated and spent on St. Helena from the Colonial Welfare and Development Fund.

I assume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to the petition addressed to himself, of which a copy was sent to the Governor of St. Helena, who has forwarded it to me. I am not yet able to make a statement on the petition, but I give below some facts and figures, including the information asked for in the second part of the Question.St. Helena has never been economically self supporting, and has for many years received an annual grant-in-aid from the Exchequer. Since 1939 the following grants-in-aid have been issued:

				£
1939–40	…	…	…	1,000
1940–41	…	…	…	19,000
1941–42	…	…	…	18,000
1942–43	…	…	…	20,000
1943–44	…	…	…	27,000
1944–45	…	…	…	15,000
1945–46	…	…	…	20,000
1946–47	…	…	…	5,000*
1947–48	…	…	…	15,000
*A new issue of stamps brought in considerable additional revenue.

During 1948 approximately £16,000 out of the Colony's total estimated expenditure of approximately £74,000, excluding C.D. and W. grants, was provided for poor relief and for subsidising staple foodstuffs and, in addition, a sum of £5,000 for the latter purpose was made available from the Foodstocks, etc., Revolving Fund. The estimated expenditure on C.D. and W. grants was £21,185. Of an area of 28,800 acres, only 8,600 acres are estimated to be cultivable, of which some 3,300 acres are devoted to the cultivation of New Zealand hemp, the only export commodity of any importance.Apart from the war years when service in the local forces and the presence of a garrison provided welcome employment, St. Helena has for many years been faced with an unemployment problem, due to its dependence on one small industry and the lack of efficient communications. The largest employers of labour are the Government and the hemp millers, who together employ some 500 persons out of the Colony's total population of approximately 4,800. The majority of the remainder of the Colony's labour force are either employed in agriculture or by the owners of small businesses. There is, however, a permanent body of unemployed numbering from 120 to 150 persons, for whom employment on relief works is as far as possible provided.During 1939 the standard rate of wage for Government labour was 2s. 6d., and the rate of unemployment relief was Is. 6d. per day, as compared with the present rates of 3s. 5d. and 2s. 8d. per day respectively. Admittedly wages are low, but, as I have already informed the hon. and gallant Member in reply to another Question, proposals for increasing them are now under examination.Prior to April, 1946, St. Helena received grants from the Colonial Development Fund totalling £73,283. Since that date the Colony has been allocated a further £200,000 under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, and up to the end of 1948 a total of £58,700 had been issued to the Colony. The Governor is making the utmost use of development funds in order to absorb as many as possible of the unemployed on works of a developmental nature. Progress in this respect is at present, however, retarded by the shortage of skilled artisans. The Government Apprenticeship Scheme has, however, been expanded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the clearance of the Jewish detention camps in Cyprus.

The withdrawal of the Jewish detainees from Cyprus camps was completed on the 11th February, with full co-operation from the detainees themselves and the Israeli authorities. The total number transferred since the decision was taken to release the remaining detainees was 10,300.I take this opportunity to thank the Governor of Cyprus, the Commissioner for Jewish Camps (Sir Godfrey Collins) and all other officers and men concerned for the way in which they discharged the responsibilities laid upon them in connection with these camps and also the people of Cyprus for their acceptance of any resulting inconveniences. Praise is due for the discipline and patience of the British military guards, past and present, who have fulfilled an unusual and difficult task with good humour, tact and understanding. I also gratefully recognise the work of the American Joint Distribution Committee under their Director, Mr. Laub, who spared neither pains nor expense in providing welfare staff and services for the detainees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the urgent need in London for a hostel where African visitors to this country can be satisfactorily housed during their stay and receive any advice and help necessary, he proposes to take any steps to institute such a hostel.

Hostels are provided in London for the temporary accommodation of students, and all categories of visitors from Africa are welcome to apply to my Department for guidance and are if necessary put in touch with other authorities if they need employment, assistance or accommodation. I am convinced that many African visitors other than students would not welcome special hostels during their stay in this country and would prefer to go to hotels and other accommodation available for the general public. My Department is however in consultation with the other Departments concerned about the special needs of colonial people who come over to live and work in this country.