asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that the lack of housing is the biggest bar to recruitment for the Metropolitan Police, whether he will now give details of the steps he is taking, in conjunction with the Minister of Health, to overcome this problem.

Steps have been and are being taken, with the co-operation of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, to provide additional married quarters and police houses to the extent that the restricted supplies of labour and materials and the difficulty of obtaining sites will allow, and it is hoped to start work on about 400 houses during the first half of this year. In October, 1945, my right hon. Friend drew the special attention of housing authorities to the needs of the police, and the Commissioner of Police and his officers have constantly endeavoured to secure the assistance of housing authorities in the Metropolitan Police district in the housing of police officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police, police cars, police motorcycles and police horses were on duty in connection with the Fascist march which took place in East London on Sunday, 13th February.

Seventy police, 14 vehicles (including seven motor cycles) and six horses. In reserve, but not called out, were 23 police, one vehicle and five horses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has had his attention drawn to the observations made by the Clerk of the Court at the Mansion House in the case of one Finkelstein in respect of Finkelstein's request for legal aid; and what action he proposes to take.

I have seen a newspaper report of the observations referred to, but it would not be proper for me to make any comment on the conduct of an officer for whom I am not responsible.

asked the Minister of Health what is the procedure laid down to fulfil the provisions of the National Health Service Act, 1946, whereby a patient recommended remedial or Turkish baths can obtain them without payment.

Remedial bath treatment may be obtained through the hospital service where a Regional Board has arranged for spa facilities to supplement those of local hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health what factors are causing delay in the announcement of a decision about the terms under which unsplinterable lenses will be provided under the National Health Service.

I am discussing the terms with the opticians.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the members of hospital management committees were selected from the nominations made by trades councils, following on the circularisation of these bodies by Regional Hospital Board; and what percentage of the whole are trades council representatives.

I regret that the information is not readily available. It is wrong to regard members of hospital management committees as representatives, this conception is foreign to the National Health Service.

asked the Minister of Health which hospitals under the control of the Leeds Regional Hospital Board provide accommodation for juvenile mental defectives; how many beds are available in each and how many are now used; how many cases are awaiting admission; and what action is being taken, and when it will be effective, to provide the additional accommodation required.

The hospitals under the control of the Leeds Regional Hospital Board which provide accommodation for juvenile mental defectives; the number of beds available in each and now in use, are as follows:

asked the Minister of Health how many beds were available on 5th July, 1948, in the mental hospitals now under the Leeds Regional Hospital Board; how many were occupied; what are the corresponding figures at the present time; and how many cases are awaiting admission.

The number of beds available according to the authorised standards was, on 5th July, 1948, 9,879: overcrowding was unavoidable and the number of patients accommodated was 11,111. The corresponding figures at the present time are 9,896 and 11,081 respectively. Patients are not presented for admission until the necessary certificates and orders have been obtained. It is not, therefore, possible to give figures in terms of a waiting list.

asked the Minister of Health when he anticipates final agreement will be reached about the payment of specialists employed in the National Health scheme under the terms of Ministry of Health Circular 202/46; and whether he is aware of the hardship suffered by these individuals under present conditions of uncertainty in this connection.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hanley (Dr. Stross) on 17th February, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health how many patients have been treated in Coventry under the National Health Service from its inception till the present time or the nearest period for which statistics are available.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Health (1) for how many men and for how many women were spectacles ordered, respectively, during the first six months in which the National Health Service was in operation;(2) how many men and how many women received dental treatment, respectively during the first six months in which the National Health Service was in operation.

I regret that the information is not available. The sexes are not separately enumerated.

asked the Minister of Health what will be the effect of the proposals for capital expenditure contained in the United Kingdom's plans submitted to the Organisation for European Economic Recovery on the housing programme for 1949.

None.

asked the Minister of Health if he has considered a letter from the Wokingham Rural District Council urging relaxation of the controls on building by private enterprise; and if he will allow local authorities some latitude in determining the ratio between council building and private enterprise building according to local circumstances.

I have considered the letter. It would be contrary to the Government's policy to reduce the number of houses to be built by local authorities for letting in order that more houses may be built by private persons under licence.

asked the Minister of Health the number of rural district councils which in the past year have qualified for the additional assistance in connection with new housing under Sections 3 (2) and (7) of the Housing (Miscellaneous and Financial Provisions) Act, 1946; what were the qualifying conditions as regards average rates under Section 7 (1) (a) and the average rents applied in such cases under Section 3 (1) (b) and the average rate burden for housing purposes applied in respect of rural district councils which were granted assistance.

Since the beginning of 1948, only one rural district council has made application and secured approval under Section 3 (2) of the Act of 1946: the average rent of working class houses in the district was 4s.; the total burden on the rates for housing if the application had not been granted was estimated as equivalent to a rate of eighteen pence in the pound.As regards Section 7 of the 1946 Act, the introduction of Exchequer Equalisation Grants under the Local Government Act of 1948 has altered the position, and for the time being I am exercising my discretion under Section 7 to defer decision on all applications. Since the beginning of 1948 there have been four applications under the Section from Rural

District Councils. The qualifying condition under Section 7 (1) (

asked the Minister of Health what are the different degrees of damage which cause his Department to classify houses as seriously damaged and damaged beyond repair, respectively.

I would refer the hon. Member to Circular 1810 issued in 1939 of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities and which, have applied for and obtained the special increase in housing subsidy provided for under Section 3 of the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1946, for houses other than for agricultural workers; and how many applications were rejected, and which.

Since 18th April, 1946 (the date on which the Housing (Financial and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1946, came into operation), ten local authorities, as follows have applied for and obtained the special increase in housing subsidy provided for under Section 3 of the Act for houses other than for agricultural workers: the non-county borough of Pembroke: the urban districts of Spennymoor, Brandon and Byshottles, Crook and Willington, Horncastle, Dawley, Presteign, Newton and Llanllwchaiarn, Bethesda; the rural district of Alston with Garrigill.Applications from 43 local authorities, as follows, were rejected: the non-county boroughs of Lydd, Godmanchester, Stalybridge, Brighouse, Droitwich. Jarrow; the urban districts of Prudhoe, Wantage, Stanley, Washington, Rothwell, Wirksworth, Leiston-cum-Sizewell, Led-bury, Blackrod, Towyn, Ogmore and Garw, Abertillery, Gellygaer, Mynddislwyn, Aberdare, Holyhead, Bedwellty, Neyland, Pontypool, Cwmbran, Abercarn, Rhondda, Tredegar, Mountain Ash, Ebbw Vale, Pontypridd; the rural districts of Caistor, Aysgarth, Romney Marsh, Sturminster, East Ashford, Ware, Erpington, Limehurst, Amesbury, Hems-worth, and Pontypool.

asked the Minister of Health in view of the fact that a dental training centre has been instituted for Polish ex-officers, why it has been considered impossible to make a similar provision for the dentists of German origin who fled to this country before the war, but who are held not to be completely qualified by British standards.

I am not aware of any special arrangements for training Polish ex-officers as dentists but I understand that there is a centre for training them as dental technicians. A number of training courses for dental technicians are operated by the local education authorities which could be attended by German nationals.

asked the Minister of Health what complaints he has received concerning the administration of St. Mary Abbots Hospital, South Kensington; and whether he is satisfied that the administration of this hospital is efficient.

I have received no complaints, and have no reason to suppose that the administration is not efficient.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is yet in a position to state what is the Government's policy with regard to the recommendations in the first two Reports of the Boundary Commission about the exempted status of small non-county boroughs; and whether he will give an undertaking that boroughs, such as Henley-on-Thames, which was incorporated by Charter in 1526, will not have their administrative functions reduced.

No decisions have been reached.

asked the Minister of Labour what action he proposes to take with a view to the adoption of an international fair wage and conditions standard and other measures to prevent Japanese and German standards from becoming a menace to British conditions and wages.

It is the policy of His Majesty's Government to give the warmest support to the International Labour Organisation and to any other international machinery which, by helping to raise standards of employment everywhere, contributes to the objective to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disabled persons in Newcastle-on-Tyne were registered as unemployed at 1st January, 1938, 1939, 1946 and 1949, respectively; and whether he has yet any announcement to make of progress towards the opening of the second Remploy factory in Newcastle-on-Tyne, agreed in principle by his Department some time ago.

The earliest date for which figures are available is March, 1946. At that date there were 325 registered disabled persons unemployed, of whom 10 were regarded as unfit for ordinary employment. The figures for January, 1949, were 464 of whom 48 were in need of sheltered employment. It has not so far been possible to find a suitable site or premises for the second factory.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons registered at the Newcastle-on-Tyne employment exchanges who have been unemployed for over six months and for over 12 months respectively; and what are the comparative figures for 1922 and 1938.

The following table gives the information desired for December, 1938, and 1948. Corresponding figures are not available for 1922:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the figures of unemployment in Southampton, classified according to occupation, to the nearest convenient date, with figures for the comparable date in 1938.

As the reply is long and detailed I am sending the information to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will introduce facilities whereby disabled persons in categories 3 and 4 can manufacture articles at home; whether he will reduce to 15 employees the level at which it is obligatory upon employers to employ a quota of registered disabled persons; what other steps he will take to secure the absorption of more disabled men into employment; and what reply he has made to representations from the Brent-ford and Chiswick Borough Council on this subject.

A start has already been made on arrangements to provide home work where practicable for those of the severely disabled who cannot go out to work and these arrangements will be developed. In reply to the second part, an obligation on employers of 15 workers would have no practical effect because 3 per cent. of 15 is less than one-half and must therefore, by the terms of the Act, be ignored. In reply to the third part, I shall with the help of the National Advisory Council consider the many suggestions which, at my request, local disablement committees are making. I am replying to the borough council accordingly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of Swiss francs made available, respectively, to tourists and to those who for medical reasons had to go to Switzerland for treatment in each of the last three years.

As the hon. Member is aware, we do not normally publish details of our balance of payments with individual countries. The amount available for United Kingdom tourist expenditure in Switzerland during the 12 months ending 30th April, 1949 is, however, £5 million. It is estimated that the present annual rate of expenditure on health travel to Switzerland is about £400,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what balance in favour of this country is at the latest convenient date outstanding as a result of the commitments entered into by this country and the Argentine under the Andes Pact.

Approximately £10.7 million on 31st January, 1949.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action has been taken by His Majesty's Government to ensure that capital funds moved into Hong Kong following the recent events in China are not exchanged into currencies on the Hong Kong free market other than sterling.

If, as I assume, the hon. Member refers to capital funds brought into Hong Kong from China, no action on the lines mentioned has been taken by His Majesty's Government, nor, so far as I am aware, by the Hong Kong Government. Even were it desirable to impose a control of this kind, I doubt whether it could be enforced effectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been drawn to the memorandum prepared by the paper, printing and stationery trade concerning Purchase Tax on commercial, educational and personal stationery; and if he is proposing to give favourable consideration to the request for the removal or reduction of this tax.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the hon. Member for Finsbury (Mr. Platts-Mills) on 27th January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now give revised estimates in terms of pence per £ in Income Tax of the cost to the taxpayer of the National Health Service during the present financial year.

Seventeen and a third pence in the £.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a table expressing the provision for expenditure in the 1948 Budget, including Supplementary Estimates, with comparative figures for 1947, in terms of each £1 of revenue.

No. I am not prepared to anticipate my Budget statement by adding to the figures already given to Parliament.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any statement to make about the continuance of the voluntary limitation on dividends.

Yes. Hon. Members will, I am sure, be glad to read the appended exchange of letters between the Federation of British Industries, the Association of British Chambers of Commerce, the National Union of Manufacturers and myself.

Treasury Chambers,

Great George Street, S.W.1.

28th January, 1949.

MY DEAR SIR FREDERICK.

You wrote to me on the 12th March, 1948, telling me that you had written to the Chairmen of some 580 of the largest industrial companies in the country asking whether they would give an undertaking that they would decide at once not to recommend their shareholders to declare in the next year a larger dividend than they had declared in the last twelve months, and you told me of the very satisfactory response you had had from the Chairmen.

I appreciate the very substantial range over which industrial companies have limited their dividends during the past twelve months in fulfilment of their undertaking. Their cooperation has been most valuable.

The policy expressed in the White Paper on Personal Incomes, Costs and Prices remains as vital to our conomic stability as it was at the time the White Paper was issued, and I hope that you will be able to assure me that as regards dividend limitation the co-operation I have had from industry will continue after the expiry of the year to which your letter related.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the War Damage Commissioners have authorised payment to a Southampton building contractor, whose name has been submitted to him, for the full sum of his original estimate, although prior to such payment being made, there was evidence submitted in writing by a responsible householder of Southampton, whose name has been submitted to him, that the contractor had not performed the work or used the materials to which he had contracted; and, in view of this fact, if he will consider an official inquiry into the matter.

I regret that I cannot undertake to answer Questions about individual war damage cases, but I have asked the War Damage Commission to look into this case and I will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he has considered details which have been sent him about the treatment meted out by the Customs officers at Harwich to an invalid, Mr. A. Wade; why a man who was seriously ill was subjected to such treatment; and if he will make a statement.

I have considered the details sent me by the hon. Member, but I cannot accept Mr. Wade's view that he was not treated with every consideration. His examination by the Customs was purely formal and in fact amounted to a request to him to identify his baggage, which was then passed unexamined. His transfer from his bunk on the ship to the train took no more than five minutes and I am satisfied that no appreciable reduction could have been made in the time taken for this operation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many women cleaners are employed directly by the Government; how many are employed indirectly through contractors; what is the rate per hour to the women employed directly and the rate per hour paid to the contractors in the case of the women employed indirectly; and what information he has as to the rate paid by the contractors to the women employed by them on this work.

About 19,000 non-industrial women cleaners are employed directly by the Government. In London they are paid 1s. 7¾d. an hour rising to 1s. 8¼d. after two years; in the provinces slightly less. In London some cleaning is done by contractors who employ 1,200 women at rates stated by the staff associations to be 2s. an hour or more. The Government pay the contractors 1s. 6½d. to 1s. 9d. per hundred square feet cleaned, which is no more than the cost of cleaning by direct labour.

asked the Minister of Education if he is aware that two very important and useful buildings at the Alderman Wraith Grammar School, Spennymoor, have not yet been completed, and that nearly 600 students attend this school and are in great need of these buildings; how many years it is since the foundations were laid; what had been the actual cost of these buildings when operations ceased; and when it is expected that these buildings will be completed.

Yes. Work on these buildings began in February, 1939, and was stopped 11 months later because of shortage of essential materials. The cost of the work done by then was approximately £5,000. I have been unable to include the project in the current building programme, since there are more urgent jobs to be done.

asked the Minister of Education what capital grants have been made to National Colleges of Technology for the erection of new buildings during the current financial year; and what part of such sums has been granted for the purpose of building hostels of halls of residence for students.

Capital grants of £1,500 have been made to National Colleges during the current year for structural alterations to the technical colleges in which they are housed. No grant has been made for building hostels, but the National Foundry College already has a hostel and another National College is negotiating for a property for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Education what sums have been appropriated by local education authorities during the current financial year for the erection of buildings for technical colleges; and what part of such sums has been applied to the building of hostels or halls of residence for students.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. I can, however, say that so far during the current financial year my Department has approved plans for major projects for new buildings, alterations or extensions to technical, commercial and art institutions to a total value of £2,500,000. Of this total sum £15,600 is in respect of hostels for students.

asked the Minister of Education if he proposes to invite the Central Advisory Councils on Education for England and Wales, respectively, to report on the present position and the possibilities of the Youth Service.

No. The Youth Service has already been the subject of several reports by official and unofficial bodies during and since the war, and there are prospects of further research in the near future.

asked the Minister of Education when it is intended to commence the inspection of independent schools; how many of His Majesty's inspectors will be employed in this task; and what will be the scope of their inspection.

In reply to the first and third parts of the Question I would refer my hon. Friend to Circular 196, of which I am sending him a copy. The inspections will be carried out by the existing corps of His Majesty's inspectors with the help of such additional occasional inspectors as may be found necessary.

asked the Minister of Education how many emergency-trained teachers who have completed two years or more probationary teaching have been recommended to his Department as suitable for final approval and acceptance as a result of the Minister's action since 27th January, and of these how many have yet to be informed of official approval by his Department.

Since 27th January, 1949, 209 teachers trained under the Emergency Training Scheme have been recommended to the Ministry as having satisfactorily completed their probationary period of teaching service. Ninety-eight of these have been so informed and notifications are being issued to the remaining 111 as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations how long a large transformer for Salisbury, South Rhodesia, has been delayed by the congestion at Beira; and how much longer this delay is likely to continue.

I regret that I cannot answer the hon. Member's Question without further details about the transformer to which he refers; but if he will let me know with what firm the order for the machinery was placed, and by which line it was due to be shipped to Beira, I will gladly inquire.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the average price at which the British Government is buying pulp for newsprint at the present time; what profit is taken on resale to the mills; and what is the justification for this margin.

Woodpulp is not purchased specifically for newsprint but for the production of all the descriptions of paper in which such pulp is used. Our selling prices are fixed from time to time at levels which should enable us to dispose of our stocks without loss.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to state what arrangements have been entered into for the operation of trade between Great Britain and Yugoslavia.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. Member for Brighton (Mr. Teeling) on 9th February. The text of the trade agreement has been presented to Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the 114 people employed by the Wool Control are employed full-time and part-time, respectively; the number who serve this war-time Control in an honorary capacity and how many are still getting payment.

The staff serving on 1st February, 1949, comprised 96 full-time officers and 36 part-time officers, who are regarded as the equivalent of 18 full-time. Of the 96 full-time, two were serving in an honorary capacity and 94 were paid; of the 36 part-time, one was serving in an honorary capacity and 35 were paid an appropriate proportion of a full-time salary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he is aware of the shortage of plywood and hessian in the furniture industry; and what steps he is taking to improve the situation;(2) when he hopes to be in a position to increase the supply of timber for the furniture industry.

Timber used for furniture is, in common with that for other industries, allocated in the light of available supplies as compared with the needs of all industries. A quantity of hardwood "dimension stock," which is cut to size for furniture has, however, just been released to the industry over and above their hardwood allocation for the current period. On hessian, I have recently represented to the Government of India and Pakistan our urgent need for increased supplies of jute and jute goods and we have now received increased allocations. The supply position does not yet, however, allow for any increase in allocations of hessian for furniture.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why his regulations prohibit the fitting of extensions to perambulators.

There are no such regulations.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that residents of Carlton, Nottinghamshire, are not receiving their due allocation of coal; and, in view of the insufficient gas supply until new plant can be installed, if he will take steps to ensure that the distribution of coal there is regular and adequate.

The merchants trading from the Carlton and Nottingham depots have received their allocation of house coal in full so far this Winter and I am not aware of any particular difficulty in the area.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware of the anxiety of the town council of Beccles at the low stocks of coal in the town; and if he will take immediate steps to meet the situation caused by the shortage.

No, we have not received any representations from the town council and I am informed that disposals of house coal to consumers in Beccles both during last Summer and for the period since 1st November were higher than last year. In view, however, of the low stocks now held by merchants arrangements have been made to send some additional coal into the town.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what the reasons have been for the coal shortage in Girvan, Ayrshire; and what steps he is taking to deal with it.

Although deliveries to merchants in Girvan as in Scotland generally have fallen short this Winter because Scottish coal output has been below expectations, Girvan received more coal in the year from 1st May, 1948, to date than in the corresponding period of the previous year and I am not aware of any particular difficulties in the area.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what progress has been made by the commission on mining subsidence; when it presented its report; and what action he proposes to take.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the committee appointed to consider the question of damage due to mining subsidence, finished their sittings; and when this House may expect the report from his Department.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the report of the committee inquiring into compensation for damage to property from mining subsidence, was completed; and when the report will be published.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he has yet decided upon legislation, based upon the findings and report of the committee of inquiry into the incidence of mining subsidence, or when a decision may be expected.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will now make a statement on the report of the committee on mining subsidence.

The Committee's report which was made on 25th January, is now being printed and will, I hope, be available for publication early in March. As my right hon. Friend said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilkeston (Mr. Oliver) on 27th January, the report will need careful study and consideration before. a statement can be made.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when the report of the Committee on mining subsidence will be published.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Leigh (Mr. Boardman).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that the housewives who have followed his advice and reported to their coal merchants regarding poor quality of coal have been informed by the merchants that complaints that coal merchants make to the Coal Board are treated with scant courtesy and that they are forced to take what is offered or go without; and what further steps he is taking to satisfy the dissatisfied householders who have to pay 4s. 6d. for a bag of poor quality coal.

The National Coal Board are anxious that every complaint made to their officers should be dealt with fairly and courteously and merchants have been fully informed as to the complaints procedure agreed by their representatives with the Board. If my hon. Friend will let me have details of any cases where merchants' complaints have not received proper attention, I will take them up with the Board.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the public concern regarding the present arrangements for the distribution of coal, through factors and merchants, what modifications in the usual practice are contemplated.

Under the wartime procedure for programming coal supplies, merchants were obliged to obtain their coal through the then existing channels of supply which might be either through factors or direct from the collieries. These arrangements were continued by the National Coal Board after the industry was nationalised.As my right hon. Friend has already announced, domestic consumers will be given freedom to change their merchants from 1st May next. Simultaneously with this, the Board, in agreement with my right hon. Friend, are arranging for merchants to have freedom to obtain their supplies either through a wholesale distributor chosen by them or direct from the National Coal Board (subject, of course, to agreement on terms).

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what date was the Industrial Coal Consumers' Council appointed; on how many occasions have they sat; and approximately how many representations have been submitted to them by consumers and by himself respectively.

The Industrial Coal Consumers' Council was appointed on 1st July, 1947, and has had nine meetings. Apart from studies initiated by the Council itself, representations have been made to the Council by three consumers or groups of consumers. My right hon. Friend has referred one matter to the Council.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on how many occasions he has given directions to the National Coal Board in order to remedy defects arising from representations made to the Industrial Coal Consumers' Council and to the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council respectively.

My right hon. Friend has received no representations from either the Industrial or the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council as to any defect in the general arrangements of the National Coal Board. The hon. Member's Question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power on what date was the Domestic Coal Consumers' Council appointed; on how many occasions have they sat; and approximately how many representations have been submitted to them by consumers and by himself respectively.

The Domestic Coal Consumers' Council was appointed on 1st July, 1947, and has had seven meetings. Representations have been made to the Council by about 70 consumers and my right hon. Friend has referred five matters to the Council.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many of the undertakings taken over by the South-West Scotland Electricity Board showed a deficit in their trading accounts for 1946–47 and 1947–48.

Out of 22 undertakings which vested in the South-West Scotland Electricity Board six were local authority undertakings operated by companies under agreements and separate accounts are not available. Of the remaining 16 undertakings six showed a deficit in their trading accounts for 1946–47. The figures will be published shortly in the Statistical Summary for that year. Figures for the year 1947–48 have not yet been compiled.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that 1,621 premises in the Brentford area out of a total of 5,261 premises are still without any electricity supply; and when he will relax restrictions on the development of electricity supplies, in order that the people of Brentford may enjoy modern facilities in their homes.

Yes. Owing to the shortage of generating capacity and the limited supply of labour and materials available, it is not possible at present to supply electricity to all who want it. Priority must be given to industry, farms and new houses with no other installed means of lighting. I cannot say when it will be possible to relax the restrictions.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what allocation of petrol has been made to the master or huntsman of the Norwich staghounds in connection with the hunt's activities.

No petrol is allowed to the master but 39 gallons for six months is allocated to the huntsman for the purpose of his work in looking after the horses and hounds.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what were the figures of consumption of fuel oil by separate industries during 1948; and what changes in these figures are contemplated during 1949.

The available information on the consumption of fuel oil by separate industries covers only those firms which have actually converted from coal to oil burning since the commencement of the coal-oil conversion scheme and which individually used more than 100 tons of coal per annum before converting. I am, however, circulating this information below. As regards the current year, I am not yet in a position to state what changes in fuel oil consumption may occur.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will draw the attention of motorists to the fact that high and moderately high speeds noticeably increase the consumption of petrol per mile; and if, through his public relations officers and other channels, he will make this fact as widely known as possible, with a view to reducing the consumption of petrol.

Guidance on this subject has already been given to motorists by the motoring organisations and by my Department.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will give an estimate of the quantity of petrol which is used daily by motor traffic whilst it is held up in traffic blocks in the Metropolitan area; and if he will consult with the Minister of Transport, with a view to taking measures to reduce the loss of petrol from this cause.

I am afraid I can give no estimate, but my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport is doing what he can to reduce delays owing to traffic blocks.

asked the Minister of Transport under what regulations it is now automatically an offence to park a motor car in a London street not included in a yellow-band area.

There are no regulations which make it automatically an offence to park a motor car in a London street not included in the "yellow band" area but the parking of motor vehicles on roads so as to cause unnecessary obstruction is prohibited by the Motor Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations, 1947.

asked the Minister of Supply under what terms and conditions and by whom, cars belonging to the Official Car Services may be used on repayment.

The following individuals or bodies are allowed to use cars belonging to the Official Car Services on repayment:

asked the Minister of Food what is the approximate anticipated total loss on the Consolidated Account for the potato and carrot division for the year 1948–49, including the £9,600,000 required in the Supplementary Estimate; and how much is allowed for subsidies paid direct on home-grown potatoes.

The total loss on trading in potatoes and carrots for the year 1948–49 is estimated at £10 million, of which £1½ million relates to imported supplies and £8½ million to home-grown supplies. The latter loss is due largely to the necessity of implementing the guarantee of the grower' market at fixed prices; it does not include the acreage payments made direct to potato growers by the Agricultural Departments. There are no other direct subsidy payments on home-grown potatoes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what the position is regarding the proposed separate medical practice for South Harris, and for Ness district, Isle of Lewis.

Arrangements are being made for an independent medical practice in South Harris; the vacancy has been advertised, and the applications which have been received are at present under consideration by the Scottish Medical Practices Committee. As regards Lewis the Executive Council last November advertised the practice at Borve on the footing that it would continue to include the Ness district. The Medical Practices Committee granted an application by the Council's nominee for permission to practice in the area, but an unsuccessful applicant has now appealed to me and his appeal is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether further arrangements will be made with the Belgian Government whereby horses from this country destined for slaughter in Belgium shall, whatever their age or value, in future be examined here by a veterinary surgeon on behalf of the Belgian Government, slaughtered and their carcases sent over with the head, trachea and lungs, as was the case in the past.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 24th January to a similar Question put to me by the hon. and gallant Member for Ayr Burghs (Sir T. Moore). I am sending a copy of that reply to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the purpose of now requiring from candidates for election to the Stanley Town Council in the Falkland Isles, a deposit of £25; under what circumstances this is returned; whether any representations have been made to him against this stipulation; and what action he proposes taking.

The purpose is to guard against the misuse of the elections for frivolous purposes. The deposit is returnable if the candidate is elected, if he obtains not less than one-sixth of the total votes validly polled, or if he resigns his candidature at any time not less than seven days prior to the date of the poll. No representations have been made to me on the subject, but I understand that, after discussion between the Governor and members of the Town Council in October last year, the deposit has been reduced to £10.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can make a statement on the future of the wireless relay industry.

The future of wire broadcasting is closely bound up with that of various technical means now available for distributing broadcast programmes. It will therefore be remitted for consideration to the forthcoming Committee of Inquiry on the B.B.C's. Charter referred to by my right hon. Friend the Lord President on 31st January. All the licences held by wireless relay operators can now be terminated at any time subject to 12 months' notice, but the holders are being informed that it is the intention of the Government to allow the licences to run on until the end of 1951. Before that date, the Government will be in possession of the Committee's Report and will be able to decide future policy regarding wire broadcasting in the light of the Committee's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the standard work used at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, for the instruction of the cadets in Parliamentary matters is a work by Professor Laski; and whether he will take steps to ensure that some less partisan work is, in future, adopted for this purpose.

The standard work on Parliament used at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, is Mr. Strathearn Gordon's "Our Parliament," published by the Hansard Society. Professor Laski's "Parliamentary Government in England" is used as an additional book on the subject. It is an accepted principle of military training that in making an appreciation more than one point of view should be studied.