asked the Minister of Food what is the quantity of meat per month by which consumption will be reduced as the result of his proposed reduction of the domestic meat ration by twopence a week.

About 19,000 tons per calendar month.

When will the Parliamentary Secretary's right hon. Friend realise that there is no world meat shortage, but that this is only due to State trading and bulk purchase?

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now give an assurance that the carcase and canned meat rations will be maintained at not less than their present level during the next four months.

No, Sir. I am never prepared to speculate on the future level of the meat ration, which must depend upon the rate at which home produced and imported supplies become available.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that there are rumours current in the country that the canned meat ration will disappear in the next few months? Will she take this opportunity of dispelling those rumours?

I am not aware of those rumours, but I can assure the hon. Member that it would be quite wrong at this moment to make a statement which might he entirely unfounded.

Bearing in mind that this Question relates to a period up to four months ahead, and as the right hon. Lady says that she refuses to speculate on what will happen in that period, will she say how many months ahead represent definite planning and not speculation in the mind of the Government?

During those four months many shipments of meat may come in, but we cannot anticipate that.

asked the Minister of Food what reductions he proposes to make in the allocation of meat to catering establishments when he reduces the domestic meat ration; whether the same reductions will be applied to all classes of catering establishments; and what quantity of meat he anticipates he will save by these reductions in each month.

The meat authorisations of catering establishments will be reduced by the same proportion as the domestic ration, that is, by one-sixth. This reduction will apply to all classes of catering establishments, with the exception of school canteens and school feeding centres, and will save about 1,300 tons of meat a month.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give the names of the persons engaged by his Department to buy the principal foodstuffs for the nation and for which he is responsible; and whether he will give the qualification or experience of these persons to undertake such work.

As the reply is long and detailed, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Food what special action is being taken to increase the supply and consumption of fish in view of the decrease in the meat ration.

Fish supplies are very much subject to the weather and to the variations in the movement of fish in the sea. My right hon. Friend will take any practicable step to increase supplies and consumption. New trawlers are being brought into operation as rapidly as possible and we shall continue to give every encouragement to the quick-freezing of fish to the maximum during glut periods, and to import as much fish as we can afford. We have already issued one Food Facts advertisement devoted entirely to fish recipes and, if supplies justify it, further advertisements will follow.

Will the right hon. Lady see that all practical steps are taken to see that the processors will be in a position to take every advantage of processing whenever fish is landed?

Yes, Sir. We will do all we can.

asked the Minister of Food why, in the case of a recent allocation of Moroccan green peas for splitting, one firm of Scottish millers was favoured by being allowed to sell the manufactured product free of points; and if he is aware that other millers will be

The only way to clear this small additional quantity before it deteriorated was to allow sales to caterers free of points. Other millers would be treated in the same way in similar circumstances.

Leaving aside altogether any question of a blunder on the part of the right hon. Lady's Department, will she consider seriously the possibility of freeing this processed product from points, in view of the fact that it has a very high protein content and we have very little meat?

I will answer the second part of the supplementary question first. Yes, we are looking at that. The hon. Member accuses my Department of a blunder. I think he is in a position to know that there was no blunder, and that, in fact, we offered the peas to his firm, and if they had applied for the same concession as the Glasgow millers they would have received it.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that if the peas had been offered to my firm with that particular proviso, we would have taken them?

There was no proviso when we first offered them to the Glasgow millers and they asked us to make a concession. If the hon. Gentleman had desired the same concession we would, of course, have given it.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that, in view of the reduction in the meat ration, it is quite impossible for a single person, unless he has meals outside, to live on the existing ration?

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement on his negotiations for a supply of meat from France.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. S. Marshall) on 23rd March.

Would the right hon. Lady care to comment on the statement of the French Minister of Finance last week that we could have almost unlimited supplies of pork at 1s. 9d. per pound if we liked to ask for it?

There are 2,500 tons of frozen pork now available and we shall arrange for it to come here.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements he has made to quick-freeze surplus British herrings during the summer season for distribution and sale during the winter when British herrings are not available.

I am already considering this proposal, which has some technical and marketing difficulties, and will let the hon. Member know the outcome.

Will the right hon. Lady bear in mind that only 1½ per cent. of the total herring catch is now being frozen and 30 per cent. is being sent to Germany and paid for by the British taxpayer? Will the Minister of Food take that into account? Surely at this time this valuable food of high protein content is needed at home?

I agree with the hon. Member's last remark, and I think he knows that we are doing what we can in the matter. We have to look at an important point which he will thoroughly appreciate, namely, whether it is possible to store these herring for a long period, during the summer months.

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to market ware potatoes in clamps on farms in Devonshire in view of the need to open such clamps to take out seed potatoes needed for spring planting.

If the potatoes have been bought by my Department and are not needed for later use, arrangements will quickly be made for the ware to be moved and any grower who wishes to dress out seed should communicate with the area potato supervisor.

Can the right hon. Lady say to what extent the answer she has given will increase the loss on potatoes from £10 million to about £20 million?

That is not the Question.

asked the Minister of Food what is the value of the weekly meat ration now given to European volunteer workers in camps.

The allowance of meat to European volunteer workers' camps is the same as to camps housing British workers. It varies according to the type of work upon which the residents are engaged, and according to the number of main meals served. There is no weekly allowance per resident.

How does this ration compare with that given to agricultural workers? The report I have is that agricultural workers are getting a very much lower ration than the European volunteer workers who are working alongside them.

I do not think that is so. I am prepared to give the hon. Member all the details. We try to equate the value of the domestic ration to the value of the ration given in these hostels. I am quite prepared to amplify this answer when I write to him, and to give him the exact amount which they receive. He will find that domestic consumption plus the extra food available to people such as agricultural workers is approximately the same in value as that received by the people in the camps.

Will the right hon. Lady put that answer in the OFFICIAL REPORT so that we can all see it?

Certainly, I will give some of the details, which I am quite sure will satisfy hon. Members.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that the information I have is that when the agricultural worker was getting 1s. worth a week meat ration, the European volunteer worker was getting a ration of 2s. 9d. worth a week?

The Question asked what was the value of the weekly meat ration now given to European volunteer workers in camps.

The point we should like to know is whether it is correct or not that at the time in question the European volunteer worker was getting a ration of 2s. 9d. worth a week. It is a great grievance in the country districts.

asked the Minister of Food whether since he is at present unable to de-ration sugar, he will consider increasing the existing ration of 10 oz. a week per person to 1 lb. per person a week, until sugar is de-rationed, in view of the increased supplies expected as a result of current negotiations with Cuba.

No, Sir. To increase the ration to 1 lb. per week would take a large amount of dollar sugar, the only extra sugar available today, and this we cannot afford to buy.

If not, why not? Is not the right hon. Lady aware of the constructive suggestion made by my hon. Friend the Member for Chippenham (Mr. Eccles) in the Adjournment Debate on sugar? Is it not a fact that in Cuba there is a huge unsaleable surplus which it would be possible to acquire for preserving fruit as well as for increasing the ration? If we cannot get the dollars, why not negotiate in sterling, if there is a will on the part if the Government to obtain that sugar? Are we not one of the worst-fed nations in Europe?

I think that the hon. Gentleman will agree with me that a week last Friday I went into great detail on this matter. I know that I can never satisfy the hon. Gentleman by my replies, but I endeavour to do so. The answer is that the amount of sugar for which he has asked in this Question comes to about an additional half a million tons, which would cost 56 million dollars, and we cannot afford it.

Why not offer to pay in sterling when there is a huge surplus which is unsaleable because there are no dollar buyers?

asked the Minister of Food if he will name the foods which both pay Customs or Excise Duty and are subsidised; and what is the rate of duty and subsidy in each case.

I regret that in the time available it has not been possible to compile this information. I will publish it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

Would the right hon. Lady explain the reason—I have no doubt that there is one—for putting something on the price on the one hand and taking it off on the other?

Perhaps the hon. Member will see the answer to that in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that ice cream manufacturers are unable in many cases to fulfil the orders given them by hospitals, schools, etc., for ice cream as they do not receive a sufficient allocation of the necessary raw materials such as sugar, milk powder, etc.; and if he will consider giving additional allowances based on the orders received by the manufacturers from such institutions.

I am afraid I cannot allocate extra ingredients for this purpose because they are so scarce.

In view of the fact that a statement was made, and was generally circulated in the Press, to the effect that there would be a larger supply of sugar for this purpose at the time when sweets were de-rationed, and in view of the fact that the warmer season is now approaching when the hospitals and other institutions will require more of these commodities, will not my right hon. Friend consider my suggestion in respect of specific cases where hospitals, etc. are supplied?

There is a sugar and fat mixture off the ration which many hospitals and schools buy. If they care to use their ordinary ration of fat and sugar, they are entitled to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what mileage of dual-carriageway road construction there is on the main A.5, London to Holyhead road, on the 160 miles between London and Shrewsbury;

(2) how much of the main London to Holyhead road is in danger of subsiding;

(3) how many humped-back and narrow bridges there are on the main London to Holyhead road, A.5, between London and Shrewsbury.

The only part of the London—Holyhead trunk road known to be affected by subsidence is a length of three miles near Brownhills, Staffordshire, where colliery workings cause slight subsidence. On the London—Shrewsbury portion of this road, which does not follow A.5 all the way, there are 11 miles of dual carriageways and three hump-backed and five narrow bridges.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this arterial road is in an appalling condition, and is he satisfied that it will take the additional traffic which will be necessitated by the Royal Show at Shrewsbury this year?

We shall keep the fact of the show in mind, but broadly speaking this road is able to carry all the traffic which is using it at the moment.

Have the Ministry of Transport no immediate plans for the improvement of this road?

The hon. Member has a Question down at out that for a later day.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will publish the report of the working party established by the British Transport Commission relating to travel facilities in London.

This report is with the printers and will, I hope, be available in about six weeks' time.

Would my hon. Friend endeavour to expedite the issue of this report, and if it cannot be issued from the printers in less than six weeks, would it be possible to place a summary or an advance copy in the Library? I ask that in view of the particular interest in the report in North London, owing to the fact that priority is being given to development in South London pending publication of the report.

This is a long-range project which will involve many years' work. I do not think that six weeks is an unreasonable time.

Is there included in this report any proposal to extend the Underground to Brixton, Streatham and on to Croydon?

Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will read the report and see.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the signposting of the Dover—London Road; what is the estimated cost per mile; and when it is proposed to make a start on the other main roads.

Work is about to start on the Dover—London road in erecting a new set of road signs and re-siting many others at a cost of about £50 per mile. Signposting should be finished by June if delivery by manufacturers runs to time. Considerable progress has been made by local highway authorities in improving the signposting of other main roads.

Will the hon. Gentleman first say why there has been this appalling delay; and secondly whether we have to wait until this road is finished before the other main trunk roads are adequately dealt with?

In reply to the first part of the hon. Gentleman's supplementary question, there has been no delay. The answer to the second part is that he obviously could not have heard me say that considerable progress has already been made on other main roads.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how the cost of £50 per mile compares with the pre-war cost for this work?

Not without notice.

asked the Minister of Transport whether local authorities are allowed to make a permanent diversion of traffic without the authority of a statutory instrument.

Yes, Sir. Local authorities may make orders, subject to my right hon. Friend's confirmation, to regulate the movement of traffic on all roads except trunk roads. Such orders are not statutory instruments. My right hon. Friend makes statutory instruments for the regulation of traffic on trunk roads and roads in the London traffic area.

Can the Minister say whether a local authority has power to declare a street a one-way street, without reference to the Minister?

No, Sir, not permanently. In some places the police have power to make temporary diversions.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will introduce legislation to make it possible for a local authority to erect cattle grids on a public highway.

My right hon. Friend is in favour of such legislation and is awaiting a suitable opportunity for introducing it.

Is my hon. Friend aware that many projects for increasing food production are held up because there are no grids on roads over places like Exmoor, and could he, pending the introduction of legislation, ask the local authorities to get their plans and estimates ready so that there shall be as little delay as possible?

Some highway authorities have already constructed the grids, assuming the legal position: and, without prejudice to the legality of the matter, my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider grants in certain cases.

asked the Minister of Transport the average monthly increase in C licences during 1948.

Eight thousand six hundred net.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of C licences issued during 1948, the number outstanding, and the number of C licence operators at 31st December, 1948, and at the latest available date.

The net number of additional vehicles for which C licences were issued during 1948 was 103,365. I do not know the number of outstanding applications but it is small. The total number of C licence operators was 311,811 with 590,516 vehicles at 31st December, 1948, and 315,279 with 597,698 vehicles at the end of January, 1949.

In view of the fact that the number of C licences has increased during 1948 in the same proportion as during 1947, can my hon. Friend inform me whether his right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport has completed his exhaustive inquiry, which he promised last June, into the cause of the increase, and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

That seems to be another Question.

In view of the lack of any assurance being given so far to this last remaining freedom in the transport world, may we have an assurance from the Government that they will resist this attack on the C licence holder?

The Question asked for the number of C licences.

asked the Minister of Supply why Miss E. Prouse, a grade 3 temporary clerk at Woolwich Arsenal, has been dismissed.

Miss E. Prouse has not been dismissed, but told that she is considered to come within the scope of the Prime Minister's statement of 15th March, 1948. In accordance with the usual procedure, she has been placed on special leave with pay pending a final decision.

Can the Minister say what are the allegations against her, and at the same time whether it is proposed to offer her alternative employment in some other Department?

The allegation, which she has admitted, was that she is a member of the Communist Party; and she was working in an establishment where a great deal of secret work was taking place. If I give my verdict against tier, every effort will be made to offer her alternative employment.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give a list of the controls now exercised by his Department in the licensing of manufacturers and the purchase, acquisition, and allocation of raw materials, respectively.

As the answer is rather long, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the answer so circulated give a comprehensive picture of the controls now exercised by the Ministry?

I think that the hon. Member will find my answer fairly comprehensive. If he requires further information, perhaps he will be good enough to put down a further Question.

asked the Minister of Supply whether in view of the fact that the system known in the motor industry as "Completely Knocked Down," by which unassembled cars are exported for assembly abroad, is causing unemployment among motor workers in Britain and fostering future competition from those countries which are now building up their own motor industries, he will take the necessary action to regulate such trade.

No, Sir. I am satisfied that the motor industry is exporting as many assembled cars as possible, and exports them unassembled only when it is necessary to obtain entry into the markets concerned.

While recognising the difficulties described by my right hon. Friend, is it not the case that only last week 250 motor assemblers were declared redundant in Coventry? Is it not clear that the more motorcars sent abroad unassembled, the greater amount of unemployment there will be among British assembly workers?

Yes, Sir. Every effort is made to export as many assembled cars as possible. I understand that the people to whom my hon. Friend refers were declared redundant last week for a different cause, namely, a temporary difficulty in the tractor production of a certain firm.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the tractor production to which he has referred is an entirely separate case, and the case to which I referred concerns Fisher and Ludlow, who are concerned with making motor bodies?

Can the right hon. Gentleman throw any light on the name of the system and tell us what it means?

I cannot throw much light on the origin of these words, but it means exporting unassembled cars which are assembled in the importing country.

Will the Minister bear in mind that where it is not possible to export assembled motorcars, it is much better to export them knocked down than not to export them at all?

asked the Minister of Supply if he will give an assurance that the supply of cars for the home market will not be increased while motor manufacturers are unable to obtain sufficient steel for export purposes.

There is no intention to increase the supply of cars to the home market at the expense of exports.

asked the Minister of Supply when full accounts of the British Stores Disposals Mission in Egypt will be published.

The necessary material for the preparation of full accounts is not available. The original cost to the Services of the stores disposed of as surplus could be computed only with a quite unreasonable expenditure of time and labour, and would in many cases bear no relation whatever to their present value in any market.

Is no statement of accounts to be issued at all?

Yes, Sir. The normal statement of accounts will be issued. It is a very full one, but it does not give the figures which the hon. Member requires.

Can the Minister say when?

In the normal annual returns of my Department.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that Oxwich Castle, Gower, is to be partially demolished; why his Department will not take over the castle as an ancient monument; and if he will make a statement.

Oxwich Castle consists partly of ruins and partly of an occupied farmhouse. The ruins are in a dangerous condition, and consent was given, with the concurrence of the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, to the demolition of certain wall tops only, which was necessary to avoid danger to the occupants of the farmhouse. To preserve the whole extent of the ruins would involve very substantial difficulty and expense.

asked the Minister of Works what was the amount for which building licences were issued in 1948 or the nearest convenient period, for churches and church premises; what was the corresponding figure in respect of places of amusement, sport and entertainment; and what were the respective quantities of steel involved.

I regret that statistics are not kept separately for these classes of cases.

asked the Minister of Works how many building trade operatives there are in the City of Birmingham; and how many of these operatives are engaged in building houses, both for the municipality and private enterprise.

The number of building and civil engineering operatives employed by contractors in the City of Birmingham at the end of January, 1949, was estimated to be 15,500. Of these approximately 1,500 were employed on building new houses.

Is the Minister aware that I have figures, given to me within the last three days, of the number of building workers actually engaged on house building? Is the Minister satisfied that less than 25 per cent. of building trade operatives in Birmingham should be engaged on house building; and why are other people on work of an unnecessary character?

So far as the employment of building workers on housing work is concerned, much of that depends on the exercise of their power by the local authorities in granting licences for other housing work.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the specimen bench, of the type intended for use in the rebuilt House of Commons, is, in several respects, less convenient and less comfortable than the benches in the present Chamber; and if he will take steps to ascertain the opinion of hon. Members generally before approving it.

It is my intention to consult the Advisory Committee of Members before the type of bench to be installed in the new Chamber of the House is finally settled.

When my right hon. Friend is considering this matter, will he bear in mind that the rather high wooden top to the back of this bench will prevent him and his successors, and other right hon. Gentlemen, from leaning back, as is their wont, in dreamy meditation during the speeches of back benchers?

Most certainly, Sir. These and other matters that have been brought to my attention as the result of the exhibit of the type of bench will all be given due consideration.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also consider the objections held by many hon. Members to the type of colouring of the benches?

Will the Minister assure us that the Members of the Advisory Committee represent the physical types and shapes of Members of this House?

I think that if I gave the names of the Advisory Committee, the hon. and gallant Gentleman would be satisfied.

asked the Minister of Works what is the estimated cost of the repairs to the roof of Westminster Hall, and if the work was put out to tender before it was decided to employ direct labour.

The cost is estimated to be £25,000. Part of the work, to the value of £6,000, was put out to tender, but the repairs to the actual timber of the roof are being carried out by directly employed carpenters in accordance with the Ministry's policy for the maintenance of historic buildings.

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us why it is taking almost as long to repair this roof as it is to build the new House of Commons?

The replacement of timber of this sort is a very delicate piece of work in a construction of this kind. We do not want to do any injury to such a building if we can possibly avoid it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the men on the job were prepared to accept a bonus scheme as a. result of which the rate of progress could have been speeded up, and could he not see his way to accept that proposition?

No, Sir. It is much better that the job should go on in the way in which it is going, in order to get satisfactory service in the end.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many veterinary surgeons are located in each of the counties in Wales; and what is the percentage of farms and holdings covered.

As the reply to the first part involves a table of figures, I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT. I am not aware that any farmers in Wales are unable to obtain the services of a veterinary surgeon.

Does not my right hon. Friend think the time has now come to review entirely the National Veterinary Service, and will he get into consultation—

That is another question; this Question only asks how many veterinary surgeons there are in Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the fact that for 1947–48 the excess of expenditure over receipts of agricultural executive committees was about £13¼ million, of which £8¼ million was incurred in machinery and labour services and £3½ million on administration, he will now close down the agricultural executive committees, or take steps to put them on an economic basis.

I am certainly not prepared to consider abolishing the county agricultural executive committees set up under the Agriculture Act, 1947, which have many important duties to perform. I am, however, taking every practicable step to reduce as far as possible, having regard to the needs of the agricultural expansion programme, the excess of expenditure over receipts, including the deficits on machinery, labour and other services.

Why should committees whose incompetence has been so obviously shown and whose working has been adversely commented upon by learned judges be in a position to direct or dispossess farmers whose incompetence has not been proved?

I do not accept the hon. Gentleman's designation of incompetence, and I suggest to him that he read the Conservative Party's Agricultural Charter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture who has been or is to be appointed to manage the 18 experimental farms; what is the respective acreage and cost of these farms; and by what method these appointments will be made.

These farms will be under the direction of the National Agricultural Advisory Service. Each will be in the charge of a member of that service as farm director, who will have the assistance of an advisory committee under the chairmanship of a leading agriculturist and including some farmers among its members. A working farm manager will normally be appointed under the farm director to take charge of farming operations. The acreages will vary widely according to the type of farm. The six farms already acquired vary from 200 to 1,070 acres. The average cost of the four that have been purchased is some £35,000. A fifth farm has been leased, and in the case of the other acquisitions the purchase price has been referred for arbitration.

Will the Minister try to avoid what happened in the war, when incompetent farmers who could not make their own farms pay became civil servants, and were able to give orders to men who were making their own farms pay? May I have an answer?