asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when he proposes to issue disposal instructions for floating dock, No. TNC 70, at present lying in Kiel harbour.

I hope to be in a position to have instructions issued soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that certain university old students' associations, which were dissolved by the Nazi Government in 1935, have recently been forbidden by the Control Commission for Germany to re-form; what were the reasons for the prohibition; and whether he will make a statement as to the principles which guided the Control Commission in allowing some old students' associations to re-form while prohibiting others from doing so.

No university old students' association have been authorised by the British authorities to re-form in the British zone of Germany. These associations have always been nationalistic in character. Those dissolved by the Nazi Government were penalised because they refused to be incorporated in the Nazi Studenten Bund for social or religious reasons rather than because they opposed the political aims of that Government. The conditions and procedure for the re-formation of desirable associations are now under discussion between the staff of the High Commissioner and the German Land Education Ministries and University rektors.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the total cost of the Berlin airlift.

The total extra cost of the airlift to the British exchequer was approximately £10¼ million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the premature resignation of two senior officers of the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Malayan Police Force; and for what reason their resignation was accepted at a time when the Malayan Police are short of experienced senior officers with knowledge of the country.

One senior officer asked for permission to retire before reaching the age of 50 because of differences between himself and the head of his Department on matters concerning the internal organisation of the Police Force. The other senior officer reached the optional retiring age of 50 in May last. This officer had applied for permission to retire more than a year ago but had agreed to continue in the service for the time being. Notwithstanding the valuable experience of both officers, the High Commissioner decided that it was in the best interests of the Malayan Police Force that their applications to retire should be granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the present condition of the reservoir at Mount Moreland, Jamaica; and what have been the results of the tests which he undertook to carry out.

Yes. The tank has now been tested and has been found to be leaky. The necessary repairs will be carried out forthwith by the Jamaica Public Works Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs for how many motor cars was each foreign country allowed diplomatic privilege on 1st June, 1939, and 1st June, 1949, respectively.

The following table shows the number of motor cars, classified by countries, in respect of which duty-free licences, granted in consideration of their diplomatically privileged ownership, were in force on 1st June, 1939, and on 1st June, 1949, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what reply he has made to the note of protest from the Soviet Government complaining that the inclusion of Italy in the Atlantic Pact and the Italian request to the United States for aid in increasing the Italian armed forces and in expanding Italian military production, are violations of the Peace Treaty concluded with Italy by the Allies.

His Majesty's Government replied to the Soviet Ambassador's letter of 19th July on 2nd August, and the text of the reply was given to the Press on the same day. The reply made it clear that the charges made by the Soviet Government were without foundation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has had time to consider the details which have been sent him concerning the national registration finger-printing in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

The Governor of Kenya has appointed Sir Bertrand Glancy to review the Registration of Persons Ordinance and to make recommendations for any amendments that he may consider necessary or desirable. I cannot therefore usefully make a statement at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has considered the details which have been sent to him about the Protectorate status of Northern Rhodesia; and if he will make a statement.

I have considered those details. As I explained to the hon. Member in my letter of 30th August, Northern Rhodesia was taken under protection by treaties made with the chiefs, and is dealt with accordingly by the Orders in Council relating to the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take the necessary steps to ensure that copies of all concessions, agreements, grants and treaties be made available to the public in Northern Rhodesia.

As I have already explained in a letter to the hon. Member on this subject, there is, so far as I am aware, no general demand for publication. I do not consider that the labour and expense which would be involved in publishing a complete edition of the numerous concessions, agreements, grants and treaties whereby Northern Rhodesia passed under the protection of the Crown would be justified.

asked the Minister of Food how many enforcement officers are employed by his Department; how many have authority to visit hotels, restaurants and catering establishments; and how much has been spent by them in such establishments during the past six months while they have been on duty.

Nine hundred and thirty-three enforcement inspectors were employed by my Department on 1st September this year. All of them have authority to enter and inspect food undertakings. The amount spent on "test meals" from 1st March to 31st August this year was £121 5s. 2d.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will allow catering establishments to charge extra for fresh fruit served as an additional course.

No, I do not consider that this would be justified.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the new economic circumstances, consideration can now be given to permitting country hotels to use their waste products for feeding their own pigs, and to use the meat provided by these pigs to improve their catering arrangements for visitors and tourists.

Country hotels are not prevented from using their waste products to feed their own pigs. But because of the shortage of meat, we cannot allow these catering establishments the special privilege of retaining their pigs for use in their business. The pigs must be sold to the Ministry for general distribution.

asked the Minister of Food how many carcases of meat have had to be condemned as unfit for human consumption owing to the "go-slow" tactics at Smithfield Market.

When delays in distributing fresh meat in London became inevitable, steps were taken to reduce the risk of losses by diverting home-produced supplies away from London. As a result, under five tons of meat were condemned.

asked the Minister of Food why the 1,100 Dutch sheep carcases specially ordered were sent to this country on or about 23rd September by a slow unrefrigerated ship; why they were not unloaded immediately on arrival; and as a result how many were condemned as unfit for human consumption.

This meat was dispatched by the Dutch Government as part of the 2,500 tons of mutton and lamb which they hope to send us under a recent contract. This contract is not for frozen meat, but for fresh meat and represents a revival of the useful pre-war imports of fresh meat from Holland. The ship was not a slow one, and there was no delay in unloading, but about 50 tons were condemned. My Department and the Dutch Government are inquiring into the reasons for this.

asked the Minister of Food what percentage of the Algerian wine held by his Department is now unfit for consumption as wine.

We have now sold our entire stock of Algerian wine at a satisfactory price. The purchasers have expressed themselves as fully satisfied with the quality. I expect to show a small profit on our transactions in wine.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now, in view of the threatened rise in the cost of living due to the revaluation of the pound sterling in relation to the dollar, make arrangements for a free issue of milk to old age pensioners.

I fear that I cannot make a further concession in the price of milk, which is already subsidised to the extent of £82 million a year.

asked the Minister of Food why hospitals are not permitted to obtain extra milk above their standard three and a half pints per head per week at those times in the year when suppliers have excess milk available and offer it to hospitals.

Hospitals are not at any time limited to three and a half pints per head per week. The minimum supply to them is five pints per head per week. A supplier may also sell them extra quantities beyond the minimum if he has any surplus after he has met the needs of his domestic consumers.

asked the Minister of Food what percentage of the milk supply is going to persons with a doctor's priority certificate as compared with a year ago.

Last winter the percentage was 6.1. We have not collected statistics for this winter as yet.

asked the Minister of Food why a local food committee cannot authorise a mother with a baby to change her milk supplier so as to get milk in the morning instead of the afternoon.

This is one of the decisions which have to be reserved to divisional food officers in order to ensure some uniformity of treatment.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the restoration of peace in Indonesia, he will now abolish tea rationing.

Unfortunately the tea industry in Indonesia has not recovered enough to enable tea rationing to be abolished. But I am hopeful that we shall now begin to receive supplies from Indonesia on a gradually increasing scale.

asked the Minister of Food whether he proposes to institute a scheme for the rationing of potatoes for the 1949–50 season.

On the Agricultural Department's recent estimate of. 6.5 tons as the average yield for the United Kingdom, there should be no occasion for rationing.

asked the Minister of Food what facilities he has given for the import of blackberries from Eire this year.

These are imports made on private account, mainly by jam manufacturers in Northern Ireland. For most of this year they came in under block licensing arrangements, and since 5th October under open general licence. I see no reason for interfering with this trade.

asked the Minister of Food how many civic restaurants have been opened and how many have been closed since April, 1947.

There were 1,098 civic restaurants in operation at the end of March, 1947, and 614 on 15th September, 1949. We have no statistics of the numbers opened and closed between those dates.

asked the Minister of Food what is the consumption per head in the United Kingdom of flour and oatmeal, respectively.

In the year ended 30th June, 1949, the consumption per head in the United Kingdom, of flour was 232 lb. per head, and of oatmeal 7.9 lb. per head.

asked the Minister of Food what is the cost to the baking trade of flour and oatmeal, respectively, per 280 lb. sack.

National flour is sold to bakers at a fixed price of 52s. per 280 lb. delivered. This does not include the cost of bags. There is no fixed price for oatmeal but maximum prices are prescribed under the Oat Products (Control and Maximum Prices) Order, 1947. The maximum price prescribed for a sale ex mill is 101s. 4d. per 280 lb.; this price includes the cost of bags.

asked the Minister of Food what is the annual cost of the subsidy on flour and oatmeal, respectively.

The cost of the flour subsidy (including the wheat acreage payments) is estimated at approximately £91,500,000 for the current financial year. There is now no subsidy on oatmeal.

asked the Minister of Food how many refrigerated ships are being held by his Department to store meat; and at what monthly cost.

Five; at a monthly cost of £56,668.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many men have been discharged from Malta Dockyard during 1949; and how many more will be discharged before the end of the year.

Between 1st April and 30th September this year 662 men have been discharged. Approximately 500 more are likely to be discharged by 31st March next. The number of compulsory discharges is being reduced as far as possible by taking advantage of normal wastage, by curtailment of overtime working, and by increasing the amount of repayment work.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how long has a United States submarine flotilla been based at Londonderry.

United States submarines have never been based on Londonderry.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether any decision has yet been reached on whether to pay a gratuity of £100 to men who re-engage and not to those who do not.

As I informed the House on 29th June, we have under consideration various alternatives for inducing a greater number of men to re-engage on completing their first continuous service engagement. An announcement will be made as soon as decisions are taken.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will give the names of those ships which have been equipped since 5th November, 1947, with galleys up to United States standard.

Since 5th November, 1947, 12 ships have been fitted with electric galley ranges, while a further seven are now being similarly equipped. Following are the names of the ships:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is proposed to maintain the Voluntary Aid Detachment Reserve for the Royal Navy.

Yes; I am glad to inform the House that arrangements have been made with the Order of St. John of Jerusalem and the British Red Cross Society to re-start recruiting V.A.D.s to form a standing Reserve for the Naval Nursing Service. I should like to take this opportunity of expressing the Admiralty's appreciation of the services which members of the V.A.D. have rendered to the Royal Navy during and since the last war.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty why William Cowie, fisherman, Helms-dale, has been rejected by the naval interviewing officer for service with the Royal Navy, and has been called up for the Army, in view of his obvious fitness for the Navy and his long family tradition of naval service and sacrifice.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware of the discontent in the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors at the failure of the Admiralty to implement the recommendations of the East-ham Committee, which reported about three years ago; that some 30 per cent. of the university entrants to the Corps have resigned their appointments owing to the unsatisfactory conditions of service; that no suitable candidates from the universities are offering themselves for training for entry to the Corps; and whether he will take measures now to put the recruitment, training, and conditions of service for the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors on a sound basis.

The Eastham Committee was set up for the purpose of advising the

Arrangements have been made for this case to be reconsidered, and in the meantime the man will not be called up for one of the other Services.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will give the names of those ships in which improvements in air-conditioning have taken place since 5th November, 1947.

Since 5th November, 1947, improvements in air-conditioning have been introduced in 39 of His Majesty's ships, the names of which I give below.Board of Admiralty, with whom the responsibility for making decisions must remain. It was therefore not to be expected that all its recommendations would be automatically put into effect.The rates of pay and career prospects of the Royal Corps of Naval Constructors have had to be determined in relation to general Government policy on the postwar reorganisation of the Civil Service. A scheme has been devised which, in the view of the Board, should attract sufficient recruits of the necessary high standard from the universities and the Royal Dockyards. Though this scheme has not been accepted by the Staff Association concerned, it is intended to put it into operation, as the Admiralty considers that, in relation to the pay and conditions of service of other comparable grades, it provides an adequate and equitable reward for the naval constructors.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will furnish figures showing, as at 30th September, 1949, the numbers of men and women employed in the Royal Dockyards at Portsmouth, distinguishing between established and non-established personnel; and the intakes and discharges

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will give the following information about the most recent examination

The number of work-people employed under Vote 8 on 30th September, 1949, is given in the following table together with an analysis of the entries and discharges during the preceding 12 months:under the new Dartmouth entry scheme: the number of vacancies; the number of candidates; the number who failed in the written examination; the number who failed in the interview; the number appointed as cadets; and a list of successful candidates' schools.

The details are as follow:

asked the Postmaster-General what reports he has received of the public interest in the television display at the Post Office stand at the recent exhibition at Olympia.

The Post Office display demonstrated Post Office engineering services connected with sound and television broadcasting; the importance, for good reception, of efficient aerials; and the simple measures that can be taken by the public for the suppression, at source, of interference. The exhibits attracted visitors in considerable numbers. The demonstrations, mainly educative in character, were well received and, in my view, achieved a good result.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the age and annual remuneration of the public relations officer appointed to his Department as from 17th October, 1949; and whether an established civil servant has been selected on this occasion.

The new public relations officer is 60 years old and his salary is £1,700 a year. He is an established civil servant.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now in a position to consider the re-introduction of 1d. postage for letters posted before mid-day which would not be delivered until the following afternoon.

Careful consideration has on many occasions been given to this and similar proposals, but apart from the financial loss which would be incurred, no way has been found of overcoming the practical difficulties involved.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the cause of the delay in postal services between this country and British Honduras, which, up till recently, took four days, and are now taking anything up to eight days; and what steps it is proposed to take to improve the postal services to the West Indies.

During recent months the average transmission time of air mails from the United Kingdom to British Honduras has been four and a half days, but I regret that, on occasions, it has been up to eight days owing to aircraft delays en route. It is hoped that the revised air services just introduced by the British Air Corporations, which are being used to the fullest possible extent for mails, will result in an improvement in the air mail service to British Honduras and to parts of the West Indies.

asked the Postmaster-General why the delay in answering on the London phonogram service is still so great.

I regret that, in spite of intensive efforts to speed up the phonogram service in London, it has not yet been possible to reduce the time to answer. The position has been especially difficult during the summer months, as there has been a heavy increase in traffic. The main trouble is continued shortage of operators, coupled with rapid turnover in the depleted staff. A detailed examination of the situation is being made to see whether any further practicable steps can be taken with a view to improvement.

asked the Postmaster-General when he hopes to be able to meet the demand for telephones in Swindon.

The demand for telephones in Swindon is being met where there are spare wires in the underground cables or where existing subscribers agree to share their lines. Under present plans, about one half of those applicants now waiting for telephones will be given service during the next six months either by means of lines in new cables or by sharing.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the bad reception on the Home and Light programmes in East Anglia and particularly East Suffolk area, where it is easier to receive Continental stations; and if he will propose to the Governors of the B.B.C. the setting up of a regional broadcasting or transmitting station for the Eastern Counties as part of an East Anglian development plan to include facilities for television.

I understand from the B.B.C. that the Light Programme can be well received in East Anglia on the long wavelength (1,500 metres). The Corporation is aware that the reception of the London Home Service (342.1 metres) often fails to reach a desirable standard in parts of East Suffolk. Reception of both the London and Midland Home Services (342.1 and 296.2 metres respectively) is subject to interference from Continental stations. I hope that this will be removed when the Copenhagen Wavelength Plan, which is due to enter into force in March, 1950, has been fully implemented. As regards the hon. Member's suggestion for an East Anglian Broacasting development plan, the Corporation is of the opinion that the number of wavelengths available would not permit the operation of a suitable transmitter.

asked the Secretary of State for War what military barracks have been built, both permanent and temporary, in Hong Kong since September, 1945.

No permanent military barracks have been built in Hong Kong since September, 1945. Temporary camps have been built to accommodate 1,000 men. Further temporary work is being undertaken to accommodate recent reinforcements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what increases there have been in the prices of the raw materials exported from the sterling area to the dollar area since 18th September. 1949.

Information is not generally available on the actual prices paid for raw materials currently exported from the sterling area to the dollar area. Compared with the price ruling before 18th September, the dollar price of tin has been reduced by 8 cents a lb., representing a rise in the sterling equivalent of tin exported from Malaya of about 33 per cent. Among the other important raw materials concerned, increases in sterling market prices are reported for cocoa, rubber, rough diamonds, wool, jute and sisal. Rubber prices in terms of sterling are up by nearly 20 per cent. and rough diamonds by about 25 per cent. Prices of both jute and sisal are about 10 per cent. higher. Prices of merino wools are, on the average, rather more than 20 per cent. higher and crossbred wool prices have increased by about 25 per cent. The latest dollar price quoted in New York for spot sales of cocoa is the same as that on 16th September; in sterling terms this represents an increase of 44 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what estimate has been made of the total loss falling upon retail traders in soft goods and footwear caused by the announcement of 5 per cent. reduction in maximum prices on Thursday, 28th July, 1949.

In my statement of 28th July I said that there was room for a reduction in costs, particularly in the distributive trades, which would lead to a reduction in prices. Without knowing the extent to which retailers succeed in reducing their costs, it is impracticable to make an estimate of the effect of the reductions in retailers' margins on retailers' net profits.

asked the Minister of National Insurance why copies of medical certificates given by doctors expressly for National Insurance purposes only are issued by his Department to trade unions and friendly societies, but denied to other bodies or individuals.

Copies of National Insurance medical certificates are not given. But in fulfilment of an undertaking given during the proceedings on the National Insurance Bill, my local offices, at the request of persons claiming sickness benefit, will supply the minimum amount of information required on a claim to a similar benefit from a registered friendly society or trade union. The provision of medical evidence for other purposes is not a matter for my Department.