asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will now furnish a list of publications, books, newspapers and periodicals prohibited to be imported or circulated under the various seditious publications, laws and orders in British Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

I am placing in the Library of the House a list of prohibited publications, compiled from orders and notices under enactments in the territories concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the hostel for coloured seamen in Leman Street, Whitechapel, is being closed; and what alternative arrangements are being made for the accommodation and welfare of coloured seamen who require it.

This hostel is being closed because it has been found that adequate accommodation for Colonial seamen is available at other hostels for seamen in the same area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies who are the members of the commission which is to investigate the conditions of the Malayan Police Force; whether the evidence will be heard in public; and what arrangements are being made to take evidence from retired Malayan police officers in this country.

I am able to inform the House that Sir Alexander Maxwell, lately Permanent Under-Secretary of State at the Home Office, has agreed to be Chairman of a Mission to investigate the present and long-term problems connected with the organisation and administration of the Federation of Malaya Police Force and to advise the Federation Government thereon. The other members of the Mission will be Major J. F. Ferguson, Chief Constable of Kent, and Mr. R. L. Jackson, Secretary to the Office of the Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police. Arrangements for the hearing of evidence whether in this country or in Malaya will be a matter for consideration by the Mission in consultation with the High Commissioner, at whose request they are visiting Malaya.

asked the Minister of Food what effect devaluation has had upon Government contracts to import tea from British Dominions; what price has been paid to date for tea imported from the Dominions; what price will be paid in future; how far this price is now agreed by the growers; and what effect the new prices will have on future prices of tea in this country.

Devaluation will only affect a relatively small quantity of tea, from Pakistan, and the average sterling cost of all teas under existing Ministry contracts will be only slightly increased. The prices paid vary considerably according to quality. Negotiations for next year's supplies and prices have not yet begun.

asked the Minister of Food what amount of refined sugar was produced in each of the years 1946, 1947 and 1948 by the British Sugar Corporation; what proportion this constituted of the total production of refined sugar in the United Kingdom in each of those years; and what percentage of the refining capacity of the United Kingdom in each year was controlled by the British Sugar Corporation, reckoning for this purpose the campaign production capacity based on normal yield plus the realistic off-season refining capacity as constituting the total refining capacity controlled by the British Sugar Corporation.

The information is as follows:

asked the Postmaster-General why no progress has been made in improving the postal facilities in Kuwait; and by when the improvements will have been completed.

The postal facilities in Kuwait have recently been overhauled and increased and I am assured by my officer on the spot that they are now being conducted to the satisfaction of the local general public. It is hoped to transfer the post office to more convenient and more commodious premises in the near future.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the cuts in capital expenditure will retard the conversion of the Tudor telephone exchange; and if he can give any approximate date when the conversion is likely to take place.

I regret that I cannot say when Tudor exchange will be converted. The urgent need for exports and the restrictions on capital expenditure have necessitated a general deferment in the supply of equipment for new automatic exchanges.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has yet come to any decision about installing a telephone for Mrs. Healy, at Trinity Lodge, Eastfield Road, Louth, the Secretary of the Lindsey County Federation of Women's Institutes, particulars of whose case have been before him for some time.

There are no spare wires in the cables serving the locality of Trinity Lodge, and telephone service can only be provided by sharing with a neighbouring subscriber. Unfortunately all the subscribers concerned have refused to share, but the telephone manager is making further efforts to obtain the necessary consent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if it is intended that in the run down of the Control Commission for Germany, personnel who have 1914–18 war service should be retained after expiration of their contracts, in preference to others with equal qualifications but who have longer contracts and are senior in their length of service in their grade, in addition to having considerable 1939–45 war service.

In principle the expiry of an engagement for a fixed term is in itself the end of service in the Commission unless the individual wishes to remain and it is desired to retain his services. Where there is redundancy in a grade, persons whose engagements have not expired, or who are not engaged for a fixed term, are dealt with under the normal redundancy arrangements agreed with the Staff Side of the Departmental Whitley Council. These incorporate the long-standing pledge to ex-Service men of the 1914–18 war, which gives them preference for retention in temporary. Government employment provided that they are able and willing to undertake all the liabilities and responsibilities of the grade in which they are to be employed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of personnel in the British Civil Police Unit of the Control Commission stationed in Germany at the present date who are not in receipt of a police pension from a force in the United Kingdom; and how many of these men will be retained in the Control Commission service on the establishment scheduled to come into effect on 31st December, 1949.

There are 98 men and 11 women in the British Civil Police Unit at present who are not in receipt of a police pension from a force in the United Kingdom. Of these, 82 men and 10 women will be retained in the Commission when the new establishment comes into force on 1st January, 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what official suggestions on the subject of dismantling have now been made to the occupation authorities by the West German Government; what reply will be given; and what contribution is it anticipated that German economy can make towards the repayment to this country of the costs of occupation.

A number of proposals have been made by the German Federal Government to the Allied High Commission, but this whole subject is now being discussed between the Foreign Ministers of the Western Occupying Powers in Paris, and it would not be proper for me to anticipate the outcome of these discussions. The repayment of His Majesty's Government's expenditure on the occupation of Germany is a deferred charge on the German economy, but no decision has yet been made as to how or when it is to be paid.

asked the Minister of Works the superficial area in feet of the building used by the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Theobalds Road, Holborn; how many staff are housed there; and, in view of the economic and housing situation, if he will consider releasing this block.

The new headquarters of the Ministry of Civil Aviation in Theobalds Road, has a superficial area, apart from storage space, of 102,000 square feet. When the moves at present in progress are complete it will house about 830 staff. The answer to the last part of the Question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Works if he will publish a complete report on the operation of the incentive bonus schemes now operating in the building industry; and if he is satisfied that these schemes have increased output.

The arrangements for the payment of incentives are a matter for the building industry, and there is no uniform scheme for the whole country. I am, therefore, not in a position to make a report on this matter. The relative industrial agreement which took effect in November, 1947, enabled individual employers to initiate incentive systems to yield bonuses for increased output. The general arrangements covered by the agreement were to be regarded as experimental and subject to review at the end of two years. Reports from individual sites indicate that where bonus incentive schemes have been operated in accordance with the terms of the agreement increased output has resulted.

asked the Minister of Works what was the cost of erecting and dismantling the special flagstaffs in Trafalgar Square used in connection with the National Savings Campaign.

The cost of erecting and dismantling the flagstaffs was approximately £400. This expenditure does not fall upon the Votes of my Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimate of the amount of dollars earned by the Colonial Empire in 1948; how this amount will be affected by devaluation; and what has been the effect of devaluation on prices of Colonial products sold to the dollar area and within the sterling area, respectively.

About 500 million dollars. I cannot yet say what the effect of devaluation on these earnings will turn out to be. In answer to the third part of the Question, since 18th September there has been on the whole a slight fall in dollar prices, but a rise in sterling prices, of those products that are also sold to the dollar area. Movements in prices are continuing, though they cannot all be attributed to devaluation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of the special publicity and advertising campaign conducted in connection with National Savings Week, including the cost of special ceremonies and demonstrations; and what was the net gain in National Savings in the week ended 30th October.

Approximately £100,000. Details of net savings during the National Savings Week are not yet available but will, for the most part, be included in the weekly figures published on 13th November next. It would, of course, be wholly misleading to relate the cost of the special publicity to the net savings made during that week only. The effect will be felt in the most valuable work done by the National Savings movement throughout the coming 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, now that the fighter squadrons of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force have been transferred to Fighter Command, the fighter control units will also be transferred.

It has now been decided that these units shall take their place in Fighter Command in the same way as the Royal Auxiliary fighter squadrons and the first units will very shortly be transferred. Others will follow as soon as practicable. I would like to take this opportunity of stressing that more volunteers are urgently required to bring our fighter control system up to strength. The present strength of the fighter control units is 2,555. Although this represents a threefold increase during the last year, we are still a long way short of what we need.

asked the Minister of Education whether the new chemical closets for Fewston School in Yorkshire have yet been fitted; and, if not, whether he will take steps to expedite the matter.

I am informed that new pans for three chemical closets at this school were asked for by the headmistress last month. These have not yet been supplied but they are expected shortly.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when he estimates that the distribution of prize money and medals to serving and ex-Service personnel will be completed.

Distribution of prize money and medals to serving officers and men is complete. It is hoped to complete payment to ex-Service officers and men by the end of April, 1950. It is expected that it will take until the end of 1950 to deal with all claims for medals.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how much of the oil fuel that will be required for the buses to replace London's trams will come from dollar sources; and what will be the cost thereof.

I understand that this replacement will not be completed for some years, and as the amount of oil which will in future years be imported into this country from dollar sources cannot at present be estimated, it is not possible to provide the information asked for.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the total amount of money involved in the schedules of valued securities taken over under the Gas Act, 1948.

The total compensation value of the gas securities included in the lists so far published is about £126 million.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a complete list of all developments which are being specially undertaken to be ready for the 1951 Exhibition, and for which he has authorised either the Government or local authorities to spend taxpayers' or ratepayers' money.

I have already undertaken to make a fuller statement to the House regarding the Festival of Britain, and I would ask the hon. Member to await this statement, which I hope to make shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total of British exports in 1935, 1936, 1937 and 1938 and, of these totals, what was the amount which went to the present hard currency countries.

The figures are as follow: