asked the President of the Board of Trade what evidence he has of manufacturers, since the cut in margins on utility goods, refusing to supply direct to retailers.

None, Sir.

If I draw the attention of my right hon. Friend to cases where manufacturers have set up "phoney" wholesale organisations in order to take the extra margin, will he look into this matter?

Yes, I shall be glad to look into such cases.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what changes he proposes to make in the boundaries of the North-East Development Area.

No change in the boundaries of the North-East Development Area is at present contemplated.

But in view of the anxiety that has been aroused recently by Press statements to the effect that changes would take place soon, would my right hon. Friend give a firm assurance that he has no intention of taking Teeside out of the area?

I cannot be responsible for Press reports of this matter. All I can say is that there has never been any question of this change.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now state when the ex gratia payments to United Kingdom British subjects in respect of losses incurred as a result of Japanese occupation will be made.

Payments under the scheme, which I announced on 27th June in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Benson), were begun on 15th July and are continuing as rapidly as circumstances permit.

But is my right hon. Friend aware that some of the claimants under this scheme have received no payment at all so far, and that it is a matter of urgency because their claim relates to furniture which was destroyed and they have not been able to replace it?

I know that at the beginning of this scheme early this year there were considerable difficulties to be overcome, but I am sure they are being overcome and the rate of dealing with these applications should speed up considerably.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether this also includes the Philippines?

I should want notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the announcement by Lady Meynell, Secretary of the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission, that on returning to England after investigating anti-trust action in America she would break up some trusts; and whether he authorised this pre-judging of the issues on which her Commission is deliberating.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the pronouncement made in New York by Lady Meynell on the intentions of the Monopoly Commission, and how far this represents Government policy.

The Monopolies Commission is an independent statutory body and I am in no way responsible for the actions and statements of members of the Commission's staff. I did, however, consult the Chairman of the Commission about the report of the Secretary's statements which appeared in one newspaper and he informed me that as soon as this report came to the Secretary's attention, she cabled the Chairman that it did not represent what she had said at all. He has since informed me that the Commission have considered this matter and are fully satisfied that the observations attributed to the Secretary are, in fact, a complete misrepresentation.

Yes, but when a statement such as this is attributed in the Press to the chief officer of a statutory tribunal, is not public confidence shaken if either the statement or its authenticity is not promptly repudiated? If it could be repudiated, as the right hon. Gentleman says, why was not that done four weeks ago when the statement was published?

I think the effect of this report is to shake confidence in the newspaper which published it rather than in the Commission. The attitude of the Commission on this question was to await the return of the Secretary so that a full and authoritative statement could be issued.

Does not the President realise that the country is getting a little tired of these constant repudiations of statements which, in fact, are being made, and what evidence has the President to support the conclusion he has reached that this statement was not made?

I think the remarks of the hon. Gentleman are quite unjustified. I have the word of this ex-civil servant who can be thoroughly relied on. If the hon. Gentleman objects to the large number of withdrawals on complaints of misrepresentation, he might recall that the right hon. Gentleman the Member for West Bristol (Mr. Stanley) had to complain to "The Times" this morning in this respect.

Will my right hon. Friend recognise that the tone of the questions just addressed to him is a clear indication of the intention of the Opposition, if they are ever given the power, to sabotage the work of the Monopolies Commission?

Would the right hon. Gentleman say whether his inquiries disclose that this lady denies saying, "I work behind the scenes for political heads. I get stuff ready for campaigns"?

Yes, she has denied that, and also the statement attributed to her that the Monopolies Commission was engaged on "trust busting." The suggestion in this newspaper was obviously nonsense from the start because the whole conception of the work of the Monopolies Commission, as right hon. Gentlemen opposite have said, is not "trust busting" at all but examining the activities of monopolies to see whether they are abusing the powers they hold.

Would not the Minister agree that there are monopolies in this country that need to be broken up—whisky is one of them—and would he not encourage this lady in her alleged desire to do something in this way?

That is another question. I am not prepared to interfere with the activities of the Monopolies Commission which was set up by this House to perform an impartial and quasi-judicial function.

To clear up any doubt, would the right hon. Gentleman make it clear that he accepts the principle that no member or officer of a tribunal should prejudge a case upon which the tribunal may be called upon to adjudicate?

I was not aware that that doubt needed clearing up. Certainly I should have thought that the attitude of the Monopolies Commission was so well-known that it was not even necessary to say that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much money has been expended by the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission; and whether he will give an estimate of the amount that is likely to be spent in the future.

The money expended by the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices Commission from the date of its appointment in January last to 31st October was approximately £22,500, and the amount likely to be spent in the remaining five months of the current financial year is estimated at £14,000. So far as can be judged at present the Commission estimates that its expenditure in the financial year 1950–51 will be about £43,000.

Can the President of the Board of Trade confirm that some of the expenditure of this Commission, such as the expenses of Lady Meynell, are provided from Marshall Aid funds?

Yes, it is a fact that a substantial part of the expenses of this visit to the United States came out of Marshall Aid funds.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether in view of present balance of trade difficulties, he will review his policy with regard to importation of wood pulp for paper-making and utilise the paper salvage available in this country.

In view of the need to maintain the competitive standards of the paper-making industry, I should not be justified in restricting the import of woodpulp which is available for currencies we can afford.

Does that mean that my right hon. Friend is not prepared to see the genuine economies which have been effected by the collection of waste paper now utilised at a time when our need is so much greater?

Some is being utilised but it is a plain fact that in paper-making by and large it is cheaper to use the imported material rather than the salvage which has been collected.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House the percentage of waste paper in the total paper consumption of the Stationery Office?

They do not consume the waste paper in that particular form.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated value of imports for the current year of wood pulp and paper-making materials; and what proportion of this represents dollar purchases.

It is estimated that the total f.o.b. value of the imports of wood pulp and other materials for paper-making for the current year will be £36,800,000, of which about 10 per cent. represents dollar purchases.

As it is most important for us to reduce this figure of imports of dollar material, would my right hon. Friend look into this matter again?

I am advised by those who know about these things technically that the salvage material would not be suitable for the substitution of particular kinds of dollar material, especially sulphite and things of that sort.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will control the charges for haircutting.

My hon. Friend will no doubt have seen recent announcements of increased charges for hairdressing. I am glad to be able to tell him that they refer to only a small number of hairdressers, and that as a result of discussions with the Central Price Regulation Committee, the responsible trade associations, which represent nearly 20,000 hairdressers throughout the country, have advised their members not to increase hairdressing charges. The few hairdressers who have recently increased their charges have been advised to revert to their old tariff, and I understand that most of them have already done so. The action of the trade associations appears to have been effective, and it seems unnecessary for me to exercise at present any statutory powers to control these charges.

Would the right hon. Gentleman arrange that the charges of this industry should be by piecework?

Would my right hon. Friend please do something to ensure that those who come into the same category as the right hon. Gentleman the Leader of the Opposition are not charged as much as those who are well thatched, like the Lord President of the Council?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made recently to procure more stable conditions of trade between this country and the Argentine.

Discussions are now taking place with the Argentine Government and it would be premature for me to make any statement at this stage.

Will my right hon. Friend assure the House that since we raised this matter at Question time about three weeks ago some progress has been made in the deliberations?

Some progress has been made but, of course, it takes two sides to reach an agreement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that some shopkeepers are hesitating to fill up the forms connected with the pilot Census of Distribution upon the grounds that it is part of the Government's policy to establish State-owned shops; and whether he will contribute to the success of this census by stating the Government's policy in this connection.

The pilot Census of Distribution was taken over a year ago and shopkeepers are not being, and will not be, asked to fill in any more of these pilot census forms. The rest of the Question, therefore, does not arise but I take the opportunity of repeating that it is not the Government's policy to socialise shops.

In these circumstances, would the right hon. Gentleman dissuade Members of the Government from going about making statements that it is the intention of the Government to run State shops in competition with private shops?

If the hon. Gentleman is referring to a speech made by a noble Friend of mine, my noble Friend tells me that in this particular case he was asking his audience to consider various policy issues in question form, but that he most certainly did not offer or advocate policies.

In those circumstances, would the right hon. Gentleman have a talk with the editor of the "Co-operative News" in order that his noble Friend should not in future be misrepresented?

The particular statement, which I have seen also in the "Manchester Guardian" and other reputable newspapers, was based on an agency report which was later contradicted.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps he is taking to avert the threatened collapse of the British film-producing industry.

My hon. Friend is presumably referring to the position disclosed on 7th November by the publication of reports and accounts with respect to one leading organisation engaged in film production. While I very much regret the embarrassments which have overtaken Mr. Rank's companies—a group which has in the past made a unique contribution to the high reputation of British films generally—I cannot agree that these developments confront us with any "threatened collapse of the British film producing industry." The various steps which the Government have taken to support the industry are well known to the House, and I shall, of course, continue to watch the situation closely.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that something like 70 per cent. of the films being shown in this country are American films, and will he bear in mind that whatever happens we do not want any more American films imported than are being imported at present and that we are not prepared, either in direct dollars or in the accumulation of sterling balances, to continue to pay out even on the scale on which we have been paying out?

The attitude of the Government on that question has been made very fully known in previous statements, but I adhere to what I said before, that the particular events of the past week do not in our view involve any threatened collapse of British film production.

Would not the right hon. Gentleman agree that if the Rank organisation is compelled to cease production next June that will, in fact, be a threatened collapse?

Over the last year or two, of course, the Rank organisation has very considerably reduced its rate of production, but most, if not all, of the producers who were previously producing for the Rank organisation are now producing for other organisations or are being financed or aided directly by the National Film Finance Corporation.

Would my right hon. Friend consider not giving any further State money to the film industry until there has been an inquiry into the whole position?

I have recently received the report of the Gater Committee on production costs in the industry, which, I think, is one of the inquiries that my hon. Friend has in mind. Certainly, money which is being currently lent by the National Film Finance Corporation for the purpose of production is lent only with very careful safeguards as to its use.

In the light of the answer of my right hon. Friend, can the House take it that there is no possibility of further reducing the 45 per cent. film quota?

The quota is 40 per cent. It was approved by the House and continues until 30th September next year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what information he has received as to whether the abolition of export floor prices for all Japanese export goods except silk applies to raw silk or to silk piecegoods.

Floor prices have been maintained for both raw silk and silk piecegoods.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is widespread concern at the possibility of goods being dumped by the Japanese, and was this matter discussed with the American authorities before the statement by General MacArthur was issued by the British Government?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now take steps to increase the supply of babies' napkins to the home market.

I have taken all practicable steps to help secure increased production, and I have impressed on the manufacturers the importance of maintaining an adequate supply on the home market.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these articles are very essential and that many mothers, at least in my constituency, are finding it quite impossible to obtain them? Is he further aware that, so long as we have a Labour Government, there will be an increasing number of healthy users of these articles?

I am certainly well aware, from domestic circumstances, of the importance of this particular commodity and that, among other reasons, is why pressure has been put on those concerned.

Is the House to regard my right hon. Friend's decision on this matter as binding?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that during the course of the last weekend it was quite impossible to buy a baby's napkin in the city of Plymouth?

asked the Minister of Health when and to what extent it is proposed to provide hospital accommodation in the growing town of Corby.

The Oxford Regional Hospital Board are strengthening and developing the Kettering group of hospitals to serve a large area, including Corby, and propose as soon as possible to provide out-patient clinics and a maternity home there.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that there is a present need for more hospital accommodation in Corby and that that need is likely to increase with the projected development of the town?

I think the regional hospital board are fully aware of the position.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he is taking to encourage the production of the anti-arthritis discovery, Cortisone.

The Medical Research Council, in touch with the Nuffield Foundation, is promoting intensive research into Cortisone and other substances that might take its place and be available in adequate amounts. Various pharmaceutical firms, with whom my officers are in close contact, are also actively engaged in this field. I am prepared to render all the assistance in my power.

While it is not desirable to raise public hopes too high in this connection, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that there should not be any access to, or liaison with, the Mayo Clinic in America where I believe the discovery was made?

I think the hon. and gallant Member can take it for granted that all the scientific information that can be made available is made available in this field, but what we are looking for is a material out of which this substance can be cheaply and plentifully made.

Is it not a fact that there is a great danger of raising hopes too high in this particular regard?

As the House is aware, I hope, I am always anxious not to raise hopes too high in these fields. I believe there have been many expectations raised already and, perhaps, some grievous disappointments.

asked the Minister of Health if he will recognise the National Federation of Hospital Officers as a negotiating trades union.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Debate on the Adjournment on 25th October.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an absolute assurance that the banning of this union is not in any way related to the fact that they are non-political?

It has nothing at all to do with it. In the health field, as the House knows very well, we do not permit any politics to intervene.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the concern which is felt by farmers at his decision to bring to an end the Women's Land Army; and whether he is satisfied that this decision will not adversely affect farmers' efforts to achieve production targets.

I have no evidence that this decision has caused concern among farmers, and for the reasons given in my recent announcement, I am satisfied that it should not adversely affect production.

Does the right hon. Gentleman recall that it was only comparatively recently that he was encouraging women to enter into long-term contracts with the Women's Land Army, and will he say what has caused him to reverse his policy?

Yes, Sir. It is because the numbers of the Women's Land Army have fallen from over 50,000 to less than 15,000, and we no longer feel it necessary to maintain a national and county organisation for such small numbers. On the other hand, I have expressed the hope that the majority of these members of the Women's Land Army who are still working will remain in agriculture.

Is my right hon. Friend satisfied, after an examination of the facts, that in these days of full and overproduction in industry for the export drive labour will be available to make up the loss to agriculture which will be caused by bringing to an end the Women's Land Army?

Yes, I believe that labour is being recruited at a rate which will enable farmers to reach their targets. I repeat my hope that these members of the Women's Land Army will not leave agriculture but will continue to work as employees of farmers.

How much will be saved by the closing down of the Women's Land Army?

I cannot say without notice.

Is the Minister satisfied that the rate of wages which will be paid to these women workers if they go into land work in the normal way will attract them?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how much sand has been removed from Constantine Bay, Cornwall, since 1st January, 1949; how much subsidy has been paid for it by his Department; and what method of checking the quantity removed and its ultimate disposal he has instituted.

Between 1st January and 30th September this year about 44,000 cubic yards of calcareous sand were taken from Constantine Bay for agricultural purposes and the subsidy, including a contribution towards the costs of spreading the sand, amounted to approximately £16,250. I have no power to control the quantity of sand removed from the beach but my local officers carry out inspections to ensure that the material on which subsidy is paid is delivered to farms and used for soil improvement.

What form of check has my right hon. Friend? Is he really satisfied that there are not grave irregularities which are referred to locally, whereby his Department is bilked of a lot of money? What is the system of checking?

The system of checking is very largely that of surprise visits by my inspectors both to farmers and hauliers, when they inspect their records. Adequate check is kept by that means.

Have my right hon. Friend's inspectors gone down there on Christmas Day, at midnight or on Sundays—at all those extraordinary times when these hauliers are making these big hauls for themselves?

I understand that a constant watch is maintained by my inspectors on the sand which is removed.

Will the Minister say why he is putting a subsidy on sand? Is it perhaps to bring down the price of sugar?

Is it not a fact that sand removed from this bay is playing a very valuable part in improving the fertility of the soil? Cornish farmers value it very much.

I hope that the hon. and gallant Member for Camborne (Commander Agnew) will have a word with his hon. and gallant Friend about it.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the remarks of the chief milk advisory officer to the Lancashire Agricultural Executive Committee to the effect that carelessness and dirty habits among producers and their employees are spoiling large quantities of milk; and what steps are being taken by his Department to improve matters, especially in relation to personal hygiene.

Yes, Sir. The new Milk and Dairies Regulations which came into force on 1st October require certain hygenic precautions in the production and handling of milk, including the observance of personal cleanliness by producers and their employees. It is my intention to ensure that these conditions are enforced as strictly as possible.

As in a greater or lesser degree almost every part of the country is affected by this very important question, will my right hon. Friend consider making representations to all county agricultural executive committees that they should get to work on it in their own particular areas?

The county executive committees have already been informed of their responsibilities, and I am sure they will carry them out.

Has my right hon. Friend any evidence that carelessness and dirty habits among milk producers are more prevalent in Lancashire than in other parts of the country?

asked the Minister of Agriculture why his Department are insisting that claims for acreage payments should have been made by 1st October without the grant of any extensions of time, whereas during the previous season claims did not have to be made until April and even then some elasticity was granted.

Acreage payments for 1949 are being made for the first time under the provisions of a Statutory Instrument and in such cases it is usual to fix a limited period for the submission of applications. Powers were reserved in the instrument to accept late applications in special circumstances and as there has been some faulty or ineffective publicity I have sent fresh instructions to county agricultural executive committees with a view to avoiding hardship.

Is the Minister aware that September is a very busy time for farmers, especially for small farmers, and that it is much better to try to leave these administrative tasks until the winter months, when a farmer has more time on his hands for that sort of thing? Will he kindly bear that in mind in future?

Will the Minister consider revising his method of payment and pay according to the amount produced and not according to the number of acres? Are there not farmers who sow seed and are not concerned about what they get from the ground so long as they get the subsidy from the Minister?

We have already the power either to withhold or reduce the subsidy if we find that proper cultivation is not being carried out.

Has the right hon. Gentleman ever known of a case such as that quoted by the hon. Member for Central Bristol (Mr. Awbery)?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what changes it is proposed to make in the payment of the acreage subsidy on potatoes.

The changes contemplated in 1950 are:

1. The rate of payment will be £10 per acre, instead of £12 for the first 10 acres and £8 per acre thereafter.

2. Farmers will be required to grow at least ¼ of an acre of potatoes instead of 1/10th of an acre in order to qualify for acreage payment, and payment will be made for each complete ¼ acre instead of each complete 1/20th.

In addition, although I do not propose to make any change in the good husbandry provisions of the Crop Acreage Payments Order, more effective steps will be taken in administering those provisions to ensure that growers whose crops are adversely affected through wilful negligence whether in cultivation or harvesting will be liable to the withholding or reduction of the sum otherwise due.

Will there be any obligation on those who receive the subsidy to sell for human consumption all the potatoes for which the acreage payment is made?

I suppose that the obligation rests there so long as the Ministry of Food require them for human consumption.

Is the Minister aware that the best method of getting potatoes is to do away with the subsidy altogether and pay a right price for the article produced?

If the soil and climate throughout England and Wales were uniform we might do that.

What is the difference in the overall total payment?

That would depend on a number of factors, including the acreage planted.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he proposes to take to reduce expenditure upon agricultural hostels.

County agricultural executive committee pool labour is being progressively reduced, and the hostel accommodation serving this labour is being reduced to match. About 150 hostels have been given up in the last six months. Concurrently every effort will continue to be made to secure economy in the operation of the hostels which remain.

Is the Minister aware that these hostels are occupied very largely by unemployables? These hostels should be done away with as soon as possible, and the money made available to the Minister of Health in order to build houses for farm workers at rents they can afford to pay.

I am not aware that these hostels are occupied by unemployables. The hon. Member cannot ever have visited one of them or he would not dare to make that suggestion.

I have employed such people.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what expense he incurred with regard to pigs in purported pursuance of the Improvement of Live Stock (Licensing of Bulls) Act, 1931, before 24th October, 1949, the date appointed by Statutory Instrument, 1949, No. 1895, for the application of the said Act to pigs as to cattle; and by what authority he incurred this expense.

The expenditure incurred up to 23rd October, 1949, in administering the Improvement of Livestock (Licensing of Boars) (England and Wales) Regulations, 1945, cannot be ascertained exactly because the work formed part only of the duties of the Ministry's livestock husbandry officers, but I estimate that it did not exceed a total of £10,000. This expenditure was incurred under Section 12 of the Improvement of Live Stock (Licensing of Bulls) Act, 1931; Section 6 of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1944, and the regulations made under those Acts.

Will the Minister agree that this legislation had no application in effect until the appointed day? What day was appointed before 24th October of this year?

The day appointed was the day appointed previously under the Improvement of Livestock (Licensing of Bulls) Act, 1931.

Will the Minister say what that date was?

May I ask if the bulls referred to were of Irish origin?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is in a position to state when he expects to receive the report of the Heneage Committee set up to deal with land drainage.

I understand that the Committee hope to report by about the middle of next year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider introducing new regulations to enable an allocation of feedingstuffs to be made to the seriously disabled who are medically advised that they can carry out poultry keeping as an occupation.

I have much sympathy with the hon. Member's suggestion and when it becomes possible to revise poultry ration scales I will gladly consult with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour to see if a new category of seriously disabled persons could be created for rationing purposes on the lines suggested.

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that answer, but would he agree that it would not be a very difficult problem in view of the fact that the ex-Service man is already treated in this way? I am only asking that the civilian disabled person should be treated in the same way.

It would be rather difficult at this moment, but the matter is under constant review.

Is it not the case that disabled ex-Service men are also under certain conditions, to secure an allocation of feedingstuffs?

asked the Minister of Agriculture which counties in Scotland have been affected by fowl pest; whether any conclusion has been reached regarding the origin of the outbreak; and what steps are being taken to deal with it.

Outbreaks of fowl pest on the mainland of Scotland have been confirmed in the counties of Aberdeen, Angus, Inverness, Renfrew, Ross and Cromarty and Wigtown. In addition there have been outbreaks on several islands in the Orkney, Shetland, Outer Hebrides and Inner Hebrides groups. A single outbreak has been found on the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth. The first outbreak was discovered in the Orkney Islands, but, as the disease bad existed there for about a month before it became known to my Department, it has not been possible, so far, to assign any definite cause to that outbreak. Every effort is being made to ensure early notification of any suspicious circumstances amongst poultry flocks and the usual measures of slaughter and disinfection are being taken to deal with the disease.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether a ban has been placed on the movement of live or dead poultry out of any of these affected areas?

I believe that an order does exist preventing movement to markets, and so forth.

Does that apply to all the affected areas?

Is not it the case that this fowl pest is actually being carried by wild fowl, and that in those circumstances it is impossible to stamp it out?

I can only say that my veterinary officers are doing their best to stamp out fowl pest in Scotland as well as in England and Wales.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this ban on movement has been applied to all the affected areas?

I cannot say without notice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now exempt from Purchase Tax instantaneous water heaters, suitable for operation with bottled gas.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. and learned Friend gave to his similar Question on 25th October.

In view of the delay, can the hon. Gentleman say when a decision will be reached?

As soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether exports to Angola constitute exports to a hard currency country for the purposes of his regulations.

There are no regulations for the purposes of which a definition of hard currency markets is required. We are anxious to expand our exports to Angola as well as to all other parts of the Portuguese monetary area.

Is this so that increased importations of diamonds and other precious stones can take place from Angola?

Generally speaking, the Portuguese monetary area is a desirable market, because we are importing a considerable amount of essential commodities from that area.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the proposed administrative economies are to be related to the net sums granted to the various Departments in the Appropriation Act, 1949, or to the as yet unpresented Estimates for the financial year 1950–51.