asked the Postmaster-General why callers have to pay for more than three minutes on a long-distance call when the exchange concerned omits to sound the warning signal.

A telephone subscriber making a long-distance call is charged according to the time for which the line is held at his disposal. In those rare cases where a subscriber unknowingly extends his call owing to absence of a three-minute warning signal, the question of adjusting the charge will be considered if he reports the matter to the supervisor at the time.

asked the Postmaster-General why the cheap telephone rate for public call boxes commences at 5.30 p.m., whereas this facility for a subscriber starts at 6.30 p.m.; and whether he will take steps to eradicate this anomaly.

Cheap calls from public call offices are admitted from 5.30 p.m. so as to dispose of some of the more complicated traffic before 6.30 p.m. This arrangement helps to avoid delay in connecting cheap calls from subscribers' telephones after 6.30 p.m. and I am satisfied that it operates to the benefit of subscribers generally.

asked the Postmaster-General how often new editions of the telephone directories are published in London; and how long before republication of the appropriate volume notices for new entries must be received by his Department.

New editions of the London Telephone Directory are issued annually, one volume in each quarter. Applications from subscribers for amended or additional entries must be received about three months before publication.

asked the Postmaster-General how many outstanding applications for the installation of telephones he has from the Lewisham area; and what steps can be taken to reduce the list more quickly.

Five thousand and sixty-nine applicants are waiting for telephones in the three exchange areas which cover most of the Borough of Lewisham. Additional line and exchange plant is being provided to help overtake outstanding applications, and I hope that it may be possible to give telephone service to between 1,000 and 1,500 of the waiting applicants during the next 12 months.

asked the Postmaster-General how many applications for telephone installation are still outstanding in the Borough of Darwen, the Turton Urban District Council, the Withnell Urban District Council and the Blackburn Rural District Council, respectively; what were the comparable figures in March, 1949; and when he anticipates that supply will meet demand.

The information requested is as follows:

Council Area	Applications for telephone installations outstanding
	1st March, 1949	1st March, 1950
Darwen Borough	90	104
Turton U.D.C.	259	272
Withnell U.D.C.	3	4
Blackburn R.D.C.	260	263

Additional exchange equipment and lines are being provided in these areas but I cannot estimate when it will be possible to clear all outstanding applications.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the morning postal delivery in the Carr Lane, Willerby, East Yorkshire, area does not arrive until between 9.30 and 10.30 a.m.; and if, in view of the inconvenience caused to residents, he will take steps to remedy the situation.

I much regret that completion of the first letter delivery in the area in question has been delayed. All practicable steps are being taken to put matters right as quickly as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that vacancies for permanent postmen are being advertised in Birmingham; that the upper age limit stipulated is 39 unless the applicants are ex-Service men; and if he will consider removing such a barrier to employing suitable men over this age in the postal service.

Yes. In practice the great bulk of postman vacancies are filled by ex-Service men in whose favour the age limit is 45. The age limit for non-Service men was raised from 30 to 40 as recently as 1947 in order to make openings for older men. As more than 11 per cent. of the present postman grade are disabled and more than 70 per cent. over 40 years of age, I cannot extend the age limits until the labour force is properly balanced.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is now in a position to announce the result of the review initiated by his predecessor of the long-established scheme of non-contributory pensions for the widows and orphans of Regular members of the Armed Forces.

It is intended to review the conditions governing the existing noncontributory pensions scheme for the widows and orphans of Regular officers and warrant officers in the Forces when the proposed contributory scheme covering all ranks has been worked out. The preparation of this scheme has given rise to a number of difficulties and I cannot yet say when I shall be able to make an announcement about it.

asked the Minister of Food what are the functions of the Milk Marketing Board which his Department now perform or control; which of these functions are performed by the Milk Marketing Board acting as agents for his Department; and which of these functions are performed by the staff of the Milk Marketing Board.

The principal functions now undertaken by my Department, with which the Milk Marketing Board previously had some concern, are the determination of policy and control of milk distribution and utilisation, the fixing of selling prices and the remuneration of distributors, processors, and manufacturers. My Department is also concerned, together with the Agricultural Departments, in settling producers' prices under the Agriculture Act, 1947. Payments to producers are undertaken by the Board in its own name, reimbursement being obtained from my Department. The staff and organisation of the Milk Marketing Board are also used by the Ministry for certain accounting work, and its Regional Officers act as part-time officials of my Department.

asked the Minister of Food how much wood he anticipates will be allocated to the broccoli trade for non-returnable boxes.

They can have as much hardwood as they want, but I am afraid that softwood must still be allocated only for returnable containers.

asked the Minister of Food the c.i.f. prices paid by the Government for the main categories of feedingstuffs imported during the past year; what were the administrative costs of his Department in dealing with such feedingstuff,; and what profit or loss was made by the Department in re-selling supplies to merchants in this country.

The average c.i.f. cost per ton of the main categories of feedingstuffs imported by my Department in 1949 was as follows:

	£	s.	d.
Maize	27	19	2
Barley	21	0	11
Oats	20	14	2
Wheat Offals	14	10	9
Oilcakes and Meals	20	3	6
Rice Bran	15	12	6
Locust Beans	18	11	6

The administrative costs of dealing with these feedingstuffs, in the financial year to 31st March, 1950, are expected to

average 5s. 5d. per ton. In addition, there are costs of landing, duty, storage, carriage and so on. The sale of feedingstuffs at subsidised prices in the present year to 31st March, 1950, will result in approximately the following trading loss per ton:

	£	s.	d.
Maize	9	9	0
Barley	10	14	3
Oats	12	18	3
Wheat Offals	2	18	9
Oilcakes and Meals	4	0	0
Rice Bran	1	10	0
Locust Beans	3	0	0

asked the Minister of Food why sides of bacon are imported from the Continent with the hams removed.

Because by this means we obtain a larger quantity of bacon.

asked the Minister of Food why muffins are unprocurable; and whether he will take steps to have them put on the market.

There is nothing in the regulations of my Ministry to prevent confectioners from making and selling muffins if they wish to do so.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will take steps to increase the supply of sweet biscuits to Bridgnorth.

I am not aware of any particular shortage of sweet biscuits in Bridgnorth, but if the hon. Member would care to let me have details of any complaints that have reached him I will gladly look into them.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will give a list of his main contracts for food from abroad, and the estimated arrivals for 1950 under these contracts.

I gave a list of the operative long-term purchase contracts of my Department in a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) on 27th March. In addition to these the Department will, as the year goes on, enter into other short-term contracts for certain commodities. I think that it is too early to give any reliable forecast of the quantities which we may expect to receive under these contracts, especially as some of them are for the whole exportable surplus of crops which will not be harvested until later in the year, while others have still to be negotiated.

asked the Minister of Food whether, since the domestic margarine ration is not being fully taken up, he will divert some fats to manufacturers of soap.

If any fat is not taken up on the ration, I think we ought to use it for increasing food manufacturers' allocations if possible, as we have done for fish friers and bakers recently—before we consider making soap with it. Nevertheless, as I told my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. A Lewis) on 20th March, I am very keen to increase supplies of soap when I can.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans he has for the planting and cultivating scientifically in Malaya large areas of land with cocoa.

Energetic steps are being taken to pave the way for large-scale development of cocoa in Malaya. These include the appointment of a special cocoa officer; the expansion of experimental areas at agricultural stations and estates from five acres before the war to 400 acres at the end of 1949; and the provision, with assistance under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act, of facilities at Kew and in Malaya for raising imported seeds under supervision and quarantine conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to prevent Communist agents in disguise from volunteering for the anti-bandit month in Malaya and being accepted.

All volunteers for the anti-bandit month were required to produce identity cards, and, except in the larger towns, the great majority were recruited through local officials and associations to whom the applicants were known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the worsening position in Malaya and of the strong local demand for the imposition of martial law as the only effective method of controlling the trouble; and if he will take the necessary steps at once.

During recent weeks bandit activities have intensified in reaction to our own intensified efforts, but there has been no strong local demand for martial law. The imposition of martial law would not be an effective way of dealing with a situation in which the Government's principal instrument is the police force and in which one of the main requirements is the extension of effective civil administration to those remote rural areas where Chinese predominate. All the powers necessary can be taken by Emergency Regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the criticisms in military and civilian circles in Malaya that the strength and equipment of the military forces engaged against the Communist rebels is still inadequate; and if he will make another statement.

The strength and equipment of the military forces employed against the bandits in Malaya is under constant consideration and every effort will continue to be made to meet the requirements of those operations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he expects the report on the Malayan police will be in his hands; and if he proposes to publish it.

The report is addressed to the High Commissioner, and is now on its way to him. He intends to publish it in Malaya as soon as possible and copies will of course be available here.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the rate of taxation of the African peasant in the Northern Province of Nigeria compared to that of the African in the Southern, which is paid to the Central Government Fund; and what is the proportion of grant paid from the Central Fund for development and social benefits in the Northern Province.

The Central Government does not itself retain any part of the general or cattle tax paid by Africans, but makes over its share of that taxation to the appropriate Regional Administration. The Regional Administration in the north receives £250,000 out of a total of about £2½ million of tax collected; in the west and east Regions the figure is £63,700 out of a total of over £1 million. All the rest remains in each case with the native authorities. It would not be possible, without an elaborate analysis of the Estimates, to assess the proportion of Central Government revenue spent on development and social benefits in the Northern Region.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is in a position to make any statement in regard to the Ibadan Convention, concerning the proposals for a new constitution for Nigeria, with special reference to the attitude taken by the delegates from the Northern Province:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any further statement to make respecting a prospective new constitution for Nigeria.

The recommendations of the Ibadan General Constitutional Conference are at present under consideration by the Nigeria Legislative Council. I expect to receive quite soon the recommendations of the Council and the Governor's advice upon them. It would therefore be premature to make any further statement at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reports he has recently received on the progress of the Colonial Development Corporation's poultry project in the Gambia.

According to recent reports I have received from the Colonial Development Corporation, the poultry project in the Gambia is proceeding satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to make a statement on the reforms proposed in the African Labour Efficiency Survey of 1947; and whether he will consider following up this survey by a further and more comprehensive study of this problem.

I have received the views of the East African Governments on the Survey. The Government of Kenya feels that it presents in accessible form considerable material regarding African labour conditions, which will be of value to political and social workers who have not had the advantage of practical experience in Africa. The report is useful to the Kenya Government, because it confirms to a great extent, from an independent angle of scientific research, conclusions already reached locally. It is the Government's constant aim to overcome the disability caused by the general lack of incentive among Africans to improve their output.The Government of. Uganda states that the report has been studied with interest, but that it is not felt that it is in very large measure applicable to conditions in Uganda. Certain sections are of local interest, and it is proposed to make copies of the report available to employers in the Protectorate.The Government of Tanganyika states that everything possible is already being done to remedy the deficiencies such as malnutrition, low educational standard, inadequate supervision and lack of training, to which the report primarily attributes the lack of efficiency in African labour. Attention is being particularly concentrated on the improvement of technical education and training facilities, and for some time past, the Tanganyika Labour Department has made a special point of drawing the attention of private employers to these causes of inefficiency, and a good deal has been accomplished in the way of improving standards of housing, feeding, medical attention and recreational facilities. The Government considers that joint action within industry itself is, however, what is really required, and feels that the recommendations in the survey will have a better chance of wide application when the local industries form a federation or co-ordinating body of some kind which can consider appropriate action on these problems. As a first step, the Government is distributing copies of the survey to interested associations of employers and to individual employers of large labour forces. The Government endorses the importance attached in the survey to the study of sociological and psychological aspects of efficiency.As regards the second part of the Question, a good deal of further work is being undertaken on the subjects dealt with in the survey. The programme of the East African Institute of Social Research at Makerere, to which a new Director has just been appointed, provides for studies of African psychology and for studies of urbanized and semi-urbanised natives in Uganda. The Government of Uganda proposes, with some assistance from the Institute, to conduct an inquiry into labour migration into Uganda from the sociological, medical, agricultural and economic aspects.The Government of Tanganyika is proposing to undertake an urban survey of Dar-es-Salaam and Tanga which will include studies of native housing, economic status, earnings, etc. The question of organising studies of African towns is one to which the Colonial Social Science Research Council is giving consideration, and another subject is the extension of studies of aptitude testing to arrive at tests suitable for Africans in all the tropic African colonies. On the medical side, the position should be materially assisted by the establishment of the East African Medical Survey and other medical research projects.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many students, private and with scholarships, are attending the new colonial universities in West Africa, East Africa, Malaya, and the West Indies.

In West Africa there are 295 students at University College, Ibadan, in Nigeria, and 120 at the University College of the Gold Coast. In East Africa at Makerere College there are 222 students. The University of Malaya has 601 students and the University College of the West Indies 74. Separate totals for students with scholarships and private students are not in my possession, but the latter form a small minority: almost all the students' courses are financed by their governments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many colonial students are studying in this country; how many are private students; how many have been granted scholarships; and what are the comparable figures for the preceding five years.

The comparative figures of colonial students who are on record as studying in the United Kingdom and in Southern Ireland for the last five years are as follows:

—	Total	Scholars	Private
1949–50	4,014	1,518	2,496
1948–49	3,493	1,390	2,103
1947–48	3,261	1,350	1,911
1946–47	2,262	897	1,365
1945–46	1,188	396	792

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider putting in hand a large-scale plan for the immigration of girls from our colonial territories to train here as nurses, so that the hospitals here could have the benefit of their services during training, and the hospitals in the Colonies benefit considerably by their experience on their return.

There are 642 Colonial nursing students in the United Kingdom under existing schemes and an increasing flow of new entrants. I believe that the present flow is about right; the number of suitable candidates is limited, and if too many of them came to this country at once, training of nurses in the Colonies themselves would suffer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the progress of the pilot development schemes envisaged in the Worthington Report on Uganda in 1946.

The Uganda Government have decided not to proceed at present with the proposal for a large and ambitious pilot scheme in South Busoga but to undertake instead a number of smaller schemes covering the principal variations of soil and climate affecting agriculture in Uganda. The first of these schemes has already been started in the Bunya area of South Busoga, to try out mechanised methods and to provide foodstuffs for an African labour force. The departure from Dr. Worthington's proposals may be temporary only, since the smaller pilot areas will be extended if the initial experiments are successful.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement on the progress to date of the Uganda hydro-electric development scheme; and the prospects of the development of the various new industries that are dependent on the scheme.

The contract for the erection of a dam and hydro-electrical station at Jinja was placed in September, 1949, and preliminary work on the site has now begun. It is too early to give a detailed forecast of industrial development in the Jinja area, but projects for the manufacture of cotton textiles, fertilisers, paper, building materials and iron and steel are among those being considered. A cement factory has already been started at Tororo and will eventually draw its power from Jinja.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the fact that thousands of workers in field and factories in Jamaica are unemployed as a result of the contraction of 65 per cent. in sales of Jamaican cigars which occurred between 1947 and 1949, he will consult with the Chancellor of the Exchequer with a view to reducing the present very high rate of import duty, 64s. 9d. per 1b. preferential, in the United Kingdom, which is the main outlet for these cigars.

I am already in consultation with my right hon. and learned Friend on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made towards the implementation of the proposals in the Coussey Report on constitutional development in the Gold Coast.

The Legislative Council of the Gold Coast has now agreed to the general lines of the new Constitution, as set out in the Coussey Report and His Majesty's Government's statement on it. Select Committees and Commissions have been set up to deal with various questions bearing on the implementation of the proposals. The budget for the coming financial year will provide for a reorganisation of the structure of government in readiness for the setting up of ministries. The new constitutional instruments are being prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reports he has received on the operation of the Anglo-French Consultative Commission in the Togolands; and if he will consider the establishment of a similar commission for the Cameroons.

The Commission has held a number of meetings, and measures have been evolved which have had substantial success in alleviating the practical inconveniences caused by the existing frontier between the two Trust Territories. The circumstances of the Cameroons under Trusteeship do not appear to call for the establishment of a similar Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what representations he has received for the reinstatement of the English pound note as legal tender in Malta; and whether he will make a statement on the present position.

I have received from the Governor a memorandum by the Maltese Government on the subject of the circulation of United Kingdom paper money in Malta. This is under consideration. The present position is that, since 1949, United Kingdom bank notes have been replaced as legal tender by notes of local issue.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that no further communication has yet been made to the Institution of Professional Civil Servants, with regard to the conditions of certain staffs in Admiralty Yardcraft Service since his statement on this subject on 7th December last; and whether he will now make a statement with regard to this matter.

A further communication to the Institution and to the other interested organisations has now been sent.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when officers and men not now serving who have already received their prize money, may expect their medals and campaign stars.

I hope this task will be finished by the end of September, 1950.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres of marginal land there are in each of the counties of Wales.

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations if he will make a statement about the proposed scheme for irrigating one million acres in Northern Bechuanaland from the Zambesi.

Ambitious schemes have been mooted from time to time for large-scale diversion of the waters of the Zambesi in a southerly direction. The view of most experts is that such diversion is impracticable, and the Administration of the Bechuanaland Protectorate has not therefore pursued it.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is aware that deliveries of domestic fuel allocations in Macclesfield are at present three or four weeks in arrears; and if he will take immediate steps to remedy this.

I regret that supplies of house coal to Macclesfield have fallen seriously short of allocation, particularly during February and early March, but I am advised that the position is improving and that additional supplies have been arranged.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons were immunised in each of the years 1948 and 1949; how many cases of diphtheria were notified during each of those years; and what were the corresponding numbers of deaths.

The following figures relate to children under 15:

—	Numbers Immunised (provisional figures subject to correction)	Diphtheria Cases Notified (local authorities' returns)	Deaths from Diphtheria
1948	702,700	2,431 (1,643 not immunised)	126 (120 not immunised)
1949	641,700	Not yet available	Not yet available

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in May, 1949, there was lodged with C. G. Symonds Limited, Kettering, a prescription for spectacles for a four-year-old child, whose name has been supplied to him, and that the spectacles have not yet been delivered; what is the reason for the long delay; and when the spectacles may be expected.

Yes. I am informed that the optician did not consider that the case was one requiring priority. Delay in supply has also been due in part to the need to make a special type of frame. The glasses are expected soon.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the small and rapidly decreasing fleet of sailing vessels now lying in some of our ports is likely to be broken up shortly; and if he will consider acquiring them for use as training ships for the Merchant Service.

Experience in the Merchant Navy over many years has shown that training of the kind referred to by my hon. Friend is not a necessary preliminary to service in merchant ships. Training is in any case a matter for the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make a statement about his future plans for the licensing of private house building in Scotland.

In connection with the allocations which I am intimating to local authorities this week I have considered whether it is possible to relax the control at present exercised over private house building in Scotland. Since 1947 the issue of building licences has been subject to the approval of the Central Department and, except for a period in 1949, approvals have been restricted to applications relating to the building of houses for agricultural workers, miners and key workers whose claims have been accorded priority in the national interest. Otherwise, the available resources have been devoted to the building of houses for local authorities for letting to families with the greatest housing need. Until greater inroads have been made into the waiting lists of local authorities this must remain the primary object of housing policy.Without prejudicing this object, however, I have come to the conclusion, since it would be in the public interest, that a limited number of licences might in addition be issued for houses for certain

other categories of persons whose claims similarly merit priority of treatment. Accordingly, after consultation with the Minister of Works, I propose to inform local authorities that until further notice the Central Department will also be prepared to consider recommendations in favour of the issue of licences where the houses are intended for:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present establishment and strength of the prison and Borstal staffs; what were the establishments and strengths in 1938; and what has been the recruitment and wastage figures for each of the last six months.

The number of officers of the subordinate grades for which provision has been authorised in 1950–51 is 4,131 men and 339 women. The present strength is 3,904 men (including 130 temporary officers and 254 auxiliary officers under training) and 264 women (including 55 temporary and 33 auxiliary officers). The comparable figures on 1st April, 1938, were: Men, authorised strength 2,237, actual strength 2,122; women, authorised strength 172, actual strength 161.Recruitment and wastage figures for the last six complete months are as follows:

Month	Men		Women
	Recruited to the Service	Left the Service	Recruited to the Service	Left the Service
Sept. 1949	71	47	5	7
Oct.	99	70	23	4
Nov.	98	90	8	10
Dec.	55	60	2	10
Jan. 1950	92	57	9	6
Feb.	75	53	10	4
Total	490	377	57	41

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how far there has been any improvement in the conditions of British nationals, and any greater consideration of British interests in China, since the de facto recognition of the present Government.

British nationals have continued to encounter difficulties of various kinds since de jure recognition was accorded. These have in part been due to the Nationalist blockade, and in part to conditions prevailing in China.