asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that a number of shipping companies are desirous of selling old ships in order to replace them by modern tonnage, he will lift or relax his ban on the sale of ships to foreign nationals.

I have every sympathy with the desire of the shipping companies to replace old ships with new ones. For the last 18 months there has, in fact, been virtually no restriction on the sale of the oldest ships to foreigners, and since the end of 1949 I have permitted, subject to assurances of replacement, the freer sale of rather less old tonnage. I am now considering whether a further relaxation is justifiable.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the proposed extension to the quarryings at Milton Hill, Wells, Somerset, involve the violation of an established right of way; and whether he will hold a public inquiry before that violation is permitted.

Yes, but a substitute footpath would be provided. I intend to hold a local public inquiry into the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet reached a decision with regard to the raising of the speed limit for heavy goods vehicles, and in particular with regard to the recommendations of the Rosebery Committee in that direction.

No.

asked the Minister of Works on what grounds a licence was issued for the John Lewis building in Oxford Street, London; and what is the total cost and the steel in tons allowed.

The total cost of the temporary shops already erected and in course of erection by Messrs. John Lewis in Oxford Street will be about £33,000, and 10 tons of steel have been released. The work was licensed before the present restrictions on capital investment were imposed, on the grounds that the improvement of this bombed site gives the firm a little of the accommodation they lost through war damage and because no softwood and so little steel were required.

asked the Minister of Works the tonnage of steel allowed for buildings in London for 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1950, respectively; and the purposes for which the buildings will be used.

No separate statistics of this kind are kept and the information could not be obtained without a detailed examination of thousands of files in my own and other Departments. I do not think the time and labour involved would be justified.

asked the Minister of Works the total amounts allowed to be spent on hotels in London, during. 1947. 1948, 1949 and 1950, respectively.

The total value of licences granted for hotels in London is as follows:

	£
1947	542,000
1948	730,000
1949	854,000
1950 (to 31st March)	180,000

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the shortage of cement in the Dartford area; and if he will take steps to ensure that adequate supplies are made available as soon as possible.

My Department have been informed of a shortage and have asked for particulars.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that building work at Cray-ford, particulars of which have been sent him, is held up because of shortage of cement; and if he will expedite delivery of the necessary supplies.

I have made inquiries about the case referred to by my hon. Friend, and I understand that the cement required was delivered on 21st April.

asked the Minister of Works what was the production of sheet glass and plate glass in terms of square sheet, for the years 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949, respectively.

I am unable to supply the information except in terms of weight. In round figures the quantity of sheet and plate glass manufactured during these years was:—

Tons
1946	183,000
1947	190,000
1948	228,000
1949	243,000

asked the Minister of Works how much of the £9,200 spent on furnishing No. 10, Downing Street, since 1945 was spent on utility furniture.

None.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the cost of maintaining their organisation of local fuel overseers.

The cost of maintaining local fuel overseers which will fall on my Department's Vote in the present year is estimated at £1,125,000. The expenditure last year was about £1,300,000.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the names and qualifications of the members of the South-Eastern Gas Consultative Council.

The following are the name and qualifications of the members of the South-Eastern Gas Consultative Council:

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what encouragement is being given to the commercial firm in

The firm's proposal to build an oil refinery at Tyne-mouth was approved in principle in August, 1947. In order to judge whether it was necessary to make provision for the refinery in the capital investment programme for 1950 my Department recently asked the firm when they hoped to start building. The firm replied that they would not be able to start this year.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he is yet in a position to make a statement about the disposal of the reserve funds which belonged to former local authority electricity undertakings in South-East Scotland.

No. As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary informed the hon. and gallant Member on 3rd April last, representations on this matter were received on 15th March and are under consideration. This is a complex matter; it involves questions of law as well as questions of finance; I regret that I cannot now say how soon a decision can be made.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will increase the petrol allowance to overseas visitors.

As I said in answer to a Written Question a few days ago, visitors from Canada and the United States who bring or buy cars will receive petrol for 3,000 miles in their first month, 2,000 miles in their second month and a thousand in their third month. Other overseas visitors from foreign and Commonwealth countries will receive petrol for 2,000 miles, 1,000 and 1,000 in their first three months. Visitors from the Irish Republic, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will receive allowances to take them from their port to their destination and back. In addition visitors from the Irish Republic and the Channel Islands will receive a touring allowance of 500 miles.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many persons are now employed by his Department in rationing petrol.

The total stall employed on petrol rationing on 1st April. 1950, was 1,949.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the total cost of petrol rationing, including salaries, rents, rates, printing, postages and sundries; and what this cost amounts to per gallon of petrol rationed.

The cost of the staff employed on petrol rationing in Great Britain is £680,000 a year, or 0.35 of a penny per gallon of petrol rationed. The cost of accommodation, postage and stationery is borne by the Departments responsible for those common services; I have no precise information about the amounts involved, but I think they may be roughly estimated at £200,000 or 0.1 of a penny per gallon.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the principles on which regional petroleum officers decide on applications for supplementary petrol.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a leaflet on petrol rationing for private motor cars and motor cycles, which explains the main principles on which the regional petroleum officers base their decisions about applications for supplementary petrol.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what saving of petrol has resulted from the recent review of existing supplementary allowances undertaken by the regional petroleum officer, South-Eastern Region.

The review of supplementary allowances recently undertaken by the regional petroleum officer, South-Eastern Region, is not yet complete, and I regret that I cannot, therefore, say what saving of petrol will result.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will increase all supplementary petrol allowances granted for business purposes proportional to the recently announced increase of basic petrol.

To double the supplementary allowances of petrol granted for business purposes would mean so large an increase in dollar expenditure that I am afraid it is out of the question.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of the increased price now paid by the consumer of motor fuel, he will now make arrangements for the quality of pool petrol to be improved.

The supply of a better quality petrol would reduce the total amount of motor spirit produced at sterling refineries. For the present, therefore, I cannot hold out hope of any change.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the fact that the basic petrol ration is now to be increased, he will proportionately increase the supplementary ration allocated to commercial travellers.

Like other motorists, commercial travellers will benefit by the increase in the standard ration of petrol which my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget speech. They were granted an increase, which varied, according to the size of the car, from 350 to 750 miles a year, in February, 1949; they received another thousand in May, 1949, when the standard ration was made available to those who draw supplementary allowances; the present increase in the standard ration will give them yet another thousand. In view of these facts, and of the other strong claims which are put forward, I regret that I cannot do what the hon. Member has proposed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the doubling of the petrol ration, if private car and motor cycle users will be allowed to bank their coupons and spread the total over the whole year in such a way as those owners who prefer to save their coupons in the winter may have the benefit of the extra mileage in the summer.

Every standard ration coupon can be used at any time during the six months' period for which it is issued; it is also valid for the five months after the month to which it relates. This arrangement allows a large proportion of the coupons for the winter period to be used in summer, and I think it is, therefore, unnecessary, as on other grounds, it is undesirable, to do what my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the fact that drivers of private motor cars may use unauthorised petrol unintentionally, if he will amend his Regulations to remit the penalty in such cases.

No amendment is required, since the Motor Spirit (Regulation) Act contains the provision which the hon. Member desires.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the basis on which coal is allocated to domestic users.

The Government decide the amount of coal available for household use. In so doing, they consider the probable total output of coal for the year; the essential needs of other home consumers, for example, industry, the railways, and gas works; and the amount which we must export to markets overseas. The quantity allowed for household use is then divided among the various regions in proportion to the numbers and needs of the consumers. It is distributed to individual merchants on a similar basis by a trade organisation—the House Coal Distribution (Emergency) Scheme, which works in co-operation with my Department. The merchants are responsible for equitable distribution to individual consumers, within the limits laid down by directions made under the Coal Distribution Order, 1943. This part of the control is supervised by the local fuel overseers.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is in a position to make a statement regarding new restrictions governing the maximum quantity of coal to which domestic consumers will be entitled during the coming year.

In accordance with the Coal Distribution Order, 1943, I have issued a direction about the supplies of coal to domestic consumers in the year beginning 1st May. The direction was laid before the House on 22nd April, and I hope it will be in the Vote Office today. The maximum quantities for the year will be the same as in 1949–50, but in the Southern Regions householders will be able to buy 24 cwt. during the summer instead of 20 cwt., as they could a year ago.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that the domestic coal ration supplied to consumers is still falling much below the permitted maximum; and whether better supplies can now be made available.

As I informed the House on 20th and 29th March, the question of the supply of coal for household consumption is under urgent consideration. I have at present nothing to add to what I said then.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power why there is a shortage of coal in North Oxfordshire; why the quality has deteriorated in the past few months; why the allocation of coal has not been filled; whether he will ensure that future allocations are filled on time; and that a larger allocation be made for the winter of 1950–51.

I am making inquiries and will write to the hon. Member as soon as I can.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what shortfall there has been in deliveries of British coal to Eire; what complaints his Department has received about its quality; whether he is aware that Eire is now increasing its purchases of coal from the Saar and Poland; and what steps he proposes to take in this matter.

There has been no shortfall in the shipments of coal to the Irish Republic. In the first quarter of this year, 400,000 tons of coal and patent fuel were sent there; this is at the annual rate provided in the trade agreement with the Irish Republic; it is 40,000 tons more than were sent in the first quarter of 1949. I have received no complaints about the quality of the coal. Irish buyers have recently arranged to buy some coal from Poland and the Saar; but the proposed purchases are very small, and are less than were imported from Poland a year ago.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if he will look further into the question of supplies of house coal to Macclesfield, as allocations are still in arrears, and the situation has worsened.

There were improvements in the supply of house coal to Macclesfield in the latter part of March and early April, but as the hon. and gallant Member will understand, the Easter holidays in the pits led to a reduction in deliveries. Additional supplies were. however, arranged last week.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether, in view of the declared policy of his Department that stone and slate included in deliveries is returnable by the consumer, he will set up a committee to investigate practical methods of financially reimbursing the consumers, merchants and carriers concerned in any returns of rubbish.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what provision he has made to enable coal merchants effectively to remove the high percentage of slate and dirt in present deliveries of coal.

As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary said in answer to the hon. Member for Denbigh (Mr. G. Evans) on 3rd April, the settlement of individual complaints about dirt in consignments of coal rests, not with my Department, but between the buyer and the seller in accordance with normal commercial practice. As regards the general problem of dirty coal, the first of a series of meetings between representatives of the Chamber of Coal Traders, the Cooperative Union and the National Coal Board was held on the 4th April, when the whole problem was thoroughly discussed. The Board agreed that it was for them to secure by action at the pits an improvement in the general standard of. quality of house coal, and stated that they had already given instructions for a renewed drive for the production of cleaner coal. The coal merchants have already undertaken, and will continue to take, all practicable steps to pick out large stones and slate from individual consignments; and the Coal Board and the trade are now giving further consideration to the question of allowances for dirty coal, with a view to simplifying the procedure for dealing with complaints. The Domestic Coal Consumers' Council are keeping a close watch on the progress of these discussions; and I propose to do the same. As the Consumers' Council have the matter in hand, I think it would serve no useful purpose to set up another committee, as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if the National Coal Board output target is based on coal raised at the pithead or on invoiced deliveries; and what is the difference in tonnage between these two figures.

The National Coal Board's forecast of production is for saleable output, that is the tonnage of coal produced for sale after cleaning and screening, together with the tonnage used by the collieries themselves, and supplied to miners as free and concessionary coal, which, of course, is also cleaned and screened. In 1949, the saleable output was 18.3 million tons less than the total tonnage raised and weighed.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what is the national average percentage increase in ash and moisture for all qualities of coal for the full year 1949 as compared with 1938; and what the increase in ash and moisture represents as a total figure expressed in millions of tons for the year 1949.

I regret that the statistics for which the hon. Member asks are not available.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether his attention has been drawn to the recent cut in the domestic coal ration in North Staffordshire; and whether he will take action to secure early improvement.

A temporary reduction has been made in the supplies given to merchants who deal with the so-called colliery landsale depots in North Staffordshire. I hope the reduction will only last for two weeks. Its purpose was to give their fair share of coal to merchants who draw their supplies from railway depots.

asked the Attorney-General if the state of the work in His Majesty's Land Registry makes it possible to implement the recommendations of the Land Transfer Committee of 1943 by extending the system of compulsory registration of title to land.

His Majesty's Land Registry is now up to date with its work, but the lack of trained staff prevents a return to the speed which characterised the Department before the war. I am sorry to say that the manpower situation precludes for the present the recruitment of the additional staff which would be required, either fully to restore the pre-war position, or to enable the compulsory areas to be further extended.

asked the Attorney-General if he is aware that the Yorkshire Deeds Registries do not now appear to serve any useful conveyancing purpose to property owners; and if he will introduce legislation for these registries to be abolished.

I agree that the present system of registration of deeds applying to land in Yorkshire is not as satisfactory as the registration of title system which applies in London, Middlesex and elsewhere and this was the conclusion reached by the Tomlin Committee in 1930. But the extension of the system of registration of title to Yorkshire in substitution for the Deeds Registries presents a number of difficulties, not the least being the provision of suitable staff and I cannot hold out any hope of such a change in the immediate future.

asked the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been undertaken to prove illegal practices at the recent General Election; and how many convictions have been obtained.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has undertaken nine prosecutions for offences in relation to the recent General Election. Of these four were for illegal practices, four for corrupt practices and one for illegal hiring. Convictions were obtained in seven and two of the cases were dismissed. Two further prosecutions are pending and inquiries are proceeding in four other alleged cases. Prosecutions are not exclusively conducted by the Director of Public Prosecutions but, as far as I am aware, there have been no other prosecutions save one which was undertaken by a local returning officer for the offence of personation.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has now received the final report of the Committee considering Leasehold Reform; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to receive the final report of the Leasehold Committee; and what steps he proposes to take soon to deal with the difficulties which are being experienced by lessees and tenants of shops when their leases expire.

The final report of the Leasehold Committee has not yet been received and I am not in a position to make a statement. However, I understand that the drafting of the report is in its final stages and the report may be expected within about a month. The Government as I stated in reply to Questions on 13th March, 1950, have deferred reaching a decision on the proposals contained in the Interim Report of the Leasehold Committee until they have had an opportunity of considering any recommendations that may be made in the committee's final report.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that if a parent wishes to send some coffee to his son in Germany he is only permitted to do so on the condition that he sends an equivalent amount of rationed food; and what useful purpose is served by this regulation.

This arrangement is designed to discourage the indiscriminate sending abroad of unrationed goods such as coffee, which might otherwise result in a serious drain on our supplies. But it is possible to send abroad each year one gift of up to 5 lb. of coffee without having to send rationed food as well. Licences for this purpose can be obtained from the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Food what will be the extra rations for farm workers during harvest and similar special periods this year.

asked the Minister of Food if he has now been able to make arrangements for the issue direct to farm workers of extra rations during the period from April to October when they are working extra long hours.

asked the Minister of Food whether extra rations will be available for farm workers during the harvest period this year; and what arrangements he has made to improve the distribution of this extra food.

I am glad to say that I have been able to increase the scale of seasonal allowances for farm workers this year. The new weekly quantities will be:

	Ounces
Tea	2
Sugar	6
Margarine	6
Cheese	3
Bacon	3

The daily rate will be one-sixth of the weekly rate. In view of the changes in the points scheme, I have included the bacon in place of the former allowance of points. I am afraid that, for the reasons which I gave to the hon. Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott) on 13th March, I cannot agree to allow workers to collect these allowances for themselves, but the new quantities should be much easier to share out.

asked the Minister of Food whether he proposes any alteration this year in the extra rations for farm workers during harvest, and any change in the method of allocation.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Members for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott), Newbury (Mr. Hurd), and Sevenoaks (Mr. Rodgers), today.

asked the Minister of Food what has been the effect on prices of the removal of price controls on sales of fish; and what action is proposed by his Department to check price increases.

On the first day of decontrol very high first-hand prices were demanded, but, as I had expected, the market could not sustain them and already prices for many varieties are at or even below the old controlled levels. In the circumstances I would prefer to !wait a little longer before considering future policy.

asked the Minister of Food why he has refused to accept the Irish offer of air-borne cream.

So long as the sale of home-produced cream is prohibited, I regret I cannot see my way to allow imports.

asked the Minister of Food if he will now consider releasing licences for the purchase of Brazil nuts.

Yes. Arrangements for licensing have now been made and an announcement will shortly be issued by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Food why the Russian ship "Dmitry Donskoy" was recently chartered by his Department to bring 8,600 tons of sugar from San Domingo to Liverpool, although British tramp shipping was available.

No British tramp shipping was available at the rates we were offering when this Russian ship was chartered.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that there are institutions in the country which produce large numbers of eggs which they are forced to send to the packing stations, while the patients then are given eggs which are definitely not new laid, supplied through the packing stations; and if he will allow these institutions to supply their patients with the eggs produced on their own premises.

When institutions keep poultry we do in fact allow them to use the eggs they produce. If the hon. Member will let me have details of the cases to which she refers, I will gladly look into them.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the importation of jam in recent months is causing heavy losses to British jam manufacturers which will result in the closing down of some factories; and what steps he proposes to take to stop unfair competition from countries where sugar is not subject to a surcharge as levied on British manufacturers.

I have no evidence that the United Kingdom jam industry is at present suffering heavy losses, but I am aware that sales have declined in recent months from the high levels of the war and post-war period. I am. however, considering representations which have been made to me on this matter by the Food Manufacturers' Federation

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that the result of lifting the ban on imported fruit pulp as from 1st June, 1950, is that jam manufacturers are being offered pulp at prices which represent about one-half of the cost of the price paid for fruit last season; and whether, since large stocks of fruit pulp are held by jam manufacturers, he will take steps to stop this importation until at least it can be seen what fruit prospects are for this season.

The change to take place on 1st June is that my Department will cease to be the sole importer of fruit pulps and these will then be brought in by private traders. I see no justification for stopping imports of this commodity.

asked the Minister of Food what arrangements he has made for the purchase of canned fruit from the West Indies; what was the value of such imports in 1949; and what increase is anticipated for 1950.

No arrangements have yet been made for the purchase of canned fruit from the West Indies by my Department but discussions are now taking place. None was purchased in 1949.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities of tinplate were allocated to manufacturers for canning and fruit preservation in the years 1948. 1949 and 1950, respectively.

The quantities of tinplate used for canning fruit in 1948 and 1949 were approximately 14,500 tons and 19,000 tons respectively. The provisional allocation for 1950 is about 13,500 tons.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent his Department uses the services of the Economic Co-operation Administration Office of Small Businesses when making purchases in the United States of America with Marshall Aid dollars.

My Department is in very close touch with the Economic Cooperation Administration and has furnished lists of agents and brokers through whom United Kingdom purchases of food are made from time to time.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent he intends to import further quantities of frozen rabbits; and whether he will ensure chat such imports do not interfere with the marketing of United Kingdom rabbits.

I do not intend to buy any more frozen rabbits and hope soon to be able to announce what arrangements will be made for private imports after de-control.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give an assurance that, before making bulk-purchase contracts for food from any particular country, he takes steps to ascertain what other countries have food surpluses available for export.

The hon. Member may take it that this is always done.

asked the Minister of Food what was the cost of bringing four summonses against Messrs. R. Silcock & Sons of Liverpool, and W. J. Pearce of Redruth, Cornwall, and two others, under the Feeding Stuffs (Rationing) Order, 1949, which were recently dismissed; what costs were awarded against his Department; and what disciplinary action has been taken against those responsible for charging firms with offences before the Regulations they were alleged to have broken came into force.

The reply to the first part of the Question is £3 16s. Od. The reply to the second part is 10 guineas. The reply to the third part is that the Order under which the offences fell was described in error as the 1949 Order Whether the inadvertent writing of 1949 instead of 1943 calls for disciplinary action is not for me to answer as the Treasury Solicitor's Department conducted the proceedings and drafted the informations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the total sum of liabilities on the termination of the Palestine Mandate in May, 1948; how much of this has been met from United Kingdom funds up to date; and how far the successor authorities have accepted their respective shares of the liabilities.

The amount of the liabilities of the Palestine Government on the termination of the Mandate has not yet been finally determined. The sum of £15,102,804 has so far been met from United Kingdom funds in respect of liabilities of the former Palestine Administration (including the deficit on its account on 14th May, 1948); and against this sums totalling about £2 million have accrued to the Exchequer. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer to the reply by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. and learned Member for Northants, South (Mr. Manningham-Buller) on 4th April regarding the financial negotiations with Israel. No share of the liabilities has so far been accepted by any other Authority.

asked the Minister of National Insurance whether, in view of the fact that great hardship is being caused to many ex-miners who left the industry before the passing of the Industrial Insurance Act, because of the five-year limitation within which they must apply for compensation, except in a few cases, she will take steps to remove that limitation.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Leslie Hale) on 18th April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why essential dates, omitted from S.I., 1950, No. 508, were supplied by correcting slip, bearing no date or authority; and if he will arrange for the Instrument to be published in proper form.

The essential dates were entered in the signed copy of the Order, and correcting slips were issued in accordance with normal practice when the omission was discovered in the published copies. The correcting slips bore the imprint of His Majesty's Stationery Office and the number and title of the instrument. If it is necessary to reprint the Order the dates will of course be incorporated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give, in their separate categories the amount of subsidies paid to farmers; and for what purpose they are paid.

It is estimated that subsidies totalling nearly £24i million will be paid by the Agricultural Departments to farmers during the current financial year to encourage agricultural production at home. Particulars of these subsidies were given on 20th April in my reply to a question by the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd). In addition it is estimated that a subsidy of £7½ million will be borne by the Board of Trade to cheapen fertilisers, and that acreage payments on potatoes and rye totalling £13 million will be paid by the Agricultural Departments. Both of these items are included in the food subsidies, £246 million of which is in respect of home-produced food. The balance of £2251 million represents the cost to the Ministry of Food of selling home-produced food at subsidised prices to consumers.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if, in view of the rise in the cost of petrol, he will see that the charge for Ministerial cars is also raised when they are used for private purposes.

Yes. The matter is now being reviewed by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give details of the debts owing to this country at the end of 1949.

Details of outstanding loans to or for Colonial and other Governments, other than those arising out of the 1939–45 war, are to be found on pages 70, 71 and 72 of the Finance

LOANS BY His MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT OUTSTANDING ON 31ST DECEMBER, 1949
—	Amount Outstanding	Interest rate	—
	£000
China—
Agreement of 2nd May, 1944, on Financial aid for war purposes.	8,128	—	Question of abeyance.
Agreement of 5th June, 1941, for £5 million loan for National purposes.	4,109	3½ per cent.	Repayable by annuities ending April, 1961.
France—
Anglo-French Financial Agreement of 3rd December,1946 (Cmd. 6988).	100,677	½ per cent.	Repayable by twelve annuities—first annuity due September, 1950.
Netherlands—
Agreement of 11th March, 1948, on War-time Debts (Cmd. 7358).	42,855	½ per cent.	Repayable by annuities ending February, 1968.
Poland—
Agreement of 24th June, 1946, on outstanding Financial Questions (Cmd. 7148).	10,000	—	Repayable by fifteen annual instalments, the first payment to be made in June, 1952.
Agreement of 24th June, 1946, on outstanding Financial Questions (Cmd. 7148).	47,500	—	Question of repayment in abeyante.
Turkey—
Anglo-Franco-Turkish Treaty of Mutual Assistance, 19th October, 1939 (Cmd. 6165).	28,284	4 per cent.	Repayable by annuities ending December, 1966.
U.S.S.R.—
Agreement of 27th December, 1947 (Cmd. 7297).	35,120	½ per cent.	Each advance repayable by twelve equal annual instalments, the first due at the end of the fourth year from the date on which the advance was made.
Czecho-Slovakia—
Agreement of 28th September, 1949, for settlement of Inter-Governmental Debts (Cmd. 7798).	19,747	1 per cent.	Repayable by instalments from January, 1954 to July, 1965.
Agreement of 28th September, 1949, for settlement of Inter-Governmental Debts (Cmd. 7798).	307	—	Repayable by four equal instalments ending 1st July, 1950.
Agreement of 28th September, 1949, for settlement of Inter-Governmental Debts (Cmd. 7798).	24	—	Repayable 1st September, 1950.
Agreement of 28th September, 1949, for settlement of Inter-Governmental Debts (Cmd. 7798).	90	—	Repayable 1st July, 1950.
Agreement of 28th September, 1949, for settlement of Inter-Governmental Debts (Cmd. 7798).	64	—	Repayable 1st October, 1950.
Agreement of 14th December, 1946, for Surplus Stores (Cmd. 7085).	2,500	½ per cent.	Repayable by two equal instalments on 1st January, 1950 and 1st January, 1951.
Agreement of 15th August, 1945, for purchase of goods in the United Kingdom.	4,136	2¼ per cent.	Repayable by annuities ending in July, 1953.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will publish details of Britain's debts to other countries; and what pro-

—	Outstanding at 31st March, 1946	Outstanding at 31st March, 1950
	£000	£000
United States of America:
Government Loan under Agreement of 6th December, 1945 (Cmd. 6708)	161,290*	1,556,468*
E.C.A. Loan under Agreements of 28th October, 1948 (Cmd. 7550) and 16th February, 1949 (Cmd. 7636)	—	115,250
Reconstruction Finance Corporation Loan under Agreement of 21st July, 1941 (Cmd. 6295)	60,016	33,518
Government of Canada:
Loan under Agreement of 6th March, 1946 (Cmd. 6904)	—	375,000
Loan Free of Interest	121,026	94,824
Government of Newfoundland	2,763	—
Government of India	20,887	166,878
Government of Pakistan	—	7,554
Government of Portugal	61,195	82,300
Government of Belgium (Agreement of 7th September, 1949 (Cmd. 7811))	—	2,054
Loans from Colonies:
Governments of East Africa (Joint Loans)	10,958	8,781
Kenya	3,177	2,004
Northern Rhodesia	2,332	310
Southern Rhodesia	3,000	—
Trinidad	3,247	797
Ceylon	7,622	5,121
Other Colonies	11,69	5,595
* These figures include the amounts due to the U.S.A. under the Lend-Lease Settlement.

If my hon. Friend is referring to the United Kingdom's sterling liabilities, I would refer him to Table IV of Cmd. 7928.

asked the Prime Minister how far the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Dcoration and Medals, before producing its report on the recognition of service in Malaya during the recent period of emergency, took into account the possibility of awarding some form of recognition to planters and others who have shared with the Armed Forces and police the essential and arduous task of maintaing order and protecting lives and property against bandit attack.

The following table shows loans to His Majesty's Government outstanding at 31st March, 1946, and 31st March, 1950.

Careful consideration was given to the possibility of recommending the award of the General Service Medal in the Auxiliary Police Force of the Federation of Malaya, of which many planters, miners and other civilians are members, but it was decided that they must be excluded as awards of this nature are not granted for part-time service. Consideration of any recognition for civil categories other than those named in the White Paper is one of some difficulty, owing principally to the numbers involved.A number of awards of the Colonial Police Medal for gallantry or meritorious service has already been made in the Auxiliary Police Force.

asked the Minister of Health when the Government will be prepared to recommend the granting of charters of incorporation to local authorities wishing to achieve borough status.

The Government will not encourage the grant of charters of incorporation before they have reached conclusions on local government reform. I cannot, however, say when that will be.

asked the Minister of Health to what extent he accepts responsibility for providing temporary shelter for persons evicted from their homes.

The provision of accommodation for evicted persons who cannot find homes for themselves is a matter for consideration by the local authorities.

asked the Minister of Supply (1) the number and cost of each type of civil aircraft on order by his Department; the intended recipient of each aircraft; whether these aircraft will be sold or hired to the recipient; and the purchase price or hire charge of each aircraft; (2) the number of each type of civil aircraft to be acquired by his Department; and how many of these will be sold or hired respectively to British Overseas Airways Corporation, British European Airways Corporation and private operators in 1950–51.

Excluding prototypes, my Department has ordered three Princess flying boats, which will be sold by the Ministry of Civil Aviation to the British Overseas Airways Corporation, and 40 Marathons, some of which will be purchased by the British European Airways Corporation. Acting as agent for the Corporations, my Department has ordered 25 Hermes and 14 Comets for the British Overseas Airways Corporation and 20 Ambassadors for the British European Airways Corporation. It would be contrary to established practice to disclose contract prices.

asked the Minister of Supply the number of each type of civil aircraft held by his Department which will be on hire to British Overseas Airways Corporation, British European Airways Corporation and private operators respectively in 1950–51; and the initial cost and hire charge for each aircraft.

I have been asked to reply. The following aircraft will be on hire or hire purchase from my Department during all or part of the year 1950–51:To British Overseas Airways Corporation-10 Solents; to British European Airways Corporation—nil; to private operators-10 Bristol Wayfarer/Freighters.It would be contrary to established practice to disclose the individual costs or hire charges for these aircraft. The charges are based on the expected life of the aircraft.

asked the Minister of Supply to what extent his Department uses the services of the Economic Cooperation Administration Office of Small Business when making purchases in the United States of America with Marshall Aid dollars.

After discussion with the Economic Co-operation Administration mission in London it was agreed that my Department could best use the services of the Office of Small Business by providing for its use, details of the type of commodities bought or likely to be bought with Marshall Aid dollars and of the channels through which purchases are made. This information has accordingly been made available for dissemination by the Office of Small Business throughout the United States.

asked the Minister of Supply if he is aware that the shortage of light vans is causing great inconvenience; and whether he will consider increasing the output of covered vans, up to 25 cwt. for the home market, to ease the situation of "C" licence holders.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Epping (Mr. Nigel Davies) on 3rd April [OFFICIAL REPORT, 3rd April, 1950; Vol. 473, c. 102/3].

asked the Minister of Supply when it is anticipated that a supply of garden rakes more than one foot broad will again be made available to the British gardening public.

These rakes are already available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the expected cost of the Palace of Europe at Strasbourg; what proportion is to be paid by the British taxpayer; how long it has taken to build; and when it is expected to be available for use.

The expected cost of the building which is being erected at Strasbourg for the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe is French francs 327,000,000 or £334,000 at current rates of exchange. This figure includes furnishings and equipment. The share of the expenses of the Council of Europe borne by the United Kingdom is 22.6 per cent. The proportion of the cost of the building to be paid by His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom will, therefore, be French francs 73,902,000 or £75,487. Construction began on 6th March and the Secretariat-General of the Council expect that the building will be ready for occupation by the Consultative Assembly when it meets on 7th August.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will give the number of Regular recruits to the Royal Navy in each of the years 1927 to 1949.

The number of recruits entered or re-entered on regular engagements in the Royal Navy and

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is aware of the hardship which is caused to conscripted men who are accepted for entry at training and other colleges on dates shortly before the completion of their military service; and whether he is prepared to consider remissions of service for short periods in cases which show evidence of hardship.

In general, young men who wish to go to college after leaving school have the option of applying to the Minister of Labour for: (a) a deferment of their call-up to enable them to attend college before doing their National Service; or (b) an early call-up to enable them to fit in their National Service before the date when their college course starts.Men proposing to enter training colleges in England and Wales, however, can only be accepted after they have done their National Service and, therefore, are not eligible for deferment. These arrangements have been explained to all educational authorities and headmasters. If, despite these arrangements, cases of exceptional hardship occur which cannot be met in any other way, and application is made for premature release, the Services

asked the Minister of Education (1) if anything is being done to provide an annexe at the Diamond Jubilee School, Aycliffe, County Durham; (2) if he has considered a resolution on the provision for an annexe to the school at Aycliffe passed by a public meeting held at Aycliffe; and if it is his intention to agree to the proposal therein made, in view of the fact that the parents are greatly concerned about their children having to attend other schools away from the village.

Before the Durham county education authority's proposal to reorganise the schools at Great Aycliffe was approved on 6th April last, the resolution in question and other representations were considered. When Great Aycliffe Church of England Primary School is closed the children will attend the Diamond Jubilee School, which is now taking older pupils only. As it is impracticable because of restrictions on building and undesirable on educational grounds to build an annexe for a primary school attached to the Diamond Jubilee School, a further proposal that the senior children in the village should be transferred to the Leeholme Modern School has also been approved. Special transport will be provided for them. I am satisfied that this arrangement will be to their best advantage until new primary and secondary schools are built in the area, when the proposed town at Newton Aycliffe develops.

asked the Minister of Education how many children in Cardiff and Glamorgan, respectively, have ceased taking dinners at school since the price of school meals was raised.

In the returns made for a single day in October and in February, the percentages of children present who took school dinners compare as follow:

	October	February
	(per cent.)	(per cent.)
Cardiff	25.1	24.9
Glamorgan	50.6	45.9

asked the Minister of Education whether he is aware that a number of children attending the county primary school at Sealand, living between two and four miles from the school, are missing nearly one half-hour of schooling a day owing to the timing of the bus service; and if he will see that transport for these children is improved.

I am aware that altogether 13 children have been affected in this way. I understand that the local education authority have now made alternative arrangements which will enable all these children to reach school at the proper time.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he will consider including under Section 80 of the Town and Country Planning Act, 1947, all land, the owners of which had installed before 7th January, 1947, all necessary roads, sewers and other services with the object of ensuring proper and balanced development.

No.