asked the Postmaster-General what was the total annual weight of secondhand wool bagging, used in the production of mail bags in this country, for the last three years.

None. Post Office mail bags produced in this country during the last three years have been made of heavy flax canvas.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of Purchase Tax on picture postcards, he will consider restoring penny postage on these missives, to bring the charge into line with the penny postage on unsealed envelopes.

Picture postcards may be sent at the penny (printed paper) rate of postage, provided that nothing is written on them except the date of sending, the names and addresses of the sender and addressee, and a formula of courtesy or of a conventional character not exceeding five words or initials.

asked the Postmaster-General how the damage to the body of the London Post Office van No. GYV 867 occurred; and when will it be repaired.

The damage was caused on 8th May by a glancing blow from a lorry which did not stop. Repairs to the Post Office vehicle are in progress and should be completed this week.

asked the Postmaster-General how many persons in the Borough of Heston and Isleworth are still awaiting the provision of telephones; how many telephones have been installed there in the past 12 months; and how many it is intended to install in the next 12 months.

The number of waiting applicants is 2,566. One thousand and thirty-six telephones were installed during the last year and a similar number should be installed during the next 12 months.

asked the Postmaster-General when Mr. and Mrs. Carr, 187, Crescent Drive, Petts Wood, who first made application four years ago and particulars of whose case has been sent to him, can expect to be provided with a telephone.

Mr. and Mrs. Carr should be provided with a telephone by this year, when a new cable will be completed. Wayleave consent for this cable was obtained only 10 days ago after prolonged negotiation.

asked the Postmaster-General why the telephone was removed from the house of Mr. and Mrs. Davies, Loders, Downe Road, Keston, Kent, particulars of whose case has been sent to him; and when they can expect to be reconnected.

The line previously serving Mr. Davies' house was withdrawn for applicants of higher priority. It is now being used to give service to two former subscribers who applied for telephones at their new homes before Mr. Davies took over his present house. The only way to give Mr. Davies service is by sharing with an existing subscriber, and the telephone manager is doing his best to arrange this.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there is intermittent and abnormal interference with wireless reception in the Rothwell Road, Pioneer Avenue and Federation Avenue area of Desborough, Northamptonshire; and whether he will renew his efforts to locate and suppress the disturbance.

I am aware of only one outstanding complaint of interference with wireless reception in the area referred to. This has just been received and is under investigation.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, under the Copenhagen Wavelength Plan, he will consider establishing a station in Inverness-shire to be synchronised with the high-power station at Daventry.

The Copenhagen Plan provides for a station in Northern Scotland synchronised with the Third Programme transmitter at Daventry, but the B.B.C. is not at present in a position to establish a station in Inverness-shire.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether, in view of the fall in the number of Regulars in the Royal Air Force, he will consider raising the retiring age of officers who are medically fit to carry out their work and who are willing to sign on for further service.

There has been no fall in the number of Regular officers, which has in fact increased from 14,156 on 1st April, 1948, to 18,472 on 1st April, 1950. In these circumstances, there is no need to consider raising the retiring ages.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, in view of the three air displays by Air Training Corps and the Royal Air Force display to be held in England in May, June and July, what arrangements are being made for similar displays in Scotland.

I am not aware of any plans by A.T.C. units in Scotland to hold rallies similar to those which are being held in England, but I can promise that any proposals from Scottish units for such events will be sympathetically considered by my Department. I regret that it is not possible to hold an air display in Scotland this year similar to the forthcoming R.A.F. Display at Farnborough, but the need for maintaining normal R.A.F. training programmes precludes more than one display on this scale being held.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what progress he expects to be made during the next year in constructing new buildings at London Airport.

During the next 12 months a start will be made on terminal buildings in the central area and on permanent hangar blocks and ancillary buildings for British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways Corporation in the maintenance areas. The last two of eight temporary hangars for British Overseas Airways Corporation are now nearing completion.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether he is now in a position to state whether customs facilities can be provided at Luton municipal aerodrome.

Even on the most favourable estimate of probable traffic, the provision of customs facilities would entail the uneconomical employment of customs staff. I therefore regret the designation of this aerodrome as a customs airport cannot be justified.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he is aware of the acute dissatisfaction in Fife, Angus and Perthshire, regarding the unwillingness of his Department to permit feeder services from these adjacent counties to link with the British European Airways Corporation services at Turnhouse and Renfrew; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

My noble Friend has at no time had occasion to refuse permission for feeder services intended only to link Fife, Angus and Perthshire with Turn-house and Renfrew.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will introduce legislation making it an offence for wholesale destruction of food to be deliberately undertaken in order to force high prices on the community.

It is already an offence against the Waste of Food Order, 1940, to waste food.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that Cardiff Corporation wishes to change its meat supplier; that the Corporation has been informed by the Food Office officials that permission could not be granted until 23rd August, 1950, and latterly 17th June, 1950; that every week's delay is costing the taxpayer and ratepayer of Cardiff £27 10s.; and whether he will ensure that permission is given to the Cardiff Corporation forthwith.

These supplies are for the school meals service in Cardiff. These services, in common with all catering establishments, are given permits for rationed food which cover a period of eight weeks. The food office has arranged to issue permits on the new supplier on 18th June when the present permits expire, but I am afraid that we cannot do so before then.

asked the Minister of Food what is the amount of subsidy on imported wheat and home-produced oats, respectively.

There is no subsidy on either home-produced oats or imported wheat, but National flour produced from both imported and homegrown wheat is subsidised to the extent of about £13 17s. 0d. per ton of wheat used. No wheat products other than those containing National flour are subsidised.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that since the alteration in the points system the sale of biscuits has dropped by 25 per cent.; and what steps he proposes to remedy this situation.

As I told the House on 15th May, I have promised to review the recent points changes after a month's experience, but I cannot at present anticipate this review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the employees of the People's Government of China at Hong Kong who are servicing aircraft at Kai-tak airport are still in possession of their passes of entry to that airport.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will indicate the extent of the success of the regulations which have recently become operative, controlling the entry of people into the Hong Kong area.

It is too early fully to assess the effectiveness of the measures to which my hon. Friend refers, but the Governor of Hong Kong has already reported that the heavy influx of previous weeks has been stemmed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the grant of a Royal Charter to Nairobi City has been accompanied by any re-adjustment of the representative character of the municipal council; what proportion of the members are Europeans, Indians, Africans and Arabs, respectively; and what is the method of election or selection in each case.

The grant of a Royal Charter to Nairobi has not involved any change in the constitution of the City Council. That constitution provides for a total membership of 29. Of these, seven are aldermen elected by the elected and nominated members of the Council, of whom at present five are Europeans and two are Indians; nine are European elected members; seven are Indian elected members; two are members representing the Government of Kenya and are nominated by the Governor; one is an Administrative Officer chosen by the Governor to represent African interests; two are African members nominated by the Governor; and one is a representative of the Nairobi District Council nominated by the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent Asians and Africans are entitled to be recruited for the Kenya Regiment.

Asians and Africans are not entitled to be recruited for the Kenya Regiment, which is a volunteer part-time Force composed entirely of Europeans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) if he will state the total profits made by British-owned rubber companies operating in Malaya during 1949;(2) what were the total profits made by British-owned tin companies operating in Malaya in 1948 and 1949.

I regret that the information which the hon. Member requires is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is his policy with regard to the demand for a wide distribution of arms to civilians in Malaya during the present troubles there.

Large numbers of auxiliary police, including village guards, are already issued with arms and this policy is being extended. An unduly wide distribution of arms to civilians would provide the terrorists with a target which, if successfully attacked, would supply them with much needed arms and ammunition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Malayan Nationalist Party has been refused registration as a political organ- isation in the Malayan Federation, whilst it has been admitted to such registration in Singapore.

In the Federation of Malaya, the Malay Nationalist Party has been refused registration because members of the party allied themselves with subversive organisations which have been banned. In Singapore the party was in 1947 declared to be a political association and, therefore, was not required to register. Following the action of the Federation Government, the party has given formal notice of its intention to dissolve its headquarters and its Singapore branch. Action will be taken shortly to cancel the declaration of 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is yet in a position to make a statement on his itinerary during his visit to Malaya; and what steps he proposes to take to acquaint himself with the hazardous lives being lived by rubber planters and tin miners.

It is my intention to see as much of conditions in Malaya as time will permit. In addition to visits to various States and Settlements, and talks with the conference of rulers and other authorities, the arrangements contemplated in the Federation include visits to rubber estates and tin mines and meetings with the planting and mining community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether in the light of recent investigations he will make a statement about the future of the Mona Dam, Jamaica.

No, Sir. The Government of Jamaica is examining the question and until that examination is completed it is impossible to make any useful statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the report of the inquiry into the Enugu disorders will be published.

The Governor to whom the Report is addressed and I have been considering it, and have taken the opportunity of his presence in this country to discuss it. When we have completed these discussions there will be an exchange of despatches between us and the Report will be published, together with the despatches as soon as prints of the letter are available. I fear that this cannot be before the Whitsun Recess, but the two papers should be in the hands of hon. Members by the time the House reassembles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the tonnage and value of the maize and other feeding-stuffs imported into the Gambia during the past 12 months.

As the figures are not available, I have asked the Governor of the Gambia to supply this information, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as I receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the proposed conference to control the inter-territorial Secretariat for Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland will deal with political questions or whether the inter-territorial co-operation will be confined to purely technical matters.

The proposed conference is designed to facilitate discussion and co-operation on all matters of common interest to the three territories. It will be a consultative body and will have no executive authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the circumstances in which a United States citizen, Mr. J. B. Jordan, was sentenced to imprisonment and a fine in Bermuda.

Mr. Jordan was sentenced to imprisonment for one month and to pay a fine of £50 for failing to comply with the directions given to him by the Bermuda Currency and Exchange Control Board to furnish information regarding his sterling account in a local bank as required under Regulation 20 of the local Defence (Finance) Regulations. The Supreme Court upheld this conviction on appeal but varied the sentence by making the imprisonment alternative, instead of additional, to payment of the fine. Mr. Jordan was also ordered to pay the costs of the appeal. He has petitioned the Privy Council for leave to appeal, and pending the result of the petition, has been granted a respite of execution of the sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the object of Mr. Malcolm MacDonald's visit to Australia; and if he will make a statement on the subject.

Mr. MacDonald is visiting Australia as a member of the United Kingdom delegation to the meeting of the Commonwealth Consultative Committee on Economic Development in South and South-East Asia. The House will not expect me to comment while the discussions in Australia are still in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which officials of the Colonial Civil Service require permission before being allowed to take their wives with them on their tour of duty in the Colonies; on what guiding principles this permission is given; and how far this rule applies to American technicians working in the Colonies under the Economic Co-operation Administration plan.

The conditions vary between different territories, but broadly permission, which is in the discretion of the Colonial Government, is required for all officers of the Colonial Service on first appointment to African territories. In granting or withholding permission the main considerations are the availability of suitable accommodation and the nature of the duties which the officer may be called upon to perform. The same principles apply to American technicians.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the status of the Planning Committee dealing with the establishment of a sports club for Colonial students in London; and how far the facilities open to other students of London University are available to these Colonial students.

The Planning Committee, which was set up by my predecessor, is advisory to myself. Its plans have envisaged a club open to all Colonial people in this country not merely students. So far as I am aware, Colonial students at London University are welcome participants in all the university facilities.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what was the total number of workers employed in His Majesty's dockyards as at 18th March, 1949, whose weekly wage amounted to less than £5 per week.

In the main professional departments of the home yards it is estimated that at the date mentioned about 6,350 industrial employees were receiving a standard wage of less than £5 a week. Of these, some 3,000 were male adults, and the rest women or juveniles. Actual earnings would, frequently, exceed the standard wage.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many persons have been suspended from His Majesty's Dockyards for security reasons; and how many are receiving full pay.

At present four are under suspension, all of whom are receiving full pay.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many Barbadians are working in Bermuda dockyard; and what is to happen to them when the dockyard is closed.

About 200. The intention is to repatriate them to Barbados when the dockyard closes.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many dockyard employees have been forced to revert to the paint shop as an alternative to discharge since the introduction of the new merit pay scheme.

Nine welders and nine caulkers have become redundant at the Royal Dockyards since the introduction of the new merit pay scheme. Of these, four welders and two caulkers elected to take their discharge, and the remainder have reverted to the paint shop as skilled labourers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will state the terms of the agreements made between his Department and the trades unions in connection with the dockyard merit awards.

The agreement between the official and trade union sides of the Shipbuilding Trade Joint Council on the subject of the new scheme of merit pay for craftsmen in Admiralty establishments takes the form of a somewhat lengthy document, the scheme itself being explained by diagrams. I am, therefore, sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what proportion of coastal shipping tonnage under construction is on behalf of nationalised industries.

Approximately 60 per cent. of the coastal shipping tonnage under construction for United Kingdom owners is on behalf of the nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, when applying for the replacement of a lost identity card, applicants must state on Form N.R. 37A, whether they are single, married, widowed or divorced.

I have been asked to reply. This information is no longer required on the occasion of a replacement and the form is being amended accordingly at the next reprint.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what representations he has received regarding increased prices for egg producers, resulting from the proposed termination of the feedingstuffs subsidy; and what reply he made to such representations.

Several poultry organisations have made such representations and in replying to them I have stated that all relevant factors including the effect of the withdrawal of the feeding-stuffs subsidy on production costs were taken into account when the egg prices for 1950–51 were settled following the annual review undertaken in consultation with the Farmers' Unions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries if, in view of the imminent danger of complete collapse in the fishing industry through the dumping of Icelandic and Danish fish, and the widespread unemploy- ment and distress that obtains in British ports, he will cause an immediate investigation to be made, and prompt action taken to safeguard the livelihood of British fishermen.

The position of the fishing industry is being examined by the Departments concerned, and until this examination has been completed I cannot make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that there is considerable local concern about his Department's policy in connection with No. 1 Engineer Stores Depot, Long Marston, Warwickshire; and if he will make a statement, particularly with regard to the employment of civilians and the progress in providing permanent accommodation for married military personnel.

This establishment, which is on War Department land and has good rail communications, and on which a great deal of money has already been spent, is intended to be retained permanently as a central engineer stores depot. It is proposed to build married quarters for 11 officers and 46 other ranks there. The total military and civilian staff is rather more than half the wartime strength, but considerably more civilians are employed. The ultimate total establishment is likely to show a considerable reduction on the present overall strength. It is necessary to employ civilians because soldiers are not available in sufficient numbers to man the depot and to provide continuity. The wage of a labourer in the depot is £4 18s. a week as against a minimum wage of £4 14s. a week for a farm labourer who normally incurs less travelling and other expenses.