asked the Secretary of State for Air why he has increased the fee payable by all pilots, navigators and radio operators for the official medical examination, which they must take on renewal of their licences, from 10s. 6d. to 15s.

The fee, which was fixed in 1923, was increased because the cost to the Royal Air Force in carrying out the medical examination on behalf of the Ministry of Civil Aviation has increased to an equivalent of 15s.

Is it not a fact that these examinations are done by Service doctors, and that their fees have not increased to this extent in the last few months?

No, Sir, but the cost of equipment and the basis of remuneration have both altered since 1923.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what progress has been made in the manning and re-equipment of Fighter Command Fighter Squadrons in bringing them up to a two flight basis.

By the middle of this year about three quarters of the Regular day fighter squadrons of Fighter Command should be at doubled strength. I now hope that the process will be complete by December and not by March, 1951, as I stated in the course of the Air Estimates Debate.

While gratified to hear what the right hon. and learned Gentleman says, may I ask if he can indicate when the Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadrons within Fighter Command will also expand to a two-flight basis?

No, Sir. Not without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether his Department intends to purchase the area known as the Cowden tank range in the East Riding of Yorkshire; and, if so, for what purpose it will be used.

Yes, Sir. This range will be used jointly by the Army and the Royal Air Force. The Army will use it for tank gunnery and the R.A.F. for live bombing, practice bombing and air-to-ground gunnery and rocket firing.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman give an assurance that the Cowden tank range will be fully used in the next year or so, as it has not been fully used in the last three or four years?

Yes, Sir. It is the intention that the Army will use it for Territorial practice only between the months of May and September, and that the Royal Air Force will use it for four or five days a week.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation why he has increased the fee payable for the grant of a Certificate of Airworthiness to a prototype aircraft to roughly double the present fee.

The fee is now related to the actual cost of investigation by the Air Registration Board, subject to a maximum.

Will the hon. Gentleman say when the fee was last fixed at the previous figure?

I cannot say when the fees were last fixed, but the fact is that the deficit which is made up by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and by the guarantors has been increasing each year for the last 10 years.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that the cost of renewing a certificate of airworthiness has gone up twice in the last few years? How does he account for that?

I account for it by the fact that the cost of investigation has increased. The hon. and gallant Gentleman will agree—I think both sides of the House will agree—that the Air Registration Board is efficient and economical in its workings.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation why the radio range service at London Airport has been discontinued.

The radio range service at London Airport has been discontinued owing to radio congestion in the medium frequency band. It has been replaced by a low power non-directional medium frequency beacon which meets operational needs.

Is the Minister aware that a number of aircraft which use this airport would need this particular facility? They have not the alternative he mentioned.

This new beacon has been agreed to by the operators.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what projects have been undertaken, or reforms instituted, in the British West Indies as a result of the work of the Caribbean Commission.

As the reply is rather long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the concern felt by the Barbados Chamber of Commerce and other similar institutions in the West Indies regarding the consequences of the increased restrictions upon dollar imports from Canada imposed with little regard for established trade ties; and whether he will give an assurance that these restrictions are not such as to endanger Canadian-West Indian shipping communications by so reducing the volume of freight as to render this unremunerative.

I know that the unavoidable restrictions imposed on Canadian and other dollar imports into the West Indies have caused some concern to the local chambers of commerce. I am not aware that the volume of freight between the West Indies and Canada has been reduced by these restrictions to the extent the hon. Member suggests.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these import control regulations have apparently been drawn up with very little regard to availability of supply?

No, I do not think that is the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many workers were unemployed in the rum manufacturing industry in Jamaica, Barbados and British Guiana, respectively, at the latest convenient date.

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

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this industry has cut down its production by 25 per cent., and that in view of the high rate of unemployment in these territories there is considerable concern at this cut?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he proposes to take to implement the recommendations of the Evans Report regarding European settlement in British Honduras.

An officer is being appointed to investigate further the establishment of dairy farming in the Cayo District, which the Evans Commission considered was the only possibility for European settlement.

In view of the suggestion in paragraph 218 of the Report that that area is specially suited for Mediterranean settlement, has the possibility of settling people who wish to emigrate from Malta been considered? I appreciate that there may be difficulties, but I believe that there is great pressure in Malta.

We shall certainly bear that point in mind, but the Evans Commission have said that settlement would have to be undertaken gradually and with caution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the economic difficulties which have followed devaluation in British Honduras; and what action has been taken.

I would invite my hon. Friend's attention to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for the New Forest (Colonel Crosthwaite-Eyre) on 14th March, from which it will be seen that the devaluation of the British Honduras dollar was necessary in order to counteract economic difficulties which already existed. It was appreciated that devaluation was bound to entail some rise in the cost of living, and arrangements were made to offset this by the extension of price control and the provision of food subsidies.

May I ask my hon. Friend whether one of the actions taken was to introduce an emergency Act on 15th February, and whether that Act can now be withdrawn?

That is quite another question.

I asked what action had been taken.

It has certainly been introduced, but the question of its withdrawal is quite another matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the population of Hong Kong before the war; what it is now; and what restrictions are placed on the entrance of immigrants.

The last official census in 1931 gave the population of Hong Kong as 869,751. The population in March of this year was 2,317,000. As regards the last part of the Question, the entry of aliens into Hong Kong is governed by the Hong Kong Immigrants Control Ordinance, 1949, and regulations thereunder. Recently, in view of the very serious overcrowding of the Colony, with consequent danger to public health and to food and water supplies, the regulations have been amended and the previous exemptions to citizens of the Chinese Republic have been withdrawn.

Have the Government of China made any complaint about the restriction of immigration?

I think that at the moment the situation appears to be quite satisfactory in that respect.

Do those figures include Kowloon and the leased territories, or just the island?

As far as I know, they refer just to the island.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what reply he has sent, or proposes to send, to the request made by the Reform Club of Hong Kong that he should reconsider his decision not to visit the Colony.

My right hon. Friend has informed the Reform Club of Hong Kong, through the Governor, that he much regrets his inability to include Hong Kong in his tour owing to the shortness of time at his disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the increase in the price of rice in Hong Kong over the last three months; and what measures are the Government of Hong Kong taking to stabilise the commodity.

It is understood from the Governor of Hong Kong that there has been no increase in the price of rationed rice for several months. The cost of free market rice fluctuates, but has fallen by at least 13 per cent. in the last three months. In addition, ample supplies of unrationed cheap grade rice have been available. In these circumstances, the last part of the Question does not appear to arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will further improve the effectiveness of the forces operating against the bandits in Malaya by temporarily enlisting substantial numbers of tribesmen in North Borneo who are already accustomed to jungle conditions and versed in jungle warfare.

The hon. Member can be assured that the authorities in Malaya have constantly under consideration the question how the jungle experience of these and other tribesmen can best be utilised. The number of Dyaks attached to the Forces is being increased but there is not at present scope for the employment of larger numbers of these or other tribesmen from North Borneo or elsewhere in the region.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that unless manifestly new and successful measures are taken, we shall never get the essential information regarding the movements of the guerillas which only the civilian population can supply?

Yes, we will certainly bear that in mind.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the inadvisability of stirring up one uncivilised tribe against another in various parts of the world?

Will the head hunters of Borneo be expected to attack the people of Malaya while singing "Onward Christian Soldiers"?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present number of trade unions in Malaya; and what is their total membership.

In the Federation of Malaya there are 162 registered trade unions with a total membership of 42,669. The figures for Singapore are 92 and 47,968, respectively.

How many of those trade unions are Communist dominated?

None of those which I have given. To the best of my knowledge, all the previous Communist trade unions migrated into the jungle and there are no regular Communist trade unions, now in any other part of Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will introduce legislation for a similar constitution in Singapore to that laid down for Trinidad and Tobago in the Trinidad and Tobago (Constitution) Order in Council,. 1950.

My right hon. Friend will take the opportunity, during his visit to Singapore, of discussing with official and unofficial members of the Legislative Council the constitutional machinery of the Colony.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that if we are trying to bring self-government to Malaya in democratic form it is advisable to give the Chinese in Singapore as much control of their own affairs as the West Indians have in the West Indies?

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will bear that in mind, among other things, in his consultations.

Will the hon. Gentleman's right hon. Friend also bear in mind, when in Singapore, the particular and almost unique importance of Singapore in the Imperial defence system, and have this in mind when he arrives in other places?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Government of Singapore has not acceded to the request of the Republic of the United States of Indonesia for the extradition of Captain Westerling.

A formal application for Captain Westerling's extradition was submitted to the Governor of Singapore by the Indonesian Representative on 4th May. I am advised, however, by the Governor that while the application may be intended to be a requisition under the Anglo-Netherlands Treaty of 1898 it was not accompanied by any evidence of the commission of the offences referred to in the application. Until the Governor is satisfied that the requirements of the Treaty and Extradition Acts have been fulfilled in respect of Captain Westerling he is not at liberty to act upon the Indonesian Government's request for his extradition.

Will my right hon. Friend instruct the Governor of Singapore to give what assistance he can to the Indonesian representatives in Singapore in the correct formulation of this request, because there is a strong feeling in Indonesia that Captain Westerling is being shielded deliberately in Singapore, when he should, of course, have been handed over to the civil authorities in Indonesia to stand his trial?

No, Sir. It is naturally open to the Indonesian Government to make what requests they like, and when they are made they will be considered.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell the House whether Captain Westerling sought sanctuary in British territory in the first instance?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if, during his forthcoming visit to Malaya, he will look into the question of awarding the General Service Medal to members of the Auxiliary Police Force in Malaya, with a view to reconsidering his decision on this matter bearing in mind that in several towns this force is a permanent body, the members of which assist the regular police.

My right hon. Friend was aware of this problem before leaving, and I have no doubt that he will give the matter due consideration during his visit.

Will the right hon. Gentleman send this information out to his right hon. Friend, to ensure that it does reach him?

Certainly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what results have been obtained from field experiments in the use of antrycide to protect cattle in East Africa from trypanosomiasis

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. T. Reid) on 19th April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the arrest, on 15th May in Nairobi, of Fred Kubia, president, and Makan Singh, secretary, of the East African Trades Union Congress on the ground that this organisation was refused registration last September; to the police raids on the homes of Kubia and Singh, the Trades Union Congress offices, and a printing press; to the refusal of bail to the accused; to the strikes which have taken place in protest against the arrests and the use of batons and tear gas by the police; and whether he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make regarding the arrest of Makan Singh and Fred Kubai; and whether he is satisfied that the Government of Kenya has sufficient powers to deal effectively with the subversive activities of such organisations as the East African Trade Union Congress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the circumstances that led to the recent disturbances in Nairobi.

Makhan Singh was arrested under powers granted by the deportation legislation of the Colony. Frederick Kubai was arrested for an infringement of local trade union legislation but since his arrest further charges have been preferred against him of attempted murder and of attempting to purchase a firearm without a permit. The unions which have instructed their members to strike have a total membership of less than 5,000 and represent only a small proportion of the working population in Nairobi. There is little doubt that the number of workers on strike has been increased by widespread intimidation.

On 19th May it was necessary to disperse a large crowd with the use of tear gas and batons. There were, however. no serious casualties. I have no information regarding the alleged police raids on the homes of Kubai and Singh and the Trades Union Congress offices. The Government of Kenya are empowered to enforce settlement of disputes in essential services by arbitration and this power has been extended to include a number of industries. I am satisfied that the Government of Kenya is fully equipped to deal with this situation. The House will realise, however, that the cases of Makhan Singh and Frederick Kubai are sub judice and, therefore, I am unable to enlarge upon this statement until the court proceedings are completed.

That was the original answer which was prepared, and which I had intended to give, Sir. Since then I have received further information which I think the House may like to know, and which has been received by telegram. It states that the labour situation has sensibly improved. About two-thirds of the hotel employees and half of the municipal employees are now at work. Railway and Kenya bus company employees are working normally, as is the Public Works Department, following on a small number of dismissals. The situation of commercial firms is generally better. It is estimated that the number of persons still on strike is now only 2,500, compared with 6,000 at the peak of the strike.

In view of the serious situation which this reply indicates, will the right hon. Gentleman advise that a small commission of inquiry, including British trade unionists, should be sent to Kenya and report to him?

I think we had better wait until the situation clears up before deciding on a matter such as that.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the so-called East African Trade Union Council is a Communist dominated organisation and that attempts have recently been made to affiliate it to the Communist dominated World Federation of Trade Unions; that Singh is a self-confessed Communist, and that it was this organisation that organised——

Is the hon. Gentleman asking a question or giving information?

Will the Minister ensure that the Government of Kenya are supported by the Colonial Office in dealing with the subversive activities of this organisation?

The Government of Kenya are supported by the Colonial Office in this, and I quite agree with the hon. Gentleman to this extent, that the East African Trade Union Congress is, in fact, largely Communist, and is not representative of the vast majority of workers in Kenya.

Can my right hon. Friend tell us how many workers belong to the other trade unions and those that are actually involved, so that we can compare the numerical strength one with the other? Is he aware of any economic factors in this apart from the trade union matters?

I can only say that the figures are infinitesimal in relation to the total numbers. They amount to only a few thousand.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the organisation, association, or joint committee which represented the six trade unions in this territory is itself regarded as illegal and as something which is not a trade union organisation? Can he also say on what grounds it was disqualified from registration?

As the whole of this question is sub judice, I think I had better leave that point until a decision has been reached by the court.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the indignation among Europeans in Kenya at the attitude of some hon. Members of this House who uphold the activities of these dangerous men, which eventually lead to disturbances causing the loss of life?

Whether or not the East African Trade Union Congress is Communist dominated, and whether or not it is representative, can my right hon. Friend say whether it is in any respect an infringement of the criminal law of Kenya? Is it a trade union at all?

The East African Trade Union Congress is an organisation containing unions each of which represents a given number of workers, but it is not considered to be a trade union. That is a decision made up to the present. It is, in fact, a separate organisation, apart from the individual unions.

Will my right hon. Friend keep in mind that for many years past, and not merely during the recent crisis, charges have been made from East Africa that trade unionists of genuine character are none other than Commuunists when, afterwards, it has been proved that they have had no connection with the Communists?

That is going very wide of the Question.

asked the Minister of Defence what progress is being made in the recruitment of Regulars for the Services.

The latest available figures which are given in full in the Quarterly Statement of Recruiting, which has been placed in the Vote Office, show a slight improvement. A total of 11,880 men were enlisted in all three Services during the first quarter of 1950 as compared with 9,454 in the previous three months. This is by no means sufficient for our needs and, as the House knows, we are engaged on a comprehensive examination of life in the Services in all its aspects in relation to the current problems of regular manpower recruitment and re-engagement.

Would the Minister say whether this slight improvement takes into account the additional and increased wastage which has been going on in the Regular Forces during the last year?

I cannot say offhand, but I am not satisfied with the rate of recruitment.

Would not the security of a job and a house on discharge be the best method of recruitment?

No doubt they would have a beneficial effect, but we cannot give guarantees which could not be implemented.

What about the nationalised industries?

Is not the Minister aware that a great many men may go into the Forces immediately pay and allowances have been reviewed? Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that this is a matter of great importance, and should be tackled at the earliest moment?

I am not concerned with what the hon. Member thinks; it is the facts with which we are concerned.

asked the Minister of Defence on what terms men who had served in His Majesty's Forces during the war 1939–45 and deserted, could secure their release and return to civilian status.

As the answer is lengthy I will, with permission, make a statement at the end of Questions

There are at present nominally about 19,500 deserters from the Armed Forces. As I informed the House on 29th March last this nominal total is greatly inflated and it is doubtful whether there are in fact more than 7,000 or 8,000 deserters at large in this country at the present time. The true figure may well be much smaller.

The way is open to all these men to rehabilitate themselves by surrendering, and I give the assurance that the scale of punishments is neither vindictive nor harsh. Isolated cases are sometimes reported in the Press in which sentences of 18 months or two years' detention are awarded by courts martial. Such cases are not, however, by any means representative. Court martial sentences are often reduced on confirmation or when subsequently reviewed, and are frequently suspended, subject to good behaviour, after a relatively short period served. They are also subject to remissions of one-third for good conduct. A recent analysis has shown that over a period of 15 months some 800 deserters who surrendered were tried by courts martial. The average sentence awarded was a little over six months; the average sentence served was two months 19 days. In addition, during this period nearly 600 deserters were dealt with summarily which, in the majority of cases, means a maximum sentence of 28 days' detention, and in 76 cases the men were not brought to trial at all for various reasons

I submit to the House that, with these facts in mind, it cannot be thought that these men are being forced into lives of crime by fear of the consequences of surrender. In fact, the criminal statistics and the advice of the police authorities both indicate that comparatively few deserters are engaged in crime. I am advised that most of those who are so engaged, and, of course, there are some, had criminal records before they deserted.

Desertion is a serious Service offence. Any action, such as an amnesty would be unfair to those who have already surrendered and been punished, and unfair to those who have served and are serving loyally. Its effect in any future emergency might also be harmful. These objections to an amnesty apply equally to men who deserted during the war and to those who have deserted since. In the view of His Majesty's Government it would be wrong to condone the offence of desertion, and, in so doing, to encourage any tendency on the part of individuals to desert from His Majesty's Forces. His Majesty's Government have accordingly decided against any kind of general amnesty and to maintain the present procedure—which allows the fullest weight to be given to compassionate considerations.

Will the Minister note that I think that what he has said has not given most of us interested in this matter the satisfaction which they hoped for? The question I asked was about the men who had served in the Army during the war. Will he give this question serious consideration for that particular period apart from the other aspects of desertion, because I can assure him that there are cases, very bad cases, where individuals would return if there was a reasonable chance of getting reasonable treatment; and that his predecessor promised reasonable treatment? Even the sentences which he has read out show that the treatment is harsh and will prevent men from serving.

What I said in my reply applies equally to the men who served during the war as to the men who served after the war, and I must reject the idea which my hon. Friend apparently has, that the actual sentences served are vindictive. All compassionate and other considerations are taken into account, and although the nominal sentences may appear to my hon. Friend to be harsh, the actual sentences served are far from being harsh.

Can my right hon. Friend say in the case of long-term deserters, whether these men are automatically discharged from the Service when they have served their sentences, because if they have to go back to the Army that may be a greater deterrent than having to serve their sentences?

I think that generally speaking, they are dismissed from the Service with a character that is not altogether satisfactory.

Is there not a marked difference between the men who deserted during the war and the men who desert during peace time, and should there not be some discrimination in the attitude of the Government and the authorities towards them?

There are, of course, a great many anomalies in this situation. The Government came to the mature consideration that we cannot discriminate between those who served during the war and those who entered into contractual obligations when the war was over.

Can the Minister amplify what he meant when in the course of his reply he said that these sentences were either reviewed or remitted after a relatively short period; and what does "a relatively short period" mean in that context?

As I have said, subject to the good behaviour of the man, and there may be other considerations, the sentence is reviewed not long after he has been sentenced. According to the advice I have received, the men have very little of which to complain.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that the disparity between the published sentence and the sentence to which he has referred today, influences the families of these men against helping them to surrender; and does he realise the shadow which overhangs the family and try to make these facts known, so as to get the family on his side?