asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can free plywood from control, in a similar fashion to the recent decontrol of native and imported hardwoods; and whether he will make an early statement on the subject.

I presume by decontrol the hon. Gentleman means reversion to private purchase, not freeing of control over consumption. The Government has recently decided that imports of plywood from a large number of countries, excluding Finland, Russia, Sweden and dollar sources shall be handed over to private trade. The possibility of extending this list of countries will be kept under review. I shall also very shortly be freeing from consumption licensing all those types of plywood for which I am satisfied that supply is reasonably likely to meet demand.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware of the very great gratification and pleasure that this measure of decontrol will give?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why Finland has been excluded, and is he aware that the exporters and the Government in that country are extremely anxious to return to the private channels of trading?

Finland and Sweden were excluded because, under the present arrangements, all the plywood for this year had been bought by Timber Control.

Does plywood include all sorts of laminated wood?

I should want notice of what is included.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many standards of timber have been imported from Sweden this year; how many standards were imported from Sweden in the corresponding period last year; what have been the average yearly imports from Sweden since the war; and what further quantities are likely to be obtained this year from this source.

I assume that the hon. Member refers to softwood and mining timber. Arrivals of softwood from Sweden in the first five months of 1949 were 35,000 standards and 45,000 standards in the same period of 1950. Arrivals of mining timber during the same periods of 1949 and 1950 were 51,500 standards and 52,200 standards respectively. Average annual arrivals of softwood from Sweden in the years 1946 to 1949 were 221,000 standards; the corresponding figure for mining timber is 67,000 standards. Further arrivals in 1950 from Sweden cannot be estimated until buying negotiations are completed.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that we could have obtained far larger supplies of timber from this source during this year, I believe up to 250,000 standards, if we had bought in December at the price then obtaining—a price which subsequently rose? Will the Government therefore cease making the shortage of timber an excuse for the lack of houses?

The hon. and gallant Member will be aware that the amount of timber which has come into this country from Sweden this year has been unaffected by the negotiations to which he referred, because they relate to shipments later in the year. Of course, it is a fair answer to the hon. and gallant Gentleman to say that we certainly could get an increased amount of timber provided we were prepared to pay the price asked.

Are we paying more for Russian timber than for the purchases from Sweden?

There is a Question later on the Order Paper about the Russian contract.

Is it not a fact that, through the medium of control, the price of softwood has been kept down?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the fact that very little timber is coming into the country although the importing season is well advanced; and whether he can hold out any hope of agreements with Baltic countries including Russia for timber imports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the results of the negotiations between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Timber Control; and what quantity of softwood can be expected in 1950, and in 1951.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what prospect there is of increased timber supplies from Finland and Scandinavia this season; and whether he will state the terms and conditions of the agreement with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the export of softwood supplies to this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade on what date this month was the contract for increased supplies of timber from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics signed in Moscow.

As the hon. and learned Member for Northwich (Mr. J. Foster) was informed last Monday, substantial contracts have been placed in North America, Yugoslavia, France, Poland and in Finland where the Finnish Sawmillers' Association have a commitment to supply 225,000 standards of softwood, approximately the quantity received in 1949. A contract with Russia was signed on 13th June for 153,000 standards of softwood for shipment this year. In addition, the Russians have an option subject to mutual agreement on specification and shipment dates for a further 50,000 standards up to 15th July. A further Russian contract signed on 10th June will provide 65–75,000 fathoms of pitwood. Negotiations with individual shippers in Sweden and Norway continue; I have no doubt that further quantities will be purchased there, but it is impracticable at this stage to say what they will amount to. It is too early to anticipate supplies for 1951 from any of the sources I have named.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that we are all extremely grateful for the success of these negotiations and may I ask him, further, whether the contract with Russia for softwood timber is of a kind which will supply us with the type of timber we need for housing?

I think it is generally agreed that timber from Russia is of the very highest quality and is much appreciated. It will include large quantities which would be suitable for joinery.

How does the price with Russia compare with the prices with Finland and Scandinavia generally?

We do not usually give details of prices, but I can inform the hon. and learned Gentleman that the price being paid to Russia is lower than the price for Swedish timber.

rose—

The Rule is to allow those who put down the Questions to have the first chance of asking supplementaries, and that is what I am now doing. Wing-Commander Bullus.

I understood the Minister to say that the contract with Russia was signed on 10th June. Is he aware that I asked his Department a Question on Tuesday last and that I found it somewhat discouraging to be told, in their reply, that there was no further information? I read the information 24 hours later in the Press.

The simple explanation is that that answer was given to the hon. and gallant Member between 2.30 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. in the House and that the telegram from Moscow, giving details of what had occurred, was despatched from Moscow at 4.11 p.m. on the day in question.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the total figure represented by all these contracts and say when the imports will begin to flow in?

No, Sir. It would not be possible to give a total figure yet because, as I made clear, negotiations with shippers in Norway and Sweden are still continuing and there is also the question to be settled of how much timber we shall get from the dollar area.

Would the Minister take this matter up with the Minister of Health and see whether the Government cannot increase the total of 200,000 houses which is to be the limit this year?

On a number of occasions my right hon. Friend has explained the limiting factors with regard to houses. Timber is not the principal factor.

Could the right hon. Gentleman explain, especially to this side of the House, why there was the triumphant giggle from the other side when he said that Russian prices happened to be cheaper?

I suppose it was to compensate for the feeling of gloom on that side.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now secured adequate supplies of softwood timber to maintain the 1950 building programme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much softwood has been purchased for the current season towards the total requirement of 1,500,000 standards; and if he is satisfied that supplies will be adequate in the next few months to meet the needs of the building trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the difficulties arising from the reduced supplies of timber available during the early months of this year; and what arrangements are being made for a substantial increase for the next six months.

Our programme of softwood imports for the year makes full allowance for all essential uses of timber, and I anticipate no hold-up in the building programme from the temporary low level of stocks during the next few weeks.

While I quite agree that, according to the statement the right hon. Gentleman has made, he might have secured these quantities of timber, may I ask if he could assure the House that the whole trade is in hand, and that, therefore, we can expect adequate quantities of timber to reach this country to enable the building programme to be kept going?

Yes, Sir. The prospect of supplies of timber actually coming into the country in the second half of this year seem reasonably good. The present shortage of stocks is due to the slowing up in the rate of imports from the dollar area, because of the dollar difficulties last autumn.

Can the Minister give the answer to my Question, which was how much softwood has been purchased for the current season towards the total requirement of 1,500,000 standards which was set by his own Departmental Committee—the Keith Price Committee?

No, Sir. I could not at the moment answer that Question, because some of the timber has been allocated to us, but contracts have not been signed for it, particularly in the case of Finland.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give an assurance that the arrears in the early months of this year will be overtaken, because in the Manchester district only 17 per cent. of the quota was received in the first four months of this year, as against 54 per cent. last year?

We are hoping to get enough timber coming into the country next year to build up stocks to a reasonable level at their lowest point next summer.

The President has implied that the 1,500,000 standards has not yet been reached. Is it not leaving it rather late, and will it not affect this year's building programme?

The figure of 1,500,000 standards is an estimate made by a committee under the chairmanship of Sir Keith Price, but last year we got through on considerably lower figures, and the figure of 1,500,000 has not been accepted as the minimum requirement for this country next year.

May I ask my right hon. Friend whether there was any significant drain on reserve stocks, or whether they are still adequate?

During the last few weeks, the drain on the emergency reserve stocks has been very small indeed, and it suggests that the statements made in some quarters about a shortage of timber stocks have been somewhat exaggerated.

May I remind the House—I had to do it yesterday, and I am doing it again now—that it is forbidden for an hon. Member to walk between another hon. Member and one of the two Front Benches, the first or the second, below the Gangway, when that hon. Member is on his feet. It happened yesterday, and again just now, and I draw the attention of the House to it; it is forbidden by our Rules, and I hope that the Rule will be observed carefully

Would the Minister agree that there is a very considerable shortage of certain sizes and lengths of timber in very many parts of the country?

The present level of stocks in the country is small—smaller than we intend it to be next year—and I have given the reasons for it. One of the results of having small total stocks is that supplies of particular sizes in particular areas are bound to be difficult.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the import of silks from Cyprus is not permitted unless they are to be re-exported.

Restrictions on the importation of silk goods from all sources have been imposed because of the restrictions imposed on our own producers by a shortage of raw material. There have been no recent applications to import silk goods from Cyprus, but in the interests of developing local industries there I may say that a request for the import, without re-export condition, of a reasonable quantity of silk woven in Cyprus would be sympathetically considered.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I have in my hand a letter from his Department, dated only last month, refusing a licence for the import of silks from Cyprus unless the goods were to be re-exported?

I think the silk trade in this country, which is subject to very strict conditions about exports, would have strong feelings if we were to allow too much in without conditions, but I have made it clear to the hon. Member that I am prepared to reconsider the question as far as Cyprus is concerned.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not in error in the statement which he has just made about exports, as the French are allowed to send to this country half a million pounds of silk a year without any obligation to re-export?

There was no error in my statement. I am quite aware of the position with regard to France and with regard to Italy, too. As the hon. and gallant Member knows, I am meeting hon. Members on this subject very shortly.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the likelihood of redundancy of miners now working in Forest of Dean mines in the course of the next five years, he is considering plans for attracting further new industries to take up surplus labour from the mines.

A number of new industries have been attracted to the Forest of Dean in the post-war years and further developments are in prospect. Although unemployment is only about one-eighth of the 1938 level, my hon. Friend can rest assured that I am keeping industrial trends in this area under constant review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the net loss of £7,356,650, excluding the sum appropriated from Reserve Fund, by the Raw Cotton Commission in respect of the chargeable accounting period ended 31st July, 1949; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

Yes, Sir, but I do not consider that any special action is required. Paragraph 6 of the Annual Report of the Raw Cotton Commission for the year ended 31st July, 1949, shows that the major element in the loss of £7.4 million to which the hon. Member refers results from the necessity to write down stocks held on 31st July, 1949, owing to the decline at that date in replacement values. This reflects the effect of changes in world prices described in paragraph 4 of the Report and has been subsequently more than offset in the immediately following six months, when the net profit after similarly revaluing stocks was £8.7 million. Changes of this nature were expected when the Commission were set up and were required to balance their accounts on "an average of good and bad years."

Is not this another example of the disastrous results of the bulk purchase of raw materials? Had the Liverpool Cotton Exchange been in operation, with its traditional methods of "hedging," would not these losses have been avoided?

If these figures are to be taken as proving what the hon. Member says, then the subsequent profit of an even greater amount should be taken as proving quite the opposite. Certainly, if the Liverpool Cotton Exchange had been in existence they would have been faced with the same difficulties in the restriction of dollars available as those with which the Raw Cotton Commission was faced.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the trade affected by this regulation of price by utilisation of the resources of the Cotton Commission will be considerably assisted in making long-term business contracts?

Notwithstanding what the President of the Board of Trade has said, do not these figures confirm the prevalent opinion that the accounts were held back until after the General Election?

I was not aware that there was such a prevalent opinion, but there was certainly no question of holding them back. They were published as soon as they were available.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the working-class folk in my constituency have no desire to see the Liverpool Cotton Exchange reopened?

Can the President of the Board of Trade say to what extent "hedging" was practised by the Raw Cotton Commission last year?

I suggest that the hon. Member studies the whole Report, which it would take me a long time to outline in the House this afternoon.

I have read the whole Report in great detail.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent supplies of nylon stockings to the home market are showing any increase from the latest scheme which is linked with increased exports to hard currency markets.

The scheme has been in operation only seven weeks and it is too soon yet to assess its effects, but the early indications are promising, and I am confident that it will result in increased exports to hard currency markets. This, in turn, will enable manufacturers to offer more stockings for sale on the home market.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that he has made several announcements about increased supplies during the past two or three years, and it appears that they have only resulted in unlimited supplies on the London open-air and street markets at above controlled prices? Is he not aware that some women prefer nylons to food and drink, or even to husbands, while others think they are vital in order to get husbands?

I cannot answer the last part of that question. For the last year, the supplies of nylon stockings have gone up from the annual rate of seven million pairs to 20.4 million pairs in April this year, and I am not responsible for the method of distribution.

In view of the incentive value of nylon stockings, will the right hon. Gentleman consider abolishing all compunction on manufacturers to export to soft, as opposed to hard, currency countries?

As the hon. Gentleman knows, there is a very strong incentive available to manufacturers to export to hard currency areas, and that, in return for it, they are entitled to put more on the home market.

Can my right hon. Friend say whether the best qualities are exported, and only the third, fourth and fifth qualities kept for the home market?

A proportion of all qualities is available both for export and for the home market.

Can my right hon. Friend say why, while nylons appear to be in unlimited supplies in London, in provincial cities like Birmingham they cannot be obtained at all?

asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects to announce the rescinding of the Cinematograph Film (Control) Order, 1943 (S.R. & O., 1943, No. 430), thereby freeing newsreels and independent exhibitors from the conditions imposed upon them during the last war through the need to conserve film, raw, stock.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will now withdraw the Cinematograph Film (Control) Order, 1943, in accordance with the representations made to him on this subject.

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer given on 20th June in reply to a Question by the hon. and learned Member for Northwich (Mr. J. Foster).

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the supplies of newsprint for the present year compare with those used in 1949 and 1938.

It is estimated that supplies of newsprint allocated for delivery to all home users may amount to 615,000 tons in 1950, as compared with a total usage of approximately 566,000 tons in 1949 and 1,200,000 tons in 1938–39.

In view of the very low level at which supplies are still running, can the right hon. Gentleman say when we will come out into the open with our Canadian friends and tell them how much of our contract we are to take this year and how much we will take next year?

The position regarding dollars for Canadian purchases this year has already been made known. There is as yet no decision on the supply of dollars for next year.

When will that decision be taken?

I hope it will be in the very near future.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that sisal ropes for fishermen have advanced in price by 13s. 6d. per cwt., and sisal trawl twine by 1½d. per lb.; and whether these advances in price have been approved by the Central Price Regulation Committee.

The recent advances in prices of sisal rope and twine were due to the substantial increases in sisal prices at the beginning of the year, and were approved by the Central Price Regulation Committee. Concurrently with the advance in sisal rope prices, there was a reduction of about 10s. a cwt. in the price of manilla rope as a result of a fall in the price of raw manilla.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that continually increasing costs of production in the fishing industry are making it well-nigh impossible for it to be profitable, and that, unless something is done to reduce costs—because housewives will not pay beyond a certain price for their fish—the propects of the fishing industry will be really very depressing?

I am not sure what the hon. and gallant Gentleman's question was, but I am aware, of course, of the high prices of these goods. I would remind him, however, that sisal is on a completely free market; it is not controlled in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of beer has been imported into this country from Czechoslovakia in any recent period; and in what currency payment was made.

Imports of beer from Czechoslovakia in January to April, 1950, were 199 bulk barrels, valued at £1,483 c.i.f. Payment was made in sterling.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement on the conditions which must in future be fulfilled to obtain official sanction to build a new factory in the South Wales development area.

In general, we are anxious to see built in the South Wales development area any new factory which will give permanent employment of the kind needed. The project must, of course, be certified under the Town and Country Planning Act as consistent with the proper distribution of industry, and there must be local planning consent. The grant of the building licence depends upon a number of factors including the kind of production contemplated.

Has the attention of the Minister been drawn to a recent article in "The Times Industrial Supplement," in which it is implied that there has been a change of policy, and will he try to correct that?

There has been no change in policy in regard to factories in the development areas, except that, over the past two years, the capital investment cuts have been applied rather less severely in those areas than elsewhere.

Is it the case that some of these factories have now become redundant?

In one or two cases firms found it impossible to carry on for one reason or another, generally market conditions, and are moving out. We are trying to replace them by other firms.

Has not the Minister had his attention drawn to the particular article to which I referred, and, if not, will he look at it and consider making a statement on it?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has made any decision for the early location of light industry in the burgh of Irvine in order to arrest the rising unemployment figures in that area.

Negotiations are proceeding for the occupation of the Ministry of Supply depot at Irvine by a firm which will employ a substantial number of people. Other projects are also being examined. In these circumstances, I do not consider it is necessary at the present time to take further steps to attract more industry to this district where unemployment is lower than in most other parts of the Scottish Development Area.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the growing concentration of the retail trade in furniture; and whether he will refer this matter to the Monopolies Commission.

I have no evidence that the conditions to which the Monopolies and Restrictive Practices (Inquiry and Control) Act applies prevail as respects the supply of furniture.

If I submit evidence to my right hon. Friend, will he look into the matter further?

I should be glad to look at any evidence my hon. Friend produces though, of course, I cannot anticipate my future choice of references to the Commission.

While it may be right that this matter has not yet reached the stage where it can, or ought, to be referred to the Monopolies Commission, would my right hon. Friend give an undertaking that he will keep a most careful eye upon the buying out activities which Great Universal Stores have been undertaking in the past few years?

I am keeping a very careful eye on the whole question of furniture supplies, though my powers to deal with the kind of thing referred to by my hon. Friend are very limited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why so long a delay occurred before the publication of last year's accounts of the Cotton Board; and if he will expedite this year's accounts.

Last year's accounts of the Cotton Board, 1948, were their first and the precise form had to be settled and certain subsidiary matters of accounting of an exceptional kind determined before the accounts could be presented. In these circumstances I do not consider that publication was unduly delayed, but I expect the second year's accounts will be available earlier.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any idea of the month when they are likely to be available?

We hope that the Cotton Board will submit their provisional accounts to the Board of Trade at the beginning of August this year, so that should speed up considerably the publication of the accounts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much Canadian whisky was imported into this country during the last fiscal year; and what was the cost in dollars.

I regret that as imports of whisky are not separately recorded the information asked for in the first part of the Question is not available. Six thousand and ninety gallons at a cost of 27,078 Canadian dollars were, however, licensed in 1949 for import under the Token Import Scheme. Apart from this, the only whisky imported from Canada for consumption in this country is for the United States Forces, the Diplomatic Corps or as gifts sent by Canadian or American citizens to persons resident in this country, none of which involves this country in any dollar cost.

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain what advantage is obtained by selling good whisky to obtain dollars and using the dollars to buy less good whisky?

The right hon. and gallant Gentleman will be aware that the figures of whisky passing in each direction are very dissimilar.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why he has chosen 1947 as the base year against which to calculate relative productivity in trade and industry.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the recent change from 1938 to 1947 as the base year of the index numbers measuring the volume of United Kingdom imports and exports. The change to a post-war year was necessary because the continued use of a system of weights based on pre-war prices would have distorted the index numbers. The year 1947 was chosen because it was the most recent post-war year for which the detailed trade figures necessary for the calculation were available at the time when the change was initiated.

As 1947 was the worst of the post-war years, does not the President of the Board of Trade think that it would have been better to wait until the details for, say, 1948 were available rather than use as a base figures which must produce comparisons both misleading and over optimistic?

The year 1946 was, of course, the worst of the post-war years. I agree with the hon. Gentleman that the export drive has continued to progress year by year since the end of the war but, for the reasons I have mentioned, 1947 was taken as the base year.

Why does the right hon. Gentleman want to perpetuate the disastrous record of the present Minister of Defence in the fuel industry, and the present Minister of Town and Country Planning in the Treasury? The year 1947 is not really a good year for this purpose, and why will he not consider 1948?

I would only ask the hon. Gentleman to contemplate what the export figures for 1948, 1949, and 1950 would have been if we had not nationalised the coal mining industry.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement as to the present position of British rayon exports to Australia; and what action he has taken or proposes to take to draw the attention of the Australian Government to the serious consequences upon our rayon industry and upon Australian consumers of the decision to impose new duties upon rayon goods entering the Dominion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what representations he has made to the Australian Government in connection with the recent increase of about 1,100 per cent. in the Australian customs duty on British as-well as foreign imports of rayon, which has reduced the proportionate value of the Empire preference; and what answer he has received.

Exports of rayon piece goods from the United Kingdom to Australia in the first four months of 1950 amounted to £2.5 million. The United Kingdom High Commissioner in Canberra has made a formal approach to the Australian Government expressing the concern of His Majesty's Government at the increase in the British preferential tariff on rayon piece goods. We are awaiting a reply. I can assure the hon. Members that I am giving this matter the closest attention.

Would not my right hon. Friend agree that it represented a gross breach of the Ottawa Agreement when the Conservative Administration in Australia imposed this bitterly restrictive and disastrous list of duties?

I have expressed the concern which His Majesty's Government feel about this action. I should prefer to make no further comment until we have a report from the High Commissioner.

Is not it a fact that, under the Geneva Tariff Agreement, if the Australians wanted to increase the duty on foreign rayon they had to increase the duty on British rayon at the same time? Is not that one of the reasons for this action?

That is another, and rather hypothetical question.

Is not it true that it is impossible for Australian rayon factories at present to fill the very large gap which will be left by this prohibitive tariff on British rayon?

Did the Australian Government discuss this matter with the British representative before taking action? Is not this a case where we should get even closer to our Dominions and work out the problems together rather than at Geneva?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman is quite right. Naturally, in all these matters we want the very closest relations. I should prefer not to comment on what actually happened in this case, and the result of the report by the Australian Tariff Board, until I have received the report to which I have referred.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make a statement on his recent talks with Mr. Eric Johnson for a renewal of the Anglo-American Film Agreement.

Proposals which were made to the representatives of the United States film industry during their recent visit to London are now being studied in the United States. I cannot make any further statement at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present position in the country in regard to volunteers for Civil Defence duties; what was the target figure; and to what extent have those numbers been recruited.

The number of volunteers enrolled at the end of March in the Civil Defence Corps, the Auxiliary Fire Service and the National Hospital Service Reserve was, approximately, 30,000. The next recruiting returns are not due until after the end of June, but I will communicate with the hon. and gallant Member as soon as they are available. As regards the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on 26th May go to a question by the hon. Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Ian Harvey).

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the situation is as it should be, and, if not, what steps does he propose to take to acquaint the country with the seriousness of the position?

No, Sir, I am not satisfied with the rate of recruiting, but, from time to time, those who have already enrolled are engaged in bringing in others. I believe that in this, as in other Services, the person who is already in, and who is interested in the matter, is the best recruiting sergeant.

Bearing in mind that the right hon. Gentleman is not satisfied with the result, has he any steps in mind to ensure that the very big discrepancy between the target and the actual results can be made less?

I was very careful not to set a target, so there is no discrepancy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements are made for provision of training grants to local authorities for Civil Defence purposes.

Approved expenditure incurred by the appropriate local authorities on training members of the Civil Defence Corps and Auxiliary Fire Service is being grant-aided at the rate of 75 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will consider issuing uniforms to Civil Defence recruits.

Yes, Sir. I hope it will be possible to begin issuing uniforms in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Health (1) in view of the inadequacy of the legislation relating to smoke nuisance, what steps he proposes to take to diminish atmospheric pollution and deposit which may reach, as in Stoke-on-Trent, a figure of 20 tons per square mile, per month, or more;

I am aware of the ill-effects of atmospheric pollution, but, in my view, the problem is practical rather than legal. The efforts of all concerned to secure that the best practicable means of prevention are used have already resulted in some improvement in this area in recent years, and I shall do all I can to see that these efforts are maintained.

Is my right hon. Friend aware, however, that local authorities and medical officers of health think that the maximum penalties imposed on conviction are too low, and that the legal position is such that they cannot effect the improvements they desire? Will he do something in that direction?

It is not always desirable to have very heavy legal penalties for conditions that are sometimes physically difficult to carry out.

When my right hon. Friend says that it is a practical problem, is he aware that there is a shortage of alternative fuels—gas and electricity—and will he do what he can to supplement the already improved supplies?

The shortage of gas and electricity reflects the higher purchasing power of the community.

asked the Minister of Health whether the type of firegrate, capable of burning smokeless fuels, and which are being supplied in many new council houses, could be installed in all houses which are reconditioned under the provisions of the 1949 Housing Act; and whether he is aware that such action would greatly assist in the abatement of smoke nuisance and atmospheric pollution.

The answer to both parts of the Question is "Yes, Sir." I have stated in the circular on this subject that solid fuel heating appliances should be improved types.

asked the Minister of Health what instructions or advice he has issued to regional hospital boards as to their policy in regard to the appointment of part-time specialists and consultants.

I am sending the hon. Member copies of the principal memoranda on this question.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say that these memoranda show that he has no prejudice against the employment of part-time specialists and consultants?

Perhaps if the hon. Member read the memoranda that would answer his question.

asked the Minister of Health what is the cost for any convenient area of advertising in the Press for vacancies on hospital staffs.

The total cost during 1949–50 for all non-teaching hospitals in England and Wales was, approximately, £500,000.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it a very large sum for him to pay to newspaper proprietors? Is he not aware that, in many cases, these advertisements are almost duplications of one another with, perhaps, one word changed?

I have already called the attention of regional hospital boards to my view that this is an excessive sum, but it must be remembered that when the service was being built up very large numbers of additional domestic servants were being recruited for the hospitals, and that advertising was necessary for that purpose.

Has the Minister thought of using the Ministry of Labour for this purpose?

It is necessary that workers should be informed that vacancies exist. For two or three years I was being pressed to increase the employment of domestic staffs in hospitals, and we succeeded in doing this. This is one of the ways of doing it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that doctors who were refused consultant status and graded as senior medical officers under the National Health Act have been compelled, in order to obtain posts carrying consultant status, to leave their hospitals and go to others and that the vacancies thus created have been advertised and filled not by doctors graded as senior medical officers but by consultants; and whether this practice has his approval.

During this transitional period some posts graded for consultants are inevitably held by individuals who have been graded only as senior hospital medical officers. It must, of course, always be open to these officers to seek advertised consultant appointments at their own or other hospitals, if they think they are likely to qualify for them.

Does not my right hon. Friend appreciate that it causes a great deal of unnecessary hardship if doctors must move to obtain a status to which they ought to have been graded in the first place?

On the contrary; it would cause very considerable hardship if a doctor who has already been graded as a senior medical officer could never have a chance of being regraded as a consultant.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that rabbits are becoming a serious pest and destroying the new young crops in Kent this year; and what steps he is taking to prevent this damage.

Yes, Sir. The county agricultural executive committee are doing all they can to assist farmers in dealing with the problem, but there has been an unprecedented demand for subsidised gassing powder and there is now a general shortage of supplies. Production of this powder is being increased and arrangements have been made for another type of gassing powder to be made available where the need is greatest. A supply has been allocated to the Kent committee for use by farmers who are willing to buy it.

While thanking the Minister for his courtesy in sending me a personal letter on this point, may I ask whether he will ask the Minister of Food not to import so many rabbits next year, thereby doing away with the livelihood of men who trapped rabbits in the past?

That hardly arises out of the Question.

Is the Minister aware that this has come about largely because his colleague has allowed the export of a large quantity of gassing powder to Australia? Will he do something about it?

Exports are not taking place at this moment, although there is a strong demand for it abroad.

Does the Minister not think that one of the best ways of overcoming this problem would be to ease the penalties for poaching?

Has the Minister contemplated improving the social conscience of the rabbits by nationalising them?

Can the Minister explain why his Department did not look ahead and make sufficient gassing powder available?

The hon. Member must know that my Department has been calling upon manufacturers to produce as much as they possibly can and that they have not failed to respond.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that an aircraft operating from his Department's experimental farm at Martyr Worthy on 24th May sprayed neighbouring private gardens with weedkiller; what was the reason for this; and what steps he is taking to prevent a recurrence of such an event.