asked the Minister of Supply what steps are taken by him to secure that persons employed by him on work on or in connection with atomic research have not at any time been members of the Communist Party and of organisations associated therewith.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Epping (Mr. Nigel Davies) on 22nd May.

As that reply merely amounted to a refusal to give the information asked for, can the right hon. Gentleman at least state that he takes steps to secure the exclusion from these vital plants of the people referred to in the Question?

I said in that reply the other day that everybody who works on any secret defence project of the Government is carefully examined to make sure of his reliability.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, while he is about it, also have a look at the Communists destined for the Aldermaston atomic plant?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether he excludes under that procedure, on the grounds of unreliability, the people referred to in the Question?

Everybody is considered from the point of view of possible unreliability. Their past is considered, their political associations—every aspect is considered.

asked the Minister of Supply what progress has been made in British national research stations with the problem of harnessing atomic energy for industries, travel and other peaceful development purposes; and when it is likely to be available for use for such purposes.

During the last four years considerable progress has been made in preliminary planning of nuclear reactors for use as power units. New high voltage machines and other facilities required for investigating components and materials which may be used in such reactors have been completed at Harwell and are being used to determine whether the various systems which have been planned are practicable. A programme for the construction of the first experimental power reactors is now being prepared. Until some experience has been gained in the operation of such experimental reactors, it would be premature to estimate their prospects. Deliveries of radioactive isotopes from Harwell for medical, scientific and industrial use are meeting all home and export demands.

While thanking the Minister for that rather exhaustive reply, may I ask him whether, as it is well over five years since atomic energy was first used for destructive purposes, he can say what is the cause of the delay in its use now for constructive purposes? Will my right hon. Friend give us an assurance that the delay is due not to political but to scientific causes?

A great deal of energy is being put into this work, but the problems are enormous.

Will my right hon. Friend, at the same time, make investigations to ensure that the use of atomic energy for these purposes has no deleterious effect on the people who are working on it?

That is an aspect which is most closely watched.

Can the Minister tell us whether as much energy is devoted to atomic research for peace purposes as for war purposes?

It would be difficult to say exactly, but the basic work on atomic energy is, of course, connected with both war and peace purposes.

asked the Minister of Supply the reasons for the decision to close down the two steel-making plants at Monk Bridge and Paisley respectively.

The plant at Monk Bridge was bought and that at Paisley erected to meet special needs during the war, and were continued in operation to reduce the severe post-war shortage of crude steel, although it was known from the outset that they would be producing at a loss. In view of the overall increase in steel output, it would no longer be justifiable to continue the operation of these uneconomic plants. I am glad of this opportunity of emphasising the valuable contribution which all those working in these plants have made over a critical period.

Am I to understand from what the Minister says that those plants have been worked at a loss ever since they have been in operation?

Without looking it up, I do not think they have ever done anything but work at a loss.

Can the Minister say what steps are being taken to supply some alternative industry for these valuable factories?

Yes; the matter is being considered by the Board of Trade, and they have already let part of one of the factories for some other industrial purposes.

asked the Minister of Supply if he has any further statement to make on the subject of the chauffeurs of official cars who waited all night at the House on Thursday, 15th June.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the right hon. and gallant Member on 26th June.

Is it not a fact that some of these chauffeurs were released so late, and had to be there so early, that they were unable to return to their homes and slept in their motor cars? Does it not make it worse when a man has to stop there all night and gets no pay for it and does the Minister think that is a proper use of manpower?

All the chauffeurs, as the right hon. and gallant Member is aware, were dismissed at the latest by two o'clock or half-past. I understand that some of them remained in the House all night or in the cars or in the rest room before coming on duty the next morning, but I have not had any complaints from any of the chauffeurs involved.

While not suggesting that any complaint has been made, I am asking whether the Minister thinks it is reasonable that men who were kept here until half-past two should be told to be back here at half-past six and should get no pay for it?

It is one of the consequences of having an all-night Sitting. I gathered that a previous Question by the right hon. and gallant Member was directed to the suggestion that they were being paid all this time. In point of fact they were not, because they went off duty.

asked the Minister of Supply whether he has now completed his discussions with the Press regarding the release of technical information concerning new types of military aircraft; and what changes in procedure will be made.

There are standing arrangements, agreed with the Press, which govern the publication of technical information about new types of military aircraft at various stages of their development and production. Last year, the publication of more information about aircraft which were nearing the end of maker's trials was permitted, but care was taken to ensure that no information of operational value should be disclosed. When the first articles were published under these revised arrangements, it was felt that they enabled rather more to be disclosed than was intended, although I am satisfied that nothing of operational value was then disclosed. A review of the arrangements was, therefore, immediately undertaken, and a fresh agreement has now been reached with the Press, limiting the amount of information which can be published at this stage of production to features which are externally obvious.

Would the Minister define what he means by "operational value"? Does he regard information on technical details as having an operational value? It certainly saves a great deal of

I suppose some technical details would have an operational value which would be interesting to a potential enemy, but I understand that the Royal Air Force are satisfied, as we are, that no information of any importance was disclosed, even on this occasion.

Arising out of that further reply, for which I am grateful, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will take into account the importance of external details which can only be useful if seen at close range? Does his answer imply that no further information will be given about wing sections, angles, sweep back, and the rest, which would only be valuable if seen at close range?

We are really going back to the old procedure which was agreed by the Royal Air Force and ourselves as covering the necessities of the case. I do not think the right hon. Gentleman need worry that we are disclosing any information which might be of importance to anyone else.

When the right hon. Gentleman says "the old procedure," does he mean the prohibition of detailed drawings, from which anyone can deduce the range and many other operational details of aircraft? Also, what is the point of prohibiting spectators from inspecting aircraft closely if they can read all about them in a technical paper?

The regulations which were relaxed have now been revised and brought back to what they were before. This has been done by agreement with the Press. No one need fear that on the occasion which called for comment, anything was disclosed which should not have been disclosed, or that it will be disclosed in future.

asked the Minister of Works what is the acreage in Richmond Park to which the public are still denied access; for what purpose or

The area of Richmond Park now closed to the public is about 564 acres. Of this just over 500 acres are under cultivation, the remainder being camp or gun sites. I hope that the whole area will be restored to the public at varying dates between the autumn of 1950 and that of 1951, with the exception of 48 acres occupied by the Kingston Gate Camp.

Is it the intention of the right hon. Gentleman's Department to return the camp that is there now for the Royal Signals or to take it down as soon as possible? Is it the intention to allow the park to, continue to be used for rather large-scale agricultural development?

As I have already explained, agriculture will shortly come to an end—within a measurable time as defined in my answer—[Laughter]—in Richmond Park. As soon as other accommodation can be found the camp will be cleared. As the hon. and learned Gentleman knows, I have already declared my intention to clean up the parks as soon as possible.

Clean them up?

Well, they want it sometimes.

asked the Minister of Works what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations on pages 50 to 53 and of Appendix J of the Phillips Report of the Working Party in the Building Industry.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 19th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ellis Smith). Appendix J of the report is a copy of a memorandum issued to local authorities by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health. It does not require any action on my part as it relates to direct labour employed by local authorities.

Will the Minister ask all members of the Government to read the outspoken remarks of Sir Thomas Phillips and his Committee? It would do them a bit of good. Will he also tell me if it is true that the Government are trying for all they are worth to pigeon-hole this Report?

No, that is absolutely untrue. It is my responsibility to see that the action required by the Report is carried out, and I can assure the hon. Gentleman that I am pursuing the matter with the utmost vigour.

asked the Minister of Works if, in view of the intention of the Witham Urban District Council, as part of their development plan, to provide a civic centre at The Grove, Witham, with a library and other appropriate buildings on the opposite side of the road, he will modify his proposal to build Inland Revenue offices at this site.

No, Sir. This temporary office building is urgently required, but the site is held on a 21-years' lease only, and I shall be willing to consider the question further with the urban district council when the time comes for the development of the civic centre.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that reply, may I ask whether he is reasonably satisfied that he will be able to clear these temporary buildings out of the way before the council wish to proceed with their plan?

I am not sure that I shall be here. [HON. MEMBERS: "Hear, hear."] Well, the scheme is not included in the local authority's programme for another 20 years. It seems to me probable, therefore, that we shall be able to manage all right.

asked the Minister of Works the proposed quantity and value of imports of cement and cement clinker for which sanction to the cement trade has recently been given; and from what countries are these imports of cement to be obtained.

Detailed arrangements have been discussed with the cement industry for the import of 60,000 tons of cement and 20,000 tons of cement clinker from Belgium and Germany, at a total f.o.b. cost of approximately £312,000. Licences have been issued to other importers, but I do not know how far they will, in fact, be used.

Has my right hon. Friend had brought to his attention the fact that certain schemes in various parts of the country, including Tees-side, are being held up because of the shortage of cement? Will this temporary arrangement fill the gap, and is this a further example of monopoly capitalism failing to expand sufficiently to cover the public demand?

Yes, Sir; I have heard quite a lot about it. I have been in consultation with the industry and they assure me that by the end of July the steps which have now been taken should meet all the necessary requirements. I am watching the situation very closely, however, and we shall take other steps if that does not prove to be the case.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware of the delays and irregularities in the delivery of cement in rural Essex; if he has considered the further representations on this matter forwarded to him; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of difficulties in this area. Deliveries in Essex have been substantially increased since these difficulties first arose, and I am satisfied that Essex is now receiving a fair share of total supplies. The rate at which Continental cement is being imported, has been doubled. I hope that the effect of this will be felt very shortly in Essex and elsewhere.

How soon does my right hon. Friend anticipate that there will no longer be any risk of housing schemes being delayed by non-delivery of cement? Incidentally, has my right hon. Friend yet discovered, as he had not on a previous occasion, that Essex is not part of East Anglia?

I will not enter into a geographical quarrel with my hon. Friend, but I am satisfied that the steps which we have now taken, as advised by the trade, should be sufficient to fill the gap. I have asked them to give the very highest priority to all house-building schemes.

Who allocates the imported cement? Is it done by the Department of the right hon. Gentleman, or by which other Department?

It is entirely done by the trade.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that despite the assurances which he has given now and previously, the position is rapidly worsening in Essex, and will he look into the matter again and deal with any correspondence which is sent to him?

I have taken the best available advice. I do not distribute or manufacture cement, and I am surprised to hear the repeated shouts from the Opposition for the nationalisation of the cement industry.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will now grant more licences for the repair of cricket and football stands.

I can now allow a few small schemes for work to clubs and places of entertainment, including the reinstatement of damaged stands, provided that no scarce materials, particularly softwood, are required, the cost is not great, and my officers are satisfied that the grant of the licence will not have an adverse effect on the local housing programme. While the need to restrict the amount of miscellaneous work remains it will still be necessary for me to reject any such schemes which involve substantial expenditure.

Is the Minister aware that this decision, provided that it does not interfere with housing, will give pleasure to a lot of people, and that that pleasure will be doubled if he will at once grant a licence to Huddersfield Town?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether this easement will mean that many clubs will now be able to obtain dressing room accommodation for their players and accommodation for their groundsmen also, because such licences have been refused in the past and it would be very helpful if the statement made by the Minister were to include these facilities?

I do not wish to be too specific today. There are a very large number of small applications and I have only a limited amount of funds available, but I will certainly bear in mind what the hon. Member has said.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that Fern Villa, West Hartlepool, is urgently required for the purpose for which it was purchased in 1946; and whether he will secure alternative temporary accommodation for the local office of the Assistance Board.

Yes, Sir. My Ministry have been trying for a long time to find alternative accommodation for the National Assistance Board, but as premises cannot be found arrangements are being made to build a new office. Meanwhile, the search for temporary accommodation will continue.

Will my right hon. Friend ask his local officers to consult the officials of the local authority, who will probably be able to give him the addresses of two or three suitable premises which are at present empty?

I should have thought that they certainly would have done so. If my hon. Friend has those addresses, perhaps he will be so good as to send them to me.

asked the Minister of Works whether he is satisfied that the stocks of softwood are sufficient to avoid dislocation in the building industry in the next few months; and for distribution purposes what is the lowest stock of softwood required to keep our present building programme supplied with softwood.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 22nd May, to which I have nothing to add.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that a certain amount of dislocation in the building industry is already taking place? Is he aware that in the case of some Merseyside building contractors, who received an order for 311 dwellings requiring 500 standards of timber, the licensing control granted a licence for only 60 standards and the contractors cannot purchase any timber at all even against the licence for 60 standards? Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that that is dislocation?

I can only call the attention of the hon. Gentleman to the fact that recent arrangements have been made for the importation of quite a large supply of timber from Russia. This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, and I will certainly call his attention to the case to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Works the estimated number of men at present employed on building Government offices and other Government buildings excluding quarters for the fighting or other services; and what is the estimated number engaged in building new houses.

The latest figures are for the end of April. At that date, about 5,000 men were employed on buildings intended for use as Government offices, about 20,000 men were estimated to be employed on various other Government buildings and about 260,000 on new houses.

Will the Minister give an assurance that in future Government Departments which want new offices will be required to stand second in the queue to the miserable families who are waiting for houses?

That always is the case. The Government have licensed up to the full the construction of houses in accordance with their programme, and offices very much take second place.

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that a substantial part of Kings Links Corporation Golf Course, Aberdeen, though no longer used by the military authorities, is still under their control; that it is used by four clubs with a combined membership of over 2,000 and hundreds of unattached players; that it is encumbered by military huts and by barbed wire; that open golf tournaments are planned there for this and next year; and if he will have it cleared and restored to its former condition suitable for golf championships this Summer.

No part of the main golf course is occupied by any Government Department, but seven acres of the adjoining six-hole course are held on requisition by my Department. This area will be released as soon as alternative accommodation can be found for the various bodies using the huts on this site and my Department are taking active steps in that direction. Statutory compensation will be paid when the site is released but the restoration of the land will be a matter for the corporation.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that both these links are required for the tournaments this year and that Aberdeen, as a seaside resort, is greatly prejudiced by one of them being occupied as it is at present? Will my right hon. Friend do what he can to expedite its release?

I did not know that people played tournaments on six-hole courses, but I will do what I can. There is not the slightest chance of getting the links released in time for this summer, but we will hurry it along.

asked the Minister of Works how many licences for the addition of living accommodation to lock-up shops were granted in 1949; and what total he is prepared to grant in 1950.

I regret that the information for 1949 is not available and could not be provided without an unjustifiable diversion of staff from their normal duties. I cannot set a figure for 1950, but such applications will continue to be considered on their merits.

Is it the policy of the Minister that these licences should be granted only on new housing estates, as is being stated by his regional officers to be his policy?

I should require to have notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Works how many hotels and houses in Cardiff have been derequisitioned by Government Departments since 1st March, 1950; and whether he will publish a list of locations of all house and hotel property at present occupied by Government Departments in Cardiff.

There were no hotels held on requisition in Cardiff on 1st March, 1950. No houses have been derequisitioned since that date. With regard to the second part of the Question, there are 66 houses and a part of one hotel in occupation by Government Departments in Cardiff, of which 53 are leased and 13 requisitioned. I do not think any useful purpose would be served by publishing a long list of the addresses of these premises, as the accommodation occupied by particular Departments can readily be ascertained locally. If the hon. Member has any particular question in mind I will try to give him the necessary information.

In view of the very serious housing shortage in Cardiff, will the Minister try to get these premises de-requisitioned as soon as possible?

I have already given instructions to that effect, but it depends upon the rate of construction of new buildings.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power how many fuel offices in the country are in requisitioned houses; and how many of these offices have been closed or removed from such houses since the end of 1945.

If, as I assume, the hon. and gallant Member refers to local fuel offices, my Department are not responsible for the provision of the premises which they require. This is a matter for the local authorities, and I regret therefore, that I am unable to give the information which he desires.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when he will publish the regulations governing the payment to local authorities who were formerly electricity undertakers of the amounts they are to receive as compensation for loss on severance.

The regulations laying down the principles on which compensation for severance of their electricity undertakings will be paid to local authorities are now being prepared. They will be published as soon as possible. I understand from the British Electricity Authority that compensation should be paid to local authorities shortly after the regulations are made.

What does the right hon. Gentleman mean by "very shortly"?

Within a few weeks, I hope.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power when his Department's Statistical Digest for 1948–49 will be published.

I hope that my Ministry's Statistical Digest for 1948 and 1949 will be published in September.

Does the Minister realise that this is quite a valuable publication and that the last edition, that for 1947, came out a year ago last November? The present one is nearly 14 months overdue and a good deal of telephoning to his statistical department would be saved if it were issued earlier than September.

Yes, but I am sure the hon. and gallant Member will realise that after nationalisation a great many changes had to be made in the form of information. It is now much more useful than it was before and it has taken longer to come forward. In future we shall publish a digest year by year, and it will be published much sooner.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power by what amount reductions have been made in the capital available to the electricity supply industry in the current financial year; and what percentage this cut constitutes.

An investment programme is approved for the calendar year. The amount originally sanctioned for electricity supply in 1950 was £113,000,000; but, after devaluation, it was decided to reduce the rate of expenditure to £102,000,000 a year. As this reduction could not be made immediately effective, I regret that it is not yet possible to say what the actual saving in 1950 may turn out to be.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, as a result of this policy, a number of my constituents are deprived of electricity even for lighting purposes? Will he take steps to improve the situation?

I want to improve the situation and I regretted the cuts, but I remember that the Opposition wanted much greater cuts than were actually made.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what arrangements he is able to make for the display of the model of the North Wales hydro-electric schemes, originally intended for the Library.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Works has been good enough to arrange that the model will be on view in Westminster Hall during the week which begins on 10th July. I am much obliged to the hon. Member and to other hon. Members who have taken an interest in this important matter.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power, in view of the fact that coke has been decontrolled, why users are still requested by his Department to fill up forms, giving information as to their requirements and use.

Although the supply of coke is generally adequate to meet the demand, it is still necessary to keep a watch on distribution, in order that the needs of essential industries, which require particular qualities or sizes, can be met. For this reason large consumers are still being asked to furnish returns showing their consumption and their stocks. Arrangements are being made however to dispense with these returns from the smaller consumers (who use less than 100 tons of coke and coal in the year). But these arrangements will not apply to the small consumers in the iron and steel industry.

Will the Minister look at the forms now being sent out to see whether it is necessary to ask for all the ridiculous information for which they ask?

The information may seem ridiculous to the hon. Member, but it is most desirable that these people who want specialised qualities and sizes should get what they want. The producers have to have this information to enable them to meet this demand.

Could they not get what they want simply by ordering it, when the producers would see what was required?

But they might order it and find that it is not there. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] Yes, of course, but with the arrangements which we make it is there; that is the difference.

Does the Minister think it necessary to ask in what type of conveyance the coke is to be brought to the factory?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the nature and contents of communications received from the National Union of Mineworkers, protesting against the continuance of opencast coal mining.

I have had no such communication from the National Union of Mineworkers.

In view of that reply, can the Minister say what justification he had two weeks ago last Saturday, when, addressing 20,000 miners at Rotherham, he was reported to have said that the farmers hate opencast coal mining, the miners hate it, and the Government hate it most of all? Why did he say that the miners hate it?

Because, just as I sometimes have private conversations with the hon. Member, so I have private conversations with miners, who tell me that they do not like opencast mining but realise, unlike the hon. Member, that we have to have the coal.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power since, in the first 23 weeks of this year, coal consumption has exceeded production to the order of 5,000,000 tons, what steps he is taking to limit sales.

During the winter the consumption of coal is greater than in the summer; the excess of consumption over production is met by drawing on stocks. The amount withdrawn from stocks in the first 23 weeks of 1950 was greater than in 1949, but the re-building of stocks for next winter has, of course, begun, and it is so far doing well.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what lines of action he has approved under Section (3) of the Coal Mines Act, 1946, with a view to educating workers in accepting new tasks or the reassessment of tasks in order to improve productivity of coal.

The acceptance of new tasks, or the reassessment of tasks, in the coal industry are matters which fall to be dealt with by the conciliation machinery set up under the requirements of the Act of 1946. The Question which the hon. and learned Baronet has put to me does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he is aware that, taken over a period of time, short delivery of coal to merchants represents an increasingly serious loss; and what steps he is taking, in consultation with the Minister of Transport, to ensure that merchants shall receive on the average the quantity of coal allocated to them.

This is a matter of the National Coal Board's day-to-day administration; if the hon. Member will read paragraphs 292–294 of their Annual Report for 1948, he will find an account of what is being done.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that stereotyped replies are being sent out when letters are written complaining of regular shortages of something like half a hundredweight in the ton and that the reply simply says that this is not regarded as excessive? Does the right hon. Gentleman share that view and, if not, what is he going to do about it?

I am not sure whether I am in order in adding to my original answer, but the Coal Board have had discussions with the coal distributors and the Railway Executive about what they can do and they are shortly to examine with the distributors the results of their discussions with the Railway Executive, with a view to improving matters.

What has the Railway Executive to do with the matter when a coal merchant does not send the proper amount of coal?

It is because a lot is lost in transit on the railways.

What has that to do with giving short weight?

It is short weight on arrival. It has always been true, long before nationalisation—this is a very old question—that there have been difficulties about short weight deliveries.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a statement upon future distribution arrangements for home produced eggs.

I am satisfied that the present system of distribution gets the eggs into the shops as rapidly as possible and I do not propose to change it. I have not had many complaints, but if the hon. Member has any suggestions for improvements I shall be very pleased to consider them.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the present nationalised distribution arrangements always result in eggs arriving in grocers' shops in an aged, musty and squiffy condition? Will he consider allowing distribution to revert to private distributors with the proper safeguards of national marking as in pre-war days, which would ensure that the eggs were fresh?

The hon. Member is misinformed. Perhaps he will await my reply to a later Question.

asked the Minister of Food how many Polish eggs are now being stored by his Department in the apple cold-storage plants in Kent; and if these will all be removed in time for the plants to receive the Kentish crop of apples.

It is not in the public interest to disclose the stocks of eggs held by my Department, but the fruit cold storage space will certainly be cleared before the apple harvest.

Is it a fact that all the farmers there are having more eggs put into their plant? Can I give them an assurance that their plant will not be occupied when they want to put their apples into it?

The hon. Member can refer the farmers to the reply which I have just given.

asked the Minister of Food what is the average time which elapses between the collection of an egg from the farm and its arrival at the retailer's shop.

An investigation which was recently carried out indicated that a fair average time between collection of eggs from a farm and their receipt at a retailer's shop would be from seven to nine days.

asked the Minister of Food whether unrationed tinned hams can be made available immediately to the public?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea, South (Mrs. Ganley) on 19th June.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that reply did not carry us very far? Could we not have ham derationed and let the public have the full benefit of what is available? What is the cause of this restriction?

As the House will know, some quantities of ham are now available.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the predicted glut in the world supplies of sugar, the Government can give an assurance that they will de-ration sugar before the end of 1950.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. and gallant Member for Wembley, North (Wing-Commander Bullus) and the hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Hollis) on 19th June.

How comes it that with an abundant supply of sugar in the world we cannot have sugar in this country—not more than one miserable pound? Let us have more sugar and get rid of Socialism.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the fact that dried animal blood plasma, imported from European slaughter houses, is being used as a substitute for eggs in cakes and confectionery sold in Great Britain, the Government will gave an assurance that steps will be taken to prohibit the sale of this plasma for use as a substitute for eggs, with special regard to the fact that the supply of eggs is more than adequate for all purposes throughout the country.

No, Sir. Bakers are still short of egg products and animal blood plasma is a valuable and harmless supplement to their present supplies.

Are we to understand that with all the abundant supply of eggs we cannot have wholesome eggs in our cakes? Why has this blood plasma to be used? Why cannot we have the fresh eggs and sugar we used to get instead of blood plasma without sugar? We do not want Socialism and blood plasma; we want sugar and eggs.

As I have already said, bakers are still short of egg products.

With great respect, I think the hon. Member is wrong.

In view of the fact that the spring abundance of eggs is falling off will my hon. Friend do nothing to divert supplies from the domestic ration to the manufacturers?

As my right hon. Friend has said on several occasions, the domestic ration has first priority.

To protect the public against deception should there not be a label "Blood puddings"?

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the ending of the points rationing scheme, he will now consider increasing the proportion of unrationed foods allowed to be included in food parcels sent abroad.

asked the Minister of Food if, in view of the limited quantity of foods that are now rationed, he will revise the rules governing food parcels to Germany, so as to reduce the proportion of rationed to unrationed food that may be sent in a parcel.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentlemen to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Willesden, East (Mr. Orbach) on 28th June.

asked the Minister of Food why the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Co-operative Bacon Factory, Limited, is allowed to affix to official Ministry of Food payment certificates a printed slip which suggests that owners of pigs should join this co-operative society.

The slips were affixed without my authority, and I have told the company to stop using them.

asked the Minister of Food whether, with a view to meeting the complaints of some farmers about the unfair grading of cattle at the only collecting centres available to them, he will take steps under Section 3 of the Livestock (Sales) Order, 1949, to extend the present areas from which livestock may be collected from any collecting centre, so that they overlap to some extent and thus provide the farmer with a choice of more than one centre.

This would not be a satisfactory method of dealing with complaints about livestock grading. The results of the work of the grading panels are examined by my Department and, in addition, the livestock inspectors supervise this work on their visits to the collecting centres. If the hon. Member would let me have details of any complaints about grading I will have inquiries made.

asked the Minister of Food what is the position with regard to London's meat ration this week.

I regret that the strike of transport workers has now extended to the manual staff at the cold stores and at Smithfield. It is hoped that with the aid of Service personnel we shall be able to distribute the full carcase meat ration of 1s. 4d. this week, but we cannot be certain about this and retail butchers should not, therefore, serve their customers with more than 1s. worth of meat for each ration book in the early part of the week. It is not proposed to distribute any canned corned beef in London this week. The House will be kept informed of any further developments.

Will the Minister do everything possible to make carcase meat available this week, as I am sure he will understand that the people of London do not want another week of corned beef? Will he, at the same time, consider, when carcase meat is available, making up the ration which was missed last?

Yes, Sir, on both points. Every step is being taken to ensure that housewives receive their rations. Every step will be taken later to see that the ration is distributed evenly over a period.

Seeing that this unofficial strike is obviously designed to cause the greatest possible degree of hardship to the general public and to housewives in particular at this time, is the hon. Gentleman aware of any close connection between those behind this strike and those who were behind the recent troubles in the London docks?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will put down a Question to the Minister of Labour.

Can the Parliamentary Secretary say who are the employers of the transport workers involved in the stoppage?

Yes, the Meat Transport Organisation.

That is the Government.

asked the Minister of Food whether he can now make a statement in regard to the derationing of soap.

I cannot yet add anything to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave on 14th June to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, East (Mr. Harrison).

Is it not a fact that every soap manufacturer in the country has abundant supplies of raw materials for soap and detergent production and will his right hon. Friend, therefore, in the vernacular, "come clean"?

Would the Parliamentary Secretary say why the Government are not de-rationing soap, having regard to the fact that the big soap manufacturers are spending about £2 million at the moment in advertising alternatives?

I have nothing to add to my reply.

asked the Prime Minister if he will consider publishing a list of the various Cabinet Committees so to enable there to be a more intelligent understanding of our machinery of government.

No, Sir. Ministers in charge of Departments are separately responsible to Parliament for the policy and administration of their Departments, and the procedure by which the Cabinet discharges its collective responsibility is a matter for the Cabinet itself.

Does my right hon. Friend believe that this secrecy is really helpful? Would he, in particular, consider issuing a statement about the committee on the machinery of government which has been sitting—how frequently it has met and Whether it is still in existence?

No, Sir. I have already explained in my answer why that attitude is taken up.