asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make arrangements for the financial protection of farmers in East Africa from possible losses through locust attacks.

The question of assistance to farmers would be a matter for the Colonial Governments in the first instance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what precautions are being taken to safeguard the farmers in East Africa from anticipated attacks by locusts.

Under the auspices of the Desert Locust Survey, an organisation under the control of the East Africa High Commission, teams have been at work destroying incipient swarms of locusts in the breeding areas to the north of British East Africa. Unfortunately recent reports indicate that the rate at which locusts are breeding is likely to demand a major campaign to destroy them. Plans for this are being discussed in Nairobi this month by the organisation with representatives of the many countries concerned and with Dr. Uvarov, Director of the Anti-Locust Research Centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies to what extent it is the custom for the Kenya Government to grant allowances to the African members of the Legislative Council to enable them to tour the country and explain their work to the people; and whether such tours include the European-settled areas.

Allowances are not given for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many African women hold executive appointments in the Government service of the East and Central African Colonies; how many have professional qualifications and in which professions; and how many African women nurses at present exist.

Detailed information on all these points is not available in the Colonial Office but I will ask the Colonial Governments concerned to supply it and will communicate with the hon. Gentleman as soon as it has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps it is now proposed to take to control the spread of the disease known as "Sudden Death" among clove plantations in Zanzibar and Peruba.

Until the cause of the disease has been definitely ascertained by research, which is continuing, no remedial or control measures can be devised. It is, however, hoped to maintain the industry by re-planting. The British Resident is working out a scheme of financial assistance to plantation owners to facilitate and expedite re-planting, and I hope to receive details of this scheme shortly for consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why Government unions in Singapore are not allowed to join a federation of trade unions although the Trades Union Council of Malaya covers Government and non-Government unions; and why is the same Trade Unions Ordinance interpreted different in Singapore and Malaya.

There is no Federation of Trade Unions in Singapore. Nor is there any evidence that the Trade Union Ordinances of Singapore and the Federation of Malaya are being differently interpreted. A question has, however, arisen of interpreting a notice in the Official Gazette of Singapore regarding Government employees and this is now being examined locally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what Whitley Councils have been set up in Singapore.

Some Departments have regularly operated Joint Consultative Committees based on Whitley principles for nearly two years; others hold informal meetings between heads of Departments and representatives of trade unions as matters arise. It is the policy of the Singapore Government to encourage the further growth of Whitley machinery. I have asked for details and will write to my hon. Friend when they are to hand.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that large quantities of imported Italian cherries are currently arriving in Birmingham and elsewhere and destroying or depressing the market for cherries grown in Worcestershire; and what steps he proposes to take to protect the home grower.

These imports have now stopped under the provisions of the Importation of Raw Cherries Order.

asked the Minister of Food to what use he will put the £500,000 profit made by his Department on the sale in this country of a part of the gift of apples from British Columbia.

We are still considering this question.

asked the Minister of Food what action he proposes to take on the report of the Departmental Committee on Marketing Arrangements in London in so far as it affects Covent Garden market; and when he expects to be in a position to reply to the representations made to him by the Westminster City Council on 15th December, 1949.

The Government is still examining this question and I cannot make a statement yet.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give consideration to the setting up of a commission of inquiry to examine the present system of marketing and distribution of meat supplies in the London area and to make recommendations for altering and improving the system now centralised at Smithfield market, including the possibility of setting up a system of area marketing and distribution centres and prevention of the recurrent breakdown of supplies to the general public experienced under the present system.

The Government are making a full examination of the present system of meat and other food markets in the London area, with a view to affecting improvements. Among the matters under review is a proposal to close the present Smithfield market and to disperse its functions among several meat markets in the London area.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that Grimsby merchants who are re-selling imported Icelandic cod in Israel now find they are being undercut in this market by his fish division on information supplied by the private traders; and, in view of the correspondence sent to him, if he will stop this unfair competition.

I know that the Grimsby merchants are having difficulty in selling their stocks of frozen fish, but my Department must be free to dispose of its own stocks to the best advantage of the country. I cannot accept the suggestion that we took an unfair advantage of any information given us, since our own negotiations with the Israeli authorities began well before the meeting mentioned in this correspondence, and our price offer was made without knowledge of any other offers.

the Minister of Food what were the total imports of boxed white fish in the eight weeks ended 11th June, 1938.

I am sorry that the figures asked for by the hon. Member are not available. The pre-war records showed monthly figures for imported fresh and frozen fish only; boxed fish was not shown separately.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that apprentices who decide to do their military training before completing their apprenticeship find, on completion of their training, that they are required to attend regularly at evening school, in addition to Territorial service; and if, in view of the strain imposed upon such youths, he will take steps to alleviate their position.

It is not considered that the very small amount of evening training that a National Service man is required to undergo during part-time service is sufficient to interfere unduly with his civilian studies and I cannot agree to make exceptions in such cases.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of existing dissatisfaction in that National Service men have to serve four years in the Territorial Army while those who were not liable to call-up also escape such Territorial service; and what steps he intends to take to remedy this.

My right hon. Friend is not aware of the dissatisfaction to which my hon. Friend refers and the second part of the Question therefore does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what considerations have led him to approve the establishment of a new large oil refinery approximately opposite that at Fawley across Southampton Water.

The decision to approve in principle a proposal to erect a new oil refinery somewhere off Southampton Water between Southamp- ton and Portsmouth was reached after a thorough investigation of all the circumstances, including the suitability of available sites in other parts of the country and the proximity of markets for the refined product.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of those countries whose Governments have subscribed to the provisions of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

The Governments of the following 32 countries are provisionally applying the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in accordance with the Geneva Protocol of Provisional Application or the Annecy Protocol of Terms of Accession: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Burma, Canada, Ceylon, Chile, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Dominica, Finland, France, Greece, Haiti, India, The United States of Indonesia, Italy, The Lebanon, Liberia, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Pakistan, Southern Rhodesia, Sweden, Syria, The Union of South Africa, The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, The United States of America.The Nationalist Government of the Republic of China has notified its withdrawal from the Agreement with effect from 5th May, 1950; the Central People's Government of China has not yet defined its position with regard to the Agreement.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make available sufficient untaxed cloth to the making up trade to enable them to produce in quantity cheaper priced ladies' frocks.

There is no shortage of utility (untaxed) wool cloth, and as I stated in my replies to my hon. Friend the Member for Bilston (Mr. Nally) on 11th and 23rd May, two Committees have been set up under the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Secretary of the Board of Trade to consider and advise on any further steps necessary to secure an early increased supply of utility cotton and rayon cloths.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will publish an up-to-date list of the names of the members of the Air Transport Advisory Council, the Scottish Advisory Council for Civil Aviation, the Scottish Aerodromes Board, the Channel Islands Advisory Council for Civil Aviation and the National Civil Aviation Consultative Council, together with a separate list of any individuals holding more than one appointment in connection with a nationalised undertaking; and what those appointments are.

The following are the details asked for in the first part of this Question. As for the second part, the information is not readily available and I consider that the labour involved in checking these names against all bodies connected with nationalised undertakings would be unjustified; I have, however, listed the individuals holding more than one appointment in connection with civil aviation.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will publish an up-to-date list of the names of the members of the Central Transport Consultative Committee and the Transport Users' Consultative Committees for Scotland, Wales and London, together with a separate list of any individuals holding more than one appointment in connection with a nationalised undertaking; and what those appointments are.

Following is the information asked for:

asked the Minister of Works whether he is aware that building work on municipal housing estates is being held up through shortages of cement and timber; and if he will take action to make supplies available.

I have been asked to reply. No. Steps have been taken to make supplies of cement available for municipal housing estates in Stockton-on-Tees. If the Council experience difficulty over timber, they should consult my principal regional officer.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to increase the supply of special lenses, with a view to reducing the lengthy waiting period; and why such essentials are in short supply.

The waiting, period is due to the overwhelming demand and shortage of skilled labour. Consultations and technical co-operation with the industry are continuing but it may be some time before all special needs can be met promptly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will continue this year the concession to amateur tobacco growers.

Yes, in all cases in which the conditions have been properly observed.

asked the Postmaster-General what progress is being made in providing adequate telephone exchange facilities in Caernarvon and Llanberis, Caernarvonshire.

A new automatic exchange is needed at Caernarvon to replace the present manual exchange, which is overloaded and cannot be extended. Its provision has been delayed by the impossibility, so far, of obtaining a new site. I am examining urgently the practicability of further relief measures to help in this difficult situation. At Llanberis, a new automatic exchange is planned for next year.

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone kiosks have been allocated to the counties of Dorset, Devon and Warwick respectively.

Existing public call offices in these counties number 507, 1,117 and 1,735. This year's allocation of kiosks for the rural areas in these counties, under the scheme agreed with the Rural District Councils' Association, is 12, 30 and 11.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will arrange that when British ships are loaned to Dominion navies, crews shall be paid at Dominion rates or receive some additional allowance in view of the higher price levels prevailing in Dominion countries.

No. I consider that present arrangements are satisfactory. These provide for payment of compensatory allowances, when justified by higher price levels, to officers and men who are serving ashore in Commonwealth or foreign countries or who, though themselves are serving afloat, have their wives and families with them on the station.