asked the Postmaster-General how many applications were outstanding and how many telephone installations, excluding party lines, were made in the years 1945 to 1949 respectively in the following areas: Borough of Darwen,

asked the Postmaster-General why there is a shortage of telephone bells.

Three only of the many different types of bell used by the Post Office are in short supply, due to delay in deliveries. The position is expected to improve substantially in the next few months.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that workmen from the General Post Office Telephones Department commenced on 12th June to excavate the roadside for the purpose of laying telephone cables, in Ogbury Road, Cold Harbour Farm, St. Mary Bourne, Hampshire, and to prevent access to the premises of Mr. George Black without warning or the courtesy of previous notice; and whether he will make a statement on the reasons for this conduct.

The particulars are as follows. They relate to the exchange areas named; full details for the borough or council areas are not available.

Sheet iron was available to bridge the trench at any time when the work was in progress and by this means it was arranged beforehand to prevent any inconvenience to Mr. Black; but when he protested work was stopped, and the divisional surveyor of the Hampshire County Council advised. Two days later he advised the engineering inspector in charge of the work that he had seen Mr. Black and that the work could proceed. It was completed within a day.

asked the Postmaster-General when he will set up the Advisory Committee provided for in Part II of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1949; and what interests will be represented.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Deedes).

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the telegraph service is less efficient than in pre-war days when a cheaper rate was charged; and if, in cases where the addressee of a telegram does not have a telephone, he will revert to the practice of sending the message by messenger rather than by post.

The time between handing in and delivery is now within four minutes of pre-war. There has been no change in the general practice of delivering telegrams. Only a small proportion received too late for delivery by messenger are sent by post if they cannot be delivered by telephone.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many teacher training centres have been established in Kenya for Africans; and how many students are attending the centres.

Forty-three teacher training centres for Africans have been established in Kenya; 965 men and 207 women are attending these centres.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now consider appointing an African member to the Executive Council of Kenya.

The possibility of appointing an African member to the Executive Council is carefully considered whenever the occasion arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will advise the Government of Kenya to appoint a committee to include African members of Legislative Council together with at least one Colonial Service official with experience of conducting elections with illiterate communities, to consider the means by which elections could be introduced for the African members of Kenya Legislative Council.

The policy of the Government of Kenya is to build up elective self-government on a local basis, thereby training Africans for similar responsibilities on a Colony basis. My right hon. Friend does not consider that the time is yet ripe to take the step proposed by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount of revenue raised during the last financial year by the Nyasaland Government from the tobacco and tea export taxes; and whether alternative sources of revenue are available which would not interfere with the development of these two important producing industries.

The export tax on tobacco produced £186,000 in 1949 and that on tea £89,000. There are no alternative sources of revenue which the Nyasaland Government would regard as preferable to these taxes; and I do not accept the inference in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Food when confectioners will have sufficient supplies to enable their customers to buy on their ration either chocolate or boiled sweets as they desire.

Confectioners are now getting enough confectionery to give the consumer a reasonable choice between chocolate and boiled sweets. But I am afraid I cannot guarantee that the ration will be available to everybody in the particular form he would like. As to when this will be possible, I can only reply—as soon as our sugar supplies are adequate for all purposes.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now reduce the price of cooking fats in view of the considerable profits made by his Department on edible oils.

Our overall trading in oils and fats is, in fact, carried on at a loss by reason of our subsidy on the domestic margarine and cooking fat rations; and I could not reduce prices without increasing the subsidy total.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that a recently recovered body from the "Truculent" disaster was buried by the Sheerness police on 27th June before the inquest; and if he will arrange for a Service burial with the other "Truculent" casualties as soon as possible, as requested by the family at the time of the disaster.

Yes. A body was recovered from the sea on 24th June, but, because of its condition, it was not identified as that of a naval rating, and the coroner ordered it to be buried by the local authority pending further investigation. It has subsequently proved possible to identify the body as that of a member of the crew of the "Truculent," and I am endeavouring to arrange for the body to be reburied with naval honours at Gillingham, where the other victims of the disaster lie. The Board of Admiralty deeply regret the distress caused to the relatives.

asked the Minister of Health when the Statistical Reviews of the Registrar-General for 1948 and 1949 will be published.

Part II (Civil Tables) of the Registrar-General's Statistical Review for 1948 was published on 2nd June last. Printing difficulties have delayed the publication of Part I (Medical Tables) for 1948 but it should appear early next month. Parts I and II for 1949 should appear early in 1951. No date can at present be given for the Text Volumes of the Reviews for 1948 and 1949. In addition to certain vital statistics for the whole of each of the years 1948 and 1949 which have already appeared in the Registrar-General's Weekly and Quarterly Returns, final population estimates for those years by regions and administrative areas have appeared in a new series of publications entitled "The Registrar-General's Estimates of the Population of England and Wales."

asked the Minister of Health how he proposes to remedy the present dislocation in the building of houses in Hendon owing to the lack of cement; and when he expects the shortage of be remedied.

I am not aware that house-building in Hendon has been dislocated; my regional officers have helped in one case of difficulty and are ready to help in others if they arise. In reply to the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Works to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, West (Mr. G. Cooper) on 3rd July, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing what contribution the Colonies are making to the closing of the dollar gap.

Imports into the Colonies from dollar areas have been about 175 million dollars in the last 12 months compared with 260 million dollars in 1948–49. Colonial dollar earnings from exports over the last 12 months have been of the order of 375 million dollars compared with 462 million dollars in 1948–49.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will now give a full reply to the memorandum sent to him by the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association about deduction of pay in respect of debtor balances.

This problem is being examined with great care, and as soon as possible my right hon. Friend will reply fully to the memorandum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the circumstances in which, in November, 1947, the warrant card of John William Chesterman, then a special constable and a factory patrolman at the Ministry of Supply Storage Depot, Burghfield, Reading, was altered by an official of the Ministry of Supply.

I have been asked to reply. Mr. Chesterman was appointed under Section 3 (1) of the Special Constables Act, 1923, special constable at the Burghfield Depot and within 15 miles thereof. The warrant card was a document providing evidence of identity and was issued by the superintendent of the depot. The words "and within 15 miles thereof" in this document were deleted because, on the closing down of a neighbouring depot, Mr. Chesterman's duties were again confined to the Burgh-field Depot. This alteration to the warrant card did not affect the terms of Mr. Chesterman's appointment by the justices.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he has as yet reached a decision upon the claim to an allowance made by Mr. George Coates, of 95, Gloucester Street, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, details of which case have been submitted to his Department by the hon. Member for Newcastle, Central.

Forms to enable Mr. Coates to claim the unemployability supplement were sent to him on the 8th July, and I have arranged for one of my welfare officers to visit him to render any necessary assistance in the completion of the forms. In view of the medical report received from the hon. Member on 22nd June, I have also arranged for Mr. Coates to be medically examined. On receipt of the forms and medical report the pensioner's eligibility for the unemployability supplement and increased pension will be sympathetically considered and a decision reached without delay.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will publish a list of boards, councils, committees and corporations, other than county committees, functioning in Wales, the members of which are nominated, wholly or partly, by him or other Ministers; and a list of individuals appointed to more than one of such bodies, indicating the bodies to which each such individual is appointed.

I am afraid that this information is not readily available in this form and cannot be obtained without undue expense of time and labour.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation if he will now make a statement about the future plans for the utilisation of the Brabazon aircraft.

I have nothing to add to the statement I made during the course of my reply to the Debate in Committee of Supply on 6th July, 1950.