asked the Secretary of State for War what Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes arrangements are available to British troops in Korea.

The British troops originally despatched to Korea from Hong Kong have no N.A.A.F.I. facilities, but their canteen requirements are now being met by the Australians. They previously had full access to American facilities. The force which has been sent from the United Kingdom is accompanied by a complete expeditionary force Institute organisation. To cover the period before this organisation is in a position to distribute supplies, all units have in their possession specially prepared N.A.A.F.I. packs.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that on troopships sailing to Far Eastern waters stamps for letters home are allocated at the rate of three per fortnight for other ranks, six per fortnight for sergeants and an unlimited number for officers; and what is the reason for this disparity.

I am having inquiries made into this allegation and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the fact that the United Kingdom exports are now exceeding imports and of the recent increase in our gold and dollar reserves, he will advise the United States Government that Marshall Aid is no longer required by the United Kingdom nor financial aid for our rearmament programme.

No. I have nothing to add to the two statements made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on Tuesday last in the course of the Debate on the Address.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate purchasing power of the pound today as compared with 1909.

There was no official or reliable cost of living index before 1914, and therefore no useful comparison is possible between the period before then and the present day. But in terms of the cost-of-living index which began in 1914, the purchasing power of the pound would now be approximately 8s. 6d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the purchasing power of the pound sterling taking the year 1900 as 100, at the latest available date.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will abolish the Purchase Tax on hard-brimmed sou'westers used by fishermen, the tax on which now amounts to 2s. 1¼d. on a sou'wester, the retail price of which is 6s. 4d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will abolish the Purchase Tax on fishermen's boots, which now amounts to 1s. 11½d. on a pair of boots, the retail price of which is 49s. 8d.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will abolish the Purchase Tax on brown canvas jumpers used by fishermen, the tax on which is about 4s. on a jumper, costing retail, about 11s., according to size.

I regret that I cannot make exception in respect of any of these articles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider reducing the Purchase Tax on photographic goods.

This suggestion together with others will be considered when the next general review of the Purchase Tax takes place.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why a particular vehicle, details of which have been sent to him and which has a wide application in food production, is subject to Purchase Tax whereas farm tractors and trailers, of which this vehicle is a combination, are not subject to Purchase Tax.

Because the vehicle is not sufficiently specialised for agricultural work to warrant discrimination from the other general purpose goods carriers which are used by farmers and horticulturists.

asked the Chancellor of Exchequer whether he will consider the introduction of a 1½d. piece, in view of the increasing uses to which this sum is being put, especially as regards transport fares.

I have considered this suggestion, but any advantages it might have are in my view outweighed by the very serious practical difficulties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the receipts from the entertainments tax on speedway racing for the first six months of the financial years 1948, 1949 and 1950.

Receipts of Entertainments Duty from speedway racing are not separately recorded. The approximate receipts from racing other than dog racing and horse racing during the six months April to September, inclusive, of the years in question were as follow:April to September, 1948—£413,000.April to September, 1949—£513,000.April to September, 1950—£450,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that British planters and other commercial employees in Malaya, who spend more than six months leave in any one year in the United Kingdom, are obliged to pay Income Tax at United Kingdom rates, whereas Government officials are not; and whether he will arrange for equal treatment in taxation to be given to all citizens of the United Kingdom, whether Government servants or not.

Officials of Colonial Governments are treated, for the purposes of United Kingdom taxation, in exactly the same way as officials of other Commonwealth and foreign Governments, and are exempted from United Kingdom tax under our double taxation arrangements. They are, of course, liable to the Colonial Government tax even when they are not resident in the Colony. The same considerations do not arise in the case of commercial employees, and I see no reason to amend the rule that they are liable to United Kingdom tax if they spend six months or more in this country during the Income Tax year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the concession in favour of owners of single house plots is limited to those who start to build a house on their plot before 1st January, 1953; and whether he will give an assurance that the case of those who are prevented from starting before that date because they cannot obtain a licence will receive further consideration.

The arrangements to which the hon. Member refers allow the owner of a single plot who starts to build before 1st January, 1953, to set off development charge against his claim on the £300 million. This rate was selected because the £300 million has to be distributed before 1st July, 1953, and a few months will be needed for the administrative arrangements. The claims of single plot owners who cannot start to build by 1st January, 1953, will receive further consideration when the scheme for distributing the £300 million is being prepared.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details and state the total amount of Governmental loans to foreign countries at the latest available date; and how much of the amount owing to Britain has increased owing to devaluation.

The total amount at 1st November, 1950, was £328 million. I will, with permission, circulate the details in the OFFICIAL REPORT. These loans are expressed in sterling, and de-

LOANS BY HIS MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT OUTSTANDING ON 1ST NOVEMBER, 1950
—	Amount outstanding	Interest rate	Terms of repayment
	£'000	Per cent.
CHINA—
Agreement of 2nd May, 1944, on Financial Aid for war purposes.	8,128	—	Question of repayment in abeyance.
Agreement of 5th June, 1941, for £5 million Loan for National purposes.	4,109	3½	Repayable by annuities ending April, 1961. Instalments due April and October, 1950, not received.
FRANCE—
Anglo-French Financial Agreement of 3rd December, 1946 (Cmd. 6988).	92,515	½	Repayable by annuities ending September, 1961.
NETHERLANDS—
Agreement of 11th March, 1948, on war-time Debts (Cmd. 7358).	40,699	½	Repayable by annuities ending February, 1968.
POLAND—
Agreement of 24th June, 1946, on outstanding Financial Questions (Cmd. 7148).	10,000	—	Repayable by 15 annual instalments—the first payment to be made in June, 1952.
Agreement of 24th June, 1946, on outstanding Financial Questions (Cmd. 7148).	47,500	—	Question of repayment in abeyance
TURKEY—
Anglo - Franco - Turkish Treaty of Mutual Assistance, 19th October, 1939 (Cmd. 6165).	27,338	4	Repayable by annuities ending December, 1966.
U.S.S.R.
Agreement of 27th December, 1947 (Cmd. 7297).	36,785	½	Each advance repayable by 12 equal annual instalments—the first due at the end of the fourth year from the date on which the advance was made.
CZECHO-SLOVAKIA—
Agreement of 28th September, 1949, for settlement of Inter-Governmental Debts (Cmd. 7798).	19,747	1	Repayable by instalments from January 1954, to July, 1965.
Agreement of 14th December 1946, for Surplus Stores (Cmd. 7085).	1,247	½	Repayable on 1st January, 1951.
Agreement of 15th August, 1945, for purchase of goods in the United Kingdom	3,136	2¼	Repayable by annuities ending in July, 1953.
JORDAN—
Loan for certain development projects in connection with the resettlement of Arab refugees.	500	Free of interest.	Repayable by 15 annual instalments, 1956–1970
GREECE—
Loan for stabilisation of Greek Currency (Cmd. 6733).	10,000	Do.	Repayable by 10 annual instalments, 1951–1960.
BURMA—
Loan for purchase of civilian supplies, reconstruction of industries, etc. (Cmd. 7240).	26,712	Do.	Repayable by 20 annual instalments, 1952–1971.
	328,416

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Government's wages policy is still that outlined in the White Paper on Personal Incomes. Profits and Prices of February, 1948.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my remarks on the subject in my speech last Thursday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the rules governing the duty on tax free importation of household effects into this country are not made more widely known, particularly those dealing with the length of the period that will qualify for rebate of duty.

Information about this concession is available to inquirers in this country and at our Missions abroad and is included in a memorandum issued by the Customs. The Customs are prepared to give a firm ruling on a declaration by the importer as to whether in a particular case such goods would, or would not qualify for free entry, but the publication of a specific minimum period of ownership and use abroad would, I fear, invite serious evasion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long a period a person must possess household furniture and similar articles before he can qualify for a rebate of duty and Purchase Tax when bringing it into this country on change of residence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what publicity is given to the rules governing the concession available for household effects imported into the United Kingdom, free of duty and Purchase Tax, on a transfer of residence of the owner to this country.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question on this subject today by the hon. Member for Woking (Mr. Watkinson).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what restrictions he proposes to make on imports from the United States of America, in particular on films and tobacco, in view of the probable ending altogether of Marshall Aid to this country.

The volume of imports which we can afford to import from the United States of America in 1951 is under consideration. The probable amount of Marshall Aid is one of the factors which will need to be taken into account.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, following the reassessment of houses under the Local Government Act, 1948, he proposes to base liability for schedule A Income Tax on such revised assessments.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 24th October to the hon. Member for Orpington (Sir W. Smithers) in answer to a similar question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, whereas the Road Fund Tax for a petrol motor on a bicycle is only 17s. 6d., the tax amounts to £5 when a petrol motor is put on a tricycle; and when the hon. Member for Huntingdon may receive a reply to his letter dated 4th October suggesting that action should be taken in this matter.

Yes, assuming that the hon. Member is referring to a motor not exceeding 150 cubic centimetres capacity. A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 3rd November.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why His Majesty's Stationery Office refused to accept for publication as an advertisement in the "London Gazette" of 27th October, 1950, a notice of the appointment of Francis Farrington Boult and Harold Thackwell Lewis as new trustees of the will of the late Sir James Brooke, first Rajah of Sarawak.

The Stationery Office declined to accept the notice after receiving advice from the Colonial Office that there was objection to publication as reference was made to the sovereignty of Sarawak, which is in His Majesty.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the Central Office of Information's film of the opening ceremony of the new Chamber of the House of Commons will be ready for despatch to the Empire, Colonies, and other countries.

The opening ceremony of the new Chamber of the House of Commons was not filmed by the Central Office of Information. The newsreel companies, however, have already sent overseas their films of this occasion, and have included parts of those films in the newsreels which, by arrangement with the oversea departments and the C.O.I., they compile specially for distribution in certain oversea countries. In addition, the C.O.I. are having the B.B.C.'s television film of the opening ceremony re-edited for oversea purposes, and copies of this version should be ready for despatch to British information posts and the Colonies in about a week's time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that there are occasions when a civil servant becomes established and his salary is reduced although he continues doing the same work as before establishment; what regulations he has made in respect of such cases and under what special conditions such treatment is considered justifiable.

The arrangements for fixing the starting pay of temporary civil servants on establishment are not uniform. They are agreed for each group, with the staff representatives concerned, in the light of the relevant circumstances, which might justify a reduction in salary. If my hon. friend has any case in mind and would let me have particulars I should be glad to look into it.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what stage the negotiations over increases of pay for clerical officers of the Civil Service, have reached.

Disagreement has been recorded, and the matter is being referred to the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal. Terms of reference have been agreed but the date of the hearing has not yet been fixed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any decision has yet been made in respect of the claim submitted by industrial civil servants for twelve days' annual leave.

No, not yet. At a recent meeting of the Joint Co-ordinating Committee the Official Side explained that they had proposed to lay the matter before my predecessor in person as the trade union side had expressly requested. The claim has now been put to me and I am at present seeking some further information. As soon as I have this I will consider the claim and reach a decision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the shortage of raw materials for the packing industry, and in particular of chipboard, folding box board and solid and corrugated fibreboard; and what action he proposes to take.

Yes. In the case of solid and corrugated fibreboard, a considerable expenditure of dollars has already been authorised for the import of the appropriate raw materials, but owing to the pressure of demand in North America only limited quantities appear to be available. As regards other types of board, the production of which depends to a large extent on waste-paper, we are urging local authorities to take full advantage of the salvage scheme which the mills are now preparing. This will offer guaranteed outlets and a minimum price for their collections until the end of 1951 and will, it is hoped, provide the extra quantities of raw materials required.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why, in view of the housing crisis in Britain, 500 prefabricated houses are to be shipped abroad from the port of Immingham on 14th November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the first consignment of 500 prefabricated houses is due to pass through the port of Immingham on 14th November for Australia; how many prefabricated houses have been exported, and to what countries, for each of the years 1945–49, inclusive, and for the first 10 months of 1950; and how many are due to be exported under existing contracts.

EXPORTS OF PREFABRICATED BUILDINGS
—		1945–1949	January-September, 1950
			Number	£
Channel Islands	…	see footnote	3	2,572
Gibraltar	…		1	700
Gold Coast	…		3	4,620
Nigeria	…		1	1,754
South Africa	…		7	608
Southern Rhodesia	…		88	38,787
Tanganyika	…		52	63,227
Kenya	…		41	7,967
Nyasaland	…		6	1,084
Bahrein, Koweit, Qatar and Trucial Oman	…		8	17,544
India	…		7	6,215
Pakistan	…		5	6,286
Australia	…		1,564	1,589,080
New Zealand	…		5	1,404
Canada	…		1	1,272
Jamaica and Dependencies	…		22	6,909
Windward Islands	…		2	3,203
Trinidad and Tobago	…		1	762
British Honduras	…		2	250
British Guiana	…		9	1,125
Anglo-Egyptian Sudan	…		26	27,387
Irish Republic	…		1	1,490
Switzerland	…		1	500
Belgian Congo	…		11	4,695
French West and Equatorial Africa	…		6	6,892
French Indo-China	…		1	1,479
Lebanon	…		65	34,696
Israel	…		5	5,439
Morocco	…		2	1,514
Iraq	…		9	17,886
Iran	…		3	6,000
United States of America	…		1	1,175
Colombia	…		1	1,223
Venezuela	…		1	156
Uruguay	…		1	1,070
TOTAL	…		1,962	1,866,971
Note.—For the years 1945–1949 inclusive prefabricated buildings were not separately distinguished in Customs and Excise Export List. Details are not yet available for the first 10 months of 1950.

The decision to facilitate these exports was taken in full consultation with the Departments concerned. They form part of a valuable export trade which helps to pay for supplies of, for example, meat and wool. They will help the Government of Australia to house immigrants, and they are in line with the United Kingdom Government's policy of encouraging emigration to the under-populated parts of the Commonwealth. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the available figures for the export of prefabricated buildings. I regret that figures for the numbers under contract are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what recent changes have taken place in the quota arrangements for the importation of earthenware into New Zealand; what their effect will be upon exports from this country; and what steps are being taken to deal with same.

Under decisions recently announced by the New Zealand Minister for Customs, chinaware, earthenware and porcelainware for table use, above a certain price level, may be imported freely into New Zealand during 1951. The import of goods below this price level will be subject to the grant of individual import licences. On instructions the Trade Commissioner has ascertained from the New Zealand authorities that the rate at which such licences are granted will depend upon the extent to which the New Zealand industry is able to produce this grade of pottery at acceptable prices and qualities to meet New Zealand's requirements. Until the rate of licensing is known it is not possible to make any estimate of the probable effect of these changes on our exports of chinaware and earthenware to New Zealand during 1951.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the reduced production of superphosphate fertiliser; and what proposals he has for making up the deficiency by importation.

Yes. Arrangements are in hand to purchase on public account from Continental sources the quantity of superphosphates necessary to make good the loss in production. Contracts have already been concluded for the bulk of our estimated requirements.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are taken to ensure an even distribution of the larger sizes of women's shoes, particularly in the Merseyside area.

The distribution of footwear is the responsibility of the industry, and I understand that the Federation of Boot and Shoe Manufacturers and the Footwear Distributors' Joint Council have the problem of the production and distribution of larger sizes of women's shoes before them. The hon. Member's complaint about the shortage in the Merseyside area is being brought to their notice. The production of women's larger-size footwear is, of course, governed by the demand, which is limited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he proposes to take, in view of the closing of the Welwyn film studios.

I understand that the owners have closed Welwyn studios because it will in their view be more economical to concentrate their production activities at the larger and more modern studios owned by them at Elstree. Neither the Welwyn nor the Elstree studios have been fully used during the last two years. While we very much regret the closure of Welwyn, it is difficult to oppose the wish of the Corporation to concentrate production in the more modern unit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will impose price control on goods where price increases have been made which are not related to increases in the cost of raw materials.

As my hon. Friend will be aware from the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Debate on the Address on 2nd November, we are arranging for a review of the Board of Trade field of price control so as to see whether it is advisable to re-impose some of the controls which were removed before the recent change in the economic climate. In considering cases where uncontrolled prices have been increased, account will be taken of all relevant factors, which may include changes in costs other than raw material costs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the increasing scale of British exports to Canada, what steps he is taking to extend the Token Import Scheme.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now prepared to allow Canadian firms who did not send goods into this country before the war to be allowed to participate in the Token Import Scheme.

The arrangements to be adopted in 1951 under the Token Import Scheme, which includes other countries as well as Canada, are now being considered, and an announcement will be made shortly. I would point out, however, that the Token Import List consists mainly of goods which would not be imported on grounds of need. While essential dollar imports have to be restricted, an extension of the Scheme involves obvious difficulties.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has yet received from the Monopolies Commission any report on the cases that have been referred to it.

I have now received their first report, which is on dental goods. It will be laid before Parliament as soon as it is printed.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the unemployment figures for Pembroke Dock, Milford Haven, Haverfordwest, Tenby and Fish-guard at the last convenient date; and how does this compare with the same period last year and for the same period in 1938.

The table below gives the information desired:

NUMBERS OF UNEMPLOYED PERSONS ON THREGISTERS OF THE UNDERMENTIONED EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGES IN PEMBROKESHIRE AT THE SPECIFIED DATES
Employment Exchange		16th October, 1950	10th October, 1949	17th October 1938
Pembroke	…	196	241	1,168
Milford Haven	…	279	265	842
Haverfordwest	…	113	99	577
Tenby	…	99	70	430
Fishguard	…	74	61	461

asked the Minister of Labour how many building trade workers were called up for National Service from 1st January to 31st October, 1950.

I regret that the information is not immediately available, but I am having inquiries made and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour how many man hours were lost as a result of the recent gas strike in London.

Statistics of man-hours lost through industrial stoppages are not compiled. The number of man-days lost at various gas works in London, Essex and Middlesex, as a result of the stoppage of work between 16th September and 7th October was about 28,000. Nearly 3,000 man-days were also lost in the stoppage of work at some of these establishments on 1st and 2nd September.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Remploy factories are producing goods which compete with those made by the National Institute for the Blind; and what steps he proposes to take to avoid competition of this kind.

I have been asked to reply. It is true that there is some production by Remploy Limited of articles which might compete with those made by the Workshops for the Blind, but I feel that I would not be justified in trying to exclude severely disabled persons entirely from occupations carried on by the blind. I know, however, that Remploy Limited is fully alive to the need for care in entering fields where they will be in competition with Workshops for the Blind.

asked the Minister of Labour when it is his intention to issue a permanent cost-of-living index to replace the existing provisional one.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2nd May to the question of the hon. Member for Louth (Mr. Osborne).

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is proposed to extend the qualifying date for grants under the Further Education and Training Scheme so as to assist those whose education was interrupted by call-up for National Service after the present qualifying date.

No. The scheme was intended to help persons whose professional training was prevented or interrupted by war service. The termination dates for commencing qualifying service were very generously fixed, and I could not justify any extension.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the areas in Caithness and Sutherland where forestry schemes are in operation together with the number of full-time and regular part-time men engaged on each of them.

The following are the State forest areas in Caithness and Sutherland with the number employed on each of them.

			Number of employees on full-time employment
Caithness:
Rumster Forest	…	…	6
Sutherland:
Borgie Forest	…	…	16
Balblair Forest	…	…	8
Dornoch Forest	…	…	38
Shin Forest	…	…	11
			79

In addition, several casual workers are employed throughout the year for varying periods but there are no regular part-time men employed. Included in the total of 79 are men who occupy crofts or holdings and who, at their own request, are permitted periods of "off time" to work their crofts or holdings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what grounds he has rejected the representations made by the South-Western Fire Area for the use of wireless in the Fire Service.

For technical reasons relating to agreements about the use of wavelengths and which have been explained to the Fire Area Joint Committee, an independent system is not practicable, and I have recommended that the Committee should consider combining with the Ayrshire police authorities to establish a joint scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the quality of timber now being supplied to local authorities for their housing programmes.

I am aware that some local authorities have had difficulty in obtaining the precise quality and lengths of timber which they require, but my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade who is, of course, responsible for the supply of timber, is satisfied that these difficulties will be substantially overcome as stocks are increased in the merchants' hands.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decision he has come to about the proposal for a new harbour at Maidens, Ayrshire.

Modifications in the proposed scheme have been suggested to the county council, whose reply is awaited.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Northern Regional Hospital Board have adopted the proposal formally made to him by the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland some months ago that the unused hospital and some of the hutments on the aerodrome at Wick should be used as a special hospital for tubercular patients.

No, for reasons given in my recent letter to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, consequent upon the enactment of the Maintenance Orders Act, 1950, he will introduce legislation along the lines of the Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Act, 1920, so as to provide for the reciprocal enforcement of orders for aliment between Scotland and those Dominions, Colonies and Protectorates to which the 1920 Act has been extended by Order in Council.

While I am prepared to keep the matter under review, I am afraid that the practical difficulties in applying the Act of 1920 to Scotland have hitherto been found insuperable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will now make an announcement regarding the revision of teachers' salaries in Scotland.

I have now received recommendations from the National Joint Council and hope to publish draft regulations about the end of November.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the systematic survey to determine the best use of land in each area in the Highlands, referred to in the programme of Highland development contained in Command Paper No. 7976, has commenced; and if county councils are responsible for the surveys in their own counties.

In addition to the survey of the Strathoykell area, referred to in the White Paper, surveys have been carried out in part of Wester Ross and in the island of Jura. A survey is now being made of part of the island of Mull. The survey work is being done by officers of the Department of Agriculture and the Forestry Commission and not by the County Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sufferers from tuberculosis were on the waiting list for houses in Glasgow at 31st October, 1950; and how many at the same date in 1949 and 1948.

I am informed by the corporation that the number of tuberculous families recommended by the Medical Officer of Health for priority in rehousing was 860 at 31st October, 1950. Corresponding figures for 1949 and 1948 were 637 and 1,400 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement on the issue of licences for the building of private dwelling-houses.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. and learned Member for North Aberdeen (Mr. Hector Hughes) on Friday. 3rd November.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what has been the total contribution made by this country to date towards the cost of the International Refugee Organisation and any similar organisation of the United Nations for the relief of refugees in Europe and the Middle East, respectively.

Payments made to the International Refugee Organisation amount to £18,849,086. A further £2,866,000 is due for the supplementary period 1st July, 1950–31st September, 1951. In addition to an interest-free loan of £1 million to Jordan specifically for refugees, payments of £1,100,000 and £1 million have been made to United Nations Relief for Palestine Refugees and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency respectively. A further £1,214,000 is due to be paid to the latter body.

asked the Minister of National Insurance how many applications for increased pensions by widows incapable of self-support at the start of the 1948 National Insurance Scheme have been rejected on the grounds of having been submitted later than the date stipulated in the National Insurance (General Transitional) Regulations, 1948, S.I., No. 1503.

This information is not available.

asked the Minister of Food what was the aggregate amount paid out of public funds to the British Sugar Corporation since 1935.

The total amount paid out of public funds to the British Sugar Corporation from its inception in June, 1936, up to 31st March, 1950. is about £50 million.

asked the Minister of Food what increase is obtained in the tonnage of offals per year by the recent reduction of the extraction rate of wheat; what additional quantity of wheat must be imported; and what is the respective value in dollars and in sterling of the offals saved and of the extra imports needed.

On the assumption that there will be no variation in the quantity of flour milled, an additional 260,000 tons a year of wheat will be produced as the result of the reduction of the flour extraction rate from 85 per cent. to 81 per cent.; an additional 260,000 tons of wheat will be needed and as all millable English wheat offered would be used in any case this additional quantity will be imported. Assuming that the extra wheat had to be obtained from Canada at the maximum price under the International Wheat Agreement the cost imported into the United Kingdom would be about £7,300,000.Wheat offals are of special value for animal feeding and the additional 260,000 tons will replace a similar quantity of coarse grains, which marginally have to be imported from dollar sources. Maize is the best alternative to wheat offals and at current prices the cost of 260,000 tons of United States maize imported into the United Kingdom would be about £7 million.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will take steps to improve radio reception in Suffolk, which has deteriorated since the allocation of new wavelengths.

I understand from the B.B.C. that the Light Programme can be well received in Suffolk on the long wavelength (1,500 metres). This wavelength has not been changed, but as the power of the station has been doubled, reception should have improved. Reception of the Third Programme on the new wavelength (463.7 metres) should be better than on the old (514.6 metres). The B.B.C. hope to bring a new and more powerful transmitter at Daventry into use early in the New Year, when reception should be further improved.Reception of the London Home Service (330.4 metres) has not been affected substantially by the change in wavelength. Unfortunately, interference is being caused by a foreign broadcasting station; I am doing all that I can to eliminate it. The B.B.C. is aware that reception of one or more of its programmes is not everywhere wholly satisfactory, but because of the wavelength changes made last March the full extent of the problem will not be known until winter conditions have been experienced. The Corporation will then be able to review the problem and consider what steps may be desirable and practicable to improve reception.