asked the Minister of Pensions if he has any information to give as to the living standards of British war pensioners in the United States of America and Canada; in how many cases he has made grants to meet hardship caused by devaluation; and what is the average grant.

The information I have assures me that the living standards of the vast majority of these pensioners are good. I am satisfied that everything possible is being done, in co-operation with the local administrations, to give assistance where it is needed. One hundred and eighty grants have been made to meet hardship caused by revaluation. The grants are necessarily limited to the amount of the reduction in the value of pension and allowances resulting from revaluation; the average weekly rate is between two and three dollars.

Could the new Minister, to whom I wish success in his office, publish a report to this House on his predecessor's visit showing in detail how these men are getting on and showing also a comparison between their conditions and those of American and Canadian men who are similarly disabled?

I promise the House that I will certainly give that matter sympathetic consideration.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the increased cost of living, he will now review the scale of pensions for war widows.

I am advised that this is one of a number of matters relating to the war pension provisions which are regularly reviewed by the consultative machinery existing in my Department for that purpose. I shall take the earliest opportunity of making myself fully acquainted with these matters.

When these matters are next reviewed, will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that these pensions were last considered in 1946, when there was an increase of 2s. 6d., and that in five years of Socialist misrule the value of the pound—

Allegations are not supposed to be made in supplementary questions.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the cost to his Department of each garage supplied for the housing of an all-weather tricycle.

The cost to my Department varies according to the individual circumstances and I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, write and give some details.

Could my right hon. Friend satisfy himself that his Department is doing everything possible to get value for money, as some of these structures are very shoddy indeed?

So far as I am aware, my Department are doing the best they can for the pensioners, and if there are any cases of inferior materials being provided I shall be glad to have particulars, and to look into them.

Can the Minister say how many garages have been supplied compared with the number of all-weather tricycles?

Not without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether all units and formations on occupation duty overseas are up to full strength and complete as regards armament and equipment.

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is commonly reported that units in Germany, at any rate, are considerably under strength, and that they are being further depleted by being called upon to supply drafts for other stations abroad, and will he give this matter his very urgent attention?

I suggest to the hon. and gallant Gentleman that he should not necessarily give credence to these reports.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these reports are being made by officers—and not junior officers—of the Forces stationed in that country?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will arrange for the carrying out next year of more collective and battle training by all troops, and in particular by those occupying the Canal Zone in Egypt.

Yes, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will increase the numbers of his Department's constabulary as a safeguard against the outbreak of fire where valuable material is stored.

Yes, Sir. In order to promote this object, pay increases have recently been authorised for the War Department constabulary, and more married quarters are becoming available.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that a serious aspect of this shortage of men has been the fact that it has been impossible for them to inspect the inside of the buildings with anything like regularity, and that therefore a fire could start and be unobserved for some time before anybody was aware of it?

We do, of course, wish to increase the numbers of these constables.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will state his proposals for the organisation of the Home Guard by battalions or otherwise; whether battalion areas will be the same as those of the last war; and whether detachments will be formed as in the last war for duty with anti-aircraft guns.

It is proposed that, in the event of an emergency, the Home Guard would be organised in much the same way as it was in the last war. Details have, however, yet to be settled and battalion areas cannot yet be stated. One of the possible roles of the Home Guard will be to supplement the antiaircraft defences.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that improvisation never produces efficiency, and would it not be better to organise in quick time and before an emergency arises, if there is to be an efficient Home Guard when the time comes?

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Defence announced, it is not proposed to raise the Home Guard before an emergency, for reasons which the Minister gave and which were strongly supported by his military advisers.

Is the Minister aware that the lack of a clear announcement about the Home Guard is having a most prejudicial effect upon recruitment for Civil Defence?

I cannot agree that my right hon. Friend's announcement was unclear.

What does my right hon. Friend mean by an emergency? Is it a war? Why not use plain words?

For the simple reason that I am not willing to commit myself that in no circumstances would the Home Guard be raised before the actual outbreak of war.

Can the Minister say whether the equipment and arms are ready for this body when it is incorporated?

I cannot add to what the Minister of Defence has said.

asked the Secretary of State for War what facilities for leave and rest, in Japan or elsewhere, are available to British troops who have been fighting in Korea; and whether a local overseas allowance is payable to them in such circumstances, and in what currency.

Arrangements have been made for the use of a British Commonwealth Occupation Force leave hostel near Tokyo, and British soldiers on leave from Korea are already using these facilities. The inclusive cost at the leave hostels is reasonable. I am satisfied that the Commander in Korea will submit recommendations for an overseas allowance should he consider it necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War what special provision he made to ensure that the troops in Korea had a good Christmas dinner bearing in mind that many newly-formed units are short of unit funds.

The usual cash grant of 9d. a head toward the cost of providing extras for Christmas dinner was made to the British troops in Korea. In addition, a special grant of £2,000 was authorised from War Office non-public funds for distribution at the discretion of the Commander-in-Chief, British Commonwealth Occupation Force, Japan, with the object of assisting units having insufficient regimental funds. Good and varied supplies were made available by N.A.A.F.I. to all units.

Is the Minister aware that there was considerable apprehension at only 9d. being allowed, and great satisfaction that the £2,000 did help to give them a good dinner?

Did they have plenty of nuts?

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent Anti-Aircraft Command is now being re-equipped with anti-aircraft devices developed since 1945.

A programme for the re-equipment of Anti-Aircraft Command with modern weapons is being implemented. It would clearly not be in the public interest to disclose details of the stage reached in this programme.

Will the Minister give the House a little more definite information, which I think he can do within the bounds of security, bearing in mind that developments in modern aircraft have made all our last war anti-aircraft equipment completely out of date? Will he not at least commit himself to the extent of showing some sort of urgency in this matter?

Yes, Sir. We regard this re-equipment programme as being of the greatest importance.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the value of the possession of Certificate A to a young man when called up for National Service in the Army.

Men who have obtained Certificate A (Parts I and II), or Certificate A (Part I) combined with Certificate T, before being called up for National Service in the Army, are normally placed in a special squad, the members of which are constantly watched with a view to their being trained for a National Service commission. Subject to the requirements of the Army, they may join the corps or regiment of their choice.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will have removed from the cliffs at Trimingham, Norfolk, the mines which were placed there nearly 10 years ago, and thus enable residents, fishermen and visitors to use Trimingham beach again.

Falls of cliff have buried these mines to a depth beyond the range of mine-locating equipment. The nature of the soil makes it impossible to use earth-moving equipment to reduce the depth of overlay. Washing away the soil by water jets would be equally impracticable. I therefore regret that it is physically impossible to remove these mines.

Does not my right hon. Friend appreciate that the people of Trimingham have been pretty patient, and will he have another look at this matter?

Certainly, but we are advised that it just is not technically practicable to remove the mines.

asked the Secretary of State for War the extent of, and the number of, people employed in the educational courses organised in the Army for the study of Communist ideology and tactics.

No specific courses on this subject are organised in the Army. The hon. Member may have in mind a recent five-day course on international relations organised by the London Services Education Committee, under the title, "The Communist Attack in the Contemporary World."

Will the Secretary of State for War give the House an assurance that these courses will not be used for Communist propaganda, at which he was in the old days a first-class adept?

These personal matters are really out of order in supplementary questions.

On a point of order—

I have the words here. Imputations and insinuations are not allowed at Question time and are very much to be deprecated.

On a point of order. It is a plain statement of fact. He was a Communist propagandist.

We will pass from that to the next Question.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the present divisional strength of the British Army.

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 12th September last.

My Question relates to now and not to the situation last September, so may I have an answer with regard to the present situation?

If the hon. Member will look at the Prime Minister's statement, he will see that it relates to the aim of the present rearmament programme, and for security reasons I cannot go further than that.

As I understand that security reasons did not make it impossible to say a few months ago that it was the equivalent of six and a half divisions, why cannot we be told now whether there is any change?

The Prime Minister said that we were to have 10 Regular divisions and 12 Territorial divisions.

asked the Secretary of State for War why solicitors are not included in the list of signatories who can witness Army Form O.1811, Life and Earnings Certificate, in respect of compensation allowances for injuries received at War Department establishments.

This list already includes ministers of religion, magistrates, doctors, officers, civil servants, bank managers, certain members of the police force and postmasters. When the form is reprinted, I will, however, include solicitors.

asked the Secretary of State for War why service with the Royal Marines does not count for payment of bounty on re-enlistment for short-term engagement.

Re-enlistment bounties were designed to attract into the Regular Army men with previous experience which would be of immediate use. They are consequently limited to men with at least two years' previous service in the Army who satisfy certain conditions as to rank and trade classification or who are already serving in the Army on short-service engagements at the time of re-enlistment.

In view of the similarity of training between Marine and Army personnel, could the Minister look at this matter again?

I am always willing to look at it again, but we think that the ex-Marine will probably be required to re-enlist in the Marines rather than in the Army, though, of course, we welcome him in the Army. But the special purpose of these bounties was to attract men of special experience to the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War on how many occasions during the past 12 months Army personnel have been used to control crowds at weekend and midweek sporting events, respectively.

Once. At the request of the police, 160 soldiers were permitted in their capacity of private citizens to act as stewards to help in controlling the crowds at the Arsenal versus Carlisle football match on Thursday, 11th January.

asked the Secretary of State for War to state the casualties suffered up to the latest available date by British troops in Korea, killed, wounded and missing, respectively.

The total British Army casualties sustained in the Korean operations up to midnight, 20th January, were 11 officers and 109 other ranks killed or died of wounds, 26 officers and 340 other ranks wounded, and 14 officers and 217 other ranks missing.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether either the Chinese or the North Koreans have co-operated at all in tracing the missing or whether the International Red Cross Organisation is functioning at all?

Very little. The North Korean Government did inform the United Nations in July last that their Army was observing the principles of the Geneva Convention, but they have not permitted any Red Cross representatives to see what is happening.

Can the Minister tell us whether, with a view to preventing further casualties in Korea, His Majesty's Government are giving full consideration to the recent offer to cease fire?

The Question asked only for the total number of casualties and did not ask about other matters.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to call up Territorial units for an additional period of training during 1951.

No, Sir.

Will the Minister say whether he is quite certain, in giving that answer, that it will not be necessary to call up the Territorial Army for additional training this summer?

It is not proposed to lengthen the period of Territorial camps from 15 days—the usual period.

Is it intended to call up officers on the Territorial Army Reserve?

I cannot make any statement on that subject today.

asked the Secretary of State for War what arrangements exist for the transport of Territorials residing in rural areas to and from their depots for training where there is no suitable public transport.

In these circumstances the transport held on charge by the Territorial Army unit can be used for the purpose of conveying men to and from Territorial Army centres. In addition, men who use private cars to attend Territorial Army centres when public transport is not available may claim motor mileage allowance.

Is the Minister aware that the majority of the people to whom I am referring cannot afford their own private cars, and that the point of this Question is whether there are in the Territorial Army any motor cars or vehicles which can carry out the duties to which has has referred?

As I replied just now, the vehicles held under Territorial Army charge can be used for this purpose. Some units may have more vehicles than others. We cannot generalise on that.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning when he proposes to designate the Lake District a national park.

The National Parks Commission hope to make the designation order this month. Twenty-eight days must then be allowed for objections, which I must consider before confirming the order.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what steps are being taken to provide employment for residents in the Hemel Hempstead satellite town.

Hemel Hempstead is a new town, not a satellite town. The present programme for factory development, building operations and provision of services ensures employment for all workers who will become resident in the new town during the next three years.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that these steps will be adequate when the movement of population to the new town becomes large? Will there be any employment for civil servants?

I should like to see more civil servants move out to new towns, and I hope that in due course some will so move. Plans are being examined. As my answer said, I am satisfied that for the next three years we have covered all the employment required. To see beyond three years at present is doubtful crystal-gazing.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning what were the reasons for confirming the Central Land Board (Cambridge Road, Colchester) Compulsory Purchase Order, 1950.

Because I was satisfied that it was expedient in the public interest that the Central Land Board should acquire this land for the purpose stated in the Order and that they were unable to do so by agreement on reasonable terms.

Will the Minister explain what "public interest" means in this case, when the matter concerns purely the private interest of an individual?

In these cases the members of the Central Land Board have to ensure that landlords do not charge too much for land.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning if he will make a statement on the results of the boring tests with regard to the proposed new town near Congleton.

Six borings have been made. These and earlier borings show that there is rock salt to the south of Congleton, but not to the north.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these boring tests have taken place for nearly two years and, in view of the situation, would it not be better to drop these tests and give the people of Congleton the additional houses they so badly require?

There will not be any more tests. I am satisfied with those we have had.

asked the Minister of Works what is his authority for the sale of intoxicating liquors to members of the public at 2, Park Street, W.1.

The sale of intoxicating liquor at No. 2, Park Street is undertaken by the Crown. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on the Park Street policy in this House on 23rd October last.

Does the right hon. Gentleman stand by the assurance which he gave on 7th November to one of my hon. Friends, that Crown privilege would be used only until an application to the justices could be dealt with at the forthcoming February Brewster Sessions, and will he also say whether the doctrine he has expounded covers sale by the contractors and not by the Crown before 1st November last?

No. The whole object of the exercise is to save taxpayers' money. [HON. MEMBERS: "Oh!"] Certainly. The House will surely be aware of the necessity to have some sort of establishment of this kind, and what I am attempting to do is to make both ends meet. We are considering an application for a licence. I am in consultation with the Catering Trade on that subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman telling the House that liquor is sold under no form of licence? Is that a very straight way of trying to make both ends meet?

It is a perfectly straight way to come to this House and state what we are doing. If the hon. Member wants to know, we are paying a contribution in the normal form, as if we had a licence.

Would the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to answer the last part of my supplementary Question as to whether it is not a fact that up to 1st November the sale was not by the Crown but by the contractors, and whether he is contending that the Crown privilege covers that?

I have not been briefed on this, but I think I am right in saying that up to 1st November the sale was under a special licence, a canteen licence, and was only to those persons who were authorised to use it and did not admit the public at all.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will exhibit a model of the proposed reconstruction of Carlton House Terrace, including the opening and surface walls of the proposed ramp leading from Waterloo Place; the model to cover a large enough area to show the scale of the new buildings in relation to other buildings in the immediate neighbourhood; and whether he will also exhibit the architect's drawings.

A model of the proposed reconstruction of Carlton House Terrace has not yet been made, but I propose to have one made and to exhibit it as the hon. Member suggests. I understand that it will take a considerable time to construct the model, but meanwhile I will arrange for the architect's drawings to be exhibited in the Members' Tea Room.

Will the model comply with the suggestions made in the Question?

Yes, certainly, as far as I have studied them.

asked the Minister of Works when the road improvement works to the Outer Circle, Regent's Park, will be completed.

Road repair work in the Outer Circle should be finished early in March.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that traffic passing from the north and accustomed to using the Outer Circle has for some months past been diverted into Park Road, with consequent tremendous congestion late in the evening?

I know, but we were unfortunate; work was started in the last days of August and then, while part of the road was opened up, there were considerable downpours of rain and the road had to be left until it had dried out. We are being as quick as we can.

asked the Minister of Works whether he knows that the plans of the proposed new Foreign Office substitute two pedimented features for one in the facade overlooking the Mall and therefore do not bear out his assurance that Nash's facade is preserved; whether he is aware that the plans ignore the advice of the Crown Lands Advisory Committee that the height of the terrace should not be raised; and whether he will make a statement.

The architect's drawings show the Nash pediments removed but I propose to follow the advice of the Royal Fine Art Commission and leave the pediments in place until the new building has been completed. It will then be decided whether they ought to be retained. I am aware that the Crown Lands Advisory Committee said that the height of the buildings in Carlton House Terrace ought not to be extended. We have, however, consulted the Royal Fine Art Commission, who approved the architect's plans, proposing a small increase in height, subject to further consideration of the pediments.

Is the Minister aware that the scheme has been widely condemned by the better newspapers?

Yes, but I am bound to say that none of the newspaper reports I have read bears any relation to the facts.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will restore the balloon lamps in New Palace Yard.

No, Sir. It is proposed to replace the lamp standards surmounting the piers of the railings round New Palace Yard by stone caps, in accordance with a design which has been approved by the Royal Fine Art Commission.

asked the Minister of Works if he will arrange for the lamps on the terrace to be lighted during the period of the Festival of Britain.

I am not satisfied that Members will necessarily like this, but if representations are made to me through the usual channels, I shall be happy to consider the matter in consultation with Mr. Speaker.

Leaving on one side the imputations in the Minister's reply, is he aware that these lights formed for many years an agreeable feature of the London scene? Surely we are not so hard up for electricity, as has been suggested, that we are unable to spare the small quantity needed for this purpose.

The amount involved is nothing. It is really a matter of the convenience of Members.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the large number of registered unemployed people in Caithness and Sutherland; that the percentage of 9.6 is almost four times the average for Scotland; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the situation.

I am concerned at the high rate of unemployment in Caithness and Sutherland. As the hon. Member is aware, I am in close touch with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Scotland and the President of the Board of Trade about the position. Every effort is being made, with the assistance of the hon. Member, to improve the employment prospects of the area.

Will the Minister bear in mind that men are rotting in idleness, some of them year after year, while essential work on houses, roads and water supplies is being held up by capital cuts designed to conserve labour?

Yes. I intend to make a special inquiry into the matter. We are all anxious that men should not be unemployed unnecessarily in any part of the country.

Is the Minister aware that there are many thousands of acres in these two counties which need bringing back into production? Could he not use these men who are unemployed to bring those acres back into production?

We are hoping to repair the neglect of past decades.

asked the Minister of Labour the full establishment strength of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Factories; the exact number of inspectors actually engaged in England, Scotland and Wales in inspection now, disregarding any inspectors seconded to or engaged in other work; the number of competitions for new entrants held this year, and the number appointed and in the job as a result of those competitions; and the losses this year, in terms of resignations, retirements and deaths.

The figures required by the hon. Member are: Full establishment strength, 379; number of inspectors actually engaged on inspection, 305. There were three competitions between December, 1949, and December, 1950. Number of inspectors appointed and working from the first two competitions, 15. The result of the Autumn, 1950, competition is still awaited. Wastages in 1950 were: 11 resignations; 7 retirements; 2 deaths.

Bearing in mind that the shortage of inspectors is some 74 in a total establishment of 379, will the Minister, as a matter of urgency, consider what steps should be taken to recruit suitable persons to this important branch of work?

I am doing so.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that there is a notice in Merseyside employment exchanges that labour for Capenhurst can only be recruited through usual exchanges and cannot be taken on on the site; that the Capenhurst project was to relieve unemployment on Merseyside, and that there is concern on Merseyside that a sub-office has been opened by the Chester exchange on the Capenhurst site, and an average of 12 men per day are being taken on through that sub-office; and if he will secure a uniform method of recruitment.

The arrangements for recruiting workers for Capenhurst are specially designed to give a preference to Merseyside, and 93 per cent. of the vacancies have been filled by Merseyside men. Vacancies notified to the sub-office on the site are passed to the Merseyside employment exchanges, and the purpose of the notice, to which my hon. Friend refers, is to save men the expense of a personal application on the spot.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that that is not the assumption by the men on Merseyside? Will he make certain that there is not preferential treatment of people being selected specially and being sent to the sub-office at Capenhurst rather than of people being recruited definitely from Merseyside exchanges?

As my hon. Friend will see from the figures I have given, there is no need to be apprehensive about this matter. I understand, however, that the notice at the exchanges is not very well worded, and we are going to alter it.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that many Class Z Reservists feel that an injustice will be done to them if men who stayed at home in the last war are once more reserved: and if he will arrange for married Class Z Reservists to take over the civilian jobs of those who were previously reserved.

I am aware that there is some feeling of the kind the hon. Member describes. It would be quite impracticable to adopt the suggestion in the second part of the Question.

Is the Minister aware that the wives of these Class Z Reservists feel they are likely to be subject to grave injustice? Will he give special consideration at least to the men who served five or six years abroad? Will he apply the principle of equal shares in this great matter?

I think the hon. Member had better await the announcement about the Class Z Reservists before forming any conclusion.

When will that be?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when we can expect that announcement?

Before long, I hope.

Would the right hon. Gentleman be a little more precise, as this is a matter of great public interest?

Yes, it is a matter of great public interest because a great deal of misrepresentation has been made, and if some newspapers exercised more restraint—[An HON. MEMBER: "And some Ministers."]—many citizens of the country would be less disturbed.

Would my right hon. Friend consider, owing to the obvious reluctance of the Class Z Reservists, making service purely voluntary?

That is impracticable.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will take steps to ensure that men in Class Z Reserve are not called up for further training until all men of comparable age who are fit for service but have never actually served in the Forces have first been called up for training.

I do not think the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion would be practicable.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the Class Z men have very strong feelings about this matter, and will not he give special consideration to this suggestion before a decision is made?

If the hon. and gallant Member will examine the implications of his suggestion, he will see that it is utterly hopeless to carry it out.

asked the Minister of Labour under what circumstances it was found possible to place Mr. Kenneth J. Allchin, of 103 Kenton Lane, Kenton, Middlesex, in medical grade one when he was known to be suffering from deafness which has subsequently resulted in his being discharged as unfit from the Royal Air Force.

I am making inquiries, and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can now report on arrangements made for securing places in Swiss sanatoria for Scottish tuberculosis patients.

My right hon. Friend is satisfied, after a visit of inquiry by clinical experts, that a number of beds are available in Swiss sanatoria which afford an acceptable standard of medical care and are otherwise suitable. Legislation would ultimately be necessary, and the financial implications are now being considered in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Can the hon. Lady tell the House roughly how many beds she fancies will be occupied by Scottish people as a result of this proposal?

From an examination by these experts, we understand about 300 beds.

In that case would it not be possible for the hon. Lady to expedite the arrangements being made? Even if legislation had to be arranged, there would be general agreement on all sides of the House that no delay should be allowed in making more beds available for Scottish tuberculosis cases.

I can assure all hon. Members that this matter is being hurried as quickly as possible, and that it is being given very quick consideration by the Chancellor at the present time.

Is the same argument going to apply to English as well as to Scottish patients?

That is a question for the English Minister.

This is a Question about Scotland, and we cannot now deal with England, too.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Scottish Water Advisory Committee on River Pollution, Command Paper No. 8111, in the present Session.

My right hon. Friend has asked the Associations of Local Authorities and other interested bodies for

As the answer to the first part of the Question involves figures, I will, with permission, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the hon. Gentleman tell us whether any of the figures he is going to circulate is nil?

No, Sir.

Does the hon. Gentleman expect it will be possible to introduce legislation this Session—that is, before the end of July?

Yes, if there are no material obstacles in the way in consequence of these consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if a decision has been reached regarding the rate of hill sheep breeding ewe subsidy for the current year; and on what basis it is to be paid.

No, Sir. The question is under consideration. Payment of subsidy will be calculated on the number of eligible sheep in the flock at 4th December, 1950.

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that the hill farmers have been through a very bad summer and that already this winter there has been very hard weather, and that if he can make a statement as early as possible he will enable the hill farmers to make plans well ahead?

Yes, consultations are going on just now, and we shall make a statement as soon as possible.