asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the action taken by the Economic Committee on Raw Materials of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

In accordance with the recommendations of the O.E.E.C. Council, an O.E.E.C. Mission went to the United States last December and discussed with the U.S. Government the general situation in regard to raw materials. As the hon. and gallant Member will be aware, proposals were announced on 13th January, by the Governments of the U.K., U.S.A., and France for establishing international commodity groups, as well as a central group on raw materials, in Washington. These proposals correspond closely with the ideas put forward in the O.E.E.C. Council decision of 2nd December and were generally accepted at an informal meeting in Paris of O.E.E.C. Ministerial representatives. Work on other parts of the Council decision of 2nd December is proceeding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the additional £300,000,000 of exports for which he has asked in 1951, could be largely met by stopping unrequited exports; and if, therefore, he will now institute negotiations with all holders of sterling balances for their adjustment.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the figures of the receipts from the pool betting duty and football pools and greyhound racing totalisators for the month of December, 1950.

The receipts of pool betting duty in December, 1950, were £2,185,021 from football pools (together with other similar pools included under the same heading) and £405,476 from totalisators at greyhound racecourses.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give on an annual basis in any convenient form detailed figures showing the response that has been made to the Prime Minister's appeal in February, 1948, for the restriction of dividends, profits and wages.

No. I am afraid this would not be practicable.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the rising cost of living, he will consider lowering the ages at which elderly people become eligible for the repayment of post-war credits.

I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the estimated increase in receipts from Purchase Tax for the financial year 1950–51, in view of the rise of prices that has taken place since the introduction of the Budget.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stafford and Stone (Mr. H. Fraser) on 28th November last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the amounts collected in Purchase Tax by each of the first, second and third rates during the first half of this fiscal year; and the amounts for the corresponding period of the previous year;(2) the amounts collected in Purchase Tax by each of the first, second and third rates in the fiscal years 1945–46, 1946–47, 1947–48, 1948–49 and 1949–50.

Since traders are not required to furnish separate particulars of Purchase Tax collected at the various rates, the exact amounts attributable to each rate are not known, but the estimated amounts are shown in the table below. It should be borne in mind that comparison of amounts of tax received at the various rates in different periods is vitiated by changes which have been made from time

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now consider remitting the Purchase Tax on radio batteries for old age pensioners over 70 years of age.

I have considered this proposal with sympathy, but regret that I cannot adopt it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Purchase Tax is payable on the material for the repair of lifebuoys.

Cloth used for repairing lifebuoys is generally liable, in common with other tissues and fabrics, to Purchase Tax at the rate of 66⅔ per cent. of its wholesale value. I understand that about one yard is used to cover each buoy, and the tax would amount to a few shillings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Treasury officials have resigned in the past three years; for what reason; and if he will give their names and the name of the office they held.

Apart from clerks and typists and resignations on marriage the only resignations of established civil servants from the Treasury in the last three years have been those of Sir Henry Wilson Smith, a Second Secretary, Mr. P. D. Proctor, a Third Secretary, and one Assistant Principal of less than one year's established service. The reasons for the resignations were in each case personal and in no way concerned with the officer's official duties.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Government Departments issue magazines or journals; what are the names of these publications; and what is the aggregate quantity of paper used for this purpose and the total expenditure involved.

In July, 1948, a list of such periodicals was placed in the Library of the House. It would take an unjustifiable amount of labour to furnish the other information sought by the hon. Member for all these periodicals, but if he will say in which magazines or journals he is particularly interested I will try to collect the information he desires about them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will make a statement about supplies of raw cotton from the United States.

My right hon. Friend informed the House in answer to similar Questions on 14th December that he was not satisfied that an adequate share of the United States crop had then been made available to us. Since that date we have been allocated a further 30,000 bales of United States cotton, and while this allocation is a welcome advance on the previous one, the total supplies of cotton allocated to us by the United States are still not regarded as adequate. We are pursuing further discussions with the United States authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the owners or owners' agents were not consulted when it was considered possible to derequisition four London hotels.

I do not agree that the owners' agents were not consulted. These consultations were, however, informal. I am sorry if the agents did not appreciate that we would have carried on with the arrangements for the release of the premises from requisition, if we had known that any hotelkeeper was willing to take them over, and run them as hotels catering largely for overseas visitors.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent raw material for paper making is at present in short supply; and approximately how many tons are used to manufacture Christmas cards and for catalogues for luxury goods.

The quantities of paper-making materials now being imported are greater than at any time since the end of the war, but supplies are still rather less than the quantities required to maintain the industry at full operation. I have no information regarding the quantities of material used for the manufacture of Christmas cards and catalogues, but the proportion of the total must be very small.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what plans he has for maintaining the supply of strawboard to the bookbinding industry.

So long as the demand for board exceeds the supply we are relying on the manufacturers and distributors to give preference to essential needs. We have particularly drawn their attention to the need to maintain reasonable supplies of strawboard to the book-binding industry. It is hoped that the position will improve as the waste paper salvage drive gets under way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which imported commodities are bought on behalf of his Department; and in which cases he has made arrangements for forward deliveries to cover the requirements of British industry in 1951.

The imported commodities purchased by the Board of Trade are softwood and mining timber from dollar and Eastern European countries; plywood from dollar countries, Sweden, Finland and the U.S.S.R.; raw jute and jute goods; true hemp; sulphur, pyrites, phosphate rock, superphosphates, basic slag and potash. Substantial contracts have been placed towards covering the expected need for dollar softwood during 1951, and contracts for true hemp are being negotiated in order to cover our 1951 requirements. Our requirements of pyrites are covered until the end of 1951 but imports of sulphur depend on the allocations we obtain from the United States. Our fertilisers and fertiliser materials are covered in accordance with normal practices up to the end of the current fertiliser year. The remainder of the materials are being purchased where available in accordance with normal commercial practice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what further progress has been made in the collection of waste paper salvage; and whether receipts of waste paper now balance the rate of consumption.

Since the mills launched their new salvage campaign in November last, about 200 councils have decided to resume the separate collection of waste paper and about 800 have entered for the salvage contest. This should shortly result in improved collections, but it is still too early for results to be reflected in the statistics of mills' receipts, the latest returns of which for November, 1950, were about 1,000 tons a week below the rate of consumption.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it will be possible at a fairly early date to permit the manufacture of moleskin jackets from utility material, having regard to the desirability of providing coal deliverers with this type of protective clothing.

Supplies of utility moleskin cloth are short, and it could be made into jackets only at the expense of supplies of other kinds of moleskin garments such as trousers and breeches, for which the need from industrial and agricultural workers is greater.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the present position regarding the proposed new factory at Blaenau Ffestiniog, Merioneth; whether he will expedite execution of the proposal; and whether he will state a date by which it is hoped that the factory will be ready for production.

The present position is that a site has now been agreed upon by the urban district council and plans are being prepared by the architect. The hon. Member can rest assured that we will do everything we can to hurry this matter forward, but I think it is unlikely that the factory can be built and made ready for production before 1952.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in the interests of the modernisation of plant in the textile industry, he will remit import duty on machinery imported into this country in cases where the delivery of comparable British machinery is 12 months or more.

The particular conditions in which duty is remitted on machinery are constantly under review and I am, of course, always ready to consider representations on this matter from the users and the makers of machinery.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what action he is taking to prevent strategic raw materials, under British control, being shipped, under contract, to potentially hostile countries.

A wide range of goods of strategic importance, including a number of raw materials, is subject to Board of Trade licensing control on export from the United Kingdom. Security considerations are taken into account in deciding whether an export licence can be granted. The general position is being kept under constant review.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the volume and value of exports of tinplate in 1950 to France, Holland and Belgium respectively.

Exports of tinplate during January to October, 1950, to France, Netherlands and Belgium were 128 tons, 5,177 tons and 557 tons respectively, valued at £14,934, £335,710 and £37,496.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs has been broken by the subsidies recently given to United States exports of citrus and other fresh, dried and canned fruit; and what action he is taking to protect Empire citrus exports from unfair competition.

His Majesty's Government are aware that the United States of America are making benefit payments in respect of exports of oranges, canned orange juice, and dried prunes and raisins, since the United States Government have, in accordance with their obligations under Article XVI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, notified the contracting parties of the extent and nature of these payments. If any contracting parties (including Commonwealth countries) feel that their interests are seriously prejudiced by the action of the United States, they may ask for discussion on the possibility of limiting these subsidies. I am not aware that they have injured colonial interests; they are in general, limited to countries participating in the European Recovery Programme, and these countries are at present restricting their imports from the dollar area for balance of payments reasons.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will now make a statement on the new pay code for the Royal Marines.

Discussions with other Departments are taking longer than I hoped. I am sorry for the delay as I wish to conclude the new arrangements as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the subsidy at present being paid on catches of white fish and due to terminate at the end of January, 1951, will be continued; and under what conditions.

The subsidy is to be continued for a further six months, subject, in the case of vessels between 70 feet and 140 feet in length fishing in the near and middle waters, to the owners furnishing, by the end of April next, detailed accounts of the operation of their vessels during 1950. Otherwise, the conditions of the scheme remain as before, but there are some minor changes in the scale of payments for the near and middle water vessels. The rate for inshore fishermen remains at 10d. per stone, reduced as before to 8d. for ungutted fish.

asked the Minister of Defence if he will make a statement on the Press censorship arrangements now in operation in Korea; and if he will ask the commander in the field to consider the possibility of allowing the identification of national Forces in reports of their actions after a suitable lapse of time.

asked the Minister of Defence whether His Majesty's Government was informed in advance of the United Nations Commander-in-Chief's decision to issue new censorship rules.

Press reports on operations in Korea must now be cleared by the Headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief, United Nations Forces, in order to ensure that they contain no information which could be of value to the enemy or harmful to the morale of the United Nations Forces. No mention may be made of national Forces until they are fully engaged with the enemy or a suitable period of time has elapsed since their arrival in Korea. As I stated on 13th December last, the publication of news is under the direction of the Commander-in-Chief, but I might add that I consider the issue of the present regulations fully justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how and when it is proposed to implement the desire expressed by the Conference of Commonwealth Prime Ministers that top-level talks should take place with Stalin or Mao Tse-tung with a view to arriving at fundamental solutions of world problems; and if he will take the initiative in promoting such talks.

As my right hon. Friend indicated to the hon. Member in reply to a somewhat similar Question on 17th October last, His Majesty's Government would at once take up in consultation with their friends, any proposals that seemed to provide a real opportunity to reach a solution of some of the great world problems through meetings between the great Powers. That is still true, and, in fact, since that time His Majesty's Government, in common with the French and United States Governments, have been engaged in correspondence with the Soviet Government with a view to finding whether there is a basis for effective discussion of the principal problems outstanding between the four Powers. As regards China, His Majesty's Government supported the recent approach by the United Nations to the Chinese People's Government suggesting principles for a cease-fire in Korea followed by discussion of Far Eastern problems. I cannot yet say what the final outcome will be in either of these two matters. I think we must wait until they are a little clearer before there is any question of talks with Stalin or Mao Tse-tung.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement as to the position of British pensioners of the Argentine Railways in the light of Anglo-Argentine trade agreements; and, in particular, what arrangements have been made to enable such pensioners to return from the Argentine to this country and to be paid their pensions here.

The Anglo-Argentine Trade and Payments Agreement of 1949 provides that invisible payments, such as pensions, should be freely permitted by the Argentine Government in so far as they have sterling exchange available. In spite of my right hon. Friend's representa- tions and those of His Majesty's Ambassador at Buenos Aires, the Argentine Government have not been renewing the expired permits of British pensioners, which would enable them to continue to draw their Argentine pensions in this country, nor have such permits been granted to British pensioners who have not yet left Argentina. My right hon. Friend will continue to do all in his power to bring about a more satisfactory state of affairs.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power if, in view of the need for special effort in the mines during the next four months, he will discuss with the authorities responsible for sport suspending until the end of April the arrangement of sporting events during the week.

There is no evidence to show that mid-week football matches reduce the output of coal by any appreciable amount. Other aspects of mid-week sport are still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will make representations to the British Electricity Authority with regard to power cuts with a view to ensuring that each district shall have a consumption target so that, so long as consumers within a particular district keep within their target, they will not be subjected to power cuts caused by excessive demands in other districts.

I will arrange with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour and National Service for the hon. Member's suggestion to be brought before the Electricity Sub-Committee of the Joint Consultative Committee. I should add, however, that a system of the kind suggested by the hon. Member was operated in the winter of 1947–48 but it was found to have serious disadvantages.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will make a statement about steps taken, or proposed, so as to make use of the increased coal production from the mines at Enugu.

Arrangements have been made for the Gold Coast to take Nigerian coal in place of supplies from other sources. In addition, exports totalling about 24,000 tons have been arranged to this country, Denmark and Tripolitania.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of disabled persons waiting for motor-propelled tricycles in Gloucestershire.

Twelve.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men serving in the Regular Army who applied to reengage between the announcement of the recent pay increases and 31st December, 1949; the number of men actually accepted for such re-engagement; and what were the figures for the corresponding period of 1949.

No records are maintained of the number of men serving in the Regular Army who apply to extend or re-engage, or of those whose applications are rejected. From 1st September, 1950, when the pay increases took effect, to 31st December, 1950, 1,021 extended to complete 12 years, and 815 re-engaged to complete 21–22 years' Colour service. In the corresponding period of 1949, 463 extended and 689 re-engaged.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men who applied to join the Regular Army between the date of the introduction of the new pay increases and 31st December, 1950; the number actually enlisted; the number rejected on medical grounds; the number rejected for other reasons; and if he will give the figures for the corresponding period of 1949.

Between 1st September and 31st December, 1950, 11,501 men applied to join the Army; 8,445 actually enlisted, 1,211 were rejected on medical grounds and 1,099 for other reasons. The balance of 746 did not enlist, principally owing to their voluntary withdrawal. For the corresponding period in 1949, 7,951 men applied to join the Army; 4,332 actually enlisted, 827 were rejected on medical grounds and 729 for other reasons. Two thousand and sixty-three did not enlist principally because they were over the age limit or because they withdrew voluntarily. Arrangements have now been made whereby men who are over the age limit can, in many cases, enlist.

asked the Minister of Town and Country Planning why it has been decided that the period of five years' restriction of the use of the caravan and camping site, St. Crispin and London Road, Westgate-on-Sea, is now to run from 10th February, 1950, instead of 30th September, 1948.

Because 10th February, 1950, was the date of the letter on which the final decision was given.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the circumstances in which young men who have served in the Merchant Navy are exempted from National Service on leaving the Merchant Navy.

Service in the Merchant Navy does not exempt a man from liability to be called-up under the National Service Acts. Men born before 1929 whose call-up was deferred in December, 1946, because they were employed in the Merchant Navy are, however, among those excluded from the call-up field under the terms of the White Paper on Call-up to the Forces in 1947 and 1948 (Cmd. 6831). With the exception of men who served in the Merchant Navy as boys during any period before the end of hostilities, those born in 1929 or later who leave the Merchant Navy before reaching 26 years of age are, subject to medical fitness, called-up.

asked the Minister of Education whether the final plans for the erection of the joint technical educational college for Newport and Monmouthshire have been approved; what site has been selected; when the building will commence; how long it will take to complete; what is the estimated cost; what proportion is to be borne by each of the authorities concerned; how much by the Government; and what is the constitution of the governing body.

The present state of the proposal for a joint advanced technical college for Newport and Monmouthshire is as follows. Discussions on the proposal have been going on for nearly two years, and both authorities have expressed agreement with my view that their needs should be met by a single college. A site for the college has been agreed at Allt-yr-Yn in Newport. At present, the two authorities cannot agree about their proportionate representation on the governing body. In the meantime, progress is held up, and I have recently written to both authorities; pointing out the serious consequences to industry of further delay, and expressing my belief that, with good will, agreement on this point, which must precede any start on the detailed planning of the college, could shortly be reached.No plans have yet been drawn, and accurate estimates of cost are, therefore, not available, but I estimate that the cost will not be less than £¼ million. The precise proportion of the cost to be borne by each authority will have to be settled by agreement between them, but each authority's expenditure will be grant aided by me at the normal rate of grant then prevailing for expenditure of this kind. If the present difficulties are resolved quickly, and others are not encountered, I hope that the building will begin in 1953, but I have no idea how long it will take to complete. I regard the proposal as of great importance, and I hope that it will not be needlessly delayed.

asked the Minister of Education what precedents there are in England and Wales for a demand by a local authority for an inquiry such as that demanded by the Pembrokeshire local authority into the proposed building of a Roman Catholic school at Pembroke Dock; and on what grounds he has decided to hold a public inquiry in this instance.

No such demand was made by the Pembrokeshire local authority. Under Section 93 of the Education Act, 1944, which continues the powers formerly given under Section 156 of the Education Act, 1921, I have power to cause a local inquiry to be held for the purpose of the exercise of any of my functions under this Act. In this case I considered that an inquiry would help me to decide whether the proposed school is necessary or not. This is the first inquiry of this particular kind to be held under the 1944 Act, but similar inquiries were not infrequently held under Section 156 of the 1921 Act.