asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has considered the request by the Relief Committee for Overseas Chinese Refugees in Malaya to send a mission to investigate the conditions of the Chinese in Malaya; and what reply has been given.

Yes. On 8th March the chairman of a body in Peking styling itself the Relief Committee for Overseas Chinese Refugees from Malaya sent a telegram to the Prime Minister announcing that his Committee had organised an investigation team which would proceed to Malaya to investigate the conditions of suffering overseas Chinese. Arrangements for entry permits were demanded. On 9th March this Relief Committee issued a statement which appeared in the Press in China. It is perhaps sufficient for me to say that this abusive statement is as dishonest and as transparent a Communist propaganda manœuvre as any I have seen. We have nothing to hide but equally we have no intention whatsoever of permitting such a mission now or at a later date to enter Malaya.There is a free and independent Press in Malaya and the facts of the situation there are known to all. The great majority of Chinese in Malaya are peaceful, contented, and law-abiding citizens. They have nothing to fear except from the terrorist movement, whose object is to create disorder in Malaya and the majority of whose victims have been Chinese. The 11,000 Chinese held in detention camps in Malaya are in the main aliens who have been actively helping the terrorists. They would not be in detention camps now had the Chinese been willing to accept the obligations of a sovereign State to take back its own subjects when they are deported. In conclusion, I think the House should know that numerous messages have been received from Malaya Overseas Chinese requesting that permission for such a mission to visit there should be rejected and expressing their determination to cooperate in the task of resistance to the terrorist movement.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that a registration card for milk to be supplied at half-price for children will not be issued by the local food office with emergency cards, except where those ration cards are for a period of more than three weeks; and if he will shorten this period to assist parents.

Registrations for milk under the Welfare Foods Service can now be changed at any time. But if the hon. Member has in mind any particular difficulty I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning, to state, with regard to rural water schemes in Gloucestershire, the value of schemes submitted to him for approval; of schemes approved in principle but not yet authorised to go to tender; of schemes authorised for commencement but not yet completed; of grants paid in respect of these schemes to the latest date; and the relations in percentage which the figures bear to the population of the county.

The following details relate to the period from the end of the war to 28th February, 1951:

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how many sewerage schemes are in progress in Gloucestershire; how many are at present held up owing to shortage of pipes, and by limitations of capital expenditure, respectively; and what priority such schemes have in the capital investment programme for the next 12 months.

29 sewerage schemes estimated to cost 2,146,480 have been authorised to start (completed and incompleted) since the end of the war till 28th February, 1951. No schemes are at present held up owing to shortage of pipes or by limitations of capital expenditure. The capital investment programme for the next 12 months provides a reasonable amount of expenditure for sewerage and sewage disposal and every effort will continue to be made to meet the urgent requirements of this service.