asked the Minister of Works if he has yet considered the application of the British Electricity Authority to erect a building in Southwark which exceeds the Building Act limitations and which, if laid out in flats, would be capable of housing several hundred families; and if he will refuse to issue a licence for this until the housing situation in that area is relieved.

A licence was granted in November last on the recommendation of the Ministry of Fuel and Power. I do not know precisely what Building Act limitations the hon. Member has in mind, and I am not, of course, responsible for their enforcement, but I understand that the London County Council have granted some dispensations in connection with this building.

Is the Minister aware that approximately 1,000 tons of steel are being used in constructing these offices? Is it not a fact that if all this material and labour were used in the construction of housing accommodation it would provide homes for many hundreds of people, which would be a far more important and valuable service to the community?

I cannot agree that those considerations follow.

In any case, would not the money be better spent on the improvement of the electricity plant and equipment than upon the erection of grandiose offices?

asked the Minister of Works why his licensing officers are refusing to grant licences for the installation of additional lavatory accommodation in licensed premises in cases in which the licensing justices are pressing the licensees to increase the lavatory accommodation available for their customers.

While the licensing officers try to allow the most pressing applications, present restrictions make it impossible to allow all the improvements recommended by the licensing justices.

Is not the Minister aware that there are cases of licensed houses where there is no separate ladies' accommodation of any kind and where licences are being refused?

Yes, Sir. It is a question of doing what we can. It would be very wrong to use more of the available money and materials for this particular class of work than we are now doing.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will now arrange for the gate in Kensington Gardens at the top of Queens Gate to be opened in order to relieve the congestion of traffic in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park.

No, Sir. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Hopkinson) on 13th March last.

asked the Minister of Works if the colour scheme for the lamp standards at the junction of Westminster Hall and St. Stephen's Chapel is intended to be final; and if he will reconsider it.

The present colour of the lamp standards is not necessarily final; experiments are still proceeding.

May I congratulate the Minister upon already having altered the original colour scheme?

Would the Minister consider getting someone to advise him who has rather better taste than is shown in the experiments so far made, which appear to have been very undesirable?

I would be very glad to have any help the hon. Member can give me in the matter, but I would tell him that those who are concerned in this matter have already been very successful in dealing with ancient monuments.

asked the Minister of Works whether he will consider floodlighting the Cenotaph during the period of the Festival of Britain.

No, Sir. I do not think the floodlighting of this memorial would be generally acceptable.

Would the Minister bear in mind that the Cenotaph in Whitehall commemorates the dead in two world wars? Does he not think that it ought to be floodlit?

That is exactly the point I have had in mind. I should have thought that it was a matter of taste and that on the whole most people would prefer that it should not be floodlit.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why eight men, who were detained in connection with losses of property from the Festival of Britain South Bank Exhibition, were not prosecuted.

I have been asked to reply. I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that Metropolitan Police records show four cases involving eight men to which the hon. Member may be referring. In one case involving two men further inquiries disclosed no evidence of a criminal offence. In two other cases five men were detained in connection with loss of property belonging either to the Festival authorities or a contractor who did not however wish to prosecute. In a fourth case of larceny a man was prosecuted.

Having regard to what the hon. Gentleman says, have not the efforts of the police to protect property been rather frustrated by the reluctance of the Festival authorities to prosecute offenders?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now completed his investigation of the losses of property from the Festival of Britain South Bank Exhibition and Pleasure Gardens; and with what result.

I hope the House will allow me to explain that this Question was wrongly transferred to me from my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal, but I am now answering it for him.

My right hon. Friend is not carrying out any investigation of losses of property, as such, on the South Bank or in the Festival Pleasure Gardens. In the latter instance, Festival Gardens Limited have, at his request, as he has previously informed the House, initiated a thorough investigation by chartered accountants, in the course of which points relating to losses of property may emerge. In both cases strict measures are, and have been, enforced for preventing losses of property and for dealing with any instances that come to light from time to time.

When will it be possible for the House to be informed of the extent of the loss, the value of the property lost and the number of convictions obtained?

I know that my right hon. Friend is expecting the Report from the accountants in a very short time now.

Can we take it that this Report will be published and will be available to the House very shortly?

The question of whether or not it will be published has not yet been decided.

Was not a promise given to the House that it would be published?

I am informed that it was not, but I know that my right hon. Friend has this question very much in mind.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the whole debate on this question has been postponed in order that the House might be in possession of the Report before the debate took place? Surely he is not telling us now that the Report will not be published?

I think the debate was put off until the Report had been received.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that it is the duty of the Government to publish this Report as soon as possible?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the face value of the 10 coins now being sold in a case at the Festival of Britain Exhibition for £1; what is the value of the metal in sterling; and what is the cost of the case.

12s. 4¾d., 5d. and 2s. 8d., respectively.

Does not my right hon. Friend think that this is an exploitation of the public, and will he consider adding another 5s. piece to this set? Were he to do that and still sell the set to the public for £1, he would even then be making a substantial profit.

Perhaps my hon. Friend has overlooked the fact that these coins are specially struck for collectors and that the cost of their production is greatly in excess of the normal cost.

Does not that argument apply also to the 5s. piece which is sold for 5s.?

The 5s. pieces are not for collectors specifically.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that private enterprise is doing even better than he, because these 5s. pieces are now being sold outside the Exhibition for anything up to 30s. each?

That seems to be a case of caveat emptor.

Will my right hon. Friend say whether these sets can be sent abroad, and, if so, under what conditions?

So far as I know, they can be sent abroad quite freely.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons are on the Dover register.

Four hundred and forty-six, at 16th April.

Will the Minister make representations to the Secretary of State for War that his action in removing the Returned Stores Group from Dover will aggravate this problem?

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the cost so far of the National Institute of House-workers; how many such workers have obtained its diploma; and what percentage of them is known to be suitably employed.

The grants made so far to the Institute total about £370,000. This figure covers the whole of the administrative cost since its inception in 1946, including the cost of training. In addition, loans have been made totalling about £120,000 to meet capital expenditure, mainly for the provision of premises for training centres, and are secured by a charge on the whole of the Institute's assets. As regards the latter part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane) on 10th May, and to the debate on the Adjournment on 27th April.

Does the last part of that answer mean that there is no running record kept, or, if not, why should we not be given the percentage up to date?

I have referred the hon. Member to the debate on 27th April, when I gave certain rough estimates. We know that there are at least 75 per cent. of the people still in employment.

What is the cost of training each worker?

I think I have given that figure, but I cannot give it again without notice.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, following upon the September review of the occupations of Territorial Army Reserve of Officers and their commitments in the event of an emergency, he will inform those who will not be required for call-up in an emergency of his Department's decision.

As at present advised, I am not sure that this would be in the general interest or in the interest of the men concerned, but my right hon. Friend will consider the matter again in September.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that the people concerned would be much more ready to devote themselves to training for those jobs which they will have to perform in an emergency if they knew definitely that they were not to be called up?

It might mislead them if we were to say definitely that they were not to be called up. I would rather wait until the review which is due in September.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons under 45 years of age and over 45 years of age, respectively, have registered with the appointments offices of his Department during the past two years; and how many of each of these age groups have been found appointments appropriate to their qualifications.

Statistics of registrations and placings by age groups are not available. During the two years ending on 21st May, 1951, the total number of new registrations at appointments offices was 68,261, and 17,313 people were placed in managerial, professional, administrative and executive posts.

Does the hon. Gentleman regard that proportion, which I gather is roughly one in four, as a satisfactory figure, and can he not use greater efforts to find the older men posts suitable to their qualifications?

As a matter of fact we do emphasise the needs of older people, but of course we cannot make jobs if they are not there and private employers cannot employ people if they have not jobs to offer. On the whole, however, I think that the figures I have mentioned are pretty satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that firms in the north-west region are, as a result of a dock strike at Manchester, already having difficulties with their raw material supplies which are imported through this port, and that unless the strike is brought to a speedy end there is a possibility of some unemployment; and what steps he is taking to end the strike which has now been going on for some considerable time.

I am aware that some difficulties of this kind have arisen in the north-western region; seven workers have had to be discharged by one firm and some 30 were laid off for 10 days by another. No serious unemployment has so far resulted however, although several of the cargoes held up are urgently wanted.

I feel it is in the men's interest to state the true nature of this strike. It is a repudiation of an agreement entered into on their behalf by their accredited trade union representatives. Continuation of the stoppage will only weaken the constitutional machinery that has served the men so well in the past, and I would urge them not to inflict unnecessary hardship on themselves, their families and the community. They should return to work and let the joint machinery deal with any questions arising.

In view of the fact that the pattern of this strike, as described by the Minister, is almost universal in strikes of this character in the country, is it not time that the Government started to intervene, as they eventually have to do, very much earlier? Is it not also true that this strike is jeopardising employment and causing great delay and is it not time that the Minister, instead of giving a lecture, took some action?

I do not know whether the hon. Member is advocating that all types of agreements as betwen trade unions and employers should be subject to the discretion of the Minister or not. To ask for that would be a serious matter. If this strike were continued it would jeopardise employment prospects for people in other industries. I hope that so far as this Government are concerned we shall not intervene in a question of the abrogation of an agreement entered into between trade unions and employers.

Has my hon. Friend had a copy of the special statement just issued by the men? If not, will he obtain a copy and see whether some of the points raised are not legitimate ones by which the Ministry of Labour might again look into the situation?

I have seen the statement to which my hon. Friend refers, and I know that there are in it two complete contradictions. It is suggested that the Ministry of Labour should intervene, but the statement also asks for the abolition of the very order under which we could intervene.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the unofficial strike leaders in Manchester are now trying to spread the strike to other parts, and in view of the findings of the Leggett Committe, recently published, what action does the Minister propose to take?

I have already answered the point. We cannot at this stage intervene.

Will the Parliamentary Secretary confirm whether there are any foodstuffs involved in these ships?

I cannot answer that without notice.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps he is taking to find employment for the coloured unemployed persons in Liverpool; and how many seamen who were removed from the pool of seamen have been found alternative employment.

Forty-seven coloured seamen who had been removed from the shipping industries registers during the winter were interviewed at my local offices in Liverpool. Of these, 15 have been placed in or found work in the area and six have moved to other parts of the country. Efforts will continue to be made to find suitable employment for the remainder.

In view of the fact that a number of these seamen are qualified firemen and stokers, could my hon. Friend say whether any negotiations or discussions are going on with the trade unions whereby these men might be considered for employment in the nationalised industries?

Of course we receive notifications of vacancies from all industries; including the nationalised industries. We are not the ones to determine who will be accepted, but coloured seamen are not treated differently from other seamen so far as being placed in other jobs is concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the fact that, although Berwick county has six midwives trained in the use of analgesics, they are neither in possession of a gas and air machine nor have they placed any order for one; and what action he pro poses to take in the matter.

There were only 24 domiciliary births in this county in 1950 at which the doctor was not present, and therefore other forms of analgesia could be used in the majority of births. My Department has arranged further discussions with the county council in order to expedite the training of the midwives and a supply of gas and air machines for those already trained.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his answer does not coincide with the figures that he has already given me? If he will look, he will see that in quite half the cases in which doctors were engaged they were not present at the birth. In all those cases the women were left to suffer without any form of analgesia. What action does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take to see that this form of suffering is relieved?

Either the hon. Gentleman has not carefully studied the figures I have given him or has mixed up two cases about which he has written to me. There were only 24 cases in this county in which a doctor was not present at the moment of confinement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the fact that in the burgh of Coatbridge during 1950 there was no case of domiciliary confinement in which gas and air was ad ministered by a midwife; and what action he proposes to take in this matter.

I regret to say that so far I have persuaded the town council to provide only one machine for the administration by midwives of gas and air analgesia in domiciliary confinements. I have, however, arranged for further discussions with the town council to expedite improvements.

Does the right hon. Gentleman appreciate that it is quite useless training midwives in the administration of gas and air analgesia if the local health authority does not take the trouble even to order the machines? Since the Scottish Office have accepted full responsibility for this state of affairs, will the right hon. Gentleman take some energetic steps or have some inquiry made about what is going on in this area?

I am not unsympathetic with the hon. Member's anxiety, but he must not jump to the unwarranted conclusion that because gas and air machines are not there no other method of analgesia is being used.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that most of the confinements in Coatbridge are in the charge of a doctor, and that where a doctor is not present the midwives in Coatbridge do not use the outmoded gas and air machines? They are now permitted to use trilene and pethedine. Will my right hon. Friend reserve the gas and air for Members opposite with or without mid-wives?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in only one-fifth of the cases in which a doctor was engaged was that doctor present at any moment during the confinement, and that in not a single case in Coatbridge during 1950, according to the figures provided by the right hon. Gentleman's own Department, was gas and air analgesia or pethedine administered at all?

The hon. Gentleman is correct if he means that there was a considerable number of cases, in fact 520, in the year in which a doctor was not present at the moment of confinement. I repeat that I do not wish to dissociate myself from the anxiety which the hon. Member has displayed in this subject, but I ask him, in the public interest and in the interests of these women, to keep a balanced attitude on the subject. As my hon. Friend the Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann) has already reminded him, there are other methods which can be used. For example, the hon. Gentleman's figures about pethedine are inaccurate. I do not, however, wish to be driven into agreeing with my hon. Friend that the unrestricted use of trilene is at this stage necessarily advantageous. That is a subject which I am to discuss with the town council.

Is the right hon. Gentleman able to confirm the information given to the House by the hon. Member for Coatbridge and Airdrie (Mrs. Mann)?

It is quite an involved matter, and hon. Members must not jump to rash conclusions about this subject.

That is just like them. They know nothing about Scotland.

Unfortunately they do not know as much about anaesthetics as they should. It is true that trilene has been used in some cases at the direction of the doctor, but not with him present, and I want to look most carefully at that state of affairs.

In view of the figures on this subject which the right hon. Gentleman has made available, will he say what form of analgesia or relief from pain has been given to these women, because on his own figures not one solitary woman has received it in any shape or form.

That is not true. The hon. Gentleman is really running away with things. It is not true. Gas has been used; pethedine has been used; trilene has been used. In addition—and let the hon. Gentleman admit this to the House—wherever the doctor has been present, he could, if the doctor so desired, order any form of anaesthesia. Again I would say that I quite appreciate the anxiety of the hon. Gentleman about Coatbridge, but he ought, in fairness, to admit that the position over the whole country has improved dramatically in the last year in which he started to interest himself in this affair.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what percentage of women in Coatbridge had some form of anaesthetic, if we may call it that, in this confinement?

I would not try to offer the Coatbridge figures without notice—I have them here; but let me say this, since I am invited to comment, that 50 per cent. of the women in Scotland—[Hon. Members: "In Coatbridge."] I am sorry, I cannot give that figure without notice.

On a point of order. In view of the fact that I have been supplied with these figures from the Scottish Office and not a solitary woman—

Order.

That is not a point of order but an attempt to continue the debate. The hon. Member may give notice that, in view of the unsatisfactory nature of the reply, he will raise the matter on the Adjournment, but he must not give figures.

I was not proposing to give figures. There are no figures to give. I was proposing to say that I give notice that I shall take an early opportunity of raising this matter on the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the shortage of police in Glasgow as stated in the annual report of the Chief Constable; and what steps he proposes to take in this connection.

I am aware of the shortage of policemen in Glasgow, and I have no reason to doubt that the police authority and the Chief Constable are taking all practicable steps to fill the vacancies.

While I do not want to indicate that Glasgow is any more lawless than any other large city, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that a shortage of 140 in the diminishing numbers of the Glasgow police and the increase in crime in 1950 over 1949 need some action to be taken by him, and immediately?

I think the hon. and gallant Gentleman will agree that since the new rates of pay were introduced there has been a steady addition of men to the force. The shortage at this moment is 151 men out of a total authorised force of 2,332.

In view of the fact that this position applies not only to Glasgow, and that the police of this country are anxiously waiting for a meeting of the Police Council, will my right hon. Friend communicate with his right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to see what date in the near future the Police Council can meet?

I have already communicated with the Police Federation on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now order an inquiry into the complaint by Miss Elizabeth Jessop of negligence against the medical authorities, particulars of which case have already been sent to him.

The local executive council's medical services committee decided that the complaint by Miss Jessop could not be further considered under the relative regulations. I have no power to overturn such a decision.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware—I am sure he is, because I told him the whole story—that this lady, after a bad motor smash, had only her skull X-rayed? If they had X-rayed her neck many months of subsequent pain and ill-health would have been spared her. It was only when that had been discovered that she made this complaint, and does not he think that on prima facie grounds this case ought to be looked into?

I have looked into it, and I am indebted to the hon. Gentleman. I agree that the lady in question suffered greatly. I am also aware that a whole range of experts on the subject missed this particular piece of diagnosis. But I cannot set aside the regulations, nor do I think that the hon. Gentleman would ask me to do so on reflection.

Has the right hon. Gentleman no power at all over these people? What happens about a case of suppression? Has he no ultimate jurisdiction to order an inquiry into it?

Certain remedies are available to the patient, but the question of suppression is quite a different matter from the action I am being asked to take here, which is to overturn a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many forms were returned by local authorities in Scotland in response to Departmental Circular 141/1948; what action has been taken by the Department, particularly with regard to the 89,100 forms submitted by Glasgow Corporation on 9th May, 1949; and if he can now indicate the extent of the housing problem in Scotland.

About 252,000 forms, including 89,000 submitted by the Corporation of Glasgow, were returned by 151 local authorities. Apart from the fact that returns did not cover the whole country, examination showed that because of wide variations in the basis of local authorities' waiting lists, any estimate of housing needs based on the returns would be misleading. The Associations of Local Authorities were subsequently asked to consider making a national housing survey on uniform lines to ascertain present housing needs, but represented that for manpower reasons this would be inopportune at the present time.

May I ask whether these forms were issued to all Scottish local authorities, in view of the fact that only 151 have replied, which is an exceedingly disappointing response?

My recollection is that they were. At any rate, it is true that we did not get returns from all the authorities to whom an issue was made.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the number of National Service men included in the latest casualties in Korea, giving the figures of those wounded and missing, respectively; how many in each group of such casualties were boys of 18 and 19 years of age, respectively; and how much collective training these latter groups had had in the war theatre.

Up to 14th May, 1951, 30 National Service officers and men had been killed or had died of wounds. One hundred and eight had been wounded and 116 had become missing or prisoners of war. None of these casualties was 18 years of age as National Service men are not sent to Korea until they are 19 years old. Twenty-four of the National Service men aged 19 were killed, 83 were wounded and 92 were missing or prisoners of war. There was very little collective training in Korea. In the case of the 27th Infantry Brigade, this was because of its immediate engagement in operations in the Pusan bridgehead. In the case of 29th Infantry Brigade Group, it was due to the time taken to move up the lines of communication, during which it was engaged in anti-guerilla tasks and because of the intervention of the Chinese. Both Brigades had intensive collective training before they went to Korea.

Are reinforcements now getting proper collective training, and will every effort be made in future to see that these men get collective training and battle practice before meeting the enemy?

National Service men get five to six weeks collective training in the United Kingdom prior to embarkation. The 27th Infantry Brigade had intensive collective training in Hong Kong, on ground very similar to Korea, before they went to Korea.

But do they get any battle training? Do they go to battle schools? Cannot the hon. Gentleman answer?

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which several soldiers from Korea, returning to the United Kingdom on compassionate leave, were recently delayed in Singapore, so that in one case the journey home from Korea took nearly three weeks; and what priority for such passengers his Department has secured from the British Overseas Airways Corporation.

I am not aware of any urgent compassionate cases having been held longer than four days at Singapore. War Office instructions are that such cases should be returned to the United Kingdom by the quickest possible means. All priorities were abolished in 1948. B.O.A.C. provide seats on aircraft for urgent compassionate cases at the first available opportunity, but it is impossible for the Corporation to take off fare paying passengers who have often booked and paid for their passage weeks in advance.

Since it is not suggested that the whole of the delay took place in Singapore, but at other points en route as well, will my hon. Friend look further into the circumstances of the case referred to in the first part of the Question? If he finds that these delays are getting worse, will he consider trying to reinstitute priorities?

I saw references in the Press recently to several cases of delay. All these are now being investigated by the War Office.

asked the Secretary of State for War for what period or periods, since their original disembarkation in Korea, the 27th and 29th Brigades, respectively, have spent in a rest area.

27th Brigade arrived in Korea on 29th August, 1950, and handed over to 28th Brigade on 25th April, 1951. During this period they spent 60 days in reserve. 29th Infantry Brigade Group arrived in Korea on 3rd November, 1950. Until recently it had spent 84 days in reserve, with the exception of 45 Field Regiment, Royal Artillery, which has on several occasions operated in support of American and South Korean troops, and has spent only 21 days in reserve.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether these periods spent in forward areas have been abnormally long?

It is my impression that they are rather longer than usual for forward areas.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the United States of America make a special combat allowance to troops in Korea, and that Australia waives income tax demands on troops engaged there; and if he will state what concessions are allowed by his Department to British troops in that theatre.

I am aware of these facts. The British pay code, however, takes account of the fact that officers and men serve a substantial proportion of their service overseas and pay Income Tax at United Kingdom rates whether they are serving at home or abroad.

Is it not rather unfortunate that we should treat our troops less generously than the Allies treat theirs, and would not the Minister try to reconsider the matter?

I should point out that normally troops from the United States and Australia do not serve abroad and, in consequence, their pay codes are constructed on rather different lines.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that one of the sources of complaint is that the N.A.A.F.I. are charging Hong Kong prices but the troops do not receive Hong Kong allowances?

That is another question.

Is my hon. Friend aware that there is great disquiet among our troops in Korea and that it is caused because the N.A.A.F.I. charge Hong Kong prices and the men receive no allowance to meet the higher charges? If I send some correspondence relating to the matter, will my learned Friend look into it again?

Is not the biggest complaint of these soldiers that they cannot buy their cigarettes at home?

No request has been made to the War Office by the Commander-in-Chief of the British Commonwealth Forces that a local overseas allowance should be paid in Korea.

Is it not the facts of the case that matter and not the request of officers who, in many cases, may not be able to make requests but have to answer a questionnaire specially designed by the War Office?

I think it is the normal practice to accept the representations of the Commander-in-Chief on the spot.

Is it not even better practice to foresee these difficulties and to do something about them?

We must assume that the Commander-in-Chief on the spot knows the true facts of the position better even than hon. Members opposite.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will place working owners of one-man butchery businesses in an exempt category under the Class Z scheme in the interests of food distribution.

No, Sir. Each case has to be considered on its merits.

Has the hon. Gentleman had consultations with his right hon. Friend the Minister of Food to ensure that the machinery of distribution can be equitably continued in the case of individual men? While agreeing with the principle that no one shall be exempted, might I ask him whether the whole matter has been examined with the Ministry of Food to ensure equitable distribution?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes, Sir." The answer to the second part is that I can give an assurance that in no case has anybody been refused exemption where hardship would be caused to the local community or where the closing down of his own business would be involved.

Would the hon. Gentleman expedite the replies to Members of Parliament on questions arising from Class Z cases, because June is near and some of these people are most anxious?

The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that we get hundreds of applications every day, and every effort is made to answer them as quickly as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will reconsider the recall as a Z reservist of Mr. Trevor Pugh, Cardiff, about whom he has received full particulars, in view of the fact that it is nine years since Mr. Pugh handled a gun last and that he was a prisoner of war in Japan where international conventions for the treatment of prisoners were ignored.

No, Sir. My predecessor explained in his letter of 25th April to my hon. Friend that there were not sufficient grounds to justify a cancellation of recall in this case.

Does my hon. Friend state that he believes a fortnight's training will bring this man up to a state of military preparedness so that he can be of use?

I am certainly able to state that a fortnight's training will make him a much better soldier than the absence of a fortnight's training.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Mr. E. C. Howe, Horsford, Norwich, a disabled ex-Service man who was a prisoner of war of the Japanese for three and a half years, has been called up as a Z reservist; and if he will arrange to have this calling-up cancelled.

I should be obliged if the hon. and gallant Member would let me know Mr. Howe's full Army details, so that his case can be examined.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the loss of three cameras from his printing and photographic department has now been accounted for; what was their value; when they were last checked in; and what steps were taken for their custody.

The cameras, which were kept in steel cupboards, have not been found. Their value was approximately £300. They were missed at the weekly check on 2nd April, having last been seen on 27th March.

Having regard to previous irregularities in this department, why was this matter not put into the hands of the police until 24 days after the loss was discovered?

My information is different from that of the hon. Member. The police were informed immediately. Incidentally, arrangements have been made to tighten up the check on these cameras.

Will the hon. Gentleman look at the reply given by his predecessor on 1st May, in which he said that the loss was discovered on 2nd April, and then added:

"The matter was put in the hands of the police, who had previously been asked to circulate particulars of the missing cameras, on 26th April."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 1st May, 1951; Vol. 487, c. 980.]

That is 24 days.

The hon. Gentleman will note that in that reply my predecessor said that the police had previously been asked.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he has any further news of the condition and whereabouts of British Service men taken prisoner in Korea, including those formerly reported missing; what progress has been made in attempting to communicate with them; and whether the Chinese Red Cross Society have now agreed to handle medical supplies, correspondence and food parcels for them.

I regret that there is no further news of British Service men taken prisoner in Korea. I understand that discussions are continuing between the International Red Cross Committee and the Chinese Red Cross Society.

Can we take it that the War Office does regard this matter as of urgent importance and is pressing on with its inquiry?

My hon. Friend can certainly take it that we regard it as being of the utmost importance, and any delay is not of course due to ourselves.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that His Majesty's representative in Peking has proper access to our prisoners?

At the moment this question refers to Red Cross matters. An official of the International Red Cross Society is now in Peking.

Has the "Daily Worker" correspondent got no information?

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers and men required for the Home Guard on its embodiment and in the preparatory stage.

The present target figure for the Home Guard on first embodiment is 200,000 all ranks.

Will the hon. Gentleman please answer the second part of the Question—"and in the preparatory stage"?

Before the Home Guard is formed a certain number of personnel will be earmarked for important posts in each unit. Of course, the original 200,000 are themselves partly in the preparatory stage, and they will be built up.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that "a certain number" is not an answer to the question? What is the number?

All these details are now being worked out. I am afraid I cannot give any further information at the moment.

Have Home Guard staff officers been posted to all the commands yet?

That is another question.

When the hon. Gentleman says that details are now being worked out, does he recall that we were told nine months ago that they would be completely worked out in the near future; but nine months have gone and this business is still going on?

I am talking about the earmarking of key personnel.

So was I.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the cost of the recent issue of silver badges to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers and the Supplementary Reserve of Officers; and what is the purpose of the issue.

These badges were bought in 1938 at a cost of 2s. each, and are being distributed at a cost of about 7½d. each. As stated by my right hon. Friend in his reply to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Mr. Keeling) on 24th April, the badges were introduced in 1939 as a measure of recognition of the important part which members of these reserves played in national defence. The issue of the badges was suspended during the war, and has recently been resumed in the case of volunteer members of these reserves.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the supply of badges bought in 1938 will suffice for all time, as far as is foreseeable at present, and what is going to happen if it does not?

I can assure the hon. Member that the supply will last for a considerable number of years, as far as we can see.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many soldiers have been sent to the Far East recently with out any embarkation leave or with less than 14 days' leave; and if he will make a statement.

I am obtaining these details, and will write to the hon. Member when I have them.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now able to make a statement on the revision of the consolidated rates of pay applicable to ex-officers re-engaged as adjutants in the Territorial Army.

No, Sir. This matter is still under consideration.

Could the hon. Gentleman give any indication when he is likely to be able to make a statement?

I should think in a few weeks from now.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) how many officers and men who were prisoners of war in Japanese hands during the last war have now been called-up or warned for calling-up as Class Z reservists;

(2) how many officers and men who were prisoners in Japanese hands in the late war are now serving in Korea and Malaya.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

Is it not a fact that a considerable number of men who were in Japanese prisoner of war camps are, in fact, now in Korea or are liable to be called up? Surely, having regard to the immense range from which the Government could have selected the Class Z reservists, it is grossly unfair to cast that burden on men who have suffered so much?

The only test we can make of a man's medical fitness is by examination by a medical board.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why his regulations only allow British European Airways to offer their passengers in flight the equivalent of one ounce of duty-free tobacco, thus placing them at a disadvantage compared with the air lines of other countries operating to and from Great Britain.

The quantity of duty-free stores issued to aircraft going abroad must by law be strictly limited according to the number of persons on board and the probable length of the particular flight. I am, however, considering the possibility of broadening the concession within the limits of the present law.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, now that all international aircraft fares are the same, small differences of this kind may very easily influence passengers away from British airlines, and that any relaxation that he can make will make it much easier for our own airways to pay their way?

That is why I want to see if we can do something within the present law.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total number of letters he has received from Members of Parliament and others protesting against the Entertainments Duty on speedway racing.

Since my Budget statement, about 180 letters have been addressed to me or to my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary on the matter, and of these 57 were from hon. Members of this House.

Is the Chancellor aware of the fact that many hon. Members have received letters of protest, which they have not yet sent on to him, because they are hoping that some change is to be made on this particular issue? Can he give them an assurance that will save both his time and the time of hon. Members in sending on these protests to him?

I have no inside information about the contents of hon. Members' postbags before they send them on to me.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date he received a deputation from the Speedway Control Board concerning the question of the re-classification of speedway entertainments for Entertainments Duty purposes; and what was his reply.

A deputation representing the Speedway Control Board was seen by the Financial Secretary on 25th January. The Financial Secretary assured the deputation that the views they put forward would be taken into account in the preparation of the Budget.

Were they?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what taxes were paid for speedway racing for the years 1948–49, 1949–50 and 1950–51. respectively.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, North (Mr. A. Lewis) on 3rd May.

Does not the Chancellor realise that a number of tracks are closing down because of this discriminatory taxation? Would he look at it again?

I rather fancy that we shall be looking at it again next week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the removal of Purchase Tax from essential equipment and materials used in butchers' shops.

Of the articles used in butchers' shops, very few are taxable. Those that are taxed cannot be distinguished from the similar articles used for other purposes, and it would not be possible, even if it were desirable, to remove the tax for butchers only.

May I ask the Chancellor if a meat hook is any longer essential equipment in a butcher's shop?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now say what were the amounts collected in Purchase Tax by each of the first, second and third rates in the year 1950–51; and what are the amounts by each rate for which he has budgeted in the year 1951–52.