asked the Minister of Defence whether, as it costs 16s. to send a 2 lb. packet by air to His Majesty's Forces in the Far East as compared with a cost of 4s. to Germany, he has now reached a decision on the desirability of initiating a flat rate for parcels up to this maximum weight for His Majesty's Forces overseas.

I have considered the suggestion of a flat rate for parcels very carefully, but the cost would be prohibitive unless the present rates to Germany and other parts of Europe were raised appreciably, and I am afraid this would be quite impracticable. There is, however, already a standard charge of 3d. per ½oz. for small postal packets in the second-class mail up to a maximum weight of 2 lb. to all overseas destinations outside Europe. (For destinations in Europe the ordinary air letter rates for the Forces are cheaper than this.) The rate of 3d. per ½oz. means that a 2 lb. packet can be sent by air to the Far East for 16s. as against the civilian rate for a 2 lb. packet of 26s. 8d.This concession has not, I understand, been very widely used hitherto; but if each man in the Far East were to receive only one such packet every year the additional cost to public funds would be about £90,000, and if he received one per month it would be £1,080,000. These concessions seem to me to represent a real effort to meet the reasonable needs of men serving overseas, and although I have every sympathy with the object my hon. Friend has in mind, I do not think, in view of the cost involved, that it would be possible to do more.

asked the Minister of Defence whether he is aware of the desire of Polish ex-Service men in this country to join up for service in Polish units under their own colours, with a view to assisting in the defence of western civilisation; and whether the Government will give sympathetic consideration to these aspirations especially in view of the service rendered by Polish armed forces in the recent war.

While endorsing the hon. and gallant Member's tribute to the part played by Polish armed forces in the last war, the suggestion in his Question would, I am afraid, involve difficulties sufficiently serious to rule it out as a practical proposition in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Food what is the policy of his Department relating to the granting of licences for travelling shops; and what restrictions are applicable to any such licence.

As far as food control licences are concerned, travelling shops are treated in the same way as fixed premises.

asked the Minister of Food what quantity of tongues have been imported from the Argentine since the resumption of shipments; how many tons of this amount have been canned for re-export; and to what countries.

Including arrivals due over the past week-end, 310 tons of ox tongues have been imported from the Argentine since the resumption of meat shipments. None has yet been released for manufacture.

asked the Minister of Food what additional quantities of sugar he now intends to make available to the housewife this summer for the purpose of bottling fruit and making jam, in order to avoid waste of fruit.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Faversham (Mr. P. Wells) on 8th May.

asked the Minister of Food whether, as recommended by the Catering Wages Commission, he will make regulations to require the public display outside hotels and restaurants of menus and prices of meals.

I do not think that this practice can be made compulsory by Regulation; but I am anxious that it should be encouraged, and last December, with my approval, the associations in the hotel and catering trades recommended their members to adopt it.

asked the Minister of Food what action he is taking to control food prices.

Most staple foods, including those which are subsidised, are already subject to price control. The main exceptions are fresh fruit and vegetables (other than potatoes) and fish. In fact, it is estimated that about 70 per cent. of money spent by consumers on food for consumption at home is spent on foods that are price-controlled.I would like to assure the House that, in the interests of consumers, these price controls are operated on a very stringent basis. It is only when there has been an unavoidable increase in procurement costs, or when manufacturers or distributors have incurred extra costs that are completely justified, that we permit an increase in the maximum price. But, as the House is aware, in view of the increased costs of food supplies both at home and abroad, we have had to make certain increases in the retail prices of subsidised foods to keep within the food subsidy ceiling.

asked the Minister of Food whether he proposes to continue payments of compensation to butchers at the same rates as at present, when the meat ration is incerased to 1s. 8d. during the month of August and onwards.

I think the hon. Member has in mind the rebate at present being allowed to butchers. If so the answer is "No," since this rebate is related to the temporary reduction in the ration. When the ration is large enough to provide the butchers with an income higher than an agreed overall profit, they are subject to a surcharge. They get a rebate when the ration is not enough to maintain this overall profit. The payment on either side changes in accordance with changes in the ration.

asked the Minister the Food whether he will now make a statement regarding the future of the sweets ration, and the possibility of it being brought to an end.

It is my intention to end sweets rationing as soon as supplies are sufficient to satisfy demand, and stocks are sufficient to meet the initial rush to buy. I cannot forecast when this is likely to come about. Meantime, I shall continue to increase the ration as supplies permit.

asked the Minister of Food whether he has considered the recent statement made by the Chairman of Royal Mail Lines, Limited, of which he has been sent a copy, on the subject of the heavy losses suffered by ship owners during the cessation of the South American meat trade; and whether the Government proposes to pay compensation.

As the shipowners were informed on 2nd January, my Department cannot assume liability for their losses. The claim is one of several related matters which the owners are about to discuss with my officials.

asked the Minister of Food whether he will now instruct food executive officers that members of food control committees are entitled, if they so wish, to have copies of Ministry of Food Circular F.O. 3655.

No. This circular deals with establishment matters affecting Ministry staff and has no bearing on the work and functions of food control committees.

asked the Minister of Food if he will give an assurance that there are adequate stocks of animal feedingstuffs in hand; and if he will make a statement as to his plans for stockpiling.

Existing stocks and supplies in prospect are sufficient to maintain the present ration levels. It would not be in the national interest to make the statement asked for in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Food why it has been necessary in the Cheese (Amendment) Order, 1951, to alter the definition of pre-packed, to require that only the processor shall prepack, and to revise the column headings in the schedule of the Cheese Order, 1950; and why the explanatory note does not explain the reasons for these changes.

This requirement applies only to some kinds of processed cheese which are free from price control. It was introduced, as a measure of protection for the public, in order to prevent the possibility of a retailer pre-packing processed cheese issued for the ration, selling it ration-free at an uncontrolled price, and thus diverting supplies from the ration. The column headings were revised so as to remove any doubt as to the maximum price to be charged for cheese on a sale by wholesale to a manufacturer. The purpose of explanatory notes is simply to indicate the general purport of orders and, in particular, any changes made in the law. Quite rightly, I think, it is not the practice for them to attempt to explain or justify policy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many African members of the Unified Colonial Service are on duty in Kenya; what arrangements have been made in Kenya to set up local machinery for recruitment of suitable Africans for administrative posts with status comparable with that of officers recruited in the United Kingdom; and how many have so far been appointed.

There are at present no African members of the Unified branches of the Colonial Service in Kenya. Should apparently suitable candidates present themselves in Kenya an ad hoc board would be set up to consider their applications, pending the creation of a local public service commission. As regards the last part of the Question, no such appointments have yet been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when he proposes to issue the Report on Closer Association in Central Africa.

It is hoped to publish the Report very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now prepared to publish a White Paper upon the recent disorders in Grenada.

As the hon. Member was informed on 25th April, it is not my intention to publish a report on recent events in Grenada. The House has been kept fully informed of developments in the Colony, and there would be no advantage in publishing a comprehensive report at this stage. The position would, of course, have been different if it had been decided to set up a commission of inquiry into the disturbances, but I am satisfied that no useful purpose would have been served by such an inquiry. I propose, however, to place in the Library copies of the agreements recently negotiated between the Grenada Agricultural Employers' Society and the Grenada Mental and Manual Workers' Union and the Grenada Trades Union Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will publish the communications concerning the recent disturbances in Grenada which have passed between his Department and the Government of that Colony.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what protests he has received from the British West Indies against the proposed agreement in respect of the importation of Cuban sugar into the United Kingdom; and what reply he has made.

I have received a number of representations from the British West Indies about possible purchases of sugar by the United Kingdom from Cuba during the period 1951–53 inclusive. The British West Indies have been informed that His Majesty's Government have noted their views on this matter and are taking them fully into account. As the hon. Member will be aware, my hon. Friend the Secretary for Overseas Trade recently visited the British West Indies to discuss the negotiations in question with representatives of those Colonies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now announce the name of the person selected to make the inquiry into the Colonial Development Corporation's poultry scheme in the Gambia.

The Lord Chancellor has selected Mr. Gerald Upjohn, C.B.E., K.C., to undertake an inquiry into certain aspects of the Gambia poultry scheme., with the following terms of reference:

(1) To investigate the allegation made by certain members of the Board of the Colonial Development Corporation, as re ported in the House of Commons on 29th May, 1951, by the Minister of State for Colonial Affairs, that (contrary to the statement made by Lord Trefgarne in the House of Lords on 11th April, 1951, that all the material information concerning the Corporation's poultry scheme in the Gambia was fully reported to the Board) the Board- were not, in fact, fully informed; and, for the purpose of his investigation,

(a) to examine the documents of the Colonial Development Corporation bearing upon the matter in dispute as defined above, whether or not already publicly cited in support of either of the two conflicting views there expressed; and

(b) to examine such witnesses as he may consider are able to give information-bearing on the same matter.

(2) To report the results of his investigation to the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will make arrangements with the United States Navy Department for the engine- testing, either in the United States of America or in this country, under observation by their representatives, of lubricating oil manufactured in Britain and which meets the full United States Navy Specification 9250, so that unnecessary dollar expenditure can be saved on building up stocks of products which British manufacturers are capable of producing themselves.

Action is in hand to select certain British lubricating oils for tests by the U.S. Navy Department to find out if these products will meet the standardised specification. Subject to this proof it would be Admiralty policy to buy our own products and avoid dollar expenditure. Consideration is being given to setting up an Admiralty testing plant to prove British products.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the criticisms of financial control and misappropriation of Admiralty funds in sections 9 to 15 of the Second Report from the Committee of Public Accounts, Command Paper No. 183; and what action has been taken to prevent a repetition of these and similar practices.

Yes. In small establishments similar to the one referred to in the Public Accounts Committee Report, the standing instructions for surprise checks at irregular intervals have been reinforced and other changes in machinery of checking have been made. At the large dockyards I am satisfied that the procedure followed is already adequate for its purpose.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the results of his further consideration of grants to be allowed to Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve officers for the alteration of distinction lace.

Yes. List I Permanent R.N.V.R. officers may now receive the cost of alterations to lace on two undress jackets instead of one as previously announced.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what additional clothing, uniform and equipment is required by a Royal Navy Volunteer rating upon being granted a commission; what is the cost of such additional clothing, uniform and equipment; and what grants are given to such ratings for the purpose of obtaining such clothing, uniform and equipment.

The scale of uniform for a newly-commissioned acting sublieutenant of the R.N.V.R. is one undress coat with distinction lace, one pair of plain blue trousers and one pair of shoulder straps. The estimated cost of these articles is £38 and the authorised grant is £27. The officer also receives a free issue of some 20 items of clothing such as working dress, shirts, shoes, etc., the value of which is about £25.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will reinstate in His Majesty's Dockyards all those workmen under 65 years of age who have, during the last four years, been discharged solely on account of age.

Since 21st March, 1946, the regulations have provided that no industrial employee under the age of 65 is to be discharged solely on account of age except at his own request. The question of reinstatement does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has now any further statement to make on the circumstances of the explosion which took place on board the ammunition ship "Bedenham" at Gibraltar.

The naval board of inquiry has investigated the circumstances of the explosion at Gibraltar. Its report is now under examination and inquiries in this country are still proceeding. I will make a further statement as soon as I am in a position to do so.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how it is proposed to administer the scale of supply of tobacco as laid down in Article 5 of the Duty-Free Supplies for the Royal Navy, 1951, Statutory Instrument, 1951, No. 803.

Officers and men who wish to buy duty-free tobacco sign a declaration that they are smokers. At the beginning of the month, they are given coupons, each one being valid for a ¼-lb. of tobacco or 100 cigarettes. Blue coupons are used for ships entitled to the higher scales (i.e. 1½ or1¼ lbs. of tobacco a month) and red for other ships and shore establishments. The entitlement of the various ships and establishments is determined by the Admiralty.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many of the 24 coastal forces craft built since the end of the war are in each of the categories: control boats, fast patrol boats, patrol boats and seaward defence boats, respectively; and how many of each category are fully equipped for active service operations.

The categories are: control boats, 2; fast patrol boats, 22. Three of the fast patrol boats have subsequently been sold. All the remainder are fully equipped for active service operations.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many coastal forces craft in each of the

Category	Active Fleet			Reserve Fleet			Training and Special Duties
Control Boats	4			4			Nil
	Half year ending—			Half year ending—
	June, 1944	…	1	December, 1947*	…	2
	June, 1945	…	1	June, 1948*	…	1
	June, 1948	…	2	December, 1948	…	1
Fast Patrol Boats	12			30			11
	Half year ending—			Half year ending—			Half year ending—
	December, 1943	…	1	June, 1944	…	3	June, 1943	1
	December, 1944	…	1	December, 1944	…	8	June, 1944	1
	June, 1945	…	2	June, 1945	…	7	December, 1944	2
	December, 1945	…	1	December, 1945	…	5†	June, 1945	5
	June, 1946	…	5	June, 1946	…	4	December, 1946	1
	December, 1946	…	2	December, 1946	…	3	June, 1960	1
Patrol Boats	22			33			7
	Half year ending—			Half year ending—			No dates (ex-German vessels) (6 serving with Rhine Flotilla)
	June, 1941	…	2	December, 1940	…	2
	December, 1941	…	3	June, 1941	…	4
	June, 1942	…	4	December, 1941	…	6
	December, 1942	…	3	June, 1942	…	3
	June, 1943	…	2	December, 1942	…	3
	December, 1943	…	1	June, 1943	…	5
	June, 1944	…	2	December, 1943	…	6
	December, 1944	…	2	June, 1944	…	1
	June, 1945	…	3	December, 1944	…	3
Seaward Defence Boats.	16			Nil			Nil
	Half year ending—
	December, 1941	…	1
	June, 1943	…	1
	December, 1943	…	6
	June, 1944	…	4
	December, 1944	…	2
	June, 1945	…	2
* One completed half year ending December, 1947 and one June, 1948, converted from Fast Patrol Boat.
† Of which 3 were completed before the end of the war.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the collection of postage due from overseas addresses on short-paid letters and postal packets posted in the United Kingdom causes considerable annoyance abroad and possibly some loss of trade, he will consider adopting the method followed by

Following are the categories of coastal forces craft showing numbers and dates of completion:the United States Post Office whereby short-paid items are returned to senders for rectification before transmission abroad.

While my right hon. Friend is grateful to the hon. Member for drawing attention to this problem, he questions whether the solution proposed, which presents practical difficulties and would require legislation, would be generally acceptable.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the postage for an air mail letter to troops in Korea.

The information was circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War on 30th May.

asked the Postmaster- General how the authorities dispose of the contents of Forces gift parcels from Korea which exceed the permitted value of 10s. and where the duty levied is more than the recipient is able to pay.

If the addressee of a gift parcel exceeding 10s. in value from a member of H.M. Forces abroad, including Korea, is unable to pay any Customs charges raised, the parcel is disposed of as the sender may instruct.

asked the Post master-General what action he is taking to obtain the full benefit of the speed of airliners for mail service; and if he will make a statement.

Scheduled air liner services are used to obtain full benefit from their speeds for the transmission of United Kingdom overseas air mails. If the hon. Member is aware of any failure in this respect, my right hon. Friend will gladly investigate it if the hon. Member will let us have details.

asked the Postmaster-General when work is to be commenced on the erection of a central post office for Plymouth to replace the one destroyed by enemy action during the war.

I regret that heavy pressure of other urgent work has delayed provision of this new building. The scheme is top on the priority list for postal buildings in the South-Western Region and every effort will be made to urge it forward, subject to the increasing demands of the defence programme.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of men and women, respectively, employed by his Department at any convenient date in May, 1951; and the corresponding figures for May, 1950, May, 1949, and May, 1939.

The number of men and women, including part-time and industrial staff, employed in the Post Office on 1st April, 1951 (the latest date for which such figures are available), and comparable figures for the earlier years mentioned were:

—		1st April, 1951	1st April, 1950	1st April, 1949	1st April, 1939
Men	…	242,713	240,801	234,475	203,279
Women	…	88,955	88,304	90,329	57,127

(Part-timers counted as half each).

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will exempt ex-Service charitable associations from the increased rates of postage which came into force on 1st June, at least as far as periodicals are concerned.

My right hon. Friend would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer he gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Morecambe and Lonsdale (Sir I. Fraser) on 18th April last.

asked the Postmaster-General what services are no longer available to the public as a result of abandoning the pre-war practice of keeping open part of the general post offices in certain large cities at night and during week-ends.

Business was almost entirely restricted to acceptance of telegrams and sale of postage stamps, for which telephone kiosks and stamp selling machines are available.

asked the Postmaster-General why the first delivery of letters in the Buckingham Palace Road district of Westminster normally arrives about half an hour later than it did six months ago.

My right hon. Friend regrets that, because of staff shortages at the delivery office, the average time of the first delivery in the Buckingham Palace Road area, though still made before 9.0 a.m., is about 15 minutes later than was the case six months ago.

asked the Postmaster-General why the prohibition on advertising by the British Broadcasting Corporation does not extend to recommendations to join co-operative stores.

The B.B.C.'s licence provides that the Corporation shall not, without the consent in writing of the Postmaster-General, broadcast any commercial advertisement or sponsored programme. If the hon. Member is referring to remarks made in the course of a discussion programme, my right hon. Friend would remind him that the Government leaves the B.B.C. to exercise its discretion in permitting broadcasts on controversial subjects in the belief that they will be treated with complete impartiality.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will make public the report which the British Broadcasting Corporation has made to him on very high frequency broadcasting so that the conclusions may be widely considered and discussed by the institutions, associations, industries and persons concerned.

The proposals received from the B.B.C. on very high frequency broadcasting are tentative and confidential and it would be premature to disclose them at present but the Corporation will consider whether information on the results of the tests they have made can be published.

asked the Postmaster- General what proposals he has received from the British Broadcasting Corporation for improving broadcast reception in the south-west; and when he proposes to make a statement.

My right hon. Friend would refer the hon. Member to his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. J. Johnson) on 1st June.

asked the Postmaster- General how far the proposals submitted to him by the British Broadcasting Corporation for improving reception in certain areas will affect North Cornwall.

My right hon. Friend understands from the B.B.C. that the proposals are not likely to affect North Cornwall. The Corporation intends to make some adjustments to the station at Start Point to reduce the night fading in some parts of Cornwall.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has yet received the recommendations of the advisory committee set up under the Wireless Telegraphy Act of 1949; and what steps he is taking to implement them.

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to his reply to the hon. Member for Runcorn (Mr. Vosper) on 9th May, 1951.

asked the Postmaster-General if he has had a report on the reception of the Third Programme in the Merseyside area; and if he is aware that the reception in Hightown, Blundellsands, Crosby, Waterloo and Seaforth, is extremely bad and sometimes non-existent.

My right hon. Friend understands from the B.B.C. that reception of the Third Programme in the Merseyside area is generally satisfactory; the Corporation is, however, arranging for further tests to be made in the localities to which the hon. and gallant Member refers.

asked the Postmaster-General in how many telephone kiosks small writing pads are provided; where they are situated; and whether he has any report to make as to their usefulness.

None has been provided in public kiosks. As my right hon. Friend explained in his letter of 12th March to my hon. Friend, it is considered that a general supply in kiosks could not be justified.

asked the Postmaster- General if, owing to the shortage of telephones and of skilled telephone engineers, he will now allow skilled workmen with first-class health records to remain in the telephone service after the age of 60.

It is normal Post Office practice to retain engineering workmen after 60 if they are fit and efficient and willing to remain. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind my right hon. Friend will be glad to look into it.

asked the Post master-General whether in view of the steady increase in population and the many new large industrial developments in Newport, he will review the postal facilities in the town and install additional telephone kiosks and pillar boxes and provide other postal facilities especially in the outlying areas.

My right hon. Friend is reviewing the position and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephones were installed in Pembrokeshire during the years 1934 to 1939, inclusive; and how many have been installed since July, 1945.

About 1,800 and 2,400.

asked the Postmaster-General what action he proposes to take on the Report of the Estimates Committee relating to the proposed television station at Kirk o'Shotts.

Until the Government have considered the Report, and come to a conclusion, my right hon. Friend is unable to make any statement.

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent progress on the erection of the television station site at Wenvoe has been delayed by lack of components; and whether he will make a statement concerning estimated future progress.

Some minor delays in the delivery of components have not held up progress in the erection of the television station at Wenvoe, and completion according to programme in mid-1952 is not thereby affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps he has taken to ensure that there are enough aircraft avail able to Transport Command to convey the 16th Independent Paratroop Brigade, if required overseas at short notice.

This Brigade has already embarked by sea. Sufficient aircraft could have been made available to have moved it by air had this been considered necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what approaches he made to the air corporations and charter firms to carry out airborne troops to the Middle East before arrangements were made to divert two aircraft carriers for this purpose.

None. Full information is available of civil aircraft which might be employed to supplement the resources of the Royal Air Force in an emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if his attention has been called to the criticisms of the financial control and misappropriation of his Department's funds in sections 9 to 15 of the Second Report from the Commit tee of Public Accounts, Command Paper No. 183; and what action has been taken to prevent a repetition of these and similar practices.

Yes. I have seen the remarks of the Committee about the control of public funds held by the Service Departments. So far as the Air Ministry is concerned, the procedure for the control of such funds has proved generally effective and any misappropriation which may occur is investigated as a matter of course, in order to determine whether the existing regulations are water tight and, if not, whether there is any direction in which they could with advantage be altered.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what arrangements exist to enable him to use as transport aircraft, aircraft belonging to the nationalised air corporations.

Arrangements exist for the Air Ministry at any time to charter spare aircraft belonging to the air corporations. Arrangements also exist between my Department, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the corporations to ensure that the resources of the corporations are available in the event of war or great national emergency.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will open negotiations to lease or borrow transport aircraft from Commonwealth or North Atlantic Treaty countries until our deficiency is made good and we have sufficient aircraft to carry our own airborne troops.

No. Such negotiations would be unnecessary in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he has been informed of the performance of the Soviet jetengined aeroplanes encountered by our Forces in Korea.

The United States Air Force authorities have been asked for the latest information, and when I receive it I will consider to what extent it can be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what arangements he is making for the children of airmen serving overseas to take the necessary educational examinations to qualify for secondary school education on return to this country.

Children of Royal Air Force personnel serving overseas are given a test, at the appropriate age and school, to determine their suitability for allocation to a secondary school—grammar, technical, or modern as the case may be. The test is a standard one widely used by local education authorities in this country. When a child who has undergone the test returns to the United Kingdom the result of the test, together with the teacher's report, is given to the local education authority of the area in which the child is to attend school. The decision as to what kind of secondary school the child is suitable for rests with the local education authority. At present, some authorities require a child to undergo a further test.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation whether, in view of the serious curtailment of services announced by British European Airways Corporation, he will make efforts to assist the corporation in chartering or otherwise obtaining additional aircraft so that the cuts in the services may be restored.

My noble Friend has given, and will continue to give, British European Airways all possible help in remedying their present shortage of aircraft and crews.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Civil Aviation what schedule air services will operate this summer between London, Devon and Cornwall.

A once-weekly service is to be operated by Melba Airways Ltd. under associate arrangements with British European Airways between Croydon and Lands End, via Bournemouth.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the North Korean authorities will now permit dele gates of the International Red Cross Committee to enter North Korea; and whether Red Cross parcels are now permitted to be received by our prisoners of war in North Korean hands.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. and learned Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Hutchinson), yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware of the decision by the Tax Commissioners that expenditure by Messrs. Tate and Lyle on their anti-nationalisation campaign was wholly for trade purposes and is therefore tax-free; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that excessive expenditure on political propaganda by business firms will not in future rank as tax-free trading expenses.

I am aware of the decision to which my hon. Friend refers; but as the Inland Revenue authorities have given notice requiring the Commissioners concerned to state a case for the opinion of the High Court, the matter is sub judice and my hon. Friend will, therefore, not expect me to comment further at this stage.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government Departments are entitled to authorise the erection of houses and flats; and for what purposes.

Any Minister of the Crown is entitled to authorise the erection of houses and flats in connection with the discharge of his functions. Such authorisations are given in consultation with the Minister of Local Government and Planning. Purposes for which they are given include the provision of married quarters for the services and houses for prison officers, foresters and civilians employed in Government establishments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in compiling a census of distribution of commodities.

The Census of Distribution Office have made good progress in examining forms so far received, the majority of which have been satisfactorily completed. Approximately 560,000 forms have been received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will now make a further statement about the review by the Central Price Regulation Committee of price controls over consumer goods which have been removed.

Yes. The Central Price Regulation Committee have now completed this review. The Committee have confirmed the view in their previous report that, in general, price increases since decontrol have not been excessive having regard to rises in raw material prices and other costs; but they have reached the conclusion, after considering all the circumstances, that it will be necessary in the near future to introduce price control, either on a statutory or a voluntary basis, over vacuum flasks, toys and indoor games, dusters, floorcloths, and scouring cloths. I am taking steps to give effect to these recommendations and discussions are being opened with the industries concerned to work out with them a suitable form of control which could be put into operation without delay when the need arises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the report of the Committee investigating problems of discipline and punishments in prisons and Borstal establishments will be available.

I understand that the prison and borstal sections of the Committee's Report are expected to be on sale on 21st June.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what is the total number of applications which have been made for improvement grants under the Housing Act, 1949; the total number of acceptances and refusals at the latest date; and the number of such applications, acceptances and refusals in rural areas.

The numbers are as follow:

—		All districts	Rural districts only
Applications made	…	1,789	1,210
Number approved	…	614	410
Number rejected	…	668	468

The remaining applications are either still under consideration or have been withdrawn.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now give general approval to the scheme put forward to him by the Crosby Corporation, Liverpool, for the construction of the Moor Lane by-pass.

This scheme has been discussed between officers of my Department

Cereal year		Quota payments on deliveries of flour by millers in Northern Ireland (excluding exports)	Quota payments made on flour imported into Northern Ireland and retained for consumption	Deficiency payments to registered wheat growers
		£	£	£
1932–1933	…	54,256	19,250	6,463
1933–1934	…	118,849	34,836	19,245
1934–1935	…	131,106	29,651	31,281
1935–1936	…	115,574	20,608	25,376
1936–1937	…	29,690	3,665	4,681
1937–1938	…	34,604	3,985	2,317
1938–1939	…	189,073	not available	13,632
1939–1940	…	not available	not available	4,190

I understand that it would be very difficult if not impossible after this lapse of time to compile the figures that are "not available." The quota payment levy was suspended in April, 1940, by the Agriculture (Miscellaneous War Provi-

asked the Minister of Agriculture the quota payment made in respect of flour milled in Northern Ireland; the quota payment in respect of flour imported and retained for consumption in Northern Ireland; and the deficiency payment made to farmers in Northern Ireland, respectively, under the provisions of the Wheat Act, 1932, for each of the cereal years ended 31st July, during the period 12th May, 1932, to 31st July, 1940.

The Wheat Commission, who were responsible for payments in question, have supplied the following figures:sions) Act. There is, therefore, no true comparison between quota payments and deficiency payments for 1939–40 since the latter were in part provided by funds obtained from the Ministry of Food.