asked the Minister of Food (1) how many welfare food vans are run by his Department; and the annual cost to the Exchequer;(2) how many welfare food vans operate in the Greater London area.

Twelve vans, including one which operates in the Greater London area, are used to distribute welfare foods; but some of them are also used for other purposes. The total annual cost is about £3,700.

asked the Minister of Food what quantities of tinned steak and kidney pie and tinned braised steak have been exported to Canada during the last six months.

Information in the form requested is not available; but from 1st January to 22nd June licences for the export to Canada of a total of 406 tons of steak and kidney pie and 623 tons of braised steak have been sponsored by my Department. The amount of meat allocated in respect of these licences was 865 tons.

asked the Minister of Food if he will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT an analysis of the distribution of packed meals to agricultural workers in the various Hundreds of the County of Essex.

I cannot give the precise information asked for, but during the eight weeks ended 27th January, 1951, the latest period for which I have information, the distribution of packed meals in Essex under the Rural Pie Scheme was as follows:

asked the Minister of Food if he anticipates that milk supplies for the remainder of the year will be sufficient to avoid a return to rationing.

It is impossible in this or in any other year to make a precise estimate in June of the volume of milk supplies to be expected in the autumn, a season when milk production always declines. Milk production in England and Wales has now passed the seasonal peak and is declining slightly, but the weekly level is about the same as last year. In Scotland the peak has also been passed, but the present weekly level of production is higher than last year's and from preliminary figures it appears that a new record has been created for milk production in any one week. Much depends on conditions in the next few weeks and I am watching the position closely.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the exports of rubber from the British Empire to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in the months of March, April and May, 1951, respectively.

No direct exports of rubber to the U.S.S.R. took place from Malaya during March, 1951. Direct exports in April and May totalled 6,288 and 36 tons respectively. Re-exports of natural rubber from the U.K. to the U.S.S.R. during the three months in question were 1,269, 861 and 1,345 tons respectively. There were no direct exports or re-exports of rubber from any other U.K. territory during this period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what changes affecting the senior members of the staff in Tanganyika have been decided upon by the Overseas Food Corporation; and on what basis compensation will be paid to them.

The Corporation has decided to dispense with the post of Chief Scientific Officer and the present holder will be leaving within the next few months on the normal redundancy terms.His Majesty's Government have decided that, as the new Chairman is to be resident in East Africa, and in view of the reduction in the scope of the scheme, a separate post of Chief General Manager is no longer required. The holder of that post will, therefore, be leaving within the next few months on normal redundancy terms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that African fishermen in Uganda are compelled to sell their fish to the Uganda Fish Marketing Corporation; and if he will explain why this is so.

The Uganda Fish Marketing Corporation, which is a public body, operates primarily on Lake George. The Corporation is doing excellent work in providing a steady market for these fishermen at a fair price and is making a good contribution to the prosperity of the surrounding villages. My right hon. Friend is consulting the Governor on the details of the present arrangements and will write to my hon. Friend when a reply has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the new restrictions on exports from Singapore to China will be imposed; and whether restrictions are imposed on exports from Singapore to other countries.

The new restrictions on exports from Singapore to China are already in force. Exports of strategic materials from Singapore to other countries are controlled on the same lines as exports from this country. No exports are permitted to North Korea.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in what parts of Nigeria oil has been found; and what plans he has with regard to the development of an oil mining industry in that country.

Oil has not yet been found in Nigeria. The Shell and Anglo-Iranian Oil Companies, who have been jointly exploring the territory for some years, hope to begin drilling in Owerri Province within the next few weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what system of price control now operates in the Gold Coast; and, in view of the over 50 per cent. increase in the price of many foodstuffs and commodities, what steps are being taken by subsidies or otherwise to lower the prices of main foodstuffs.

My right hon. Friend is making further inquiries regarding these questions of food subsidies and price control and will write to my hon. Friend again.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the total number of beds available for male and female colonial students in hostels for which the British Council is responsible and in other hostels for which other organisations are responsible.

Two hundred and fifty-five places are available for men and 33 places for women colonial students in British Council residences and further places are made available temporarily in emergencies. Large numbers of students are accommodated in other hostels of one kind and another and in university halls of residence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give an assurance that the Report on Closer Association of the Central African Territories will not be implemented without the agreement and co-operation of the African peoples of the territories.

My right hon. Friend made a full statement on the subject of the Report to the House on 13th June. Pending consideration and public discussion of the Report (including direct consultation with local opinion) my right hon. Friend would prefer not to add to that statement.

asked the Minister of Transport how long it takes to get an exemption from road fund licence for a farm tractor.

The recent increase in the licence duty for agricultural tractors led to an abnormal number of applications for exemptions, and for a time this resulted in some delay which was overtaken before the end of last month. It is not practicable to give a useful figure of the average time normally taken. This depends on the circumstances of the particular case and the time required by the local authority to examine it.

asked the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations what schemes have been proposed to him for building a railway to the Atlantic seaboard from Southern Rhodesia.

Any such proposal would be for consideration in the first place by the Government of Southern Rhodesia rather than the United Kingdom Government. Although suggestions have been made from time to time for the construction of a railway from Southern Rhodesia to a port on the west coast of Africa, no detailed investigation of possible routes has been made. I understand that the Government of Southern Rhodesia consider that priority should be given to the construction of a further line to the east coast and to other railway improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs who is responsible for the cost of evacuating the families of British employees of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company.

Some time ago the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company offered to repatriate, at the Company's expense, all dependents who wished to avail themselves of the offer.

asked the Prime Minister how many consumers' consultative councils have been set up in association with nationalised industries; and if he is satisfied with their working.

Sixty-four. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the affirmative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total quantity of home-produced oils; and the total tax obtained from Excise Duty on these oils.

The net quantity of hydrocarbon oils charged with Excise Duty in the year ended 31st March, 1951, was 124,776,981 gallons and the net duty received was £4,658,660.

asked the Minister of Defence which of the Service Departments now bears the responsibility for the detection of guided missiles.

I have nothing to add at present to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 7th March.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the policy announced on 24th January, 1942, that a soldier who refused vaccination and inoculation would be eligible for pay, pension and medical care in the same way as any other serving soldier is still correct; and if he will take steps to make this policy known to officers in Trieste where men who refused inoculation have been threatened with hospital charges of 10s. 6d. a day.

I confirm that a soldier who refuses vaccination and inoculation is eligible for pay, pension and medical care in the same way as any other serving soldier. I am investigating the truth of the allegation in the second part of the Question.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what arrangements are made to ensure that when a collier who has been killed in a mining accident is taken back to his home the most distressing physical traces of such accident are removed as far as possible.

It is traditional in the mining industry for the bodies of those who have met their death in its service to be treated with the utmost reverence and respect. The first-aid facilities which every mine is required to provide are available for this purpose; and the management, normally with the advice and guidance of a doctor, see that proper care is taken and everything done to avoid increasing the sufferings of those bereaved.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the strength of Royal Air Force personnel stationed at Mingaladon, Akyab and Mergui, respectively.

The Royal Air Force component of the British Services Mission in Burma, consisting of 8 officers and 16 other ranks, is based at Mingaladon. There are no Royal Air Force personnel at Akyab or Mergui.