asked the Secretary of State for War the average age of teachers employed by the Royal Army Educational Corps.

The average age of teachers in the Royal Army Educational Corps is 35.25 years in the case of officers and 22.3 years in the case of other ranks.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that among those there are many young ones, and is he satisfied that they are mature enough to answer questions on political and international affairs of which they get very many knotty ones?

The only very young ones are National Service men in the case of both officers and other ranks. Most of the officers, in fact, are over the age of 30.

Did not the hon. Gentleman say that the average age of all other ranks is 22 years? Is not this very young, and could not they be employed on some more martial form of activity?

asked the Secretary of State for War approximately at what rate he expects the.280 rifles and ammunition to be made available for the use of the Services.

It has now been decided to adopt the British E.M.2 rifle. The conversion to the new rifle and ammunition will be made as quickly as possible, but it will take several years to complete.

In the interval, what will happen to the Forces? Will they use the former rifle, or partly use this rifle and the old one?

They will naturally go on using their present rifles until they get new ones.

Will the Minister undertake that no.303 rifles are withdrawn until there is an adequate quantity of.280 rifles and replacements available to take their place?

I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that there is no intention of leaving any soldier without a rifle at any time.

Is it not regrettable that the only time the hon. Gentleman's Department does something it steps out of line with our Allies?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that this new rifle is the finest in the world.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will take steps to ensure that a slight readjustment is made to the new.280 rifle so that it can take the same rimless.300 ammunition which has been approved by the Canadians and is used by the United States Army.

No, Sir. The readjustment for which the hon. Member asks would mean designing a completely new rifle.

Could not the Minister be a little less complacent about this, because if members of the United States and Canadian Forces can have similar ammunition to our own it will be of great benefit? Does he not agree it will certainly mean a considerable amount of work in readjusting, and ought not this to be considered very actively to secure the right results for all of us?

There is nothing to stop the Americans standardising on our new rifle at any time, and in fact it would be an easier matter for them to adapt their ammunition than it would be for us.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise the number of people there are in the United States, in Canada and in this country, and is he asking those whose production is greater to do something to meet the lesser situation? Is it not a rather upside down way of putting it?

The Government take the view that it is better to standardise on the best weapon available than on an inferior one.

What does the hon. Gentleman mean by standardising? Standardising what? Starting on an entirely new type of weapon is not standardisation.

Standardisation means having the same weapon for both countries.

asked the Secretary of State for War what articles of uniform sold in quartermasters' stores, which are compulsory for either officers or other ranks, carry Purchase Tax.

Officers pay Purchase Tax on any articles of uniform purchased in quartermasters' stores in the United Kingdom, but not overseas. The principal items available are battledress, anklets and boots. Other ranks pay no Purchase Tax on any item of clothing.

Is not the hon. Gentleman entirely dissatisfied with the situation whereby officers are first compelled to join up and then compelled to buy these articles for the purpose for which they were compelled to join up, and will he make representations to his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer about it?

All officers receive a tax free allowance yearly which makes provision for paying Purchase Tax on their uniforms.

Does not the Minister consider that officers' battledress is essentially a utility garment and should, therefore, not be subject to Purchase Tax?

It has never been the policy of the Treasury to say that all utility cloth should never pay Purchase Tax. It depends on the sort of garment when it is made up.

Does not the hon. Gentleman agree that the difference in the tax free allowance as between other ranks and officers is only £6 5s. and that if on a jersey pullover the difference in price is as between 1ls. and 30s., that £6 5s. is very soon taken up?

That is another question.

Could the hon. Gentleman say whether, if at any future stage discussions are opened with the Treasury with a view to increasing these allowances, his attitude will be as stated in his last reply, that the present allowances are satisfactory?

Consultations are naturally going on between ourselves and the Treasury all the time with the hope of improving allowances of this kind, but I should warn the hon. Gentleman that it is very likely that if one gets any alteration in the allowance it will be to the detriment of the officer because the allowance for Purchase Tax might well be taken off.

Is not the Minister also aware that the uniform allowance was introduced before there was any question of Purchase Tax, that that tax was not taken into account at the time, and that it is an additional imposition on the pocket of the officer?

asked the Secretary of State for War how many male civilians are employed at the Market Harborough Vehicle Reception Depot camp; what are their average hourly rates; how many vehicles are completed per week; and at what average cost.

Two hundred and seventy-one male civilians are employed at this Depot. Their average rate of pay is 2s. 10½d. an hour. The Depot receives and issues vehicles which are being rebuilt under Ministry of Supply arrangements. The average number of vehicles received, maintained and issued in the course of a week is 1,010. The average cost of each vehicle dealt with works out at £1 17s. 3d.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware of the considerable disquiet in the neighbourhood about this employment of agricultural and other unskilled labour on jobs for which it is generally felt it is not suited? Is he further aware that there is a general belief among people in the surrounding district that this labour is being inefficiently employed?

I think the answer to that is that the average cost per vehicle of £1 17s. 3d. is a great deal less than it might be if they were handled on an inefficient basis.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the position of officers of the substantive rank of major after they have as temporary lieutenant-colonels completed their periods of command of units; and whether such officers then have to relinquish their temporary rank and continue to serve as regimental officers in the rank of major.

In the case of the Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, Royal Signals or Infantry, majors appointed to command units are, wherever possible, selected from those who will become due for substantive promotion to lieutenant-colonel before completing their tour of duty as commanding officer. Where this is not possible and the officer has afterwards to relinquish his temporary rank, he is not required to continue serving in the same unit.

In other Corps, owing to the present shortage of officers, it is often necessary to appoint comparatively junior majors to command. When this happens every effort is made to appoint such officers to other lieutenant-colonels' vacancies when they finish command, but this is not always possible.

Is it not time that a permanent system replaced the present system, or lack of system, of temporary rank? Is it not always extremely unpopular with any officer to have to revert to a lower rank, and is this really necessary? Is it not time a permanent system was evolved which would do away with these temporary ups and downs which may be necessary in war-time but cannot be necessary in peace-time?

As I said in the original answer, this is something which very rarely happens because by the time a lieutenant-colonel's tour of duty in that rank is finished he is usually due for substantive promotion. But our restrictions are due to the fact that we have only a certain number of substantive ranks within the Army as a whole to be filled

asked the Secretary of State for War whether official identity discs are worn by all officers and other ranks in Korea and Malaya; what orders have been made on this matter and if he is satisfied that they are being carried out.

Instructions are that all ranks in the field should wear identity discs. The enforcement of these instructions is a matter for the commander. Some bodies have recently been found without identity discs in Korea and an investigation is being made to find out why. I should point out, however, that many bodies have already been identified by their discs.

Can the hon. Gentleman say if identity discs are issued officially to officers and other ranks in these theatres of war? I understand he is satisfied that the orders are sound enough and that he said the carrying out of those orders is a matter for the commander concerned. Does he not agree that the disturbing case his right hon. Friend gave last week rather indicates there is some laxity somewhere?

I do not believe there is laxity at all. It may well be that the enemy have removed these identity discs from the bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that his Department have taken over No. 2 Roper Road, Canterbury, as a recruiting office, thereby depriving the city of a dwelling house, where there is still an acute shortage; and why alternative accommodation on War Department property was not used for this purpose.

It has been found that recruiting conducted from civilian premises produces better results than from Army barracks, which as a rule are not so accessible for civilians. This requiting office, to which the only alternative is an Army barracks, will be occupied by the Army recruiter, an ex-soldier, and his wife. They will leave their present house in Canterbury, so that the city will not be deprived of a dwelling-house.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any steps have now been taken to re-form the West Indies Regiment.

My right hon. Friend is in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies on this subject.

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that informed opinion in the British West Indies is in favour of reforming this volunteer regiment which performed great service in World War I? Will he also bear in mind that its reformation would do much to encourage regional consciousness and pride in the West Indies and form a valuable addition to the strength of the British Commonwealth?

I fully appreciate what the hon. Member has said. I am sure he also understands that many interests have to be considered in this matter. I can assure him that good progress is being made.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he is satisfied that the types and numbers of weapons and other equipment available to the East African forces are adequate for the strategic role which these forces are liable to be called on to fulfil;

(2) what action he proposes to take to increase recruiting for the King's African Rifles and the Northern Rhodesian Regiment; and if he will consider the pay and conditions of service offered to African ranks with a view to their improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for War the establishment and present strength of the King's African Rifles and the Northern Rhodesian Regiment, respectively.

The East African forces are basically equipped and organised on the same lines as the British Army. They are in possession of adequate supplies of the right type of equipment. The possibility of raising additional African units is being investigated. No representations regarding pay and conditions of service have been received from the General Officer Commanding, East Africa. It would be contrary to practice to publish the information asked for by the hon. Member for Westmorland (Mr. Vane).

Has the Minister's attention been drawn to a statement made by General Dowler, on giving up the command, with regard to the very unsatisfactory nature both of pay and conditions of service of Europeans and Africans and of the equipment of East African forces generally? Will he not consider investigating this matter more carefully than apparently he has been able to do?

Inquiries are naturally being made into the statement to which the hon. Member referred, particularly as no representation on this matter has been received from the officer concerned.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that despite the serious manpower shortage in this country very little use is made of colonial manpower, and that although the War Office said that this matter has been under consideration for the last four years nothing is done?

I cannot accept that statement. I assure the hon. and gallant Member that these particular battalions are up to strength.

May I refer the hon. Gentleman to HANSARD, where he will find it was said four years ago by the then Under-Secretary of State that this matter was under particular attention?

A lot has been done about it since.

Nothing has been done.

In view of the unsatisfactory reply, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment as early as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can give the results of the experiments now being carried out with a view to replacing the tunic button which needs polishing with a new button; and whether the new type of button is likely to be adopted for all walking out dress.

Anodized buttons are being introduced for wear with garments for which gilding metal or white metal buttons are at present used. Owing to restricted production, anodized buttons will be issued only for No. 1 dress and full dress for the present.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the agreement of the German Government has been obtained in regard to the measures contemplated by His Majesty's Government to secure in the event of hostilities the continued services of German civilians now performing transport and other duties with British divisions.

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

Surely the hon. Gentleman can tell us whether the Government have been discussing this question with the German Government and, if not, whether they are not aware that, until the position of these men serving in British divisions is clarified, the whole organisation of our troops in that area is in a complete state of uncertainty?

We are naturally aware of the importance of this matter, but to give the information for which the right hon. Gentleman asks would be to disclose the nature of our operational plans.

Could I not have an answer to the simple question, have His Majesty's Government discussed this with the German Government?

I must refer the right hon. Gentleman to the original answer I gave him.

Have any steps been taken in this matter at all, or have things not been left just as they are? Is it not essential to the mobility and efficiency of the British troops there that they should have these services properly reformed?

I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that we are fully aware of the importance of this matter. Naturally, it has not been overlooked at all in the past.

In view of the importance of clarifying this issue, I beg to give notice that I shall raise the matter at the earliest possible opportunity.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning (1) if he will give an assurance that the Central Land Board will no longer require land owners to pay stamp duty on agreements covering the possible change of use of farm workers' houses which at present are not subject to development charge;

(2) why, in view of the fact that farm workers' houses are free of development charge, the Central Land Board seeks to make land owners enter into an agreement covering the possible change of use of a farm worker's house at an unspecified future date.

The payment of development charge is postponed while the house is occupied by a farm worker. If it ceases to be so occupied, the charge becomes payable. In order to postpone the charge, a stamp duty of 6d. is payable.

What statutory authority is there in the Act for charging that 6d.? Is the right hon. Gentleman not satisfied that the protection given in the Act safeguards the position of houses for farm workers?

I am perfectly satisfied. I do not think 6d. is much to pay for the postponement of the development charge.

What is the statutory authority for so doing?

If I did not believe it to be legal I should have stopped the charge.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning (1) if he will take urgent action to minimise the smoke poured into the atmosphere over the city of Stoke-on-Trent;

(2) if he will take immediate action to minimise the effect of smoke poured into the air over Trent Vale, Fenton, Blurton and Longton, and to see that the chimneys of the tileries are lifted at once so that the smoke misses the houses of the people.

I regret that I have no statutory power to deal with this. As modern kilns are built, there should be considerable improvement, and officers of my Department have been in consultation with the manufacturers on the best ways of minimising this trouble.

Does not my right hon. Friend agree that the conditions under which these people have been living for generations is scandalous? If they can do what they have done over Pittsburg, it should be possible to do the same in our industrial centres. In view of the fact that this House can devote days and days to considering the question of the pollution of rivers, does not my right hon. Friend think that the time has arrived when we should devote a few hours to dealing with the pollution of the atmosphere?

I quite agree that the atmosphere above the pottery towns is very bad. As my hon. Friend says, that is due to what has happened in past generations. That is past history. Labour has not been in power for one generation.

Will my right hon. Friend take a personal interest in this by getting a leading official of his,Department to go to have an interview with the municipalities with a view to doing whatever can be done?

That has frequently been done, and it will be done again if necessary.

Is it not the case that the City of Stoke and the four other pottery towns have been dominated by Socialist councils and represented by Socialist Members of Parliament for years? As one who is concerned with the industry in Sheffield, may I ask what the council has done? Nothing.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what negotiations have now taken place between his Department, the Caltex Oil Company, the Ministry of Agriculture and other interested parties in respect of the projected oil refinery at Brownwich, on Southampton Water; and what conclusions have been reached.

The Company have not yet applied for planning permission in respect of any site in this area. As soon as they do, I will give it immediate consideration.

In view of the undertaking that there would be a public inquiry before anything was started, and in view of the right hon. Gentleman's answer, would he say why work has been permitted to be started on the site?

I did not commit myself to there being a public inquiry. I was very careful on that ground, for security reasons. I said that there would be an inquiry, but the first step must be for the company concerned to put in an application for the use of some particular site. They have not yet done that, and until that step has been taken I cannot officially intervene.

It ought not to be assumed, then, that the private inquiry has already taken place?

No, Sir. Nothing can be assumed. The drill is that they put in a request for planning permission. They put it in to the county council. This case is so very important from the national point of view that I have given an undertaking that I myself will call it in as soon as it goes to the county council and will consider it, but the firm must take the first step.

Does that mean that the right hon. Gentleman considers that the opinions of the county council and of local authorities, and local opinion, are of no importance in this matter at all?

No, Sir. It does not mean that. Of course, as I have said before, I will carefully consider the views of the county council, but this is a matter of over-riding national importance.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether he has now crystallised his intentions in regard to arrangements for sewage disposal in Bishop's Stortford and district; and, if so, to what effect.

Several local authorities are interested in sewerage schemes in the Stort Valley, and I hope that a solution satisfactory to all will soon be found.

What does the Minister mean by "soon"? Is it not over two years since his officials admitted the urgency of the problem? Is it not a fact that the Stortford Urban District Council have not been able to get any information since that time?

No, Sir. I am dependent here on getting local authorities to agree. The interests of local authorities are not entirely at one. The Stortford Urban District Council are only one authority among several. As soon as I can get them to agree we shall be able to move forward.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning whether his Department has considered the proposals by the Prison Commissioners to acquire Mr. Fegan's Home, Goudhurst, Kent, for use as a detention centre for young men; and whether, in view of the intensely-wooded nature of this country and the proximity of two large girls' schools, a public school and two preparatory schools, he will cause this proposal to be reconsidered.

I am awaiting the Kent County Council's views on this proposal.

When he considers this proposal, will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that it is a detention centre and that in view of the disquieting number of incidents and escapes recorded from institutions of this kind the decision to permit such an institution in the proximity of 14 schools in the neighbourhood is a matter which should receive very careful consideration?

I shall naturally pay attention to what the Kent County Council represent to me. No doubt they will put that point of view.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also consider representations which may be made from the many girls' schools in this particularly beautiful part of England?

Yes, Sir. I am willing to receive representations from girls' schools if the hon. Gentleman is authorised to make them.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning how it is intended to make allocations of capital investment for the reconstruction of bomb destroyed towns.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of Works and I have now made a survey to determine what labour and materials can be made available for the further reconstruction of blitzed city centres without holding up work on housing, industry and defence. I hope soon to be able to communicate further with the local authorities concerned.

In thanking my right hon. Friend for his interest in this matter, not only in his present office but ever since 1945, may I ask him whether he will take steps to see that when structures are completed the resources of labour are not distributed and used on less essential projects? Will he keep in close contact with local authorities to that end so that the work may go on as speedily as the resources of the nation and the needs of the nation will allow?

Yes, Sir. We will certainly keep that in mind. I hope it will not be very long before we shall be able to have some definite news for the local authorities concerned.

Does the Minister appreciate that very little has been done since 1945? Will he assure us that he will not keep this matter under consideration too long but will let us have some information for the bomb-damaged cities?

The reconstruction of the centres of the blitzed cities is going on all the time. Of course, it is a question applying only to the city centres; it does not apply to housing, which is going on quite independently.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning on what date he gave his consent to the scheme in the Chapeltown area of Leeds for the conversion of large houses into self-contained flats.

The council submitted two compulsory purchase orders on 16th May, but on 7th June they withdrew them. I could not have given consent before 8th June at the earliest.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the first act of the new Conservative Leeds City Council was to abandon this scheme? Is he further aware that as a result of this decision many very good houses which are now used as tenement houses and which could have been converted into good flats will fall into decay and disrepair?

My hon. Friend is quite right in saying that the withdrawal of the order followed the return of a Tory majority in Leeds. As to the consequences, it may well be that what she says is accurate, but I have no evidence on that point.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning if he will investigate the possibility of some arrangement being made whereby condemned cottages, which cannot be pulled down owing to the lack of other housing accommodation, may be made weather proof and inhabitable, particularly where the low rental makes it impossible for the owner to meet the expense involved.

If the hon. Member will let me have particulars of any cottages which he has in mind, I will look into the matter.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that all over the country there are many cottages of this sort with which the Minister must, or should be, acquainted; and, in the circumstances, could he not give this consideration to see whether something could be done, as there is a possibility that a great many of these houses could be used for helping to lessen the housing problem.

This question relates to condemned property.

They are condemned.

Exactly. If they are condemned they are not fit to be lived in. Therefore, in the great majority of cases it would be a misuse of building labour and materials, which could be used in building good new houses, to expend them on patching up condemned houses.

While agreeing that it is better to have new houses, might I ask, when we are not having enough new houses and people are having to live, as the right hon. Gentleman knows, in condemned houses, whether he would not make some temporary arrangement whereby people can have a place to live in?

I have already asked the hon. Gentleman to give me details of any particular cases, but generally speaking I would be against using building labour and materials on patching up condemned houses.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what action he will take to prevent profiteering in the resale of houses.

New houses built under licence since the war may not be sold for more than the sum named in the licence. The extension of price control to other houses raises serious administrative difficulties.

Is my right hon. Friend not aware that almost every estate agent in the country is asking swollen prices for pre-war houses which have absolutely no relation to either their cost or their intrinsic value; and will he take action against these profiteers who are increasing inflation and profiteering from the hardship of homeless people?

I have very great sympathy with the point put by my hon. Friend. In 1945 the Morris Committee reported, but it was not possible to take action on their report because, in the view of the Government, there were not sufficient valuers available to value all the houses whose prices would have to be controlled, and the call on the time of valuers is not diminishing just now.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that it is not only a question of profiteering in houses, but that, as a result of the withdrawal of the powers of requisitioning by local authorities, these houses stand empty for a long time so that the owners can get the highest bid; and ought we not to re-introduce requisitioning in towns where there are thousands waiting for houses?

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the best way to stop this is for him and his Government to build more houses?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that we have been told about the Morris Committee findings time and again, and that that has been used as an excuse from the Government Front Bench for the last four years; is he further aware that if an examination is made of the Morris Report it will be found that the reason given why it was impracticable to do anything was that the valuers were not demobilised, that they were still in the Army; and is he further aware that many years have since passed, and that now there is no excuse?

Would the Minister not agree that one way of dealing with the situation would be to allow more flexibility to local authorities to build houses for owner-occupation?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that this matter is rife in Scotland, where many houses are unoccupied for long periods in order that the owner can get the price he wants; and would he consult with the Secretary of State for Scotland and get some concerted action on this matter, which is assuming very large dimensions in Scotland?

My writ does not run north of the Border, but I shall be very happy to consult with my right hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning why he has refused an improvement grant to Mr. F. G. L. Carey. The Barn, London Road, Redhill, who wishes to add a bedroom to this property.

Because this is a sub-sidised house.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what representations he has received from the Kidderminster Rural District Council seeking permission for the sale of council-houses to suitable tenants; what was the nature of the response to these representations; and whether he will make a statement of the general policy of His Majesty's Government in that regard.

This Council made representations on 4th May last. I told them I could not agree. I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Wembley, North (Wing Commander Bullus), on 10th May last.

Would the right hon. Gentleman not agree to reconsider this matter? Is it not a fact that a substantial reduction can be effected in the amount of the annual rates and taxes, through the contribution to housing subsidies, by allowing the sale, only in suitable and desirable cases, and where the council so desire it? Would he please reconsider it on those lines?

I am always prepared to go on considering it, but as at present advised I do not think I am in a position to reconsider it. This means selling public property to private people, and on the whole I think that is objectionable. No doubt the hon. Gentleman would not take that view, but I and many of my hon. Friends think that is so.

Would the right hon. Gentleman have a consensus taken among his colleagues to find out how many Ministers own the houses in which they live?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that any reduction in the number of council houses available for those in the greatest need as would result from the hon. Gentleman's suggestion—[HON. MEMBERS: "No."]—is bound to be resented by those who are still on the waiting lists of local authorities?

I agree with my hon. Friend.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that the former Minister of Health gave an assurance at a Brighton conference that he was in favour of this in principle, and that if a case was put up by any local authority he would be prepared to consider it; and is the right hon. Gentleman's policy now in opposition to that declared by his right hon. Friend?

Does my right hon. Friend realise that, if local authorities charged the same price for houses as private enterprise charges when selling similar accommodation, there would be no request for them to be sold to the tenants?

As it is evident that there is a considerable difference of opinion about this matter and that a good case can be made for the large number of tenants who want to buy these council houses, is the Minister prepared to hold an inquiry into the whole problem, particularly in the rural authorities' areas.

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Local Government and Planning what advice or instructions he has given to local authorities on the subject of evictions from council agricultural cottages.

I strongly object to such evictions and have often told local authorities so. If my hon. Friend will let me have particulars of any case he has in mind, I will look into it.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there are three families in the Osgoldcross rural district that were evicted only a fortnight ago who will receive his sympathetic reply with a great deal of satisfaction?

asked the Minister of Works if the windows in the Chamber are made to open; and, if not, whether he will arrange for this alteration to be done.

The windows in the Chamber can be opened if necessary, but this would interfere with the proper operation of the air-conditioning plant.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that, strangely enough in this hot weather the Chamber has been the coolest place in the Palace of Westminister, but that in the Winter when the Chamber is full the atmosphere is unbearable; and could he do something about it for next year?

I do not think that should be so. It is merely a matter of the control of the plant. I am sure that will be done.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say who is responsible for issuing orders as to the difference there should be at different times of the year between the outside and inside temperatures? Is he aware that many hon. Members often find the House a little too hot, and can he do something to cool it down?

It may be that the feelings of each hon. Member varies with his own ability to engender heat. For controlling the temperature, we have engineers here for that very purpose.

Who instructs the engineer?

The engineer.

Does the engineer instruct himself? Surely somebody must give him instructions?

Will my right hon. Friend be very careful before opening too many windows in case the lady Members' hats are blown around?

Could the right hon. Gentleman tell us the temperature at which it is intended to maintain the Chamber?

Not without notice.

Who is responsible for giving instructions about anything in this building?

asked the Minister of Works if he is aware that the basement telephone booths are not sound proof; and whether he will take steps to deal with this inconvenience.

The basement telephone booths are reasonably sound proof, provided that the doors are properly closed. The answer to the second part of the Question is, therefore, "No, Sir."

That is just not true. The right hon. Gentleman must be well aware, if he has used these telephone booths, of the embarrasment that can be caused by these mechanical devices; and will he take immediate steps to go down into the basement telephone booths and try to conduct a conversation which will not be overheard by his next door neighbour, irrespective of whether the doors are closed or not?

A lot depends upon the voice one uses when speaking on the telephone. I have used these telephones quite a bit myself. Since this Question was put down I have been there, and I can assure the hon. and gallant Gentleman that if he only shuts the door he will find that he can have a reasonably private conversation.

Would the right hon. Gentleman consider the possibility of providing rather more telephones in a more accessible part of the House?

No, Sir. One of the things that strikes me in this job is that all sorts of people can spend all their time thinking up all sorts of new ways of spending money about this Palace. I think that on the whole the number of telephones here is adequate.

asked the Minister of Works whether he has yet reached a decision on the desire of the House to erect a statue of Keir Hardie within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster.

No decision has been reached on the proposal to erect a memorial to Keir Hardie as consultations have shown no unanimity on the subject in the House.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that this will be a great disappointment to people in many parts of the world who are admirers of Keir Hardie, and will he take steps to see that something is done about it, and that very soon?

Yes, Sir. I take the view that it is a very great disappointment that we are not able to make progress. I am willing to have further discussions on this matter in the House, if hon. Members can be pursuaded to take the view that it is a good thing to do so.

Is the Minister aware that this disappointment is nothing to that from which Keir Hardie must be suffering from the modern Labour Party and its methods?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that when this Question was debated in the House it received very generous support from both sides of the House, with the whole of this side in favour of perpetuating the memory of Keir Hardie within the precincts of the Palace of Westminster, and that if the Whips were taken off from the other side we should get it carried by a large majority?

I am governed by some rules in this matter, as the House knows, but if it is thought useful to reopen discussion I will certainly do so.

asked the Minister of Works whether, in view of the prohibition of future office building for commercial purposes, he will accelerate the derequisitioning of office blocks.

No, Sir. The restriction on office building, to which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor referred in his statement on 21st June, is being applied to Government office building projects, the vast majority of which are designed to replace requisitioned premises. The curtailment of new Government office building will therefore inevitably slow down the derequisitioning of office blocks.

Is there no prospect of any addition to commercial office premises at all, and cannot the Government make some contribution by way of building their own requirements?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how his requirement link up with the Provision of new offices for the Ministry of Materials?

asked the Minister of Works (1) whether it is proposed to continue the present arrangements for unlicensed domestic and industrial building in view of the need to conserve building resources;

(2) what estimate has been formed of the amount of unlicensed domestic and industrial building work which is at present proceeding; and what was the figure for 1950.

I have already announced the continuation of the present licensing arrangements in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, South-West (Mr. A. Evans), on 26th June. It is not possible to say precisely what amount of work is done below the licensing limits.

Does not my right hon. Friend take the view that much work is being done of minor importance under the unlicensed system, and in view of the necessity of doing everything possible to build as many houses as we can in these difficult times, does he not think that we ought to stop up the leakage that is going on in this way?

No, Sir. I do not. The work done under this limit includes all maintenance repair work on private houses as well as local authority houses, and I think that if we reduce the limit we shall only add to the paper work without making available any more labour or materials for building purposes.

asked the Minister of Works what is the purpose of the large buildings in Bristol, for the construction of which a licence has been given to the Pearl Assurance Company; and who are the prospective tenants.

The building known as The Gaunt's House, Bristol, is being erected by the Pearl Assurance Company and the work was licensed in April, 1950. The building will be leased to my Department and will be occupied mainly by staffs of the Board of Inland Revenue, the Ministry of National Insurance and the Ministry of Food. This will enable requisitioned premises to be released.

Is the Minister aware of the considerable concern of many people that an assurance society can build property for the Government? They want to know why the Government is not prepared to build their own properties.

That is another question_ There are a number of policy issues involved there. It may be helpful to my hon. Friend to know that no further projects of this kind are now going forward.

Is this not the best possible evidence of the way in which Departments conceal the expenditure in which they are involved by getting other people to do the work for them so that the amount does not appear on their Votes?

That is certainly not so. This accommodation is rented, and the rent appears in my Vote in the ordinary way. There is no concealment going on. If the hon. Member takes the view that private enterprise should not be used in this way, I am prepared to take that view into account.

Is it not the case that capital expenditure does not appear on the Minister's Vote.

Answer.

asked the Minister of Works what the effect of changes in the investment programme will be on Coventry's reconstruction schemes; and what action he will take to ensure that the expansion of Coventry's defence industries will not be detrimental to essential building for civilian needs.

The changes announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 21st June should not in themselves have any substantial effect upon the reconstruction programme at Coventry, but its rate of progress is generally affected by the large amount of work of all kinds already in hand.

Will not my right hon. Friend agree that industrial areas like Coventry which have a particular responsibility for the defence programme should not thereby be penalised in their ordinary building programme?

Yes, certainly, but I make the point that there is an enormous amount of building work programmed in Coventry.

asked the Minister of Works when he will provide alternative accommodation for the local food office now at Lambeth Town Hall.

I hope to be able to release the Lambeth Town Hall by the end of September.

is my right hon. Friend aware that his answer will be received with great satisfaction by those who have been deprived of their own public hall for some 12 years?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is today's nominal value, including accrued interest, of a National Savings Certificate, purchased in August, 1945, for 15s.; and what is its real purchasing power allowing for the subsequent drop in the internal purchasing power of the pound sterling.

17s. 11d. and 13s. 3d., respectively.

Is the Chancellor of the Exchequer personally proud of the policy that repays a 15s. loan at 13s. 3d. after having had the loan for six-and-a-half years?

I think that the hon. Gentleman knows perfectly well that I am much concerned about the rise in the cost of living, the cause of which is largely beyond our control.

Having regard to his concern, why does not the right hon. Gentleman stop the printing presses at the Bank of England which are the cause of the trouble?

As the Chancellor is concerned, will he give any hope that this depreciation is about to come to an end?

Yes, Sir. I think that there is some reason for hope here because international commodity prices, as I said the other evening, have recently shown a tendency to move downwards.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement regarding the remittance of sums to enable United Kingdom investors to pay the non-resident tax on stock dividends.

Yes, Sir. Residents of the United Kingdom who receive stock dividends in respect of foreign investments will in future be allowed to remit money to meet any taxes payable on the stock dividends in question, so that they can retain the securities without the necessity of selling some of them to cover the tax due.

Will the Chancellor sympathetically consider extending this most valuable concession to rights to take up additional shares?

I am prepared to consider any suggestion of this kind on its merits. The hon. Gentleman will appreciate that this was a very small concession, not costing very much, which I could make easily.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the assessment of industrial and commercial properties so far reassessed under the provisions of the Local Government Act, 1948, show a substantial increase on existing levels; and, if so, by what percentage.

It is much too early to give any reliable estimate.

How can the Chancellor say that it is much too early to give the information when this has been going on for a period of three years? Is he not aware that proposals are now being made to raise the assessment of businesses and commercial premises in this country from 50 to roo per cent.? Does he not realise that the whole of this revaluation is a mass of confusion, and will he apply his mind to this matter?

The hon. Gentleman's supplementary question raises a number of much bigger issues. I can only assure him that at the moment we really cannot answer his Question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will make a statement on the practical difficulties now experienced by the Inland Revenue in seeking to create uniform property assessments under the Local Government Act, 1948.

I have no general statement to make on this matter, but if the hon. Member has any particular point in mind perhaps he would communicate with me.

Would the right hon. Gentleman confirm the point in my Question? I think he will find that the original idea of creating uniformity of assessments throughout the country has already gone by the board completely, in which case he will recognise that complete nonsense is made of the equalisation grants to local authorities? Will he look into the administration of this matter?

I think the right hon. Gentleman's fears are exaggerated a little, but I will consult the Inland Revenue Department.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated annual cost of paying Post-War Credits to the widows of war casualties six months after the latter's death.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has considered the resolution, a copy of which has been sent to him, passed at the Annual Conference of the Women's Section of the British Legion, to the effect that Post-War Credits be paid to widows of ex-Service men six months after the death of any such war casualty; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.