asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what proposals he has in mind for increasing our exports of coal and so solving most of our economic problems.

The Government propose to increase coal exports this year by 2 million tons, as compared with 1951. I cannot at present make any statement about 1953.

As I asked last week, is not the real solution of this problem to import willing foreign labour? In any case, what is the objection?

I would not say that that was the only solution. It is extremely important to attract more British people to the mines.

Would not the Minister agree that it is very important, in order that the target of coal production in Ayrshire shall be increased, that the miners shall have a guarantee of decent housing conditions? Will the Minister see that everything is done to speed this up?

I would remind the hon. Gentleman of the statement, made by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Housing, of the Government's new plan to increase housing in the coal-fields by very special measures.

Is not the real reason for the decrease in coal exports and the necessity to import coal, simply nationalisation, remote control, the removal of personal responsibility and competition, and the excessive number of bureaucrats and palatial offices?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power whether he will state the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to householders stocking-up supplies of coal during the period between May and September in preparation for next winter; and what steps he is taking to facilitate these arrangements, including price concessions for summer stocking.

Yes, Sir. I have approved a summer prices scheme prepared by the National Coal Board and the coal distributors. Details will be announced in due course.

Would the Minister agree that the summer prices scheme has had a great success over the last few years?

Yes, I do.

Does my right hon. Friend realise the large number of people who have no storage capacity, and will he this time consider issuing some kind of credit note to enable those who cannot store in the summer months to have special supplies?

Yes, I appreciate the position of those who have no storage accommodation, but the hon. Gentleman will appreciate that they get an advantage by those who have storage accommodation taking the coal in the summer and lightening the load on the merchants in the winter. Incidentally, in the hon. Member's constituency there are a large number of houses with cellars.

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps he proposes to take to discourage continuous space-heating by electricity; and what steps are now being taken to implement the proposals in regard to domestic heating, contained in the Simon Report, 1946.

The Simon Report recommended that the main space-heating load should be carried by solid fuel rather than electricity or gas, and they therefore proposed various measures for the production of improved solid fuel burning appliances and for encouraging their use. Numerous steps have been taken to implement these proposals. At present, a further review of the minimum standards of improved appliances is being undertaken in the light of recent research.

Would my hon. Friend consider making a somewhat detailed statement upon an appropriate occasion deprecating the continued use of electricity for carrying the continuous space-heating load, as there appears to be considerable misunderstanding on this important matter?

Yes, Sir, if a convenient opportunity arose. Of course, my hon. Friend will recollect that while the Simon Report took the line he mentions, it also said that gas and electricity should be used for intermittent space-heating.

Does my right hon. Friend realise that this Question and my supplementary question refer only to the use of electricity for continuous space-heating, not for intermittent, on which I am entirely in agreement with him?

asked the Minister of Fuel and Power the figures for coal stocks at the latest convenient date, compared with 12 months earlier.

I will circulate a table of detailed figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT, but perhaps the House would like to hear now that the totals are 13,177,000 tons at 8th March as compared with 9,738,000 tons a year ago.

Would my right hon. Friend bear in mind, in connection with his summer prices scheme for householders stocking up with coal for next winter, that many merchants' yards at this moment are full to capacity, and that they can accommodate no more, and will he therefore start his scheme at the earliest possible moment?

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to ensure that holiday resorts receive adequate supplies of all rationed foods this summer in order to meet the increased demand which will arise from the curtailment of foreign holidays.

As my right hon. and gallant Friend explained in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Norfolk, Central (Brigadier Medlicott), on 5th March, any increased need for rationed foods in holiday resorts will be met by supplementary permits issued under arrangements that have obtained in recent years.

But will my hon. Friend have in mind that, if there must be cuts generally, some relaxation of rations to the holiday resorts would benefit all, not merely the towns themselves?

In so far as cuts are necessary, they will, as they should, be equitably distributed over the country as a whole.

asked the Minister of Food how many English eggs have been withdrawn from the market since 3rd March and sent to Ministry and sponsored warehouses for the purpose of breaking them out into liquid form for canning and freezing for the bakery trade.

The total for the fortnight 3rd to 15th March was 7,724 boxes of 360 second quality eggs each.

Does not the Minister agree that it would be much better for the public to have these eggs in shell form than to have them broken up into powder?

No, Sir. The eggs find their way to the public in this, as in other forms, and it is desirable, bearing in mind the shortage of dried egg and liquid egg for bakers' purposes, that a proportion of the second quality eggs should be prepared in this form suitable for use by the bakers.

If any eggs have to be withdrawn from the market, would the Parliamentary Secretary consider withdrawing the eggs marked H, I suppose for "horrible," because they have remained unhatched despite the most strenuous efforts on the part of poultry producers? Will he see that at least those eggs are not sold to the public?

Those eggs with evidence of infertility are receiving a great deal of attention at the present moment.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent he intends to allow the manufacture of cream this year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and gallant Friend to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Squadron Leader Cooper) on Monday, 25th February.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that with the removal of food subsidies on the basic rationed foods and the increase in petrol tax, the prices of unrationed foods will inevitably rise in price; and whether, to prevent profiteering, he will introduce price control on these foods, especially such foods as fish, rabbits, poultry, fruit and vegetables and tinned meats.

asked the Minister of Food what action he is taking to control the prices of fruit and vegetables, bearing in mind particularly the increased petrol tax.

Tinned meats are already subject to a wide measure of price control. My right hon. and gallant Friend does not consider that price control over the other foods mentioned would be in the best interests of the consumer.

But is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the housewife has become fed up with the continual rise in the price of foodstuffs, particularly since the reduction of the subsidy; and does he not think it is about time the Government did something to implement their promise of reducing the cost of living?

In the case of perishable commodities, and those subject to wide fluctuations of supply and demand, a system of price control is undesirable for manufacturer, consumer and producer.

Does the Parliamentary Secretary not realise that in my Question the increase is an increase in the cost of distribution, and why is it that this Government are determined at all costs to prevent an inquiry into the cost of distribution which is continually sending up the prices of fruit and vegetables?

The hon. Lady is aware of the inquiries that were made by the predecessor of my right hon. and gallant Friend, and she is aware that no valid conclusions can be drawn from those inquiries.

Oh, yes.

Might I ask the Parliamentary Secretary if he is aware that this side of the House had definite plans for looking into the profits of the middlemen in this industry, and why is it that the present Government are determined to do nothing about that?

The present Government are not convinced that in the case of such perishable commodities the institution of a system of price controls would be beneficial to the consumer.

Is it not a fact that the hon. Gentleman's Department has recently removed some price controls on certain types of tinned meat, and how does he reconcile this with the answer which he has just given?

The general effect of the Order recently made in the field of canned meat and other products is to extend, consolidate and bring up to date the price controls. Although a few items are released from price control, others formerly uncontrolled are now included.

Is the Minister aware that since the Government have been in office—a very short period of time—prices have done nothing but rise, and rise rapidly? Is he not aware that that is entirely contradictory to his party's promise at the time of the Election, and will he not do something or advise the Government to resign?

I am aware of the gross exaggeration contained in the hon. Member's supplementary question.

asked the Minister of Food the present price of bread per lb.

The standard maximum price for the English 1¾ lb. loaf is 7½d., which is equivalent to 4 2/7d. per lb.

Is my hon. Friend aware that flour that is unfit for human consumption is manufactured into dog biscuits and sold at 1s. 2d. per carton of 14 oz., which includes the weight of the carton?

The flour which goes to the manufacture of dog biscuits, the quality of which is unknown to me, is unsubsidised. It is, further, believed that dog biscuits contain certain other nutritious elements.

Is it not a fact that bread is at a higher price today than at any period in this century?

We did not ration it.

Does the hon. Gentleman realise that soon, by the way we are going on, we shall all be eating dog biscuits?

asked the Minister of Food if he can now state the increased prices of food items affected by the Budget.

My right hon. and gallant Friend cannot at present add to the statement of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer when opening his Budget.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how soon we may know the worst? Is he aware that Glasgow Grocers and Provision Merchants Association say that the Government are deceiving the people when they state that prices will be increased by only 1s. 6d.?

My right hon. and gallant Friend will announce the increases of price at the appropriate time, in accordance with the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

When?

May I ask the Minister if, in regard to this and several other Questions, he will remember the principle that if you restrict consumption you restrict production and that rationing and controls are the main reason for the increase in prices?

My right hon. and gallant Friend will take account of all the hon. Member has said.

asked the Minister of Food what information he has of the quantity of meat at present available for shipment from New Zealand; how long it has been held up awaiting loading; and what representations have been made to the New Zealand Government to expedite dispatch in view of the shortage of meat in this country.

On 1st March, the latest date for which information is available, there were, I understand, 90,000 tons of meat and offal in store, all from the current season's production. Our needs have been made fully known to the New Zealand authorities and to the shippers, and my right hon. and gallant Friend has discussed the matter personally with Mr. Holland. He wishes me to take this opportunity of acknowledging the great efforts which Mr. Holland's Government are making to speed up loadings.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that sales of potatoes are falling off because of the inferior quality and poor grading; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with the position.

Sales in January and February were as high as a year ago. In general, quality and grading are good, though complaints are sometimes received and in all cases investigated.

I am more up to date than the hon. Gentleman, obviously. We are now in March. Is the Minister aware that sales of potatoes have been falling off for this reason? Secondly, will he answer the question that he avoided before: why are the Government determined to do nothing about the cost of distribution? I was not speaking about price control.

I confined my answer to the subject of the Question—potatoes. I am glad that the hon. Lady has statistics available to her which have not yet been prepared.

On the matter of statistics, is the hon. Gentleman aware that mine come from the housewives, and are much better than ordinary statistics. Secondly, if the hon. Gentleman asks me to confine my remarks to the Question, will he apply that to himself on Questions in future?

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that if he does not soon move some of the main crop of potatoes from the Isle of Ely, the quality of potatoes for human consumption will deteriorate very rapidly, and some of them will not even be fit for stock feeding?

Careful consideration is being given to the East Anglian position.

asked the Minister of Food if he will make a statement showing the quantity, quality and variety of food, as compared with 1st November, 1951.

Because of seasonal variations, no valid comparisons of quantity can be made for periods of less than 12 months. Quality and variety do not lend themselves to statistical expression.

Although the Minister may not have detailed statistics, is he not aware that in every respect the Government are falling short of their election promises under these headings?

asked the Minister of Food whether he will make a statement on the Report of the Queensland Food Corporation.

I cannot at present add to the information in the Report and the reply which my right hon. and gallant Friend gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd on 27th February.

Is my hon. Friend aware that, according to Press reports at any rate, there is a very radical difference of opinion between the Chairman and the Deputy-Chairman as to what should be the future policy of the Corporation, and that it is a matter of very considerable anxiety that we should know as soon as possible where we are going?

My hon. Friend will realise that the Corporation is in the process of establishing the Committee of Investigation which was provided for in the agreement, and that future steps will be decided, no doubt, by the Corporation, by the Queensland Government and by Her Majesty's Government in the light of the report of that Committee.

asked the Minister of Food why Statutory Instruments, 1952, Nos. 527 and 528, increasing the prices of bread and flour, are signed neither by him nor his Parliamentary Secretary.

Doubtless for the same reason that certain Orders were signed by senior officials of the Department while the hon. Member held office. It so happened that neither my right hon. and gallant Friend nor myself was available.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that while I held office, all the Orders were signed by either my right hon. Friend or myself? Is he further aware that it is regarded as lack of courtesy to the House for an important Order like this not to be signed by the Minister, and that as the Order was signed on a Friday we assume that the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary are now working a four-day week?

May I refresh the hon. Member's recollection? Two Orders were signed by officials during the period from March, 1950, to October, 1951, as well as two during the Dissolution period. On the second point, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the impending Order in his Budget speech on the Tuesday, drafting began on the Tuesday night, the Orders were ready for signature late on the Friday and they were to be placed on the Table of the House on the Saturday, but my right hon. Friend and I were not in London on the Friday night. [HON. MEMBERS: "Where were you?"] I was in my constituency, and my right hon. and gallant Friend—[Interruption.]

Is the hon. Gentleman aware—[HON. MEMBERS: "Withdraw."] If I am asked to withdraw I should like the hon. Gentleman to mention the names of the two Orders and the dates on which they were signed. As he says, this is an important Order, which followed the Budget statement. Parliament was sitting. It is, surely, quite unprecedented for the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary both to be unavailable to sign the Order?

If it helps the hon. Member and he will put down a Question, I will give him the exact dates and substance of the Orders.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the large cattle population and exports of preserved meat from Madagascar; and whether he will investigate the possibility of drawing supplies for the United Kingdom from this source.

This suggestion has already been acted upon, but I am sorry to say that we cannot regard the island as a promising source of meat for this country.

Is my hon. Friend aware that while there is already a large head of cattle in the island, there is a lot of fertile land there which could carry a much larger head of improved cattle, and will he see whether something on the lines suggested can be done for the benefit of this country?

I will see that the question is re-examined.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that there is, and has been for a long time, a British firm established near Majunga, which used to export frozen meat to this country before the war? Cannot these exports now be resumed?

It is not as simple as that. There was in 1950 an export of some 3,600 tons of beef and about 3,600 tons of canned meat, mainly to France. There was an export of some 1,700 head of cattle, but the quality of the meat presents difficulties.

asked the Minister of Food the details of the method whereby offal, including sheep's head and oxtail, are distributed throughout the country.

Imported offal and offal from slaughterhouses are distributed to retail butchers in proportion to the quantities of meat they purchase for ration purposes.

But what about home output? Can my hon. Friend explain why in my constituency and in London we just cannot get an oxtail or a cowtail?

They are Manx.

There is distributed to the retail butchers a quantity of offal which in weight is 11 per cent. of the ration allocation. The distribution of offal to his customers by a butcher is a matter for his own discretion.

But can my hon. Friend assure us that oxtails, cowtails and sheeps' heads and all these other things are distributed pro rata and fairly to butchers all over the country, from both imported and home-grown sources?

Yes, Sir.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether it is true or not that there has been a 50 per cent. increase in offal since this awful Government have been returned?

asked the Minister of Food how much he expects to recoup towards the reduction of the food subsidy during the year 1952–23 by the recent increases in the prices of bread and flour.

About £48 million.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate and report, as early as possible, on the adequacy of the roads to meet modem needs; the conditions created by increasing traffic and speed; and the urgent need to reduce accidents and fear on the roads.

As regards road safety, I would refer to the answers I gave on 25th February to the right hon. Member for Rochester and Chatham (Mr. Bottomley). The need to improve roads is not in doubt, but must be considered in relation to other claims upon national resources. A Royal Commission to examine this matter would not in my view be justified.

Has the hon. Gentleman consulted the Prime Minister, who I understand is responsible for advising Her Majesty as to whether a Royal Commission should be set up? Has the Prime Minister given consideration to the very serious conditions which now exist on the roads and, if a Royal Commission is not to investigate, can we have a Departmental Committee to investigate?

I do not think it is usual to disclose what discussions go on in the Government, but I would remind the hon. Member that this whole question is being most seriously studied. One has to be very careful of one's ground before advising a Royal Commission, because urgency is what matters. We are doing everything we can to cut down the number of road accidents.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the danger to other road users arising from failure to observe paragraph 44 of the Highway Code; and whether be will consider strengthening the law in the interests of all other road users including pedestrians.

I have at present no evidence suggesting that paragraph 44 of the Highway Code is generally disregarded, or that it is necessary to strengthen the law in this matter.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that it is continually disregarded and that this paragraph 44 only requires the ends of projecting loads to be marked in day time by a white cloth or "something else," which is not very specific and, further, that it does not take very long on a dirty road for a white cloth to become invisible and projecting loads on main roads to constitute a considerable danger?

I shall be very grateful if my hon. Friend will give some definite evidence. I have noted his point about the white cloth not being satisfactory.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the dangerous stretch of highway outside Messrs. Yardley's factory, Carpenters Road, Stratford, details of which have been supplied to him; and whether, in view of the grave financial difficulties confronting the West Ham Borough Council, he will consider making them a special financial grant to enable them to resurface this admittedly dangerous section of Carpenters Road.

I have no funds available for this purpose and I am debarred by the Local Government Act, 1929, from making a grant from the Road Fund for such work in a county borough.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that in the City of Birmingham, 215 school's which previously had pedestrian crossings outside, no longer have them; and, in view of the need to prevent accidents among children, if he will take action to approve the restoration of these crossings.

I believe the hon. Member's figures of 215 is on the high side. I feel sure that where children have to cross busy roads near schools the real answer is for adult patrols to see them safely across the road and that uncontrolled pedestrian crossings which are little used except by school children can be more of a danger than a safeguard to them. I do not think, therefore, that I can approve of the restoration of such crossings.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this involves something like 100,000 children, that the parents are greatly concerned at the removal of these crossings and that only 95 of the schools have decided to have school wardens? Is he aware that there were very few accidents previous to the removal of these crossings and does he think he will save children's lives by removing crossings in these dangerous streets?

I must assure the hon. Member that it is with the interests of the children at heart that we believe these crossings can be more of a menace than a safety.

In view of the hon. Gentleman's declaration in favour of controlled pedestrian crossings outside schools, can I bring to his notice the fact that Kent County Council, as a measure of economy, following the circular issued by his right hon. Friend, propose to abolish all school road safety patrols in the county? What does he intend to do about that?

That seems to be an entirely different question.

No.

Reverting to the Birmingham position, has not the hon. Gentleman received a letter sent by me from a headmaster pointing out the dangers to children outside his school where a pedestrian crossing has been moved and placed about 150 yards up the road? It is not good enough to say that parents can be disregarded: what about schoolmasters?

I have not said that parents should be disregarded. We are working on the problem and hope sooner or later—I hope sooner—that patrols outside the schools will be trained by the police. We are working on the matter as fast as we can.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that C licences are no longer required for pedestrian-controlled electric vehicles, he will arrange for the licence fees to be refunded and, if necessary, for the amendment of the regulations to make this possible.

I will consider the suggestion and will Communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Supply if his attention has been drawn to circular letters, copies of which have been shown to him, sent out by a firm offering to act as agent on commission for obtaining armament subcontracts; and what action he proposes to take in the matter.

Yes, Sir. It was made clear to the firm in questioin that the Ministry of Supply disapproved of this activity and I understand it has now ceased.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for that satisfactory reply, may I ask him whether he will go a little further and say that, to discourage any future undesirable activity of this kind, he will keep in closer touch with the engineering associations when compiling his list of approved sub-contractors so as to provide a proper opportunity for the smaller firms to play their full part in the re-armament drive?

The Ministry of Supply regional organisation have already got very full lists of potential sub-contracting capacity, and its staff are available to give advice to all firms looking for subcontracts.

asked the Minister of Supply if he will ensure that sufficient supplies of steel are available to engineering firms in Bolton and district, so that the present unemployment in the cotton industry will not be increased by unemployment in the engineering firms due to shortage of materials.

I know of no reason why the shortage of steel should affect employment in the cotton industry. However, if the hon. Member will send me particulars of the case he has in mind, I will have the matter looked into.

That is not an answer to the Question, which relates to supplies of steel available in engineering firms in Bolton.

If the hon. Member will look at his own Question he will see that he asks whether I will ensure:

"… that sufficient supplies of steel are available to engineering firms in Bolton and district, so that the present unemployment in the cotton industry will not be increased by unemployment in the engineering firms due to shortage of materials."

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a firm in Bolton have informed me that they are short of steel and that if they do not get an increased supply they will have to throw off 35 per cent. of their workpeople, which will merely add to the unemployment already existing in the cotton industry?