asked the Minister of Food whether he will make arrangements to allow old age pensioners to buy their tea rations at the prices obtaining before the recent price increases.

I cannot add to my reply to the hon. Member for Fife, West (Mr. Hamilton) on 31st March.

asked the Minister of Food if he will state for the three weeks prior to the announcement of the lifting of the tea subsidy the amounts of tea purchased under supplementary permits issued by his Department.

Supplementary permits are issued locally, and the only figures available centrally relate to amounts of tea later purchased under such permits. From 16th to 22nd March returns of these purchases totalled 257,000 lb.; from 23rd to 29th March, 214,000 lb.; and from 30th March to 5th April, 135,000 lb.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that under supplementary permits issued by his Department, there were 724,000 lb. of tea purchased from 23rd March to 19th April, 1,615,000 lb. from 20th April to 17th May, and 1,231,000 lb. from 18th May to 14th June; what were the reasons given for these increased purchases; and, in view of the fact that these purchases were considerably above the average, whether he will give an assurance that stocks are not being built up by retailers at the subsidised price for eventual sale at the enhanced unsubsidised price to the consumer when the subsidy is removed next month.

My Department's returns for purchases of tea under supplementary permits in the periods mentioned are as stated. As the quantities for the corresponding periods last year were nearly 40 per cent. higher, the rest of the Question does not arise.

asked the Minister of Food the estimated weekly increase of goods unrationed and unsubsidised which have been increased in price during the past seven months; and what further increases are expected in the near future.

The Retail Index of Food Prices is the accepted method of measuring price changes. Since the new basis of the Index was adopted in January, 1952, food prices have increased by 4.4 per cent. up to May. I cannot speculate on prospective price changes.

asked the Minister of Food what representations he has received from the Association of Master Bakers, regarding a graduated subsidy to keep the family baker in business; and what reply he has given to the association.

The Association has asked for additional subsidy on the first 50 sacks of every baker's weekly usage of flour. This would give additional profit at public expense to a great many bakers who are not in need of it and I have been unable to agree. But in addition to other recent measures of help, I have decided to admit for purposes of subsidy certain delivery costs which have hitherto been excluded. And I have undertaken to review the working of the subsidy if the industry can furnish additional statistical information about their costs.

asked the Minister of Food what action he has taken on the resolution sent to him by the Lincoln and District Trades Council criticising as unhygienic the present methods of meat distribution in the city of Lincoln.

According to the inquiries I have made, all meat passing between the slaughterhouse, the cold store, the Wholesale Meat Supply Asso- ciation's depot and the butcher' shops in Lincoln is transported in properly fitted closed vehicles. I should be grateful if the hon. Member would give me details of any case where these arrangements are not being carried out, and I will certainly look into it.

asked the Minister of Food how many horses were slaughtered in licensed and inspected slaughterhouses in 1951 and to the last convenient date in 1952; what steps he is taking to prevent the sale of horse meat from unlicensed slaughterhouses, and to prevent horse meat being sold as veal or beef in hotels and restaurants; and if he will instruct his inspectors to take samples of meat sold in hotels and restaurants purporting to be veal or beef.

There are no comprehensive statistics of the number of horses slaughtered in licensed slaughterhouses, but such figures as are available suggest that the post-war rise has passed its peak. The sale of horse flesh for human consumption is subject to the relevant provisions of the Food and Drugs Act, which I consider are adequate. My enforcement officers have no power to take samples of meat for the purposes of the Food and Drugs Act since the responsibility for enforcing these provisions rests with local authorities. Any information that may lead to the detection of infringements should be sent to the local authority.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of the sudden drop in prices for Pembrokeshire early potatoes; and what steps he is taking to safeguard both the producer and consumer interests next year.

New potato prices are uncontrolled at this time of year. Subject to the published conditions my Department will buy surplus first-early potatoes offered between 1st September and 15th October.

asked the Minister of Food what action his Department takes to prevent retailers building up stocks of subsidised foods on which subsidy is due to be removed and thus enabling them to sell at enhanced rates formerly subsidised commodities.

For rationed foods, price changes coincide with ration periods and, as far as practicable, retailers and other distributors receive permits only for the amounts to which their customers are entitled within each ration period.Of the subsidised unrationed foods, milk and bread are perishable and cannot be accumulated, and other measures can be taken to limit buying of flour before a price increase takes effect.

asked the Minister of Food how many officials of his Department are employed on the control of the home distribution of whisky.

My Department does not exercise any control over the distribution of whisky in the home market.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the subject of the visit by the Minister of Defence to Korea.

As I announced yesterday, statements will be made in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday next, 1st July.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence if he will take immediate steps to rectify the lack of public information on military operations in Korea.

The British Press have been given facilities for reporting the progress of operations in Korea, and I do not accept the implication in the hon. Member's Question that they have failed to use these opportunities to inform the British public adequately on this matter. As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister stated in this House yesterday, statements will be made next Tuesday in both Houses.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the number of officers in receipt of retired pay whose retired pay rates were stabilised at 9½ per cent. below the basic retired pay rates promulgated by Army Order 324, 1919, and the annual amount it would cost to raise their retired pay rates to those awarded to officers who retired after 19th December, 1945.

The number of officers now in receipt of retired pay referred to in the Question is about 17,100. The great majority of these officers have received additions to the stabilised rate of award, either under the 1944 and 1947 Pensions Increase Warrants or by reason of re-assessment of their awards. To raise the retired pay rates of these officers to those of the 1945 code would cost about £370,000 per annum.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence (1) how many of the widows of Regular officers who are in receipt of pensions are over 40 years of age and under 40 years of age, respectively;(2) the number of Regular officers' widows in receipt of pensions, giving the figures for the widows of officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Indian Army separately; and the number in receipt of the maximum and minimum pension.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence (1) the number of widows of Regular officers whose deaths were due to service and who are in receipt of pensions;(2) what is the annual cost of providing pensions for the widows of Regular officers of the three Services, showing attributable and non-attributable pensions separately.

The details are given below, but I would point out that I can give an answer only in respect of those pensions which are paid by the Service Departments. This excludes the majority of "attributable" pensions which are paid by the Ministry of Pensions. In respect of these "attributable" pensions no figures are available which distinguish between the widows of Regular officers and those of other officers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence how many officers are in receipt of retired pay at the latest date for which figures are available; and what is the total annual sum involved.

The total number of officers of the three Services in receipt of retired pay from Service votes is about 30,300. The annual sum involved is about £11,200,000. These figures do not include awards made by the Ministry of Pensions in which there is an element of retired pay.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence the amount it would cost annually to raise the minimum pension of the widows aged 40 years or over of Regular officers to £210 per annum, for the widow of a lieutenant-colonel or equivalent rank, to £180 per annum, for the widow of a major or equivalent rank, to £165, for a widow of a captain or equivalent rank, and to £150 per annum for the widow of a subaltern or equivalent rank, the figures for attributable and non-attributable pensions being shown separately.

The rates quoted by the hon. Member are in each case the "attributable" pension rates for widows of 40 years or over as these rates stood before 1st May last, from which date they were increased by £18 a year throughout. The cost of bringing non-attributable (i.e., ordinary) pensions up to the rates quoted for the ranks mentioned in the hon. Member's Question would be approximately £370,000 annually.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the British Honduras stock farms, operated by the Colonial Development Corporation, will show a loss of £85,000; whether he is aware that cattle are managed profitably by private farmers in the Colony, and of the bad effect in the Colony of such disastrous enterprises; and whether he will reconsider the effectiveness of the Corporation as a means of expending public funds upon development projects.

I am aware of the facts which my hon. Friend recites in the first and second parts of his Question. On the last part, I am in close touch with Lord Reith's plans for improving the efficiency of the Corporation and have agreed with him that the Corporation should seek to be associated with either local or United Kingdom private enterprise, or possibly a Colonial Government itself, in the risks of any new projects. This will be a normal condition of my approving further capital.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the present position with regard to the constitution and composition of the Belize City Council in British Honduras; and what prospect there is of a speedy reversion to the previous composition and of an election by ballot to this council.

An election was held in March last. The Council is now composed of four members of the National Party, three members of the peoples United Party and two Independent members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that production upon the Castle Bruce estate of the Colonial Development Corporation in Dominica has been abandoned and that it has been placed upon a care and maintenance basis; and what steps he proposes to take in view of the need to maintain agricultural production in the Colony.

Yes. The Governor is considering ways of making use of the estate, but the island is mountainous and communications limit the possibility.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the need for hydro-electric development in Dominica; and whether, in view of the costly mistakes made by the Colonial Development Corporation in its hydro-electric scheme and the anxiety caused thereby in the Colony, he will consider whether other methods of providing and maintaining a supply ought to be adopted.

I am aware of the need for hydro-electric development in Dominica. The Governor informs me that, although delay has occurred in the construction of the Colonial Development Corporation plant, the work is now proceeding smoothly. I do not consider that there is any case for adopting other methods of supply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the lack of shipping facilities between the United Kingdom and the West Indies; that no British vessels trading to the West Indies have passenger space; that the shipping arrangements for transport between the Islands are inadequate; and whether it is the intention of the Government to deal with the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the concern in the West Indies caused by the proposed withdrawal of the Canadian Ladyboat steamship services; whether he proposes to make representations to the Canadian Government about this matter; and, alternatively, what other means of transportation he will provide in place of this service.

The proposed withdrawal of Canadian shipping services to the West Indies is one of the matters covered by the examination to which my right hon. Friend referred in his reply to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, South-West (Mr. Powell) on 28th May. I am not yet in a position to make a further statement on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which of the insular Colonies in the West Indies the Governor of the Colony has three votes, namely his personal vote as an official Member, his casting vote as Governor or Chairman and his over-riding vote on any problem or discussion provided that he has consulted previously with the Secretary of State for the Colonies and received his consent to use the Governor's overriding vote, thus ensuring Governmental dominance.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the rates of income tax, surtax and company tax payable in Trinidad.

On the 23rd April information about rates of tax in 39 Colonies was given in reply to the right hon. Member's Question. I regret that the details for Trinidad were incorrectly stated.The tax on companies in Trinidad is 8s. in the £. For income tax on individuals, the minimum allowance is £250. Rates are on a progressive scale, starting with 2s. in the £ on the first £208 of net chargeable income and increasing to 18s. in the £ on net chargeable income over £13,750.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider with the Treasury and Commonwealth Relations Office the setting up of an inter-Departmental committee to review the effect of export taxes on production, in particular of tea and tobacco.

The question raised by my hon. Friend is important but it is one primarily for Colonial Governments and I do not think that there is any need for special inter-Departmental machinery of the kind suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Nigerian oil palm mills are under private African ownership; and how many under Government ownership.

Fifty-seven oil palm mills are at present in operation in Nigeria. Forty-seven are owned by the Regional Production Development Boards, three by the Cameroons Development Corporation, one by the West African Oil Palm Research Institute and six by Africans.Of these six, three are owned by private companies, two by private individuals and one by a co-operative society.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what technical assistance the Gold Coast is receiving from the United Nations.

Two candidates from the Gold Coast have been awarded fellowships under the United Nations programme of technical assistance, and a third has been recommended for one by the United Nations Selection Committee. Sixteen more applications which have only recently been submitted are under consideration.The Gold Coast Government are fully aware of the other facilities available under the United Nations programmes and are considering making applications for assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the offence for which Mr. Peter Williams, former secretary of the Singapore Labour Party, has been arrested; and when his trial will take place.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when Mr. Peter Williams, former secretary of the Singapore Labour Party, is to be brought to trial; and upon what charges he is to be tried.

Mr. P. M. Williams was detained under the Singapore Emergency Regulations because a resolution he intended to move at the General Council Meeting of the Labour Party in Singapore appeared likely to support and encourage the Communist terrorists.Mr. Williams has now withdrawn this resolution and has given assurances that he is not in sympathy with the Malayan Communist Party and will take no action which might prejudice Government measures to suppress terrorism. He was released on 21st June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what plans he has for giving assistance to the rubber industry in Malaya.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action he is taking to obtain stability in the price of Malayan rubber.

Her Majesty's Government and the Malayan Governments are equally concerned about the future of the rubber industry. Natural rubber must be sold at economic prices compared with synthetic rubber.Within Malaya the Federation Government recently imposed a cess to collect funds for replanting with high-yielding trees so as to reduce costs. This is however, a long-term measure. A more immediate measure is the encouragement of improved processing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many people are in prison in Malaya and Singapore under the Emergency Regulations; how many have been brought to trial; how many were acquitted; and how many of those acquitted were sent to a detention camp.

I am asking for reports from the High Commissioner for the Federation of Malaya and the Governor of Singapore, and will circulate the information in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will take steps through the Aden Government to secure that the new Sultan of Lahej shall be elected according to tribal custom by and from the five royal houses, subject to support by five elders representing other sections of the community.

The new Sultan of Lahej Ali bin Abdul Karim was elected on 4th June from one of the five Sultanate Houses, by unanimous vote of the traditional Electoral Body. This in accordance with custom, consisted of Heads of five Sultanate Houses, the Mansab of Waht and four Tribal Sheikhs. The electors were thus the same as those who elected the previous Sultan, and traditional custom was followed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if his attention has been called to the statement of the United Nations Visiting Mission to Tanganyika that, whilst there may be good practicable reasons for the land exchange in the Arusha and Moshi districts, they doubt the desirability of removing Africans from occupation, and that the matter merits the attention of the Trusteeship Council; and if he will meet the needs of the evicted tribe until the Trusteeship Council has had an opportunity to consider the question.

As is clearly shown in the Visiting Mission's Report, the removal of these 350 families was part of a general land resettlement scheme from which the tribe benefited substantially.Provision for the needs of the families concerned has always been offered in the form of compensation for disturbance and free transport to a new site prepared for them to settle in on better land.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will give an assurance that the legislation necessary to authorise a Central African Federal Constitution will not take the form of a Bill to give effect to an agreement, but will take a form that will enable hon. Members to move such amendments to the details of the Constitution as they may think fit.

No. It is contemplated that the Bill (if there is one) should be an enabling one authorising Her Majesty to establish a federal constitution by Order in Council. The details of this constitution would by then have been agreed by the four Governments concerned and there would have been earlier opportunities for the House to discuss them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will consult with the Governments of British territories in East and Central Africa, with a view to expanding the growth of maize, so as to provide a larger quantity for local consumption and a surplus for export.

Small surpluses of maize have been available for export in the East and Central African territories in recent years, and special measures have been taken in these territories to increase production. As my right hon. Friend explained on 11th June, any large expansion could only be at the expense of other crops.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what representations were made to him recently by white civil servants in the Gold Coast and Nigeria in respect to their pecuniary and other conditions of service.

In both Nigeria and the Gold Coast representatives of the overseas civil servants explained to me their serious anxieties about their financial position, their security of tenure in their posts and other matters affecting their conditions of service. These matters had already been causing me concern and I took the opportunity to discuss the problem frankly with African Ministers and the Governors in both territories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to provide an airport in Nassau, Bahamas, suitable for use by Comet aircraft, so that British Overseas Airways Corporation may open a dollar earning service with these aircraft in the coming winter; and whether it is proposed to re-open Windsor Field for this purpose.

Airport facilities in the neighbourhood of Nassau to meet both immediate and future requirements are now being studied. I am awaiting proposals from the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are being taken to extend apprenticeship in skilled trades and professions for Africans in Kenya.

The Kenya Government have accepted in principle a scheme under which pupils of sufficient basic education would receive three years' training at a trade training centre, followed by two years' on training in the Public Works Department, or, where possible, in private industry, under the direction of skilled supervisors. It is hoped soon to overcome certain practical obstacles to this scheme and thereafter to improve the present system of trade training at all levels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Afrikaners are employed in the Public Works Department in Kenya; and to what extent they are in control of African labour.

Information of this nature is not available in the Colonial Office and considerable research by the Government of Kenya would no doubt be required to produce it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the discrepancy between increases in the price of coffee in Kenya and increases in the rates of pay of African workers on plantations, he will appoint the Commissioner of Labour, the trade union advisory officer or some other qualified person as chairman of the annual meeting at which wages are negotiated.

An appointment of this kind is a matter for the Governor who would, I am confident, appoint a member of the Labour Department as Chairman of this meeting instead of the District Commissioner if he felt that there was advantage in such an arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what progress has been made in implementing the recommendation of the Economic Co-operation Administration Rice Mission to British Guiana which was published in 1950.

The following action has been taken on the Report of the Mission:1. POTENTIAL AREAS OF PADI PRODUCTION

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now announce the steps to be taken to develop the rice industry of British Guiana.

The three drainage and irrigation schemes referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine) today aim to bring an additional 70,000 acres under rice cultivation and substantially increase production from land already under rice. Only one of these schemes has yet been submitted to me in detail and that is under urgent examination. Two more schemes, making five in all, are under consideration in the Colony.The discussions with the Colonial Development Corporation for their participation in rice production, referred to in my reply to the hon. Member on 14th November, have not yet been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what are the prospects of increasing the rice supply of British Guiana by the five schemes now envisaged; and if he will make a statement regarding these schemes.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given above to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. R. Robinson).The three drainage and irrigation schemes referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mr. Braine) today aim to bring an additional 70,000 acres under rice cultivation and substantially increase production from land already under rice. Only one of these schemes has yet been submitted to me in detail, and that is under urgent examination. Two more schemes, making five in all, are under consideration in the Colony. The discussions with the Colonial Development Corporation for their participation in rice production, referred to in my reply to the hon. Member for Blackpool, South on 14th November, have not yet been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give an assurance that the financial support of Makerere College by the Governments of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika has not resulted, and will not result in the future, in any interference with the academic independence of Makerere College.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what financial aid has been given or promised to Malta since the end of the war by British taxpayers; and what steps the Maltese Government are taking to deal with the problem created by the doubling of the Maltese population every 35 or 40 years.

The following financial assistance from United Kingdom funds have been given or promised to Malta since the war:

(a) Malta (Reconstruction) Act:
		£
1947	For War Damage and Reconstruction (in addition to £10,000,000 granted during the war)	20,000,000
(b) Colonial Development and Welfare assistance:
1946	Territorial allocation under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act	1,000,000
1947 to 1949	Additional grant to the Royal Malta University from Colonial Development and Welfare Central funds	132,500
1950	Supplementary territorial allocation under the Colonial Development and Welfare Act	1,500,000
(c) Other assistance:
1946 to 1949	Contributions towards food subsidies	1,650,000
1951–52 and 1952–53	Grants for civil defence and stockpiling, approximately	584,000
	Total	£24,866,500

With regard to the second part of the Question, the Maltese Government are trying to deal with the problem by increasing emigration, which is their responsibility under the Constitution. I understand that approximately 29,500 persons have emigrated from Malta since the end of the war.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what mistakes have been made in the allocation of steel to shipbuilders in the North-East; whether these mistakes are being rectified; and what effect such rectification will have upon future allocations.

In common with shipbuilders in other districts, the North East Coast shipbuilding firms receive their fair share of the quarterly allocations of steel authorised by the Govern- ment for the Merchant Shipbuilding Industry. These quarterly allocations have not been exceeded and I cannot accept the suggestion that mistakes have been made. The second and third parts of the Question do not, therefore, arise.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the security considerations involved, why an Admiralty contract, details of which have been given him, was placed at a factory entirely run by men who are known Communists.

The firm in question are not on the Admiralty List of Contractors and have not held any Admiralty contracts. I am also informed that at no time have they carried out any sub-contract work on Admiralty account.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men and women, respectively, working in Her Majesty's Dockyard, Portsmouth, neither pay Income Tax, nor receive family allowances and consequently have received no compensation against the cut in food subsidies.

In 1951–52 about 4,400 men and about 300 women did not pay Income Tax. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the Question is not available.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many boys from grammar schools and how many boys from public schools, passed the recent written examination for places at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth; and how many of each group were awarded places at the college after the selection interviews.

In the recent competition for entry into Dartmouth at age 16, the number of boys who passed the qualifying written examination was 54 from secondary grammar schools and 44 from independent and direct grant schools. Seven boys from secondary grammar schools and 24 boys from independent and direct grant schools were awarded places at Dartmouth after selection interviews and medical tests.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1) how many Dartmouth entrants he has obtained from Scottish schools in the last three years; how many from schools other than Scottish; and what action he proposes to take to increase the numbers he obtains from Scottish schools;(2) why the Dartmouth entrance examination attracts few Scottish candidates;(3) why, at the interview in connection with Dartmouth entrance, the proportion of candidates from Scottish schools who are judged unsuccessful is high compared with the proportion from schools other than Scottish.

In the last three years seven boys from Scottish schools have entered Dartmouth at age 16, and 237 from schools other than Scottish. I do not think that there is any clear evidence in the figures to suggest that the proportion of candidates unsuccessful at the interview, for Scottish schools, differs significantly from that for other schools.I am as concerned as the hon. Member at the apparent lack of interest in commissions in the Navy amongst boys from Scottish schools, but I regret that I am in no better position than he is to explain this phenomenon, which I believe is to a great extent common to all three Services. He will be interested to know that steps have been taken which I hope will encourage more boys from Scotland to compete for places at Dartmouth. A naval officer maintains liaison with schools in Scotland, and courses have been started locally for Youth Employment Officers and Careers Masters to inform them of the methods of entry into the Navy.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if he is satisfied that mail dispatched from this country to Israel is arriving without delay; and if not whether he will take steps to improve the situation.

The airmail service to Israel was affected recently by the curtailment of overseas air services due to shortage of aviation fuel; it is now normal and I am not aware of any general delay to correspondence between this country and Israel. I am making inquiry of the Israeli Post Office about an individual complaint of delay of which my hon. and learned Friend has given me details, and I will write to him as soon as possible.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General if his attention has been drawn to interference of reception of sound broadcasts from Droitwich suffered by North-Western listeners when nearby television receivers are in use; and what steps he is proposing to require such television receivers to be constructed in a manner that will permit their operation without causing this nuisance.

Some television receivers, when in use, unfortunately do cause interference with nearby sound receivers. Complaints of such interference in 1951 affected about one in every 300 television sets. I understand that manufacturers have already modified their designs to reduce this interference and that they are continuing their research with the object of making further improvement.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General where it is proposed to erect the two new television transmitters ordered by the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The B.B.C. informs me that one of the transmitters will be erected at Sutton Coldfield; the destination of the other has not yet been decided.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many Members of Parliament have broadcast between 1st November, 1951, and 30th April, 1952.

One hundred and thirty-five hon. Members of this House have broadcast during the period quoted.

asked the Assistant Postmaster-General how many Members of Parliament have broadcast in the "Week in Westminster" series since 1945; what number out of this total have broadcast in this series more than once; and whether he will give the numbers of broadcasts made by a Member where this exceeds a single broadcast.

I understand from the B.B.C. that 203 Members of Parliament have broadcast in the "Week in Westminster" programme since 1945. Nineteen hon. Members whose names are set out in the following statement have broadcast more than once.1.

asked the Minister of Works if he will take powers to enable him to grant loans to the brick and tile industry for mechanical equipment to conserve labour on similar or appropriate lines to the loans which the Minister of Fuel and Power has undertaken to grant for fuel saving equipment.

Not at present.

asked the Minister of Works to what extent the policy of floodlighting public buildings under his control on suitable occasions applies to Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee.

The only Government building in Edinburgh which is floodlit on special occasions is the Castle. This is so outstanding that I do not think that anything is to be gained by floodlighting other Government buildings, which might detract from the effect. It is not proposed to floodlight Government buildings in provincial cities either in England or Scotland.

asked the Minister of Works whether he has completed his review of the statutory control of the rates of hire of building and civil engineering plant; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I have consulted the principal organisation of users and hirers of contractors' plant. The present maximum rates laid down in the Order would have had to be raised to cover increased costs of repairs, maintenance, overhauls and depreciation. The trade association concerned has given me an assurance that it will recommend its members not to charge rates in excess of amended figures incorporating only certain actual increased costs and to maintain those rates during 1952 unless there are further increases in costs. On the basis of this assurance I have decided to remove the control as from 1st August, 1952, and will shortly make an Order giving effect to this decision.

asked the Secretary for Overseas Trade, as representing the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, what further action he proposes to concert with the United States of America in order to establish a common policy for the price and supply of commodities.

I have every hope that co-operation between the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries in the field of materials and commodities generally will continue fruitful. We are in constant touch with the United States Government to this end.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the voluntary organisations which have had their grants in aid reduced or withdrawn since November, 1951; and the sums involved.

I am not clear what interpretation the hon. Lady attaches to the term "voluntary organisations." Subject to this, however, I have had a list compiled giving the information asked for, but as it is long and contains a considerable amount of detail I will, with the hon. Lady's permission, arrange for a copy to be available in the Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the fiduciary note issue.

Yes. In anticipation of the usual seasonal increase in the demand for notes, the Treasury yesterday authorised an increase of £50 million in the fiduciary note issue, bringing the total of the issue up to £1,500 million. The Treasury Minute will be laid before Parliament very shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government have considered the possibility of financing extended credit for a limited period to the Australian Government for the purpose of releasing frustrated textile exports to the Australian market.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to the right hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Stokes) on 10th June.