asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local education authorities' school building programmes are now held up for shortage of steel; and how far this situation will be remedied within the next six months.

Inquiries made of education authorities show that no schools now under construction are held up for lack of steel: but the Lanarkshire and Glasgow authorities have had to postpone starting 10 schools for this reason. My right hon. Friend can give no precise forecast of how the situation will change in the next six months, but, as the hon. Member was informed on 29th October, the needs of school building will be fully taken into account in future allocations of steel.

In regard to these 10 schools, whose starting is being held up, can the Minister indicate what is represented in terms of money? Can he give any approximate forecast of what is to happen in the next six or 12 months? Are the Government to increase the allocation of steel for school building, or will there be a less amount than in the previous period?

I am sorry that I cannot give the hon. Member an answer in reply to the first part of his supplementary question, but I shall be glad to look into it if he puts it down. In reply to the other question, I am not really able to say. We should very much like it if it could be extended, because we want more schools.

Can the Joint Under-Secretary say whether it is primary or secondary schools which are being held up in Glasgow?

If the hon. Member will be so kind as to put that question down, I could give him a proper answer.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that Glasgow is already £3 million behind in starting schools because of concentration on housing? Already there is a great problem in Glasgow caused by bringing children by motor vehicles from outlying areas to the older schools in the city. Is it economy to prevent Glasgow getting on with the building of schools, involving, as it does, this traffic backwards and forwards which might be avoided? Surely the beginnings could be made, because I understand that the steel shortage is likely to be lessened very soon?

As the right hon. Member knows better than I do, there are seven schools in Glasgow where building has been held up, and all seven will be on very difficult high ground, involving the use of an excessive amount of steel. It is on that account that we have to hold up the building for the time being.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of schools under construction in Clydebank, and the number proposed.

Two new schools are at present under construction in Clydebank and seven more are proposed.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the overcrowding in the schools, not only of Clydebank but the whole county of Dunbartonshire, is worse than that in any other county of Scotland? Will the hon. Gentleman instigate an inquiry about why further progress has not been made in Dunbartonshire and Clydebank to provide adequate accommodation for the children?

I do not think that an inquiry would be any advantage. We are fully aware of the circumstances. The hon. Member is right in his description of the situation. We should like to do more, and if steel were available we should probably do it.

Can the hon. Gentleman say when a start will be made on the building of the proposed schools?

I can give the right hon. and learned Gentleman a lot of facts if he wants them. There are two schools under construction now. Both schools were started in 1950. Both should be ready in 1953. There are two other schools now being extended, and there are seven schools now scheduled for building.

I asked when a start would be made on building the seven scheduled schools.

I am sorry. I cannot answer that question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new schools are under construction in Scotland; how many were commenced since January, 1952; and what was the number of schools completed during 1950 and 1951.

The latest date to which statistics are available is 30th September. Eighty-four schools were then under construction, of which 22 were begun in 1952. Twenty-four schools were completed in 1950 and 29 in 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the nature of the report of Her Majesty's Inspector of Schools on the physical conditions in St. John's School, Uddingston; and what are the prospects of a new school in the near future.

Physical conditions at this school are unsatisfactory, but they have been improved during the last few years by minor alterations to the main building and by the addition of five new rooms. The Education Authority intend to provide new buildings, but it may be some time before this can be done, as priority must be given to the provision of schools in new housing areas where no accommodation exists.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that that is just not a correct report of the conditions prevailing at that school? Is he further aware that in 1939 I happened to be a member of the Lanarkshire Education Sub-Committee who went to see that school; that there was a plan for a new school at that time; that certain improvements were being recommended to carry us through the period of the war, and that up to the moment all that has transpired is an increase of one or two huts to meet the increased school-leaving age?

May I ask him to make further representations to his right hon. Friend to direct the Lanarkshire Education Authority—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech."]—to instruct the Lanarkshire Education Authority to go ahead? There are over 800 pupils in that school and it is the most shocking school in Scotland.

The hon. Member asked me the nature of the report of Her Majesty's Inspector, and I gave him truly and accurately the nature of that report. The circumstances are unsatisfactory and we would like to get a new school built there. Much has been done, but we would like to do a great deal more.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many junior colleges are now functioning in Glasgow.

Glasgow Education Authority provides eight further education centres which students attend under day-release arrangements for one day or more each week.

Does not the hon. Gentleman consider that that is far too small a number? Does not he realise that, in view of the apparent increase in social delinquency in a great city like Glasgow, a more vigorous prosecution of the attempt to build more junior colleges would be of great benefit and might moderate the talk about re-introducing the cat?

I am in sympathy with the hon. Gentleman's views. About 10 per cent. of the young people in employment in Scotland now attend day-release courses.

That is a small number.

I agree. I should like to see it increased; but the junior colleges provided by the Act after the war were stopped by the Act of 1949, to our great regret.

May I take it from the hon. Gentleman's answer that he intends to go ahead with the building of junior colleges and that there is no ban on their expansion?

For the reasons which the hon. Gentleman knows well, there is not sufficient steel. That is the only holdup. Were there steel, I should be most anxious to go ahead.

Then why de-nationalise?

Will the hon. Gentleman have a look at the Act of 1949, because I think that he will find that that Act did not stop the junior colleges in Glasgow or elsewhere in Scotland?

In fact, the provisions of the earlier Act were to have been brought into effect not later than 1st April, 1950, but because of post-war economic difficulties they were postponed indefinitely by the Education (Scotland) Act, 1949. Those are the facts.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Glasgow school children who had attained 15 years of age at the last school leaving date continued their education; how many completed the full secondary course; and what percentage this was of the total school enrolment for this city.

I regret that it has not been possible to obtain the information requested in time for this reply, but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have received it.

In view of that, I must ask for the right to postpone this question for future oral examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schools in Glasgow now operate the double shift system of school attendance.

There are three.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure the establishment of light industry in the new town of Glenrothes, Fife.

Extensions to existing factories at Glenrothes have been approved in recent years and a further large extension of an established factory in the area is in prospect. In addition, industrial concerns who have in mind the building of new factories in Scotland are made aware of the sites and facilities available at Glenrothes.

Is the Minister aware that the estimated labour force available for new light industry in Glenrothes in the next three years will be approximately 1,000? Can he indicate whether any inquiries have been made by industrialists and, if so, what have been the results of those inquiries?

Yes, Sir. Inquiries have been made recently. I cannot tell the hon. Member what the ultimate outcome of those inquiries will be.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking Ito assure adequate credit facilities to Highland farmers.

The same credit facilities are available to Highland farmers as to other farmers, and my right hon. Friend has no reason to believe that they are inadequate. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has stated that he has taken steps to make it clear to the banks that in applying their advances policy, they should give full weight to the vital importance of agricultural production.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that a farmer in Inverness-shire has failed to get bank credit facilities for the development of his farm in the last six months, and is still trying to get those facilities and is refused them? Will the hon. Gentleman see that this farmer is granted the necessary bank advance to increase food production on his farm?

I have already stated that the Chancellor has taken steps to make it clear to the banks what his policy is, that is to give credit where at all possible for production purposes. If a person cannot put up some sort of security that is a matter for the banks, but we have made our policy clear in terms of production.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that this particular farmer has a farm of 350 acres which is not mortgaged to any one? Is that not good enough security for a bank credit in order to develop the farm?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if the views of the Chairman and members of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board have been sought in connection with the examination of the supply of electricity in Scotland, promised in the Queen's Speech;

(2) if he will give an assurance that in the examination of the supply of electricity in Scotland, promised in the Queen's Speech, consultations will be held with the trade unions representing all grades of employees in the electricity supply industry.

My right hon. Friend and his right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power are aware of the views which the Chairman of the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board has expressed on this subject; and they hope to have consultations in the near future with representatives of that body and of the other electricity authorities concerned. My right hon. Friends will also be very ready to consider any views which representatives of those employed in the industry may wish to put before them.

Would the hon. Gentleman agree that Mr. Thomas Johnston is not at all happy about the implications of this scheme?

I have difficulty in accepting that. I would repeat the assurance given by my right hon. Friend, which is I think a complete assurance, on 18th November, when he said:

"I do not contemplate that any change in the present organisation of the electricity industry in Scotland would impair the special responsibilities for the Highlands and Islands placed on the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board by the Hydro-Electric Development (Scotland) Act, 1943."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 18th November, 1952; Vol. 507, c. 1576.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to give details of the measures he intends against inefficient farmers.

The measures in question are those laid down in the Agriculture (Scotland) Act, 1948. Procedure for the application of these measures is being speeded up in accordance with the terms of the announcement made last April by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture on behalf of the Government that vigorous action would be taken to ensure that our limited area of agricultural land is neither used inadequately nor misused through incompetence.

While agreeing that it is very important that agriculture should be efficient, might I ask the Joint Under-Secretary whether he would not also agree that this is a matter of great difficulty owing to the different conditions? Will he take steps to speed up the matters of which he has spoken, and will he bear in mind that the agricultural committees are not an entirely satisfactory method of doing this work in all cases, and that what is really wanted is a system which will reward the efficient farmer, on whatever ground he is, and penalise the inefficient farmer?

It is difficult to take into account all the factors since our agricultural economy varies so much from area to area. I would not accept the view that the committees have been inefficient in their task. The hon. Member can take it from me that we will do everything possible to consider the varying conditions in all the areas of Scotland.

Is the Joint Under-Secretary aware that he has a great deal of support from Members on this side of the House for his very courageous and enlightened speech to the farmers' federation on this matter the other day?

Will the Joint Under-Secretary take it that I did not imply that the agricultural committees were inefficient but that there is a limit to the amount of this sort of work which they can undertake?

Would it not be a great help if we could have returns of sales from farms from every agricultural holding in the country, and is it not a fact that if we could only raise the production of farm-fed beef to the same level as that of farm-fed propaganda we should all be able to live like fighting cocks?

In reply to the first question of the hon. Member for Wednesbury (Mr. S. N. Evans), which requires an answer, it involves more forms, but we are considering the possibility of getting a production return.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent landlords in Scotland are not fulfilling their State management responsibilities in the campaign for increasing food production; and what steps he proposes to increase food production on these estates.

Where landlords are not fulfilling their estate management responsibilities, as defined in the Agriculture (Scotland) Act, 1948, the agricultural executive committees will not hesitate to use their statutory powers in the interest of efficient production. Since the introduction of the Act, 30 warning notices have been served on landlords; 12 of these notices are still in force. In the last resort, dispossession may take place.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that we are gratified at the stand he is taking against inefficient landlords as well as inefficient farmers, and will he assure us that no vested landlord interests on the benches behind him will prevent him taking the rigorous action necessary to increase food production?

I do not think the hon. Gentleman need be afraid of that.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that doctors in Glasgow are having accounts submitted to them by the Executive Council for prescriptions issued to patients; who is responsible for this charge; and whether he realises that if this policy continues doctors will refuse to issue such prescriptions with consequent suffering to patients, most of whom are suffering from tuberculosis.

A doctor who writes a prescription under the National Health Service for a preparation that ranks as a food and not a drug is in breach of his terms of service, and is liable to repay to the Executive Council the cost of dispensing the prescription.

Will the Joint Under-Secretary look at the matter again, because I have evidence from doctors who have declared to the Executive Council that they gave the prescriptions as medicines, and if the doctors are to have these accounts rendered regularly they will stop prescribing and the patients will consequently suffer? I can give the Joint Under-Secretary documentary evidence to show that to my mind—[Interruption.] I want an answer to the point. When the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Nabarro) becomes the Joint Under-Secretary—

On a point of order. I did not say a word.

Some Member must have been mimicking the hon. Gentleman. I want to know if this is an economy to injure further the free medical service in Scotland, because, as I have already stated, I can give documentary evidence of doctors having given a prescription as a medicine and not as a food to tuberculosis cases?

I can assure the hon. Member that it is not an economy measure. The fact is that when selecting prescriptions that apparently relate to food the Pricing Bureau and the Executive Council are guided by advice from an expert committee, which is circulated to all doctors so that they know whether they are prescribing drugs or not.

If I give the hon. and gallant Member the evidence, will he look further into the matter?

I shall be delighted to look into any evidence which the hon. Member sends me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland his estimate of the number of young able farmers who are unable to acquire land for farming in Scotland.

There is no statistical information available on which an estimate could be based: but my right hon. Friend is aware, of course, that the demand for vacant farms to rent is high.

Are we to assume that the hon. Gentleman made his speech about the number of young able farmers without any statistical evidence before him? Is he aware that a number of large estates in the North of Scotland could be usefully divided up to employ some of these young able farmers?

I have said in reply to the first part of the Question that we are aware of the general demand for farms, but we have no detailed statistical information to give us the specific number.

Would my hon. Friend agree that one of the main reasons for these keen young men not being able to get farms is due to the fixity of tenure which came about as a result of Socialist legislation for security of tenure?

Will the hon. Gentleman convey another warning to some people in Scotland who are not making the best use of the land they are farming and inform them that if they do not do so there are plenty of powers—in spite of what the hon. and gallant Gentleman says—lying with the Government to see that they are removed from their farms and more efficient farmers put in their place?

That was the whole point of the speech to which the hon. Gentleman referred, to remove what I would call chronically inefficient farmers to make room for younger men who are able to farm efficiently.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now make a statement on the steps being taken to provide a better hospital service in Fife.

Yes, Sir. After intensive study the Regional Hospital Board have drawn up a programme for execution over the next eight years to expand the hospital service in Fife.

Re-arrangement of existing facilities will shortly release for general purposes 30 additional beds at Cameron Bridge, and effect some improvement in the rate of dealing with surgical work at Kirkcaldy. For the rest, there will have to be building, which is planned to yield 150 additional beds by the end of 1955; another 100 beds the next year, and a new hospital of 350 beds at Cameron Bridge by the end of 1960.

My right hon. Friend has approved this programme in principle. But it calls for building operations costing almost £2 million, and whether it can proceed at the rate envisaged will depend upon the extent to which resources can be spared from other essential work.

While thanking the hon. and gallant Gentleman for his expeditious action in this matter, which will be greatly appreciated by the large number of patients awaiting hospital beds, may I have his assurance that the amenities in these hospitals will be of a sufficiently high standard to attract medical and nursing staffs? Further, may I have his assurance that the proposed hospital units at Kirkcaldy will not delay the proposed hospital at Cameron Bridge?

The hon. Gentleman may be fully assured on the first point, and the detailed information I have given him on the second point should, I think, assure him also on that.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to strengthen the fleet of fishery protection cruisers in Scotland.

The fishery protection fleet has been considerably strengthened since the war by the replacement of two old cruisers by modern vessels and the commissioning of an additional cruiser in place of a hired steam drifter. The efficiency of the fleet has also been increased by the installation of radar and echo sounders in a number of these ships. An order has recently been placed for the building of a further new fishery cruiser to replace another of the older vessels.

While I appreciate that the fleet has been strengthened, and that they are undoubtedly doing their very best to protect our fisheries, is the hon. Gentleman aware that there has been a tendency for our own and foreign vessels to be forced back into British waters especially since the new restrictions in foreign waters off Iceland and Norway, and that the threat has been observed to be growing round the Hebridian waters and up in the north-west? Will he ask the fishery cruisers to do even a little better than their best in future?

I will take notice of the hon. Gentleman's remarks.

May I ask whether the aeroplane is still working in conjunction with the fishery cruisers, as the difficulty always is to get evidence which convicts these people? May I also ask his Department to consider whether a helicopter would be more efficient in getting within range of the vessels in order to prove the case?

I will gladly take note of the right hon. Gentleman's remarks

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the danger to health from the uncontrolled disposal and sale of second-hand clothing; and what action he intends to take to control the disposal of at least the personal clothing and bedding of patients dying in institutions and at their homes of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

I am informed that, when infectious disease arises, the normal practice is for hospitals and local authorities to advise or arrange for the destruction or disinfection of clothing and bedding so far as they consider necessary to avoid the spread of disease. If the hon. Member has any special case in mind, I shall be glad to make inquiries.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that he could go into any auction room on almost any day when a sale is taking place in Scotland and find this filthy and poisonous trade going on in infected clothing and bedding belonging to people who have died from tuberculosis and other infectious diseases? Cannot we have some statutory power to control this practice?

The Public Health Act empowers sanitary inspectors to inspect and to disinfect the houses, personal clothing and bedding of persons notified as suffering from infectious diseases, or who are known to have died at home from infectious diseases.

Is it not the case that people do dispose of the personal clothing and bedding of people who have died in their homes from infectious diseases; and does the hon. Gentleman not agree that that is a most undesirable practice? Would he not make some effort to take the initiative now? I do not care about what references he may feel inclined to make about previous Governments when replying to supplementary questions.

I should like again to renew my frequent appeal to hon. Members to ask short supplementary questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the repeated requests to him by the crofters of Balmartin, in the Isle of North Uist, to assist them in having their holdings enlarged from the neighbouring estate land of Balelone; why he has rejected their past requests; and what action he is now taking to help these crofters to secure adequate land for a reasonable livelihood.

The request of the Balmartin holders raises difficult questions of agricultural and social policy which are closely related to the remit of the Crofting Commission, and my right hon. Friend proposes to defer a final decision until the Commission's Report is available.

That Report may not be available for a long time. Would the Secretary of State—I am sorry that he is not here—in fairness to any possible buyer of this estate in North Uist, warn him that he will not have peace or comfort in possession of it so long as the Hebridians are suffering from land hunger? [Interruption.] I beg your pardon, Mr. Speaker, but this is an extremely important question. I wish that the right hon. Gentleman opposite would keep his voice on a level with his intelligence—as low as possible.

Is the Joint Under-Secretary aware that these men have given notice that they intend to raid this estate on Friday of this week? Is he also aware that they fully mean all they say? They have tried every constitutional method and have been driven to this—[Interruption.] Since I have your permission to finish the question, Mr. Speaker, in spite of the hon. Member for Croydon, East (Sir H. Williams)—

On a point of order. Ought not the hon. Member to follow your request as to the length of supplementary questions?

I am always full of hope that the supplementary question is coming to an end at the next moment. I do not like to prolong it by intervening too often.

Might I say, in finishing my supplementary question, that these men were also full of hope and they have abandoned hope because the Secretary of State has forced them to this pass? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that these men have given up the hope of any satisfaction of their just claims? They have tried every constitutional approach and have been refused a perfectly just and natural claim.

It is impossible to state the date when the Commission will report. We know that they are reaching the end of their job of taking evidence. In reply to the second part of the question, I would point out that this farm is a large and productive unit which provides employment locally. My right hon. Friend is in some doubt as to whether the division of this farm into smaller units among the various people who wish to share the land would necessarily be in the best interests of the community. He prefers to await the Report of the Commission, who took a special look at this case when touring the Island.

I wish to give notice that, in view of the failure of the Secretary of State to protect the natural rights of the crofters of the Hebrides, I shall raise this matter on the Adjournment and by every other method, constitutional or otherwise.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland to make a statement on the results of the Scottish boats at the English herring season.

Two hundred and forty-two Scottish drifters took part in the recent East Anglian fishing. The majority had left for home by 18th November, rather earlier than usual. The weather was consistently rough, as I saw, and the quality of the fish mixed, and after 1st November catches were poor. In the result, the average gross earnings of the Scottish boats were only about £1,630 as against £2,380 for the longer season last year. Loss and damage to gear has also been greater.

In view of the poor season and the hardship caused to some fishermen, and their families who went south to gut, have the Government considered giving any assistance in the replacement of gear, because the losses have been rather serious in some cases?

I think that the answer is "No." The losses of Scottish fishermen—I think largely because they own their own gear—were very much less serious than those of English fishermen. I am not sure that the losses were so very heavy as to make action of the kind suggested necessary.

Will my hon. Friend agree that his statement emphasises the necessity for legislation to be introduced to continue the provisions of the Herring Industry Act which expired in August last?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the growing alarm in the Ballingry area of Fife caused by the frequent outbreak of fire in the Cruden houses there; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy the situation.

I know of no reason for alarm. There have been three minor fires in these houses since January, 1951. Two are believed to have been caused by carelessness and the third by an electrical fault. I am assured that the remedial measures previously recommended to local authorities for this type of house are adequate to ensure the tenants' safety.

But is the Minister aware that there is considerable alarm in this area, where I have talked to people who have expressed alarm? Is he aware that these people are expecting the Department to take some decisive action in this problem, which has been in existence for some considerable time?

There does not seem to be any reason for alarm from the figures available. In the 2,600 houses of this type in Scotland only four minor incidents have occurred in a matter of 22 months. That does not seem any reason for alarm. As the hon. Member knows, measures have already been taken.

Is it not the case that plans for these houses are approved by the Department of Health and that the houses built by the Cruden firm have proved very satisfactory in many areas?

I agree with the right hon. and learned Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how often each of the rent tribunals in Scotland has met during the past year; and what is the number of cases each has dealt with.

As the answer involves a table of figures, I shall, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the Joint Under-Secretary say whether a number of these rent tribunals have not met during the past year?

I have no evidence of that before me, but I will look into the matter.

Is the Joint Under-Secretary of State satisfied that the people of Scotland are sufficiently aware of their right of recourse to these tribunals? Will he recommend to local authorities the giving of greater publicity to the rights of individuals to have recourse to these tribunals?

I should have thought that the public were fully informed on this matter.

As the hon. and gallant Gentleman has the figures before him, could he state the number of rent tribunals which have not met during the past year?

I cannot give that answer on the information before me.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average annual cost of operating a rent tribunal in Scotland.

The total fees and expenses of members of the 29 tribunals in Scotland for the year ended 31st March, 1952, was £1,123. To this must be added an allocation of expenses incurred by the Department of Health and local authorities in servicing the tribunals, which it is estimated would bring the total expenditure up to about £2,900, or an average of £100 per tribunal.

The Joint Under-Secretary of State has indicated that the average expenditure for a rent tribunal is £100. Is he aware that the work must be much better performed in England? As the expenditure per rent tribunal was, on last year's basis, £2,000 in England, they must be dealing with many more cases. Is the Joint Under-Secretary further aware that the estimated expenditure under the Expiring Laws Continuance Bill is estimated as being, for Scotland, on an average, £44 16s. 6d. per rent tribunal, and for England an average of £1,764?

Is the Joint Under-Secretary further aware that this is solely because there is not enough publicity about what protection sub-let tenants can obtain in Scotland? Will he take steps to see that he brings up the standard in Scotland to the same level as that in England so that we can get that exploitation avoided?

In reply to the first part of the hon. Member's supplementary question, the answer is, "No, Sir" because the figures are in no way comparable. In regard to publicity, I hope that the hon. Gentleman's Question will give further publicity to the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many houses in Scotland are annually becoming fit for condemnation for lack of repair.

The information asked for could be obtained only by means of a house to house survey and I should not feel justified in asking local authorities to undertake so heavy a task at the present time. My right hon. Friend is, however, aware of the problem and is considering what measures might be taken to deal with it.

While I appreciate the difficulty of finding out the figures, might I ask the hon. and gallant Gentleman whether he agrees that this is a most serious matter, because a great number of houses are falling out of repair? Does not it warrant an inquiry to find out the true facts to see if any steps can be taken to stop the trend?

As the hon. and gallant Gentleman said in reply to a Question last week that he was unable to indicate the extent of the housing problem in Scotland, and as this week he is unable to give any indication of the extent of disrepair, is it not time that action was taken to acquaint hon. Members as to the extent of this problem in Scotland?

asked the Minister of Pensions if mothers of unmarried ex-Japanese prisoners of war, who have since died, can be made eligible for the per capita payment now being distributed.

asked the Minister of Pensions what progress has now been made with the distribution of the per capita grant to those who were Far East prisoners of war; when is it hoped to complete this distribution; what are the prospects of a second distribution; and how far it will be possible to widen this second distribution so as to include the parents of unmarried men and orphans.

asked the Minister of Pensions to make a statement on the progress which has been made in the distribution of gratuities to ex-prisoners of war lately held by the Japanese; and what average sum is calculated to be payable.

Thanks to the co-operation of the F.E.P.O.W. clubs and associations and the Government Departments concerned, good progress has been made since the scheme was announced on 6th October. Some 20,000 payments have been made. We are making payments at the rate of 1,000 a day, and the vast majority should receive their initial share of £15 by Christmas.

The possibility of widening the scheme to include parents of unmarried prisoners of war who died in captivity, or since, and also orphans, is receiving careful consideration, but no decision can be reached until the total of claims from prisoners of war, civilian internees and widows is known.

The question of a second distribution will depend on the realisation of the remaining Japanese assets in the United Kingdom and on whether the eligible categories are to be extended.

While congratulating the Minister on the speedy and effective way in which he has put this into operation, may I ask him if he will pay special attention to the parents of these prisoners of war and to mothers of prisoners of war who are themselves widowed?

Yes, I should like to assure my hon. Friend that I will give specially sympathetic consideration to the type of case which he has mentioned.

Is it not a deplorable circumstance that these worthy men, who have suffered at the hands of the Japanese, should now suffer further humiliation by this paltry award? Would it not have been more compatible with our alliance with our American allies that there should have been a greater realisation of our rights under the Japanese Treaty than was actually accorded to them in that document?

The responsibility of the present Government is limited to a decision as to how this sum of money which is available shall be distributed.

So far as the merits of the cases of parents and orphans are concerned, will my right hon. Friend do all he can to ensure that those merits are not obscured by difficulties of administration?

I will give that assurance.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will increase the alternative widows' pensions awarded to widows of Service men killed in the 1914–18 War to bring them into line with pension increases recently granted.

I refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Cheltenham (Major Hicks Beach) on 10th November.

Does not my right hon. Friend appreciate that these elderly widows of the First World War have had a very raw deal for a very long time, and, further, that a comparatively small sum of money would make the latter days of their lives very happy?

I am sure that my hon. and gallant Friend will remember that these widows, if they are in receipt of the alternative pension, are receiving a higher pension than the normal standard of war widows' pensions, but, if it is to their advantage to transfer to the standard pension, that is arranged.

Is the Minister aware that these widows have had no increase at all in their pensions for over 20 years? If these pensions were adequate over 20 years ago, how can they be adequate today, when the cost of living has doubled? Would it not be only elementary justice to give them some increase?

I still feel that, as these widows are in receipt of a higher rate than the standard rate, they are not, relatively, being badly treated. The alternative pension scheme was dropped. It was thought unsatisfactory in working, and it was dropped many years ago, and was not applied to the widows of the Second World War. I really do not think that there is any relative hardship being done at present to the widows of the First World War.

asked the Minister of Pensions how far the reduction in staff noted in Command Paper No. 8691 involves curtailment of his Department's welfare services.

I can assure the hon. Member that the staff reduction in question involves no such curtailment.

asked the Minister of Pensions the net reduction of staff during 1950–51 and 1951–52; and what proportion has been effected in services rendered under the National Health Act.

During the years ended 31st March, 1951, and 31st March, 1952, the staff of my Department was reduced by about 500 and 1,170, respectively. There was no reduction in the staff employed on work connected with the supply of artificial limbs and other appliances under the National Health Service.

Could the Minister say whether any of these reductions has involved any curtailment or suspension of the development of the Ministry's welfare services?

No, Sir; none at all.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men he is now aiming to recruit to the Home Guard.

We can now enrol up to 90,000.

In view of the way in which Opposition warnings about the recruitment of the Home Guard have been justified by events, would it not be wise to review the whole organisation of the Home Guard before proceeding with further recruitment? What, for example, is the Minister going to do with the one volunteer in the constituency of the right hon. and learned Gentleman the Leader of the Liberal Party?

We have reviewed the whole scheme, and all I can say is that the hon. Member is not doing the Home Guard or anybody else any good by trying to sabotage it.

If a reasonable question is addressed to the right hon. Gentleman on a matter in which it is obvious that the right hon. Gentleman has failed to implement the promise he made, is there any reason why he should lose his temper?

I have not lost my temper. All I said was that, as announced in some detail, the scheme has been reviewed, and new measures have been introduced.

Would my right hon. Friend consider that the addition to the establishment of a limited number of education officers would help in the recruitment of the Home Guard?

May I ask the Minister on what evidence he has alleged that hon. Members of the Opposition have sabotaged this organisation, and, if he has no evidence to prove it, will he withdraw?

I have a great deal of evidence to that effect.

Oh!

If the right hon. Gentleman has specific evidence that hon. Members on this side of the House have sabotaged the Home Guard scheme, will he be good enough to make a statement to the House at the end of Questions, or, alternatively, produce a White Paper giving the facts relating to the statement which he has just made?

I think the facts are well known to the right hon. Gentleman.

No.

As hon. Members on this side are not aware, and as I certainly am not aware, of the facts to which the right hon. Gentleman has made reference, will he be good enough to furnish the information?

I will certainly write to the right hon. Gentleman.

No.

On a point of order. May I ask you, Mr. Speaker, if the word "sabotage" is a Parliamentary expression when applied to hon. Members of this House, bearing in mind all the meanings attributed to that word during the war?

I must confess that I am not provided with adequate and clear definitions of the term "sabotage," and I cannot say whether it is in order or not; but, if it does imply any evil intent or undisclosed and unavowed motive on the part of hon. Members, it would not be in order.

Further to that point of order, may I say that if, by that word, I suggested disloyalty in any way, I withdraw it, unreservedly. The sense in which I used the word was to impede, and not in any way to be disloyal.

This is a serious charge that has been made. [Interruption.] Of course it is a very serious charge. Whether the word "sabotage" is used or not, I suggest that the House will not be satisfied unless an inquiry is made into this matter and the Secretary of State for War produces some evidence to support such a charge, which is deeply resented on this side of the House.

Further to that point of order. May I submit to you, Sir, that the alteration of the word "sabotage" to the word "impede" makes no difference whatever, and that the charge was quite clearly one that hon. Members on this side of the House had set to work in order to render abortive an Act of Parliament passed by this House and now the law of the land? I submit to you, Sir, that such a reflection upon hon. Members has always been held to be completely out of order, and ought to be completely withdrawn.

I did not understand it in that sense. I understood the right hon. Gentleman to refer to the fact that there was a difference of opinion as to the advisability of proceeding with the Home Guard. If it only means that, it is in order, although it is a matter of debate.

Surely, Mr. Speaker, there is a distinction when Members in the course of their duty suggest that a scheme which is being put forward is unlikely to be successful and is ill-timed. That is one thing. It is quite another to accuse hon. Members, when that scheme has been brought in, of deliberately impeding it. That is what the right hon. Gentleman did.

I think that is so, but if the right hon. Gentleman meant it in that sense I think he would probably like to withdraw it.

If I have given an entirely false impression. I would, of course, like to withdraw. My point about the scheme is that hon. Members opposite have constantly suggested that the whole scheme is a waste of time.

So it is.

There you are. The only point in my remarks is that in the case of men who have either joined or who are thinking of joining, it does impede the scheme for a large section of the House to say that it is a waste of time.

On a point of order. I submit to you, Mr. Speaker, that the right hon. Gentleman has not begun to understand the ground of complaint. It is certainly the case that a great many Members of the House, indeed practically all Members on this side of the House, thought from the beginning that the scheme was misconceived, said so, and opposed it. But what the right hon. Gentleman is saying is that, since it became the law of the land, active measures have been taken by hon. Members on this side of the House to render an Act of Parliament abortive. If he did not mean that by his use of the words "sabotage" or "impede," then he was merely wasting the time of the House by using entirely meaningless language.

I think the right hon. Gentleman has now explained what he meant. As to the different meanings that can be placed on these words, that is really a matter for the House and not for me.

asked the Secretary of State for War how much expenditure he has incurred on the Home Guard to date.

The expenditure from the start of the scheme to date, has been about £835,000.

Can the Minister tell us if the figures for Ayrshire for recruitment into the Home Guard are better than those for Perthshire, and if he attributes that fact to "sabotage" or any other reason in Perthshire?

Not without notice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman not regard it as an improper supplementary question if I ask him whether the vast sum of money that has been expended will ultimately be justified by the numbers obtained?

In my opinion it will be fully justified by the time the scheme is finished.

asked the Secretary of State for War for what detailed reasons he anticipates the necessity of a Supplementary Estimate for the Army.

Two important factors are extra expenditure resulting from the accelerated orders for textiles and increased expenditure on pay resulting from improved regular recruiting. I shall give the detailed reasons when I present the Supplementary Estimate.

If the Minister would pause to consider this matter courteously, is he aware that some of his supporters are endeavouring to "impede" him, if not to "sabotage" him, in that they think there should be more economy in his Department? Will he pay attention to the pressure now being put upon him to decrease the expenditure of his Department instead of increasing it?

asked the Secretary of State for War what steps he is taking to ensure adequate supervision in the Army Medical Service.

Measures to improve the supply of experienced medical officers are under urgent consideration.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that when I drew the attention of his Department to a very serious case of medical neglect, the Under-Secretary of State for War replied by letter on 28th July as follows:

"We have to accept over 900 young and inexperienced National Service medical officers whose work it is impossible adequately to supervise with the relatively small numbers of Regular service medical officers now available, and as a result I am afraid it is inevitable that from time to time complaints of this nature will rise."

Is the right hon. Gentleman further aware that my hands are full of letters which have come from all over the country describing such absence of proper medical treatment?

The young National Service doctors have done a very good job, and I would like to pay a tribute to them. I think the supervision is being carried out extremely well with the numbers available, though we are anxious to increase them.

asked the Secretary of State for War what authoritative news he now has of how British prisoners of war are being treated in the Far East.

I very much regret that I can add nothing to my replies to my hon. and gallant Friend on 28th October, and to the hon. Member for Maldon (Mr. Driberg) on 14th October this year.

Will my right hon. Friend do his utmost to bring to an end this disgraceful state of affairs and to correct a supplementary reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, in which he said that as far as he knew our prisoners are well treated, because this has been taken up by Communist organs in this country? Would he further consult his right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, whose views on prisoners of war 50 years ago are well known, to bring this state of affairs to an end?

Yes, I will bear it in mind.

Would it not be useful if the right hon. Gentleman could inform the House whether British prisoners of war in the Far East are being permitted to write to their relatives at home? I understand that is the position.

Yes, Sir, I informed the House quite recently that they are allowed to write, and some 10,000 letters have been received in this country.

Is it not the case that, so far as is known, the treatment is good, and if such is the case, is it not undesirable to give an impression which may only cause extra anxiety and distress to relatives, when, in fact, such evidence as there is is to the contrary?

Yes, Sir, I have no information that British prisoners are being treated badly.

asked the Secretary of State for War what progress has been made in the creation of sufficient teams and the testing of mobilisation machinery; and how far this will affect the Z call-up in 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now make a statement with regard to the call-up of reservists for training next year, 1953.

During the past two years the Army has called up over 300,000 men. This has enabled us to bring men together in most of the units which will be needed in the early stages of mobilisation and to tide over the period while the Territorial Army was filling up with National Service men. By this means and through the increasing numbers of National Service men now in the Territorial Army, its strength and state of preparedness have greatly improved.

It is not proposed to call up any Army Z reservists for training in 1953. My noble Friend has asked me to announce at the same time that he does not propose to ask for authority to call up R.A.F. G reservists.

I would take this opportunity of expressing the appreciation of Her Majesty's Government of the way in which the vast majority of these reservists have responded; and also of the hard work of the officers and other ranks of the Reserve and Auxiliary Forces in handling this extra responsibility.

Will my right hon. Friend take note that this thoroughly intelligent appreciation of the situation will give great satisfaction in every quarter?

Will my right hon. Friend say what steps he proposes to take to fill up the gaps in the tail of the Army of B.A.O.R.?