asked the Minister of Civil Aviation whether the minimum age limit of 14 years for solo flying in gliders will now be raised.

Yes, Sir. The minimum age is to be raised to 16 years.

Is the hon.Gentleman aware that his answer will remove anxiety caused by fatal accidents involving 14 year-olds doing solo gliding; and that this step to make the practice uniform with that in the Air Training Corps, where the age limit is 16, will be greatly welcomed?

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation the cost of maintaining and operating State-owned Customs airports in the United Kingdom in 1951–52; what this cost is now estimated to be in 1952–53; and what is the estimated costin 1953–54.

The net cost of maintaining and operating State-owned or requisitioned customs airports in the United Kingdom, including air traffic control, telecommunications and meteorological services, but excluding charges on capital, was in 1951–52 approximately £ 1,605,000. The estimated net costs for 1952–53 and 1953–54 are £ 1,375,000 and £ 1,200,000 respectively.

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation why he is unable to send to individual Members of Parliament, who are sufficiently interested to request them, copies of information hand-outs issued by his Department regarding new scheduled services agreed by him.

The needs of Members of Parliament are provided for by the Central Office of Information placing two copies of all Press notices in the Library of the House. In view of the extra expense which would be involved in sending Press notices to individual Members, I hope the House will regard the existing arrangement as adequate.

Surely the notices in the Library are not sufficient for the committee work which is necessarily carried on in relation to aviation? As the extra expense is a matter of l½d. for a stamp, will the hon. Gentleman look at this matter again?

I have looked at the matter carefully. My Department sends copies of its Press notices to the offices of the Parliamentary Labour Party and the Conservative Party Research Department, and these sources should give hon. Members all the information they want without our having to take any further action.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that any reputable commercial firm would be only too willing to send information about its activities to hon. Members who are interested? I again urge him to look into the matter.

Will my hon. Friend bear in mind that most of us get so many papers that we shall be very grateful not to get any more?

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation how many applications from independent operators have now been submitted to the Advisory Council under the new directive; how many have been refused, and how many have been recommended by that body; how many have been finally refused and agreed, respectively, by himself; and if he will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of those services which he has agreed to points outside the United Kingdom, giving the name of the operator, the period of the agreement and the aircraft type with which the service will be operated.

One hundred and sixty-five applications from independent operators have been received by the Air Transport Advisory Council since the revised terms of reference were issued to the Council in July last year. Of these the Council have recommended 35 for rejection and 90 for approval; 12 applications were withdrawn before being considered by the Council. My right hon. Friend has rejected 26 applications, conditionally approved 66 and finally approved nine. Seven applications were withdrawn after the Council had made their recommendations.

If I tell the Parliamentary Secretary that I propose to put this Question down on Monday each week in order to get this information, will he not agree that it would be better to send me a copy of the information in the first place?

All I can say to that is that I hope the hon. Member will be careful about how many Questions of this sort he puts down. Having been in my office, he knows very well that this sort of question requires a very great deal of research by the Department concerned. Because of the increasing numbers of applications, we are hard pressed to grant them within a short period.

Why is the Ministry of Civil Aviation so anxious to hide this information? When we had a debate on the change of policy, the Minister was very proud of the alteration which had taken place, but now it is very difficult to obtain information. Cannot the information be placed before the House in some regular way?

I do not think there is any difficulty in getting information. I can assure hon. Members on all sides of the House that we have no desire to hide what we regard as a very good policy. Most of this information is published in the newspapers from time to time, and my right hon. Friend and I are only too willing to give such information. I was merely asking for caution in making requests for information when the Department is under so much pressure.

Can the information be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT?

The information for which the hon. Gentleman asks is contained in a schedule such as I have in my hand, which is very lengthy and complicated. If the hon. Gentleman will look at what I am proposing to send him, he can decide whether that is sufficient. I am prepared to place two copies in the Library, if the hon. Member desires it.

Is not the Parliamentary Secretary being slightly ridiculous about this? Would not all this be quite unnecessary if he would keep hon. Members up-to-date, circularising not all hon. Members but those who have sufficient interest to ask for the information?

asked the Minister of Civil Aviation the revenue that is now estimated to accrue from the passenger handling charge during the financial year 1952–53.

The estimated yield of the passenger service charge for the 11 months of 1952–53 during which the charge was in force is £ 185,000.

Is it proposed to continue the charge in its present form or to pass it on in increased landing fees?

At the present moment it is intended to continue with this system, but my right hon. Friend hopes very much that it may be possible to find some way in which it is not so troublesome to the passengers as they are actually leaving the airport.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is now in a position to make a statement about the overlapping organisations dealing with refugee migration problems in different parts of the world.

:No, Sir. I should prefer to await the outcome of the meeting of the Advisory Committee to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees which will take place at the end of April.

Can my hon. Friend say when he is likely to have a report on this matter? Is he aware that, since I.R.O. came to an end, the United Nations and ourselves and several of the other free countries appear to have been to some extent at cross-purposes on this very important subject? May I press him to put himself in a position to be able to make a firm statement to the effect that we shall be able to work together in these matters before very long?

I certainly hope that any overlapping which may exist will be eliminated. I hope that the Advisory Committee, which is meeting at the end of April, may make recommendations to that effect. After consideration, I must admit that, in my opinion, the overlapping is more apparent than real, but it may be that, as a result of the growth of this problem, particularly in relation to Germany, some additional co-ordinating arrangements may prove to be necessary in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs why he deemed it necessary to apologise to the Belgian Government for articles appearing recently in the British Press; and what communications he addressed to the British newspapers concerned.

After a study had been made of articles about His Majesty the King of the Belgians and the Belgian Royal Family in certain sections of the British Press, to which the Belgian Government had drawn the attention of Her Majesty's Government, Her Majesty's Ambassador at Brussels was instructed to inform the Belgian Government that Her Majesty's Government, while they had no control over the newspapers in question, deplored the publication of articles considered to be insulting to the Head of the Belgian State and the Belgian Royal Family, and dissociated themselves entirely from them.

What is the point of making apologies to foreign Governments on behalf of British newspapers if the Government have not the courage to inform the newspapers concerned of the apology which they are making on their behalf? Is it not tending to establish a dangerous precedent if a British Government have to apologise for everything that appears in the British Press to which a foreign Government takes exception, and do foreign Governments apologise to the British Government for what appears in their papers?

No question of an apology for the British Press arises; and, therefore, the hon. and gallant Gentleman's supplementary question does not arise.

Does not this experience rather add to the case for a properly constituted Press Council?

That is not a matter for me.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what instructions he gave to those appearing for the High Commissioner at the hearing of the petition for habeas corpus filed on behalf of Dr. Naumann regarding any application that might be made by counsel appearing for Dr. Naumann to interview their client.

The instructions given by the High Commissioner to his legal adviser were referred to and approved by my right hon. Friend. These instructions were that any application by counsel for Dr. Naumann to interview their client should be opposed. At the first habeas corpus hearing, however, the High Commissioner's Legal Adviser suggested, on my right hon. Friend's authority, that Mr. Scott Henderson, but not the other defence lawyers, might be allowed to see his client, but Mr. Scott Henderson did not accept this.

Does not the Minister of State think, in the light of events, that if judicial proceedings of this character are to take place in occupied territory it is regrettable that this restraint should be placed upon the right of a petitioner to contact counsel who can speak his own language? Does he not regret the whole thing, having regard to the effect on public opinion and on the justice of the case?

I think the light of events, when cast upon this matter, will show that the decision of my right hon. Friend was abundantly justified.

Would my right hon. and learned Friend not agree that the certificate originally produced by counsel to the respondent in these habeas corpus proceedings did not distinguish at all between English counsel and German counsel, and was a flat veto on any of the applicants seeing any of their counsel of any nationality?

That may be so, but, in fact, it was suggested that if Mr. Scott Henderson wanted to see his clients he could do so.

Has the attention of my right hon. and learned Friend been drawn to a report published in certain German newspapers that the Allies handed over Dr. Naumann and his associates to the German authorities because of insufficient evidence being available for a prosecution on their part?

I have heard of such suggestions, but they are quite untrue and inaccurate. I do not think I can do better than invite hon. Members on both sides of the House to pay some regard to what the German Chancellor said about that article.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give an assurance that, while Her Majesty's Government have taken steps to tighten the existing system of controls over shipments of strategic materials to China, they will not tolerate any stopping of, or interference with, British merchant ships trading with Chinese Communist ports.

Yes, Sir. The position remains, as my right hon. Friend made clear in the debate on 5th February, that British ships on their lawful occasions will be protected.

Will the Minister specify what steps he has taken to protect British shipping in this matter, in how many cases these steps have been applied, and with what results?

I do not think it is the practice, nor is it desirable, to disclose operational instructions which are sent to units of Her Majesty's Forces.

Can the Minister assure the House that there has been no extension of the policy as put forward by the President of the Board of Trade on 19th June, 1951, when he told the House that there was no intention of a total embargo being imposed upon China? Is he aware that in the last two months we have lost orders for £ 10 million worth of machinery, £ 500,000 worth of tinplate and £ 2 million worth of drugs as a result of this silly policy?

There is not a total embargo. The policy which has been carried out is that to which Her Majesty's Government were committed on 18th May, 1951, pursuant to the Resolution of the United Nations.

While no doubt the United Kingdom is bound by that Resolution of the United Nations, would the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that there is nothing in that Resolution to justify the extension of the definition of strategic material to cover everything which is so designated by the Battle Act?

I certainly would agree with the hon. Gentleman that there is nothing in the Resolution which would imply a total embargo on China.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how far negotiations have proceeded with the People's Government of China, with a view to the raising, on a basis of reciprocity, the status of the diplomatic representatives of the two countries to that of ambassador.

The discussions with the Chinese Government on the exchange of Ambassadors rest with the reply given by Her Majesty's Charge d'Affaires in Peking on 17th June, 1950, to inquiries from the Chinese.

Will the Minister say whether the Resolution by the United Nations declaring China to be an aggressor is an obstacle to the renewal of the peace negotiations, and if so, will he bear in mind the fact that there is extensive moderate and responsible public opinion in this country which believes that Chinese intervention was provoked by the advance to the Manchurian border of the United Nations forces under General MacArthur?

The hon. Member's supplementary question has raised a number of controversial matters, into which I will not go, but the position with regard to the diplomatic status of the representatives of the two countries remains as on 17th June, 1950.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the terms of reference of the British diplomatic mission in Peking.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackley (Mr. E. Johnson) on 15th October last.

Would the right hon. and learned Gentleman repeat that answer?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what indication the Persian authorities have given as to when the preliminary investigation of the charges against Captain Navarra, who has been in prison since November, 1952, is likely to be completed; and what legal assistance has been made available for him.

No charge has yet been made against Mr. Navarra and the Persian authorities have not indicated when the preliminary investigation will be completed. Representations have been made by the Swiss Legation at Tehran that Mr. Navarra's lengthy detention without trial is contrary to the generally accepted practice of civilised States. These have produced no result, save that the Persian authorities have promised to inquire whether the period of investigation can be shortened.

May we know which prison he is in?

I do not know, but I will inform the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what quantities and values of war material have been exported to Spain during the past year.

Since my reply to the hon. Member on 22nd October, 1952, military material to the value of some £ 2,500 has been sent to Spain from the United Kingdom. In the category of common-use items," four Bristol freighter aircraft for civil purposes have been exported to Spain at a value of approximately £ 300,000. Licences have also been approved for the export of a quantity of wireless receivers and transmitters for aircraft and for 15 items of marine radar at a value of approximately £ 40,000.

In view of the almost derisory amount of material that has been sent, does the Joint Under-Secretary think that this gesture of appeasement and. wooing of Fascist Franco was really worth while?

There is no question of appeasement or wooing. The export of these materials has been immensely beneficial in two ways. The first is that it has helped United Kingdom firms which are generally concerned with exports of many other kinds to maintain a position in the Spanish market, and it has also been to our advantage to dispose of this material, for a good deal of which Spain is almost our only market.

How can the hon. Gentleman say that when the amount is so small? Does the hon. Gentleman recall that when I raised this matter on the Adjournment six months ago, he justified this change of policy on economic grounds? Would he not agree that the political loss has not been compensated by material gain?

I would not agree with the hon. Gentleman's conclusion at all. This may well develop into a valuable market, and we wish to get a foot in it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the agreement recently come to between him and the United States Government for consultation on all aspects of Far Eastern policy, he will make urgent representations to that Government with regard to the unwisdom of training Chinese Nationalist troops in amphibian warfare, which can only denote a possible attack on the Chinese mainland and prejudice the efforts of both Governments to reach an armistice in Korea.

No, Sir. I see no cause for Her Majesty's Government to intervene in this matter. I do not accept the implications of the latter part of the right hon. Gentleman's Question.

If the allegations contained in the Question are accurate, namely, that Chinese Nationalist troops in Formosa are being trained in amphibian warfare by American officers, why is there not the consultation which was promised some time ago by the Prime Minister in all matters relating to Far Eastern policy?

This training has been going on for some time. The President of the United States has said that his new orders to the Seventh Fleet did not involve any aggressive intent on the part of the United States. Her Majesty's Government have repeatedly pointed out that in their view few adventures could be less fruitful or successful than the launching of these Nationalist troops on the mainland of China. I think the views of Her Majesty's Government are perfectly well known.

What I want to know — and perhaps the right hon. and learned Gentleman would be good enough to address his mind to this question— is whether there was any consultation about this matter? Is it not obvious that there must be some aggressive intent, otherwise these troops would not be trained by American officers?

I cannot say whether or not there was consultation on this specific matter about the training of these specific troops—

The right hon. and learned Gentleman ought to know.

— but the general relationship between Chiang Kai-shek's troops and possible activities on the mainland of China is well known.

Do we understand that the right hon. and learned Gentleman, although Minister of State in the Foreign Office and largely responsible for foreign affairs, is not able to tell the House whether there was consultation on this matter, although consultation on all matters affecting foreign policy in the Far East was promised by the Prime Minister some time ago?

The Question on the Order Paper did not ask me whether there had been consultation about this matter, but whether Her Majesty's Government would make representations with regard to the matter, and I said, "No, Sir." Regarding the other matter, I have definitely given a clear and honest answer, according to my own knowledge of the matter.

Is it not a fact that the Seventh Fleet was withdrawn in order to enable this attack to be made, and that the attack cannot possibly be made without considerable American help, not only in training but in materials? Ought not this matter to be raised in the United Nations, as contrary to U.N. policy?

This matter was debated in the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with Marshal Tito, President of Yugoslavia.

The Prime Minister will make a statement in answer to this Question at the end of Questions.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement on the recent meeting of the Council of the Organisation for European Economic Co-operation.

I have been asked to reply.

While thanking the Chancellor for that statement, may I ask him two questions? First of all, was it made clear when the announcement was made about the lifting of restrictions here, that we would not return to full liberalisation until we had regained the £ 100 million of gold which is still outstanding in our debt to E.P.U.? Secondly, does the Chancellor expect that some of these creditor countries, in particular Belgium, will soon take action to increase imports so as to relieve strain on the Union? Thirdly, may we take it that no independent action on convertibility will now be taken by Her Majesty's Government, but that the matter will be proceeded with only with the concurrence of other nations in the E.P.U.?

The answer to the first point is that we certainly made it plain that we intended to try our very best to earn back our £ 200 million debt, and also to recover the £ 100 million of gold from E.P.U. We made that clear. On the second point, about creditor countries, I find it difficult to give an answer on behalf of another Government, but I can say that there were indications that the other creditor countries, including Belgium, are ready to look at their position again with a view to following the lead of the United Kingdom. I do not think it would be unfair to the Governments concerned to say that.

Could my right hon. Friend reconcile his statement in regard to the progressive liberalisation of Western European trade with the fact that France has announced in the last 48 hours a severe curtailment of imports, particularly coal, from this country, together with a number of manufactured goods?

Yes, of course I am well aware of that statement. I am also aware that in the statement the French Minister for Economic Affairs was kind enough to pay tribute to the example we have given. I agree that it would have been pleasanter if the tribute had been accompanied by action of a slightly different character. Nevertheless I am satisfied that these measures were not designated with a desire to hurt the United Kingdom, and I am satisfied from close examination that they will not do us infinite harm. However, any measure of this sort which goes back on liberalisation is to be regretted.

Can the Chancellor say that the action taken by France is in opposition to the suggestions made by the meeting of the Members of the O.E.E.C.?

It is quite clear that one of the resolutions passed by the Council definitely requested the French Government to proceed to a further measure of liberalisation, and to that extent it is disappointing to see this move.

Is not this action by the French Government an argument in favour of the closest association of this country with the Coal and Steel Pool at the earliest practicable moment?

Is it not the fact that, in view of the French deficit in their balance of payments, it was inevitable that they would take steps to restrict their imports, and does not this show, too, that the real need in E.P.U. is for a considerably greater extension of credit in relation to gold, so that we do not get continual chopping and changing and import restrictions being imposed and lifted?

It is quite clear that Her Majesty's Government understand the reasons, as described by the right hon. Gentleman, which prompted the French Government to make these cuts; and, of course, any step that restores the economy of a country should be welcomed by all. In the case of the future of E.P.U., there are some schools which say that it should be softer and some which say that it should be harder, so I think we had better steer a course, as we are doing, between those two.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affarrs whether he will make a statement on the representations which have been received by the United Kingdom Government from the Government of Chile with regard to Deception Island.

In a memorandum dated 24th March the Chilean Government have again requested the restoration of the hut dismantled by the Falkland Islands authorities on 16th February.

May I ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman whether any representations have been received from the Argentine Government on this matter since it was last before the House?

That is a very different matter from the Question on the Order Paper.

Cannot the right hon. and learned Gentleman answer it?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what was the original reason for the screening of Chinese and North Korean prisoners of war by the United Nations Command.

This is explained in paragraphs 27, 28 and 29 of the White Paper, Korea No. 1 of 1952 (Command 8596).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement about the disorders in Rome on 25th March as a result of which the British Council Library was burned and the British European Airways Corporation's booking office damaged.

Yes, Sir. I am informed that a party of students entered the Library of the British Embassy Information Office and, after destroying newspapers and scattering petrol, set fire to the room. The Library is situated on British Council premises. Little damage was caused, thanks to the courageous behaviour of the staff on duty, who were molested but not seriously hurt, and to the prompt arrival of the fire brigade. A smaller attack was made immediately afterwards on the offices of British European Airways, apparently by the same gang. One student was arrested in the Library, and 14 further arrests have been made since.

Could my hon. Friend say whether the Italian Government have admitted liability for subsequent compensation?

No, Sir. I do not think that any question of admission of liability can arise until an inquiry has taken place into whether there was negligence on the part of the Italian authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to make a statement regarding the circumstances which led Her Majesty's Government to nominate Dardiri Mohamed Osman to the Sudan Governor-General's Commission in place of Mohamed Hassan Diab who was one of the two original Sudan nominees.

As I informed the House on 11th March, Her Majesty's Government have throughout taken the view that Sudanese wishes should prevail as regards the Sudanese members of the Governor-General's Commission. When I was in Khartoum I discussed the question with the leaders of the four political parties. Those who had supported Mohamed Hassan Diab said that they were prepared to accept Dardiri Mohamed Osman to break the deadlock and to avoid further delay in holding the elections. It was made clear that in any event the matter is subject to review by the Sudanese Parliament when elected.

While appreciating that this is principally a matter for the Sudanese, does my right hon. and learned Friend recall that as recently as 11th March he informed the House that no single vote had been cast for Dardiri Mohamed Osman as one of the two Sudanese representatives on the Governor-General's Commission?

Dardiri was not on the original list of candidates put forward for this position.

asked the Minister of Food how many officers employed by his Department have power to enter premises without production of a justice's warrant.

None may so enter private premises but 575 are empowered to enter and inspect food undertakings.

asked the Minister of Food why sheep-roasting is forbidden during the Coronation celebrations when ox-roasting is permitted.

asked the Minister of Food (1) whether he is aware that a Coronation public roasting ceremony has been carried out on the village green at Hallow, Worcestershire, since the days of Elizabeth I and even earlier; that the population of the village is insufficient to justify public roasting of an ox or deer; that the regional officer of his Department has refused to allow the public roasting of a sheep on 2nd June, 1953; and whether, in the interests of Coronation tradition and ceremonial in rural England, he will give a special dispensation to allow the yeomen and residents of Hallow to roast a sheep, publicly, on 2nd June, 1953, on the village green;

I am not prepared to extend these arrangements to animals other than oxen for the reasons already stated in the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd) on 28th January. Orders governing the obtaining and slaughtering of animals for human consumption are The Livestock (Sales) Order, The Pigs (Sales) Order, The Livestock (Restriction on Slaughtering) Order and The Import of Goods (Control) Order.

But does not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman appreciate that most people think it is fantastic that a small community can roast an ox but are forbidden to roast a sheep; and in view of the fact that some people think that this is another classical example of privilege, will he not reconsider it?

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that the traditionalist elements in rural Worcestershire and elsewhere will deeply regret his decision in this matter, especially as in the majority of cases a pig or sheep or calf has been offered as a donation to the Coronation Committee, and would he not, therefore, reconsider this matter?

The hon. Gentleman and my hon. Friend will realise that if these arrangements were extended the demand would be very much greater, and in the present supply condition could not be contemplated.

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman assure the House that this greater tenderness for sheep than for oxen has not been carried out by the Government at the instigation and on the insistence of the Government Chief Whip?

In the absence of sheep, will my right hon. and gallant Friend consider inaugurating a national campaign for the Coronation for the roasting of herrings?

Will the Minister consider letting us have a real holiday on that occasion by closing the abattoirs and arranging for the animals to be slaughtered in public, as well?

asked the Minister of Food what steps he is taking to alleviate the shortage of sweets in Swindon and district at the end of March.

I have made special inquiries and am satisfied that there is no general shortage in Swindon and district.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that I have had reports, some of which I have passed on to him, which show that wholesale dealers are unable to supply sweets to many of the retailers in Swindon?

I would point out that when changing from a completely controlled market the pattern of distribution takes some considerable time to settle down. The actual consumption overall throughout the country today has not come up to the figure we anticipated when we started de-rationing. Arrangements were made, as the hon. Gentleman probably knows, to give sufficient raw materials to manufacturers to get them over what everybody knew would be an intense demand in the first few weeks, and the amount given would certainly have been sufficient to meet the initial shock.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that we are very suspicious about his sources of information on this matter; that these complaints about shortages of sweets, and more specifically of chocolate, appear to come from all parts of the country; and is he not getting his information that there is no shortage from the very few who have a vested interest in wanting de-control?

There are other people who have a vested interest in getting more sugar. There is no doubt at all that there is a not unnatural desire on the part of many manufacturers to get more sugar, and I want to make it perfectly clear that in the present supply position that is quite out of the question. Whilst it is true that there are shortages of certain lines, it is an interesting fact that, nevertheless, there has been no complaint from consumers, either in London or anywhere else.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware that Coventry is short of sweets; and what action is proposed to deal with the situation.

I have made special inquiries. Here as elsewhere there are local shortages of the more popular lines. This position should, however, right itself as manufacturers and wholesalers adjust their deliveries to the requirements of their customers.

Is the Minister aware that the Coventry branch of the National Union of Retail Confectioners has stated that all its 200 members are short of sweets; and that it is officially stated that, whereas the waiting period for supplies in Coventry used to be 14 days, it is now nine weeks?

I have seen that statement— that the waiting period is seven to nine weeks— but the facts are as I stated in reply to a previous Question. The raw materials necessary for the increased consumption taking place were made available. As I said before, it will take some time for the new pattern of distribution to be worked out. For instance, today there are people selling sweets who have never sold them before: new points of distribution are growing up all over the country, and because the pattern of consumption is very much different today, particularly in certain localities, from what it was before the war, it will take some little time to settle down.

Is the Minister not aware that the more wholesome varieties of sweets, like butterscotch, and that sort of thing, have been wholly unobtainable in London since de-rationing? What is he going to do about it, seeing that the children are suffering thereby in having to buy unwholesome varieties?

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the fact that demand will probably not exceed the estimated production of 975,000 tons of tinplate during 1953, he can now give an assurance that all tinplate requirements of the horticultural processing industry and fruit and vegetable canners in the United Kingdom will be fully met in 1953.

I believe that their requirements will be met. It is, however, important that, as in recent years, canners should place orders and take advance deliveries of cans wherever possible in order to relieve the peak summer demand.

asked the Minister of Food whether, in view of the deficiencies of white and brown bread, he will encourage the use of wholemeal flour; and if he will make a statement.

Wholemeal flour is available to bakers, and licences to make it are freely granted to millers upon application.

asked the Minister of Food if his attention has been drawn to the serious position in which manufacturers of soft drinks find themselves due to the cut in import licences for sweetened syrups; and if he will issue additional sugar in lieu.

I have received representations about the reduction in import licences for flavoured syrups, but I cannot find more sugar without using supplies urgently needed elsewhere.

Would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman bear in mind the difficult position of manufacturers who commenced to manufacture since the war, who had no sugar allocation before the war and were not users of sugar, and who have relied almost exclusively upon their present supplies?

I fully appreciate their position and sympathise with people such as those to whom the hon. Gentleman refers. Owing to currency difficulties we had to have very drastic cuts in imported supplies. I have great sympathy for these people, and I will do everything I possibly can.

asked the Minister of Food the present position regarding the importation of meat from the Argentine.

asked the Minister of Food to make a statement about present meat supplies from the Argentine.

I understand that there is a shortage in the number of cattle coming forward for slaughter at present in Argentina. This has led the Argentine authorities to limit the amount of meat allocated for export. I am making further inquiries, but I am glad to say that the loadings of meat for export to this country during March were not affected, and that the Argentine National Meat Institute have assured our representatives that the loadings for April will not be affected either.

In view of the fact that it was reported in the papers that there was a shortage of meat in the Argentine, is that not further evidence that controls are the cause of shortages and that restricting consumption restricts production, and will my right hon. and gallant Friend allow experienced traders to get on with the job, and stop all Government trading?

Would the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not agree that his forecast a few months ago was very optimistic; and will he make it plain to the Argentine Government that we are not prepared to give an increase in price of £33 a ton unless we get the meat?

The best thing I can say to the hon. Gentleman is that I see no reason whatever to modify the forecast I made recently.

Can I have an answer to my question?

As, according to all Press reports, shipments to this country are being entirely suspended, is the Minister quite sure that his sources of information are not too optimistic?

I think I have some fairly good sources of information, and my information leads me to believe that the forward promises we have had have been fulfilled during March, and will be during April and, I think, May. I have no reason to believe that this situation will not improve as soon as the cattle come forward for slaughter.

asked the Minister of Food the variations in the seasonal prices of eggs resulting in increased prices to the housewife which have reduced the food subsidies by a further £15 million durina 1952–53.

This saving was achieved by maintaining the winter price of eggs during the flush season in 1952–53.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not think he has pulled rather "a fast one" in making such a considerable cut in the subsidy in such a concealed way? Does he not agree that it is nonsense to talk about a free market when, with the continuation of the controlled price and the putting up of the "floor" price, the housewife will not get the advantage claimed for the operation of supply and demand?

I am not sure what the hon. Gentleman means, because this was done when eggs were still controlled. As for "pulling a fast one," this information was given in very great detail some time ago to the former Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that the success of his policy on eggs is amply demonstrated by the fact that, for the first time since pre-war, multiple grocers are today advertising shell eggs for sale?

asked the Minister of Food, what was the controlled price of eggs per dozen on 25th March. 1951, and 25th March, 1953, respectively.

From 2s. 6d. to 4s. 0d., and from 3s. 6d. to 5s. 0d.. according to weight and grade.

asked the Minister of Food to what extent wholesale prices of food commodities have varied between mid-December, 1951, and mid-December, 1952; and by how much per month the items detailed in the cost-of-living index have fluctuated during this period with respect to wholesale prices.

The wholesale prices of food commodities, as measured by the Board of Trade index, rose by 12 per cent. between December, 1951, and December, 1952. Nearly all the items in this index enter into the food section of the Interim Index of Retail Prices. The two indices differ in detail, but the figure I have just given, which represents an average rise of 1 per cent. per month, is the best available measure of the general movement of wholesale prices.

Is the Minister aware that the O.E.E.C. Report shows that there has been a fall in wholesale prices; and even on the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's estimate that there has been an increase of 1 per cent, per month, does that justify a rise of 13 per cent. in retail prices?

The wholesale index cannot really be compared with the retail index, because the retail index is based on the new foundation started by the late Administration. The wholesale index has not yet been brought up to date, and that is now being done. There are other causes which make a difference between the two.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that between mid-December, 1951, and mid-December, 1952, bread increased 24 per cent., flour 36 per cent., beef 26 per cent., mutton and lamb 19 per cent., bacon 51 per cent., milk 8 per cent., butter 20 per cent., margarine 14 per cent., cooking fat 13 per cent., cheese 86 per cent., sugar 17 per cent., biscuits 15 per cent., tea 16 per cent., vegetables 11 per cent., with further increases on cereals and tinned foods; and if he will state what factors, apart from withdrawal of subsidies, influenced these price increases.

Yes, Sir. The main causes of these increases in price were increased costs of procurement, processing and distribution.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that these figures have been taken from the cost-of-living index and that they represent the true position, but in his replies he has denied that the prices have soared to these figures?

I have never denied it but have given the figures of the retail index, which are known to everyone and which it would be foolish to deny. The fact is that a large part of this increase in price was attributable to the policy of the late Administration in not keeping within the ceiling. The late Administration decided on the ceiling of £410 million. They were running well above that and did not take any steps to bring it down, but left it to us to do so. That is one of the main causes.

I have excluded from this Question the food subsidy items and, therefore, there are a great many items covered by Question No. 38 to which the alleged £410 million ceiling does not apply at all.

Most of the foodstuffs the hon. Lady mentions are, of course, affected by the food subsidies.

asked the Minister of Food if he is aware that the retail index lists tea as 16 per cent. higher in price between mid-December, 1951, and mid-December, 1952; and what arrangements were made when controls were removed from tea to fix a ceiling price to each brand below which ceiling prices could be competitive.

The increase arose from the removal of the subsidy last June, and had no connection with decontrol. To retain maximum prices for blends would have been quite inconsistent with decontrol.

Is the Minister aware that it is on record that on 12th March he gave the increased general average on tea as a difference between 3s. 3½d. and 3s. 4d. a lb., namely, about 4 per cent., whereas his own official index figure is 16 per cent.? Can he explain why?

The hon. Lady is getting mixed up between the removal of control and the removal of subsidies. What I say is that there has been practically no increase since the removal of controls: the increase has been since the removal of subsidies.

When the Minister was talking about the subsidy ceiling, did he forget that he said on the wireless recently that he had reduced the ceiling to £220 million, and that that is the cause of this price increase?

I did exactly the same thing, not on such a big scale, as hon. Members opposite did when the subsidies would otherwise have been £585 million.

asked the Minister of Food what allocation of sugar will be made during the next three months to confectionery and chocolate manufacturers; and what increase this represents, in tonnage, over the allocation three months and a year ago.

The allocations for the next three months are estimated at 41,000 tons. Leaving out of account the special allocation of 9,500 tons in February this year this is 850 tons more than for the previous quarter and 2,150 tons more than a year ago.

Does not this mean that the allocation has been taken from the sugar available for domestic consumption?

As a matter of fact supplies to these industries were cut very heavily, and the whole of this sugar, 2,150 tons, is far too small to have any effect on the domestic consumer. I would repeat what I said in answer to a previous question, that any further allocation in the present supply position is quite out of the question.

asked the Minister of Food whether he is aware of fresh evidence that consumption of wheat-flour treated with nitrogen trichloride (agene), or chlorine dioxide produces eczema and mental disturbance in aller-gically responsive persons; and what steps he is taking to make chemically untreated flour or bread available to such persons and to those who prefer it.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to a recently published article in a medical journal reporting a single case of allergic response to flour treated with agene or chlorine dioxide. I am assured that flour which has not been treated with either of these improvers, and bread made from such flour, will, as hitherto, be available on special request.

Will the Minister not agree that bread made from wholemeal flour is much higher in nutritional value than bread made from white flour? If so, will he be good enough to inform the public widely of the beneficial effects of such flour?

I think the public have a very good idea. The public also have a very keen desire to have white bread.

Although the Minister has been informed that up to now there has been one single case of allergy to nitrogen trichloride, has he also noted that it is expected that further cases will be found showing similar reactions? Does he not think that as we have been campaigning since 1926 to get rid of nitrogen trichloride as an improver, we might have something better at long last?

As the hon. Member knows, this matter has been subject to careful examination for a considerable time. I am very much alive to it. I hope we may have an alternative which is neither of the present substances.

Is not a return to white flour much more the desire of the millers than of the general public? Why does the Minister's Department consider that it is better for people to get the right vitamins through the digestive organs of animals than from whole-wheat meal?

I should not like to go into all that. I am not sure that I altogether accept the remark of the right hon. Member about the miller, because, after all, it is in the long run the consumer who decides what he or she should eat.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Defence (1) how many deserters have taken advantage of the recently announced amnesty and asked for pardon;

Up to and including 25th March, nearly 1,900 applications have been received. Of these about 400 appear to be outside the scope of the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 23rd February. Forty-one men who were in custody, either awaiting trial or undergoing sentences for desertion, have been released.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the extension of the deserters amnesty to those who deserted prior to 3rd September, 1939, but served satisfactorily under an assumed name during the war; and whether he will make a further statement to clarify the position of deserters generally.

asked the Prime Minister, what action is being taken against deserters applying for the Coronation amnesty who are outside the dates of the amnesty.

My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary will be making a statement on this matter at the end of Questions.

asked the Prime Minister what approaches he has made since 2nd March to the Presidents of the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for the purposes of initiating three-Power talks; and what were the results attained.

We have not made proposals for a three-Power meeting. As the House knows, the Soviet Government have recently seemed to desire an improvement in their relations with other countries. We welcome this but I think it would be well to see how far progress on those lines can be made before considering the desirability of more general talks.

In thanking the Prime Minister for that very welcome and friendly statement, may I ask whether he will publicly give an assurance that, from the point of view of Her Majesty's Government and from his personal point of view, he will not lose any opportunity, when the right time does come, to make an approach for three-Power talks?

I think that if I couched my assurance in those general terms it would hardly advance matters much further, but I should like to say that I do not admit of any distinction between my personal point of view and that of Her Majesty's Government.

asked the Prime Minister if he will arrange that the Royal Cypher is not placed on new pillar boxes.

Her Majesty's Government are not prepared to place any general restriction on the use of the Royal Cypher. Its use for any particular purpose is a matter for detailed decision in relation to the circumstances of the case.

May I ask the Prime Minister if there is any truth in the statement that, in order to strengthen the case for the retention of the numeral, the Government have issued a circular offering £2,000 reward for information leading to the identification of Elizabeth I of Scotland, dead or alive? Is that now Government policy?

When I think of the greatness and splendour of Scotland, and her wonderful part in the history not only of this island but of the world, I think they really ought to keep their silliest people in order.

Is the Prime Minister aware that his last answer will give great satisfaction to everyone in Scotland except a very small lunatic fringe?

Then may I ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to discover the authors of this poster?

It is not part of my duties as Prime Minister to seek out and work up into all these small ferret holes. If the hon. Gentleman has any information to give to Her Majesty's Government, or to the police, the Secretary of State for Scotland is entirely at his disposal.