asked the Minister of Food what steps are being taken to remind those who require them as a basis of title to welfare milk that their ration books should be kept after

asked the Minister of Pensions and National Insurance if he June, 1954, until the autumn; and what will be the basis of title for welfare foods after next autumn.

A leaflet has been sent to every person receiving welfare milk, explaining that their ration books must be kept. On 31st October a new system for welfare milk based upon weekly tokens will be introduced. The ration books will then be exchanged for books of tokens. Each token will enable the beneficiary to have seven pints of milk a week or one tin of National Dried Milk at the welfare price.

asked the Minister of Food the non-take-up for the latest available period of rationed foodstuffs, given separately for each foodstuff, and expressed as amounts, as percentages and in number of rations.

The following table shows the extent to which deliveries of rationed foods to the trade during each of the four weeks ended 20th March and 17th April, 1954, are estimated to have fallen short of entitlement, and, as an arithmetical calculation, the number of rations which the short-fall represents. The entitlement includes in addition to the rations of domestic consumers, the allowances to catering establishments and institutions. Non-take-up of domestic rations cannot be isolated. will take steps to have submitted draft National Assistance amended Regulations to provide for the Board's scales of benefit to be increased, at least for applicants who are retired pensioners.

No. Under the statute, any revision of the rates of Assistance is in the first instance a matter for the Board.

asked the hon. Member for Salisbury, as representing the Charity Commissioners, how much money is now standing to the credit of the South African War Fund; how many veterans are receiving benefit from it; and if the amount now paid out to each recipient can be increased to meet the difficulties of the changed circumstances.

The Report for 1953 of Lloyds Patriotic Fund states that, from the South African Fund, 1899, the Trustees can help men discharged "medically unfit" as a result of service in the Boer War, 1899–1902, who are still suffering from the disability for which they were discharged. The Fund exists only to assist those who satisfy those conditions. The balance in the Fund on 31st December, 1953, was £8,392. The Commissioners understand that the total number of men receiving regular help from the Fund at that date was 14 and that in addition special grants were made from the Fund during the year in a small number of cases. Lloyds Patriotic Fund decided in 1945 that £9,000 would be sufficient to maintain the existing level of grants for the likely duration of the Fund. The present balance is not thought to be more than just sufficient for that purpose. The Charity Commissioners have no grounds upon which to urge the trustees of the Fund to pay increased grants.

asked the hon. Member for Woolwich, West, as Chair man of the Kitchen Committee, the number of hon. Members of this House who owe bills for over six months: if he will state the names and amounts owed by hon. Members; and what procedure is adopted to recover these amounts

Whilst there has, in the past, been delay by some hon. Members in paying their accounts, at the present time there is no account owing by any hon. Member which has been outstanding for over six months. The procedure adopted for sending out bills is that an account goes out to each Member at the end of the week in which he or she incurs any expenditure; thereafter generally at fortnightly intervals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what legislation is necessary before the Geneva Convention of 1949 can be ratified; and when it is proposed to introduce this legislation.

Legislation is necessary to enable Her Majesty's Government to give effect to a number of the detailed provisions contained in the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 for the protection of prisoners of war, of the sick and wounded in the armed forces in the field and at sea, and of civilians in hostile countries. My right hon. and learned Friend is not yet in a position to say when it will be possible to introduce legislation for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what action has been taken in respect of the Survey of differential treatment of race in the laws of British African territories with a view to encouraging in all territories the most enlightened practices or laws now operating in some territories.

The object of the Survey was to illustrate the facts of differential treatment and the grounds on which it was based in the various territories. Whether the purpose of differential legislation is to protect the rights of Africans or to enable different racial communities to live and progress together without clash of interests, its modification or removal must depend on local conditions. The Survey has served a useful purpose in showing where advances are desirable and possible as circumstances permit, in accordance with the policy of this Government and of previous Administrations to encourage the progress of all communities and to make every effort within the power of Government to secure equal treatment for all.