asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the percentage rise in wholesale prices compared with the immediate prewar period.

No single measure of the changes in wholesale prices is now calculated; it is, however, estimated that for basic materials (other than fuel) used in non-food manufacturing industry, prices rose by approximately 440 per cent. between 1938 and February, 1956.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the percentage increases of wages and salaries from 1938 until 1955, and from 1945 until 1955.

Between 1938 and 1955 the total of wages and salaries rose by 255 per cent.; figures on a comparable basis with those now published are not available for 1945, but between 1946 and 1955 the total of wages and salaries rose by 105 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that the Floating Debt for 1954–55, as stated in the monthly Digest of Statistics, was £42,970,000,000; how this figure was arrived at; how far it represents the average amount of Floating Debt throughout that year; or how far it represents the total of various issues at intervals during the year, amounting to £42,970,000,000; what was the average amount issued and the rate of discount per month; and what was the total discount for the year.

The figure of £42,970 million referred to by the hon. Member does not represent the Floating Debt at any one time but the gross total of money raised by the creation of floating debt during that financial year. It has to be read together with the amount of £42,541 million of Floating Debt redeemed in the same year. For the total amount of Floating Debt outstanding at the end of each month I would refer him to Table 138 in the Monthly Digest of Statistics for February, 1956; for the monthly rate of discount on Treasury Bills to Table 318 in the Annual Abstract of Statistics for 1955, and for the total discount in 1954–55 to page 32 of the Finance Accounts of the United Kingdom for that year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts raised by a Floating Debt for the years from 1950–51 to 1955–56, separately; and the total discount charged each year.

I would refer the hon. Member to the Finance Accounts of the United Kingdom for the years 1950–51 to 1954–55. Figures for 1955–56 are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in his forthcoming Budget, he will consider introducing a system of a 10 per cent. duty on all share transfers, in place of the present 2 per cent., so as to put this form of gambling on the same basis as the present 10 per cent. Pool Betting Duty on greyhound totalisators;(2) whether, in his forthcoming Budget, he will consider reducing the present 10 per cent. betting duty on greyhound totalisators to 2 per cent., and thus put this form of betting on the same basis as share transfer gambling on the Stock Exchange;(3) whether he will state for last year, or the most convenient period, how much revenue he has received from the 2 per cent. stamp duty on share transfers; and what this figure would be if it were increased to 10 per cent.

An analysis of the yield of stamp duties in 1954–55 is given in Table 116 of the 98th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. (Cmd. 9667.) I am not prepared to speculate on the effect of a five-fold increase in the rate of duty on share transfers. With regard to the other points raised, the hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my Budget. I cannot however accept the implication that transactions on the Stock Exchange, which fulfils a public need by providing an indispensable market for stocks and shares, are comparable with racecourse betting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in his forthcoming Budget, he will consider introducing the necessary legislation whereby all bookmakers are registered with the Inland Revenue Department and that all bets are made on the prescribed receipt form issued by the Inland Revenue from which a suitable betting tax will be deducted on the bookmakers' annual or quarterly return to the Inland Revenue Department of these betting-duty slips.

I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that the number of civil staffs employed in Government Departments on 1st January, 1956, was 673 more than on 1st October, 1955;

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many memoranda of guidance have been

Yes. The increase of 673 was due to an increase of nearly 2,000 in the staff of the Post Office, mainly postmen and telephonists, and also casual staff engaged to deal with the increase in telephone tariffs. Excluding the Post Office there was a net fall in the staffs of all Departments of 1,318.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many applications have been considered, since 1946, by the Rent Tribunal for Battersea, Wandsworth, Wimbledon and Mitcham under the Furnished Houses Rent Control Act, 1946, Landlord and Tenant Rent Control Act, 1949, and the Housing Repairs and Rents Act, 1954; and what was the number of decisions in which rents were reduced, increased, dismissed, or withdrawn, respectively.

The following is the Answer:issued to rent tribunals since January, 1952.

Thirty-six.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will publish the reasoned decisions on matters of law given by rent tribunals since January, 1952.

Rent tribunals do not, as a rule, give reasons for their decisions.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many chairmen of rent tribunals have been appointed or re-appointed since January, 1952; and what was the number of these who have, and have not, legal training.

Thirty-five chairmen have been appointed or re-appointed since January, 1952; of these, 28 were barristers or solicitors.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government the terms of the guidance he has given to local authorities regarding the acceptance or refusal on their waiting lists of persons in urgent need of housing accommodation who are living in the area under their control but have not resided in that area for the whole of their lives.

I am sending to the hon. Member copies of the circulars and other documents concerned.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many slum dwellings there are in Bristol on which the full slum-clearance subsidy of £22 1s. per house will be paid when demolition takes place; and if those houses scheduled in the future as slums will qualify for the same amount.

The special subsidy for slum clearance is not payable on the unfit houses demolished. It is related to the number of families rehoused.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government what estimate he has made of the additional cost to local authorities in England and Wales of compensating any owner-occupiers of the unfit houses which it is proposed to demolish during the next five years at full compulsory purchase value instead of at site value, and of the similar additional cost as regards the county boroughs of Leeds and Bournemouth, the metropolitan borough of Wandsworth and the total of the county districts in the county of Durham.

It is difficult to make any precise estimate; but, over the country as a whole, I am confident that the effect upon the rates would be very small.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government how many replies he received from local authorities as a result of his communication of November, 1953, on the subject of differential rents; and how many of these were unfavourable.

None.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government when he expects to be able to announce his decision on the application by the Hartley Parish Council for a compulsory purchase order on land for a burial ground.

My right hon. Friend has decided to confirm the order, and has informed the parties accordingly.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether he will now make a statement on the proposed designation of a stretch of the country in Northumberland as a National Park.

I propose to confirm the order, subject to two minor modifications of the boundary with which the National Parks Commission are in agreement.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government if he will refuse to confirm the application for an order under Section 26 of the 1947 Act made by the local authority for the clearance of the caravan site at Cherry Tree Lane, Halesowen, until the caravan dwellers there find suitable alternative accommodation.

It would seem that the hon. Member is misinformed about the position. I am sending him full particulars of the case.

asked the Minister of Housing and Local Government whether in view of his responsibilities under Sections 12, 19, 21, 23, 59, 64, 85 and 87 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act, 1949, he will arrange to be represented at the public inquiry on the proposed nuclear power station at Bradwell-on-Sea to be held on 26th April.

No, but my right hon. Friend is in touch on this subject with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Fuel and Power, who arranged the inquiry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons, male and female, have been dismissed from radio and television manufacture in Hayes, Middlesex; how many have been placed in other work; and how many are without work.

According to my information, about 300 men and 430 women, including 200 part-time evening workers, have so far been discharged, and a further 300 men and 60 women have been given notice. The Hayes Employment Exchange has placed 111 men and 58 women in other work, and it is known that many others have been placed by other Employment Exchanges or found work for themselves. On Saturday, 24th March, 40 men and 48 women (including 39 part time workers) were registered as wholly unemployed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that 200 workers in the soft furnishing industry in Cardiff are engaged on short-time working only; and whether he will make a statement.

My information is that 66 workers out of 800 employed in the furniture industry in Cardiff are on short time. Some short-time working is usual in this industry at this time of the year.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workers in all trades in Cardiff who are at present engaged on a short-time basis.

According to the best of my information about 70.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement on the employment position in the docks at Barry and Cardiff.

There has recently been a decline in the amount of goods passing through the ports of Barry and Cardiff. This has led to under-employment of registered dock workers in these ports. In the week ending 17th March, 1956, the average daily numbers of dock workers surplus to requirements were 162 at Barry and 177 at Cardiff, representing 48·6 per cent. and 20·1 per cent, respectively of the labour force.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the decision in the prosecution of the British Transport Commission under the Employment of Women, Young Persons and Children Act, 1920, at Bristol Magistrates' Court, will result in shortage of labour for the British Transport Commission; and if he will take action to assist the Commission.

I am aware of the labour supply difficulties on the railways, and I appreciate that the decision referred to may add to them. My Department is in close touch with the Commission and is giving all the help it can in meeting the labour supply needs of the railways.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has considered the letter from the hon. Member for West Ham, North, drawing his attention to the representations made by the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives, regarding the increase in the short-time working and unemployment in the furniture industry; and whether he will make a statement.

As I undertook to do in the course of the debate on employment last week, I am having inquiries made into the reason for the differences between the figures of short-time working and redundancies in the furniture industry reported by my local offices and those collected by the National Union of Furniture Trade Operatives. When these inquiries are completed I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of workers in the furniture industry who were, on 16th March, 1956, unemployed and on short time; how these figures compare with a similar date for each of the last five years; and what are the reasons for the increases.

The March unemployment figures are not yet available, but according to reports received from my local offices some 6,600 furniture workers are at present on short time. Such comparable figures for the last five years as are available are given below. Much of the short time at present being worked is seasonal in character, but some of it is attributed to the restrictions on hire purchase.The following are the figures:

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the growing number of workers in the furniture industry who are either unemployed or on short time working; that a number of factories are either closed or are contemplating closing; and what action he will take to find employment for the men in this industry.

I am aware of these developments, which to a considerable extent are attributable to seasonal causes. As regards the last part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given this afternoon to the hon. Member for Shoreditch and Finsbury (Mr. Collins) by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade and to the debate on employment on 20th March.

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage rise in retail prices compared with the immediate pre-war period.

Up to June, 1947, the only official index of retail prices was the earlier Cost of Living Index based on a 1914 standard of consumption. Any attempt to link these early figures with the Interim Index figures compiled after June, 1947, would not provide a reliable measure, on a comparable basis, of the average rise in retail prices since the immediate pre-war period.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the figures recently published of herring landings at Inverness, he will consider making Inverness an A port under the proposed scheme for grouping ports in Scotland.

This has already been done.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will give an assurance that on assuming responsibility for roads in Scotland there will be no contraction or cancellation of programmes already made by Her Majesty's Government.(2) if he will make a statement on his policy for roads in Scotland.

The transfer of responsibility for highways in Scotland as from the 1st April will not result in any contraction or cancellation in the programme announced on 2nd February, 1955, by my right hon. Friend the then Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation. As he said in his statement, Her Majesty's Government are working to plans which will take a good many years to complete, but which are intended to provide the country with an up-to-date road system. Within the limits of the financial resources available, I will continue to give effect to this policy in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration he is now giving to arrangements to enable the services of probation officers to be made generally available to assist in conciliation as recommended in paragraph 351 of the Report on Marriage and Divorce.

As the Royal Commission point out, there are practical difficulties about such a change in the law; but I shall consider the matter in consultation with the Scottish Central Probation Council.

asked the Minister of Works when it is proposed to undertake the limited restoration of Stonehenge recommended by the Ancient Monuments Board.

I hope that it may be possible to erect the fallen trilithon and two outer circle stones within the next two years.

asked the Minister of Works when the Jewel House of the Palace of Westminster will be open to the public.

The Jewel Tower, Westminster, will be opened to the public shortly after Easter. It will contain an exhibition illustrating ancient monuments within travelling distance of London, prints and drawings of the Palaces of Westminster and Whitehall, and archaeological finds. Guide books to ancient monuments will also be on sale.

asked the Minister of Works if he will see that the speed limit is enforced in Birdcage Walk, in view of the accidents that have taken place and the number of pedestrians who cross that road.

The police do all they can to enforce the speed limit in Birdcage Walk. Since 1st January, 1955, there have been 30 prosecutions for exceeding the limit.

asked the Minister of Works what was the cost of purchasing 1,500 gallons of surplus paint; what transport costs were involved; what colour is the paint purchased; and, in view of the wide varieties and colours of surplus paint available, what are the colours suitable to his Department.

The cost was 8s. 6d. a gallon. The transport cost will not be known until the paint has been distributed to maintenance depots. The paint is a deep yellow colour. Most of the surplus building paint was in dark shades, whereas it is my policy to use light shades for Government buildings.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works, as representing the Lord President of the Council, whether the Government will increase their financial assistance to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.

I am glad to be able to tell the hon. Member that the net Estimates of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for the coming financial year (excluding the increased U.K. contribution to the European Organisation for Nuclear Research) provide for an increase of over £600,000 over those for the present financial year. This increase is in conformity with the five-year plan of which I gave details in reply to a question by the hon. Member on 8th December, 1953.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which territories there are ordinances providing for deportation without judicial process; and how many persons have been deported under these ordinances from each of these territories in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

All territories retain the right to deport aliens at their discretion. As regards British subjects and protected persons, there are fifteen territories whose legislation does not provide for prior judicial process, but six of these have agreed to make such provision.The figures requested in the second part of the Question are not on record, but I will communicate with the hon. Member after consulting the local Governments concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will list the offences for which capital punishment is now the penalty in each of the Colonial Territories for which Her Majesty's Government exercises responsibility and the number of persons executed in each of these territories in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

The reply requires a considerable amount of research into the laws of Colonial Territories. When the material is complete I will arrange for a paper to be placed in the Library of the House and will send a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the new subsection s. 51 (2) of section 5 of the Amended Tanganyika Penal Code, Ordinance 49 of 1955, gives power to the Governor to prohibit the importation of all works by a named author without regard to their contents.

As I informed the hon. Member for Flint on 29th February, this provision is designed to deal with any publisher, for example a Communist dominated organisation, who consistently publishes matter considered to be contrary to the public interest if circulated in Tanganyika.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is staking to ensure that airstrips in the New Hebrides are reconditioned by the Condominium Government so that regular air services may be resumed.

Proposals for the rehabilitation of airstrips on the two main islands in the New Hebrides were drawn up several months ago, but I regret that consultations with the French authorities both in the Condominium and in Paris have so far failed to remove administrative obstacles to their development. These consultations are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many hides improvement officers there are in Nigeria; how many of these posts still remain unfilled; and bow many Nigerians are now training in the United Kingdom for these posts.

My latest information is that there are seven posts filled and six vacancies. I understand that one Nigerian is now being trained in this country and that arrangements are being made to train four next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that there is an export tax of £62 per ton upon hides and skins exported from Nigeria; what is the purpose of this tax, since no other article is treated thus; and for what are the moneys used.

The hon. Member is misinformed. The export duties are £60 per ton on goatskins, £35 per ton on sheepskins, and £22 per ton on cattle hides. Export duties are similarly levied on other commodities. The proceeds accrue to general revenue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the findings of the Tanners' Mission of 1954 to Nigeria; and what action was taken by the Government of Nigeria in this matter.

I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible giving him the details he requires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what conversations the Northern Rhodesian Government have had with the Rhodesian Selection Trust companies regarding a scheme of flood control to enable the cultivation of foodstuffs by Africans in the Kafue Flats.

The possibility of empoldering land against the annual flooding of the Kafue Flats by the Kafue River is now being investigated, and the fertility of the soil and its suitability for growing certain crops under irrigation are being assessed. The investigation, financed by the Rhodesia Selection Trust group of companies, is being conducted in close association with the Government of Northern Rhodesia. On the completion of the investigation there will probably be further conversations between the Northern Rhodesia Government and the companies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies by what amount each year the wage of the workers employed in the citrus growing industry has increased since 1951, showing each year separately.

pursuant to Mr. Lennox-Boyd's reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th March, 1956; Vol. 549, c. 200], supplied the following information:A large number of wage rates exist within the British Honduras citrus growing industry. Most work is done on piece rates or on a task basis. There is, however, an agreed time wage for general labour on which the wage structure is based. This time wage rate was 18 an hour at the beginning of 1951 and during that year it was raised in two stages to 20 and 22½. On the 1st of July, 1952, it was raised further to 25 and has remained at that rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in the interests of maintaining employment in Britain and of helping British exports, he will remove the restriction on the sale of British agricultural tractors to China.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend to the hon. Member for Northfield (Mr. Chapman) on 19th March. I am aware, however, of the importance of current inquiries for tractors and we shall do everything we can to see whether these inquiries can be met or not.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation what progress has been made on the Oxford Boundary—Islip Turn Widening Scheme; and whether he will give an estimated date of completion.

One carriageway is already in use and it is expected that the second carriageway will be open to traffic in June of this year. All the work should be completed soon after.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much land will be required for the proposed roundabout at the junction of the Watford by-pass with the Aldenham-Bushey road; what is the estimated cost of acquiring this land and of constructing the roundabout; and what would the cost be of installing and maintaining traffic lights as an alternative.

Approximately 450 square yards of land will be required for the roundabout and the estimated cost of land acquisition and accommodation works is £650. The estimated cost of construction work is £14,000.The simplest form of signal installation would cost £1,500 initially and £100 per annum to maintain, but owing to the traffic conditions at this junction signal control would not be a satisfactory alternative to a roundabout.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation how much of the £27 million which was estimated to be authorised for the expanded roads programme during 1955–56 will have been actually authorised by 31st March, 1956; and what is the estimate for further authorisations during the next three years.

I expect to authorise this year's programme of commitments in full by 31st March. Next year, as the hon. Member will see from the Estimates, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I hope to authorise works on trunk roads and classified roads which will cost the Exchequer some £34½ million. For the two subsequent years I have nothing to add to the supplementary Answer I gave the hon. Member on 14th March, when I told him that there have been no major changes in the programme announced.

asked the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation whether he is now satisfied that all possible precautions have been taken to prevent a recurrence of accidents on the Carlisle-Stirling trunk road outside Burn-wood Camp, Carlisle, and in particular whether the cause of the repeated deterioration of the road surface has now been traced.

It is proving more difficult than was at first expected to find the exact cause of the foundation troubles experienced at this site and investigations are still continuing. In the meantime the road surface has been repaired and will be kept under special observation until the source of the trouble can be traced and remedied permanently.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what was the effective date for the coming into operation of the temporary Relaxation of Existing Customs Agreement between his Department and the Amalgamated Engineering Union, signed on 21st October, 1939; and when was the text of this agreement first incorporated in the published Conditions of Employment for Civilian Employees at Air Ministry Establishments.

The Agreement was applied to men who at the time it was signed were employed on work coming within its terms and whose industrial history did not entitle them to recognition as skilled craftsmen. The text of the Agreement was first published in the Regulations for Civilian Employees at Air Ministry Establishments in March, 1951.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps were taken to ensure that dilutee metal-working craftsmen had sufficient craft-ability before those who have been established in that grade were offered such establishment; and whether he is satisfied that the craft-ability thus exhibited is up to the normal standards of skill and ability required by his Department from ordinary skilled craftsmen.

Dilutees, like other industrial employees, are selected for establishment on the basis of seniority.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many applications he has received from employees since 1st February, 1956, for the removal of such employees' names from the list of registered dilutees; how many of these have been granted; and what form of appeal to an impartial authority is open under his regulations to those not granted.

No central record is kept of applications for de-registration considered by the local joint committees set up under the Relaxation of Customs Agreement. None has been approved since the 1st February.There is no provision in the Agreement for matters arising out of it to be referred to an outside body.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that numbers of his Department's employees, who are tenants of Departmentally owned or controlled dwelling houses, are liable to selective dismissal in the event of redundancy in the engineering trades, by virtue of their dilutee status, with the loss of their homes should these be required for the new employees replacing them; and if he will take steps to ensure that suitable alternative accommodation is made available to all such Air Ministry tenants who have ten or more years service with his Department.

If a man with long service under the Air Ministry, who was occupying one of these houses, should have to be discharged on rounds of redundancy, we would allow him time to find other accommodation. Should it be a difficult case, we would also take it up with the local housing authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give details, in the case of the dilutee metal-working craftsman who has been longest employed by his Department in that capacity, of the date of his commencement on craft-work., his standard of skill as compared with non-dilutee craftsmen; and what steps this man can take under departmental regulations to secure recognition for himself as a fully skilled man.

Detailed records of service of industrial employees are not maintained centrally. Any dilutee can apply for recognition as a fully skilled man if he can produce evidence of engineering skill which was not furnished to the relaxation committee at the time of registration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he will now issue the instruction to prison governors with regard to executions, together with any subsequent amendments;(2) if he will now publish the information in his possession concerning the execution of Mrs. Thompson; and if he will state how far the conduct of that execution has caused amendments to be made to the rules for the conduct of executions.

Before the execution the Governor of Holloway Prison, who was also the Medical Officer, in accordance with the discretion vested in him, gave Mrs. Thompson sedatives. At the time of the execution the Governor considered that it would be more humane to spare her the necessity of walking the few yards to the execution chamber, and although he thought that she could have walked with assistance, he had her carried and she was supported on the scaffold. Apart from this, nothing unusual occurred. Having examined all the information available, I am satisfied that there is no truth in the allegation that Mrs. Thompson "disintegrated as a human creature" or that she "fought, kicked and screamed and protested her innocence to the last, and that it required about five men to hold her down whilst being carried to the gallows and having the noose put over her," or in the story that her "insides fell out."No incident occurred during the execution of such a nature as to call for any change in the instructions to governors—and in fact no change was made in consequence of it. These instructions have always been treated as confidential, and I am not prepared to depart from the practice of my predecessors in refusing to publish them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that certain London bookmaking firms make a practice of inserting advertisements in the sporting and national Press, inviting clients to post letter bets, enclosing stake money, to addresses in Scotland, usually in Glasgow; that this practice, which is increasing, is illegal; and what steps he will take, in consultation with the Secretary of State for Scotland, to end the practice, pending the introduction of comprehensive betting legislation.

As my hon. Friend the Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State announced in the House on the 9th March, comprehensive legislation is being prepared to implement the main recommendations of the Royal Commission on Betting, Lotteries and Gaming, including one that postal cash betting off the course with a registered bookmaker should be permitted. In the meantime, the questions whether there has been a breach of the existing law in a particular case and, if so, whether proceedings should be instituted are not matters for which my right hon. Friend and I are responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many gallons of paint have been declared surplus by his Department since 1st January, 1954; what action was taken to offer this to other Government Departments or public bodies before a decision was taken to dispose of it at public auctions; what were the chief reasons for the surplus; and what quantity of paint has been ordered by his Department during the same period.

Since 1st January, 1954, 2,240,000 gallons of ordinary paint and 50 tons of dry paint have been ordered, and 322,000 gallons and 26½ tons have been declared surplus. The main reasons for the surplus were given by my hon. Friend in a reply to the hon. Member on 28th February.Other Government Departments saw the catalogues offering surplus paint and could ask for any lots to be withdrawn from sale.