Written Answers of 17 May 1946

  CYPRUS (PIG INDUSTRY)
  Mr. Turton
  asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he is taking to encourage the pig industry in Cyprus, in view of the natural resources of feeding-stuffs in the Colony.

  Mr. George Hall:
  The Cyprus Government has for a number of years actively encouraged the island's pig industry by the maintenance of stud boars at the Government stock farm and at district stud stables, and by paying premiums to local owners of stud boars. The provision of further stud boars is being considered as part of the development plans for Cyprus. The number of pigs in the island has increased steadily during the war and the total in 1944 was 43,370, the highest number recorded since 1918. Reports indicate that this figure was maintained in 1945. Other livestock have also increased in recent years; and as the quantity of feeding stuffs available is limited, and it is important not to divert food required for human consumption to animals, I do not consider that any additional steps need be taken.

  CEYLON (NEW CONSTITUTION)
  Mr. Stanley
  asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make with regard to constitutional developments in Ceylon.

  Mr. George Hall:
  The House will recollect that following upon the report of the Soulbury Commission (Cmd. 6677), His Majesty's Government announced in October, 1945 (Cmd. 6690) that they were in sympathy with the desire of the people of Ceylon to advance towards Dominion status and were anxious to cooperate with them to that end. With this in mind His Majesty's Government had reached the conclusion that a Constitution on the general lines proposed by the Soulbury Commission would provide a workable basis for constitutional progress in Ceylon. His Majesty's Government's proposal was accepted by the State Council of Ceylon by a majority of 51 votes to 3.

  An Order in Council embodying the new Constitution framed on the lines of
  282
  Cmd. 6690 was made by His Majesty on 15th May and is being published today in the Ceylon Government Gazette. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  As this instrument is necessarily long and largely of a technical nature I may perhaps recapitulate here the main features of the new Constitution.

  (a) The present State Council will be replaced by a Parliament consisting of His Majesty, represented by the Governor, and two Chambers to be known respectively as the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Ceylon Parliament will have full power to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the island, but it may not make laws which discriminate against any community or religion, or interfere with freedom of worship, or with the constitutions of religious bodies without their concurrence.

  (b) There will be a Cabinet of Ministers (one of whom will be Prime Minister) who will be charged with the general direction and control of the government of the Island and will be collectively responsible to the Ceylon Parliament.

  (c) The Governor will be required to reserve for His Majesty's assent a few classes of Bills only. These include Bills relating to defence and external affairs and Bills which, in the Governor's opinion, have evoked serious opposition by any religious or racial community and are likely to involve oppression or serious injustice to any such community. Bills relating solely to certain specified subjects such as franchise and immigration are excluded from the classes of Bills to be reserved.

  (d) His Majesty's Government retains the power to legislate by Order in Council for defence and external affairs and to amend or revoke the Constitution.

  As was stated in October last, His Majesty's Government hope that this new Constitution will be accepted by the people of Ceylon with a determination so to work it that in a comparatively short space of time Dominion status will be evolved. This Constitution is therefore a most important and significant landmark in British Colonial history. I take this opportunity on behalf of His Majesty's Government and the people of this country to congratulate the people of Ceylon and

  283
  their leaders on this great achievement which is a fitting recognition of their proved capacity for self-government and of their loyal co-operation in peace and in war with the peoples of the British Commonwealth of Nations. A special word of acknowledgment and gratitude is due to Lord Soulbury and the members of his Commission, and also to Mr. Senanayake, Leader of the State Council of Ceylon, who spent three months in this country last summer discussing these proposals. I look forward with great confidence to the future prosperity and well-being of Ceylon under her new Constitution.

  AUSTRIA (GOVERNMENT POLICY)
  Sir R. Glyn
  asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the declaration of policy made during the debate on the Crimea Conference in March, 1945, in regard to Austria, still remains the policy of His Majesty's Government.

  Mr. McNeil:
  Yes, Sir.

  WILLS (SETTLEMENT)
  Mr. N. Smith
  asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that solicitors habitually take 18 months to two years over the settlement of simple wills, thus delaying benefit to the revenue while causing vexation to legatees; and will he fix a statutory period for such settlements beyond which the solicitor shall be liable to financial penalties.

  The Attorney-General:
  I certainly do not accept the suggestions of habitual delay by solicitors which are made by my hon. Friend. During the war a very large proportion of the total number of solicitors in practice in 1939 and their clerks were in the Forces or on other war service. As a result there was an accumulation of arrears of work in solicitors' offices, as in other professions, and delays inevitably occurred which are as much regretted by solicitors as by their clients. But I am glad to say that, with the return of solicitors and their clerks from war service, matters are now steadily improving. The answer to the second part of the Question is in the negative.

  POLISH PRISONERS OF WAR
  Sir E. Graham-Little
  asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that Poles who had been forcibly conscripted into the German army are being kept with the Germans in British prisoners-of-war camps and that only those Poles who declare themselves ready and willing to return to Poland are being released, notwithstanding repeated applications to the authorities; and if he will rectify this position.

  Mr. Lawson:
  Instructions are in force in all Commands that Poles are to be segregated from Germans in prisoner of war camps. The disposal of those Polish prisoners of war who are unwilling to return to Poland has not yet been decided.

BRITISH ARMY

  Personal Cases
  Captain Chetwynd
  asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that T/14508530 Corporal R. H. Kitching, C Platoon, 800 Company, R.A.S.C., A.D., M.E.F., is eligible for release in Class B as an agricultural worker with more than one year's service but has not been offered release; and, as his employer is in urgent need of his services, if he will take steps to offer Corporal Kitching release under Class B as soon as possible.

  Mr. Lawson:
  The release of this N.C.O. has been authorised, but the command concerned have apparently experienced some difficulty in tracing him. Every effort will be made to carry out his release as quickly as possible.

  Mr. Callaghan
  asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will now release 3910143 Private T. Richards under Class A, in view of the fact that he is in Group 28 and the reason for delaying his discharge is that his papers have been lost.

  Mr. Lawson:
  There is no question of Private Richards' release being delayed because of lost papers. He is not yet eligible for release because he is in Group 31, not Group 28. He forfeited 204 days' service as a result of a period of absence without leave and a period of detention.

  Battle School, Leiston
  Mr. Granville
  asked the Secretary of State for War if he is now in a position to say on what date he will be able to discontinue the battle school in the Leiston, Suffolk, area, in order to return to agriculturalists and cottagers their holdings and homes in accordance with the undertaking given when these properties were requisitioned.

  Mr. Lawson:
  This area is no longer required for military purposes but it cannot be released until it has been cleared of unexploded missiles, which are known to be in the area. The work of clearance will be carried out as quickly as possible but in view of the shortage of skilled personnel and of the necessary technical equipment 1 cannot yet give a definite date by which it will be completed.

  NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE (ASSETS)
  Sir E. Graham-Little
  asked the Minister of National Insurance the present disposition of the assets of the Health Insurance system, which, at the end of December, 1944, amounted to £250,000,000; and why such a large surplus has been allowed to accumulate.

  Mr. J. Griffiths:
  About £60 million of these assets are held by approved societies and the balance by the National Debt Commissioners on their behalf and on account of certain central funds. In the main these assets are not a surplus. They represent the actuarial reserves in respect of existing insured persons which are necessary under the provisions of the scheme at present in operation.

  MEMBERS' SMOKING ROOM (PANTRY)
  Mr. Thurtle
  asked the hon. Member for West Walthamstow (Mr. McEntee) as chairman of the Kitchen Committee, if he has now been able to devise, in conjunction with the appropriate authorities, a means of ventilation of the pantry in the Members' Smoking Room; and, if so, when it is proposed to carry out the necessary alterations.

  Mr. McEntee:
  The pantry referred to is very well ventilated now. In special tests made by the Ministry of Works before the
  286
  war, it was found that the air in the pantry was changed 50 times an hour, and there is no reason to believe that there is any variation of that condition now. The accommodation however, in some respects needs improvement and the necessary alterations will be made as soon as an opportunity occurs and labour is available.

  PRISONS (INSANE INMATES)
  Mr. Ayles
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates of His Majesty's prisons have been certified insane in each of the last three years; and in how many cases the certification has borne the signature of a doctor unconnected with prison administration.

  Mr. Ede:
  The figures are as follow:

  1943.

  1944.

  1945.

  Prisons

  …

  66

  65

  70

  Borstals

  …

  3

  Nil

  8

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  …

  69

  65

  78

  …

  …

  …

  Section 2 of the Criminal Lunatic Act, 1884, requires that a certificate of insanity in such cases shall be signed by two medical practitioners. If there are two medical officers on the prison staff, the certificate is usually signed by them, but in most prisons there is only one medical officer, and in these cases the certificate is ordinarily signed by the medical officer and by a doctor called in from outside the prison. It would not be possible without extensive research to obtain the information asked for in the last part of the Question.

  INQUESTS, STAFFORD
  Mr. Swinǵler
  asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the number of inquests held during the years 1935 to 1945 inclusive, at the Stafford County Mental Hospital and the Coton Hill Hospital, Stafford, respectively; and how many of these inquests were held with juries.

  Mr. Ede:
  I am informed that during the 11 years in question there have been at the Staffordshire Mental Hospital, 14, inquests of which nine were with juries, and at the Coton Hill Mental Hospital, three inquests of which one was with a jury.

  MILITARY SERVICE (RESERVED OCCUPATIONS)
  Viscount Hinchinǵbrooke
  asked the Minister of Labour what steps are being taken to call up for military service additional numbers of men between 19 and 30 years of age who were in reserved occupations during the war.

  Mr. Isaacs:
  Numbers of such men are called to the Forces each month. Only those whom it is regarded as essential to retain in civil life are deferred or reserved and the position is kept constantly under review.

  UNEMPLOYMENT STATISTICS
  Mr. J. L. Williams
  asked the Minister of Labour the total number of women registered as unemployed in Glasgow on the latest convenient date; and how many of them were classified under engineering, textiles, clothing, paper and printing, transport and distribution, respectively.

  Mr. Isaacs:
  At 8th April, 1946, there were 8,644 unemployed insured women aged 18 and under 60 years suitable for ordinary employment on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Glasgow. Of this total, 1,475 were classified as belonging to the engineering industry, 569 to the motor vehicle, cycle and aircraft industries, 110 to the textile industries, 115 to the clothing industries (including the boot and shoe industry), 86 to the paper and printing industry, 1,214 to transport and communication and 1,142 to the distributive trades.

  Mr. Marples
  asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of people registered as unemployed in Liverpool on
  288
  30th June, 1945, 30th September, 1945, 31st December, 1945, 30th March, 1946. and 1st May, 1946.

  Mr. Isaacs:
  The numbers of unemployed insured persons aged 14 years and over, suitable for ordinary employment on the registers of Employment Exchanges and Juvenile Employment Bureaux in Liverpool (including Bootle) at 16th July, 1945, 15th October, 1945, 14th January, 1946, 11th March, 1946, and 8th April, 1946, the nearest dates for which figures are available were 3,154, 9,213, 15,007, 20,526, and 22,665, respectively.

  DEMOBILISATION (AGRICULTURAL STUDENTS)
  Mr. Hollis
  asked the Minister of Labour whether the recent release privileges granted to university students will be applicable also to agricultural students at agricultural colleges.

  Mr. Isaacs:
  I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 9th May to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Hurd).

  MINING SUBSIDENCE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
  Mrs. Florence Paton
  asked the Minister of Fuel and Power what steps are being taken by the Clifton Colliery Company, Clifton, Nottinghamshire, to tight-pack the workings of the colliery with a view to preventing further subsidence of the land in Wilford Village, West Bridgford Nottinghamshire.

  Mr. Shinwell:
  I am having inquiries made, and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as I receive a report.