asked the President of the Board of Education the proportion of girls receiving secondary education to the number of boys, and the total number in each case?

The number of girls in grant-aided secondary schools in England and Wales on the 1st October, 1921, was 176,241, and of boys 184,374. The proportion of girls to boys was, approximately, 96 to 100.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has investigated the proposal of the education committee of the Kent County Council to purchase a motor-car for the delivery of stores to various districts within its area; how many motor-cars are to be employed in this service at the public expense; and whether it is his intention to take steps to prevent this extension of county council trading, which is carried on to a very large extent at the cost of the ratepayers and to the serious disadvantage of individual enterprise within the area of the county council?

I am informed that the Kent County Council have authorised their education committee as an experiment to purchase a motor lorry for the distribution of school materials to schools in their area. The arrangement, which presumably has been devised in the interests of the ratepayers, will, I understand, be subject to review in the light of its convenience and economy. I see no grounds for intervening in the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, with reference to the contributory scheme for the superannuation of school teachers, the amount of the pension payable will be calculated on the amount of the salary earned or on the amount of the salary less the 5 per cent, contribution?

Salary taken into account for the calculation of pension will be salary unreduced by the amount of contribution. I would call the hon. and gallant Member's attention to Clause 4 of the Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Education, with reference to the contributory scheme for superannuation of school teachers, whether, in the event of a teacher who has contributed to the scheme dying or leaving his employment before he is eligible for benefit, his contribution will be returnable to him or his estate?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Clause 2 of the Bill.

(by Private Notice) asked the President of the Board of Education whether it is intended to proceed with the Teachers' Superannuation Bill to-morrow, in view of the fact that the Committee thereupon which was proposed by the Government has not yet reported?

The answer is in the affirmative.

Does not this create difficulty in the minds of hon. Members in knowing how to vote, seeing that the Government have appointed a Committee to investigate the question, and that it is desirable that the Committee should present its Report before hon. Members are called on to vote?

The Government are proposing to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee on National Expenditure. That recommendation was to the effect that there should be an inquiry into the whole question of teachers' superannuation, and that pending the results of that inquiry the contribution of 5 per cent. in respect of pensions should be levied on teachers. It is for the pur- pose of giving effect to that recommendation that the Government are introducing the Bill.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise how very difficult it is for the House to discuss the Second Reading of this Measure when, apart altogether from the merits, the method by which this superannuation is to be carried out, and which is a matter of vital importance on the Second Reading, is the subject of inquiry?

Is it the intention of the Government before this Committee reports that the teachers should be, debited with 5 per cent, towards superannuation?

Is it proposed to apply this 5 per cent, collection in those areas where teachers are not on the Burnham scales?

Hon. Members must not anticipate the Debate which is to take place to-morrow.

Can the right hon. Gentleman state whether the inquiry is likely to be a long one or whether the Committee has been instructed to report very rapidly?

The matter of teachers' superannuation is a matter of very considerable complication, but I should hope, notwithstanding that, we shall have a Report before very long.

Will the right hon. Gentleman agree that if the Second Reading is taken to-morrow, the Bill will not be further proceeded with until after the Committee has reported?

The object of this Measure is to raise a certain sum of money, and the Estimates of the Board of Education were presented upon the basis that there would be an Appropriation-in-Aid of the amount which is to be raised by this contribution. Unless this contribution is made, we shall have to come to the House for a Supplementary Estimate, and it is in that view that the Government propose to proceed with the Bill.

Would not the whole difficulty be solved if, after the Bill is read a Second time to-morrow, it is remitted to a Select Committee, as pro- posed in the notice on the Paper, in order that the question might be thrashed out and solved on sound lines?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the number of the staff employed in the geological survey has risen from 49 in 1914 to 84 in 1922; whether the expenditure in the same period has increased from £16,748 to £52,560; whether this increase in staff and expenditure is justified by present utility; and whether a scheme has been devised to expand the scope of the geological survey involving the establishment of several provincial offices?

The figures quoted by the hon. Member are not comparable, and it is not possible to deal adequately with them within the limit of an oral answer. Comparable figures for staff would be 61 for 1914 and 84 for the current year; for expenditure the figures would be £16,828 for 1914 and £44,560 for 1922. The increase is necessary for obtaining information required in the development of the mineral resources of the country, and it is fully justified by its value for these purposes. There has been no expansion in the scope of the work of the survey. With a view to economy and increased efficiency, local offices have been opened in areas where staff has to be centred for some years. I am supplying the hon. Member with a short memorandum on the points raised.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what it is estimated will be the cost of the councils and advisory committees for England and Wales for the year ending 31st March, 1923; and what will be the cost of the county agricultural committees, including money provided from the rates, for a like period?

The estimated cost of the Councils of Agriculture for England and Wales and the Agricultural Advisory Committee for the year ending 31st March, 1923, is £1,700. The estimated cost to the Ministry of County Agricultural Committees for the same period is £4,000. This sum, however, includes the cost of certain winding-up services of a non-recurring nature, but does not include the cost of smallholdings administration. The latter amounted to approximately £213,000 in the financial year 1920–21. The exact cost during last financial year has not yet been agreed with all county councils, but it is safe to assume that for the year ending 31st March, 1923, there will be a substantial reduction in the above figure. I regret that I have no information as regards the expenses of County Agricultural Committees which fall to be met out of county funds, and this information could only be obtained by circularising the counties concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, during the recent outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Cheshire and North Staffordshire, the Board of Agriculture contracted with the North Staffordshire Hide and Skin Company for the purchase of all contact hides,i.e., all hides of animals which, though not diseased themselves, have been in contact with diseased animals; whether he is aware that in each of the last three outbreaks the lorry belonging to the hide company had been on the premises of each of the farms concerned a few days prior to the outbreak; whether, in view of the great danger of the disease being spread by these means, the Board will discontinue the sale of these hides and order them to be destroyed on the infected premises; and whether, in view of these facts, which are sufficient to account for the outbreak, the Board adhere to their opinion that the outbreak was due to diseased animals in the scheduled area having been slaughtered without any notification being made to the authorities?

The reply to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As the hides themselves and the lorries in which they were conveyed were carefully disinfected, the Ministry does not believe that infection was carried to other premises by their means, and does not, therefore, propose to begin to destroy valuable hides from healthy animals. It is more probable that the infection was conveyed in other lorries belonging to the same company coming from slaughterhouses where animals showing symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease had recently been slaughtered unknown to the Ministry.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that many people, who are very capable of forming an opinion on this point, think that the disinfection applied by the Board of Agriculture is inadequate, and will he again consider the advisability of destroying these hides altogether, and run no risks at all of infection?

I have said my experts do not consider that infection is carried that way, and are therefore not going to sacrifice valuable property.

Is the right hon. Gentleman quite certain that you can destroy the infection of these infected hides?

No, Sir; I am not certain about any of these things. I can only be guided by the best advice obtainable.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these hides are not disinfected by being put in solution, but are only sprayed?

That is not the case. They are properly disinfected.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a resolution expressing the view that there can be no sufficient supply of milk at a reasonable price unless the producers receive a fair return and the cost of distribution is reduced by eliminating the operation of trusts and monopolies, and demanding that in the interests of the general public, particularly the child population, a public inquiry should be held into the whole question of milk prices, including the operations of the milk trust, which is at present exploiting both the farmers and the consumers; and whether he proposes to take action on the lines indicated?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has received a resolution expressing the view that there can be no sufficient supply of milk at a reasonable price unless the producers receive a fair return and the cost of distribution is reduced by eliminating the operation of trusts and monopolies, and demanding that, in the interests of the general public, particularly the child population, a public inquiry should be held into the whole question of milk prices, including the operations of the milk trust which is at present exploiting both the farmers and the consumers; and whether he proposes to take action on the lines indicated?

I have been asked to reply. I have received the resolution referred to. An agreement has recently been arrived at in regard to the prices to be paid to producers, and I do not think that exception can be taken to current retail prices. I do not consider that any action of the kind suggested is needed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total acreage of land under cultivation as allotments each year or for the past five years?

No returns of the area of land under cultivation as allotments were obtained for the year 1917 owing to pressure of War work, nor were any returns obtained last year for reasons of economy. From returns obtained in 1918, 1919 and 1920, which were not in all cases complete returns, the Ministry estimates that the total acreage of land cultivated as allotments in England and Wales at the dates of the returns was approximately as follows:—