asked the Secretary of State for India whether all the Indian aerodromes required as stages by the Dutch-Java air mail aeroplanes are in regular use by local aircraft; and whether, in view of the representations of British traders with the Dutch East Indies, steps will be taken to restore the landing facilities recently withdrawn from the Dutch air mail by the Government of India?

I have no detailed information in regard to the first part of the question, but as the total number of civil aircraft registered in India according to the latest information available is only 20, of which not more than two, if any, are normally stationed in Burma, it seems hardly possible that all the aerodromes in question can be regularly used by such aircraft. As regards the second part, I am unable to add anything to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on 3rd March.

asked the Secretary of State for India the total amount received by the Government of India on account of broadcasting receiver licences since the formation of the Broadcasting Company in India; and what part of this amount was retained by the Government of India?

In accordance with the agreement between the Government of India and the Indian Broadcasting Company the annual licence fee was fixed at 10 rupees, of which 20 per cent. was retained by Government. I have no information regarding the total amount collected, but have seen it stated that the total number of licences issued up to the beginning of this year was about 9,000.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the Imperial Government have sanctioned, or have been asked to sanction, the regulation made by the Southern Rhodesian Government prohibiting a native from making use of, walking, standing or loitering on any street, sidewalk or any other path used solely or mainly for pedestrian traffic within the limits of any town; and whether it is proposed to safeguard the rights of the natives in this respect?

I presume that the regulations which my hon. Friend has in mind are the regulations issued by a town management board in Southern Rhodesia with the approval of the Governor in Council under the Town Management Act, 1926. Power to make by-laws regulating pedestrian traffic in public streets, including the use thereof by natives, was conferred on municipal councils and sanitary boards in Southern Rhodesia by an Ordinance of 1904 which is still in operation, and similar power was given to town management boards, which have replaced the sanitary boards, by the Town Management Act, 1926, Amendment Act, 1929. In view of the provisions of the Southern Rhodesia Constitution Letters Patent, 1923, the latter Act contained a clause suspending its operation until the signification of His Majesty's pleasure. The principle in question having been in force in Southern Rhodesia since 1904, the Governor was informed that His Majesty would not be advised to exercise his power of disallowance in regard to the Act.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs when he expects to be in a position to announce the terms of the proposed enactment recommended by the Government in paragraph 43 of Cmd. 3479?

As I informed the hon. Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) on 13th February, I am not in a position at the present time to give any indication of the date when a decision will be possible as to action on the Report to which the hon. and gallant Member refers.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is now in a position to give the date of the publication of the Report of the recent West Indian Sugar Commission; whether he is aware that its publication is anxiously awaited, especially in the West Indies; and what is now the reason for the delay in publication?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second part in the affirmative. With regard to the last part, my hon. Friend will have observed that, as my Noble Friend has stated in another place on 5th March, the Report is receiving the serious consideration of the Government and will be published at an early date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Report of the investigation into the sugar industry in the island of Mauritius will be published soon and without waiting for the decision of the Government as to their policy for dealing with the sugar industry in the different parts of the British Commonwealth?

I beg to refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to him and to others to-day regarding the publication of the Report of the West Indian Sugar Commission. The same considerations apply to the Report of Sir F. Watts on the Mauritius Sugar Industry.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any integral part of the Olivier Report on the West Indian Sugar Industry has still to be received by his Department; and when the Report will be published?

With regard to the first part of the question, Part IV of the Sugar Commission Report was reecived this morning: and as to the second part of the question I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the replies given to other questions to-day.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is the intention of the Government, as an experiment in bulk purchase, to purchase the whole of the present sugar crop in the West Indies at a stabilised and equitable price above the costs of production with a view to minimising the Colonial sugar situation?

The whole question is, as my hon. Friend is already aware, engaging the attention of His Majesty's Ministers, and I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many East Indian labourers in the West Indies have exercised their right of repatriation at the public expense; and what has been the cost to be borne by the Colonies affected in respect of such repatriation?

As the hon. and gallant Member does not refer to any specific period of time, I am not in a position to answer either part of the question fully. The numbers of statute adults repatriated in 1929 were, however, 449 from British Guiana and 315 from Jamaica. Particulars of the cost are not available, but will be obtained and sent to the hon. and gallant Member if he so desires.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the present number of unemployed persons in the British West Indies; and in what occupations such persons are normally employed?

If the hon. and gallant Member will specify the Colonies in respect of which the information is desired, the respective Governors will be asked whether they can furnish a return. There is no information in Colonial Office records which would enable me to answer the question as it stands.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any instructions have been issued to members of the Colonial Service respecting attendance at services at which intercessory prayers will be delivered on behalf of Christians in Russia?

No instructions on the subject have been issued by my Noble Friend. I have no information whether any have been issued by the responsible authorities in the Colonies and Protectorates.

asked the Home Secretary under what circumstances 21 reputed Russian nationals were recommended for deportation after 1st June as against only four cases outstanding previous to that date?

I am not sure that I understand the hon. Member's question. There were, of course, other recommendations before 1st June, but all except four cases had been dealt with before I assumed office.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air, if it is the intention of his Department to reconstitute the high speed flight; and, if so, whether he intends to restrict the selection of pilots to unmarried officers and men?

It is not contemplated at present that the high speed flight will be reconstituted. High speed research is, however, being continued, and two officers (one trained and one under training) are to be appointed for this purpose to Felixtowe. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air when he expects to complete arrangements for a Cape-to-Cairo air service; and by what date he expects to have a regular service on this route in operation?

So far as can at present be foreseen, I am hopeful that all the arrangements will be complete and the service in operation at the time stated in my Noble Friend's Memorandum accompanying the Air Estimates.

asked the Postmaster-General with reference to the subject of overseas wireless telephony, if he can state, in respect of each of the stations concerned, how the total distance of 4,190 miles was computed as the length of telephone circuit required to connect the beam stations to London for the purpose of wireless telephony?

The distance referred to is the aggregate route mileage of the working, reserve and control circuits which would be necessary to connect the operating positions in the London Trunk Exchange with the transmitting stations at Bodmin and Grimsby and the receiving stations at Bridgwater and Skegness for the purpose of telephone communication with Canada, South Africa, India and Australia.

asked the Postmaster-General with reference to the subject of overseas wireless telephony if the Imperial and International Communications Company, Limited, in their offers made to provide stations for the Post Office Imperial Telephone Services gave any guarantees of hours of service; and what guarantees of hours of service the Post Office can give if the necessary apparatus is installed at Rugby and Baldock?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am advised that services through Rugby and Baldock can be maintained for as many hours as through the Beam Stations and probably for more. The important question, however, is not the total number of hours of service, but the extent to which these hours cover the common working or waking day, and in this respect advantage is claimed for services through Rugby and Baldock.

asked the Home Secretary what steps he proposes to take with regard to the representations he has received asking that elected members of borough, county and district councils should be exempted from service on juries?

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to a similar question last Thursday.

asked the Home Secretary how many experiments were conducted by vivisection on animals in 1929; how many were conducted with inspectors present; how many experiments on dogs were performed when inspectors were present; and have any of the present inspectors previously practised vivisection?

The returns for 1929 are not yet complete, and I am not at present in a position to give the figures. With regard to the last part of the question, neither of the present inspectors has ever held a licence under the Act.

asked the Home Secretary the number of experiments on animals by vivisection in each of the last 15 years for the purpose of cancer research?

The figures are published every year in the Annual Return of Experiments on Living Animals. I will send the figures to my hon. Friend.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, in certain European States, children are only allowed to witness certain types of cinematograph pictures; and whether he will consider the desirability of securing similar discrimination in this country?

Yes, and I would remind my hon. Friend that the same principle has been adopted in this country. For many years the Board of Film Censors has made a practice of dividing films into those suitable for universal exhibition and those suitable for exhibition only to adult audiences. Most local authorities enforce this classification by requiring that no film which has not been passed for universal exhibition shall be shown to any child under 16 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. A circular letter was recently issued to local authorities urging those who had not already done so to adopt this practice. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the circular.

asked the Home Secretary whether he proposes to take any action with regard to the resolutions he has received from education and municipal authorities urging that only non-inflammable films be allowed in the display of cinematograph pictures when children form the major portion of an audience?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the full answer which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Western Renfrew (Dr. Forgan) on 23rd January. I then mentioned the mechanical difficulties connected with the use of the less inflammable types of film. I also promised when the results of the investigation into the Paisley disaster are known to consider whether any amendment of the regulations is required. I am afraid I cannot say more at present.

asked the Home Secretary if it is his intention to press on the Council of the League of Nations that the black list of individuals and firms known to be amongst the chief offenders in the illicit drug trade and mentioned in the draft Report to the Council of the Opium Advisory Committee shall be made public?

The report of the Committee will, no doubt, in accordance with the usual practice, be published and the names of the firms and persons referred to will be made public in that way.

asked the Home Secretary how many cases of disablement from silicosis were reported in 1929; the number partially disabled, with the number permanently disabled; and the number of fatal cases?

The only complete figures I can give at present for 1929 are those of cases dealt with under the compensation schemes for silicosis in the refractories and sandstone industries. Under the refractories scheme there were 18 cases of partial, and one case of total disablement, and 10 fatal cases. Under the sandstone scheme (which came into force only on 1st April last) there were two cases of partial, and seven cases of total disablement, and five fatal cases. The figures for the industries included under the other two schemes now in force are not yet available, but roughly 100 cases in these industries—about half of which were fatal, have come to the notice of the Department.

asked the Home Secretary the number of fatal accidents to pedal cyclists in 1929?

The figure for 1929 is not yet available. In 1928, 691 pedal cyclists were killed in street accidents in Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has yet received from the Corporations of Tynemouth and South Shields their mutual choice, from the list of engineering firms officially sent them, of a technical adviser on the suggested river-crossing scheme at North and South Shields; and, if so, whether he can state the name of such adviser?

From a letter received this morning I gather that these local authorities have not yet reached a decision, but wish for a further opportunity of conferring with my Department.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the present electricity charges in Rochester and Gillingham, respectively, and how they compare with any comparable area?

The latest figures of which I have information are given below. They show the flat rate charges (F) for the different kinds of supply or the initial and final costs of any graduated scale of charge (G) dependent upon the amount of electricity consumed. It is difficult to say how far different areas can be regarded as strictly comparable, but corresponding figures are given for other areas in Kent where the sales of electricity are of the same general order.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if he intends to accept the recommendation of the Royal Fine Arts Commission that the paintings of Mr. Frank Brangwyn, R.A., executed under the bequest of the late Earl of Iveagh, should not be placed in the Royal Gallery; and, if so, whether he proposes to find some other place in the Palace of Westminster for these paintings?

The matter is, I understand, about to be considered in another place, and until I learn the result of their deliberations I am not able to make any announcement.

asked the Minister of Health if he has received a Report of the Hobday Committee relating to the employment of casting pens, recommending the use of a casting pen in abattoirs where animals are slaughtered by the Jewish method; and what steps, if any, he contemplates taking to bring the Report to the notice of local authorities in districts where the Jewish method of slaughtering animals is practised?

My right hon. Friend has received a copy of the report, but he is not prepared to recommend the use of one particular appliance to local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities who have provided any accommodation for mental defectives, the number who have failed to do so, and the estimated number of mental defectives for whom no institutional accommodation is available?

Twenty-nine out of 124 local authorities (or combinations of authorities) have made some provision for the residential care of the mentally defective. As my right hon. Friend stated in reply to a similar question on 19th December, the present accommodation is inadequate; and if the figures estimated by the Departmental Committee on Mental Deficiency be accepted, the shortage of beds would probably be approximately not less than 20,000.

asked the Minister of Health if there is any liaison between the mental hospitals and tuberculosis officers of county or county boroughs, particularly with a view to the early diagnosis of tuberculosis amongst the patients in these hospitals?

My right hon. Friend understands that there is no organised liaison throughout the country of the kind indicated by the hon. Member; but many mental hospitals now receive regular visits from consulting physicians and other specialists, and possess special facilities for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis, including X-ray apparatus.

asked the Minister of Health what effect, if any, the Housing (Revision of Contributions) Act, 1929, has had upon the average price of parlour and non-parlour houses?

The Act of 1929 came into operation on 1st October, 1929. The average price of non-parlour houses in contracts approved during the six months ended 30th September, 1929, was £346, and for the four months ended 31st January, 1930, has been £337. The average sizes of these houses are substantially the same. As regards parlour houses, the corresponding figures are £404 and £422, but there has in this case been an appreciable increase in the size of the houses concerned.

asked the Minister of Health if, when he is introducing his Slum Clearance Bill, he will take into consideration the condition of rural housing?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce legislation, in accordance with Part I of the final Report of the Royal Commission on National Museums and Galleries, making it possible for the trustees of the National Gallery and other institutions to make loans of works of art overseas, in order that we may be in a position to make some return for the recent loans of the kind made to this country by Italy and other countries?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply on this subject given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. and gallant Member for Chippenham (Captain Cazalet) in the House of Commons on the 25th ultimo. I hope shortly to receive the recommendations of the trustees of the British Museum. The Government will then consider the question of legislation.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can yet give a decision with reference to the setting up of a tribunal to inquire into alleged injustices suffered by nationals and foreigners at the hands of Government Departments; and whether he has yet decided on the submitted case of Lieut.-Colonel A. C. Tomkins?

I am unable to accept my hon. Friend's suggestion, which cannot be reconciled with the principle of the executive responsibility to Parliament. Ministers cannot divest themselves of this responsibility nor escape from it. In accordance with this principle Ministers must deal with individual cases, as with all other executive business, as they deem best in the public interest, and must decide on the form of inquiry appropriate to each case. I may add that the particular case to which my hon. Friend refers has on several occasions been carefully examined by the responsible Ministers in this and previous Administrations, and no other decision than that already reached is possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the actual net income assessed to Income Tax for the year ended 31st March, 1929, and the estimated total for the current year?

The actual income assessed to Income Tax for the year 1928–29 is estimated at £2,480,000,000. Figures for the current year will not be available till towards the end of next financial year.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that Income Tax is deducted from the lodging allowance of married regular officers seconded as adjutants in the Territorial Force, whereas it is not so deducted from officers serving with their unite; and will he take steps towards the removal of this practice?

The deduction of Income Tax to which the hon. and gallant Member refers is in accordance with the general practice under which lodging allowances are treated as taxable in the case of all Army officers holding appointments for a fixed or practically fixed term.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the object of the detailed agricultural survey now being carried on by the Ministry; the number of provinces or sections into which the country is divided for this purpose and their names; and the staff that is being employed for thus purpose?

The purpose of the proposed farm management survey is to obtain, primarily for the use of farmers themselves, information upon the factors in farm management which determine financial success or failure. The survey, which has not yet been started, will not be carried out by the Ministry but by the Universities and agricultural colleges, who will engage the necessary staff, the Ministry making a special grant to these bodies for this purpose. The provinces into which the country is at present divided for economic advisory work are 12 in number, a list of which I am forwarding to the hon. Member. It is probable that a similar division will be adopted for the purposes of the farm management survey.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if all draughtsmen who have passed the 1929 examinations will be retained at their posts?

If my hon. Friend refers to the position of draughtsmen who were given acting and temporary appointments by reason of their positions on the 1929 examination lists, when reductions in staff are being considered, the reply is that the Regulations provide for the officers last appointed from the latest examination lists to be the first selected to revert to their established positions unless there is some special reason to the contrary, and that draughtsmen holding acting appointments from the 1929 examination list would, therefore, be called upon to revert before similar draughtsmen appointed from earlier examination lists.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what will be the approximate tonnage of the new fishing survey vessel to be laid down at Chatham; and can be give any particulars as to the general design of it?

The approximate tonnage of the new fishing survey vessel is 1,400 tons. The vessel will be flush-decked, built on similar lines to the surveying vessel "Endeavour," and equipped for fishery survey work in cold climates. Further particulars are as follow:

• Length over all—220 feet.
• Beam—35 feet.
• Mean draught—12 feet 6 inches.
• Machinery—triple expansion reciprocating engines, 1,200 I.H.P.
• Single screw, speed 12½ knots.
• Total oil fuel capacity—340 tons.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total personnel that would be employed on 70 cruisers and on 50 cruisers, respectively?

The total personnel depends so much on the size of the cruisers, and other factors, that any attempt to supply a specific figure might be more misleading than helpful.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the composition of the British Naval Mission to Chile; whether it has recently been increased in number; and, if so, what is the nature of the additions?

The British Naval Advisory Staff in Chile consists at present of three commanders, one engineer-commander, three lieutenant-commanders, one instructor lieutenant-commander and one lieutenant. One Royal Air Force officer is attached to the staff. Of these, one commander, the instructor lieutenant-commander and the lieutenant have recently been added.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what work is in hand for foreign Governments in naval dockyards?

The only work at present in hand in the naval dockyards for foreign Governments is the refit of the Chilean battleship at Devonport.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the reductions in the 1928–29 and the 1929–30 naval shipbuilding programme will result in less money being paid in wages at the Royal Naval dockyard at Chatham during the period which would have been covered by the original construction programmes?

It is not possible to answer this question, since the amount of money available to be paid in wages during the period covered by the programmes of 1928 and 1929 would necessarily depend on various factors not capable of being determined in advance and not only on the shipbuilding programmes.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of dockyard employés on the established list who are ex-apprentices; and what are the numbers and sources of origin of established dockyard employés not included in this category?

The information asked for is not readily available, and the amount of labour which would be involved in collecting it does not seem to be justified.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the rate of wages now paid for a normal week's work to men employed in the china clay trade in Cornwall?

The only information which the Department has is with regard to the minimum rate of wages agreed upon between the employers' federation and the trade union for time-workers, which is 1s. per hour for a week of 42 hours.

asked the Minister of Labour the rate of wages per hour, and for a normal week's work, paid to men and women engaged in the plain-net trade; and what increases in wages have taken place in the trade during the last two years?

Wages in this trade are governed by scales of piece-work prices, under which the rates paid vary according to the nature of the work. Apart from an agreed minimum time-work rate of 60s. a week for warpers, I have no information as to the hourly or weekly wages of the workpeople. There has been no general change in the rates of wages during the last two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government are prepared to submit the dispute with regard to the Dead Sea concession in Palestine to the decision of the Permanent Court of International Justice or to some form of arbitration?

I regret that I cannot yet add anything to the replies which were given to the hon. and gallant Member for Chelmsford (Colonel Howard-Bury) on 10th and 12th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the profits of the companies' and local authorities' gas undertakings in Great Britain for the years 1911 to 1929, and the price paid per ton for coal; and similar particulars with regard to the generation of electricity and the production of coke?

The following tables give the profits of statutory gas undertakings (companies and local authorities) for the years 1911–28 both in elusive, except that no particulars are available for the War years 1914–18, and also similar particulars for the years 1921–28 as regards authorised electricity undertakings (supplied by the Ministry of Transport), there being no official information available in respect of earlier years. No corresponding information as to the coke oven industry is available. As regards the price paid per ton for coal by the undertakings referred to, figures are given below for 1921–28 in respect of electricity undertakings. For the other industries no complete information is available, but some information will be found in the evidence given before the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry, 1925; see Volume 2 of the Report, Evidence Part

asked the President of the Board of Trade the export and the import figures for the years 1920 and 1929, or nearest years to these dates for which the figures are available, of the following articles: heavy commercial road vehicles, motor and steam; motor cars; motor bicycles; and pedal bicycles?

The following table shows the total quantities and declared values of the undermentioned descriptions of road vehicles imported into and exported from the United Kingdom during 1920 and 1929.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of articles of foreign manufacture imported into this country in the years ended 28th February, 1929, and 28th February, 1930; what was the amount of revenue derived therefrom; and will he give details showing exactly how such sums have been arrived at?

Total declared value of the imports into and re-exports from Great Britain and Northern Ireland of articles classed in the trade returns as "wholly or mainly manufactured," registered during the 12 months ended 28th February, 1929, and 1930, respectively, were as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated total of the employers' contributions for the present year under the Unemployment, Insurance Acts?

The estimated total of the employers' contributions, under the Unemployment Insurance Acts, for the year 1930, is about £16,750,000.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of men and women unemployed in the borough of Woolwich in each week in December, January, and February last, and the same information for convenient dates in the same months last year?

The following table shows the estimated numbers, of persons resident in the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich on the registers of Employment Exchanges during the three months ended 24th February, 1930, and 25th February, 1929: