asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, taking the mills in the cotton and wool trades, respectively, he can state the total number in existence, the numbers which are closed, the numbers which are working short time, and the percentage of machinery used by those which are working short time?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies which were given on this subject to the hon. Member for Newcastle, North (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle) on 25th February, to the hon. Member for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower) on 6th March, and to the hon. Member for Stockport (Mr. Hammersley) on 13th March, and of which I am sending him copies. I would repeat that I fully appreciate the grave effects which the proposed increases in duty are calculated to have on Lancashire.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of tobacco manufacturers' licences issued in 1900, 1910, 1920, and at the present time?

The numbers of tobacco manufacturers' licences issued in each financial year ended 31st March are as follow:

I regret that information of the character specified in the question is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount and value of cotton yarn and piece goods imported into this country from the Continent and the names of the ports from which they were shipped?

The following table shows the total quantities and declared values of cotton yarns and cotton piece goods imported into Great Britain and

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the country of origin of the foreign motor-cars at present in bond?

The countries of origin are as follow: The United States of America, France, Italy, Belgium, and Germany.

asked the President of the Board of Trade by what, or by whose, authority the Registrar and

I think the hon. and gallant Member is under some misapprehension. The full procedure followed in these cases was set out in the reply to the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. F. Owen) on 4th February, of which I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when it is intended to bring forward for ratification the Limitation of Liability of Shipowners Convention, the International Convention on Mortgages and Liens, and the International Convention on the Immunity of State-owned Ships?

Before these Conventions can be ratified by His Majesty's Government in Great Britain, it will be necessary to introduce legislation. I am afraid that I can give no indication as to the probable date of introduction of such legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1929, embodies an agreement on the part of the representatives of 18 maritime powers to the institution of an international load line; if so, which maritime nations have been invited to participate in the International Load-line Conference which opens in London on 20th May next; and which of these nations have accepted this invitation?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. Invitations to participate in the International Load-line Conference have been sent to the Governments of foreign maritime countries, the Dominions, and India, and it is anticipated that the majority of these countries will be represented; so far eight formal acceptances have been received. I am sending to the hon. Member a list of the countries invited and of the acceptances received.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Economic Advisory Council has yet prepared its list of persons with industrial, commercial, financial, and working-class experience who might assist it by serving on committees and in other ways; and, if so, whether he will cause the list of names to be published?

The list is in being, but will be added to constantly. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he is aware that the rural district council of Walsall have submitted certain schemes for the promotion of employment; that two at least of these were submitted 12 months ago but have not yet been authorised by the Unemployment Grants Committee; and the reason of this delay?

Formal applications for grant have been received by the Unemployment Grants Committee from the rural district council of Walsall, in respect of five schemes of work designed to relieve unemployment. It is true that one of these schemes was submitted in the Spring of 1929, but consideration of this scheme was deferred at the express request of the council, who desired that other schemes in preparation by them should be investigated at one and the same public inquiry. This inquiry has now been completed and the schemes investigated are being further considered by the Committee.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he has any information as to the extent to which industry has availed itself of facilities for obtaining fresh capital as announced by him at Manchester?

Yes, Sir, every day I find evidence of a quickened interest in industrial reorganisation resulting from the statement as to the attitude of the City which I made on 10th January, but the hon. Member will appreciate that I am not in a position to give information as to negotiations which are in progress.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he has received representations from the London and North Eastern Railway Company with regard to proposals to complete the Mid-Suffolk Railway?

No, Sir. I have had no such representations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the rate of interest charged on the debt of the Unemployment Insurance Fund represents the net cost of the loan to the Treasury or whether a profit is made on the transaction?

The first statement is correct; there is no profit on the transaction.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases and how many deaths from small-pox were registered during the year 1929, and their ages; how many children were vaccinated; and how many parents or guardians claimed exemption from vaccination on behalf of their children?

During the 52 weeks ended 28th December, 1929, 10,967 cases of small-pox were notified in England and Wales. Among these cases 39 deaths occurred which were classified to small-pox. These figures are provisional. The ages of the fatal cases were as follow:

asked the Minister of Health why it is not proposed to classify pharmacists and dispensers as principal officers under the draft Poor Law Orders issued by his Department; and whether he will make arrangements for this matter to be debated in the House?

Pharmacists and dispensers are not principal officers at present, save in a few exceptional cases where they hold that status by virtue of special Orders, none of which are of recent date. In those cases, the individual status of the officers will be preserved by Section 121 of the Local Government Act, 1929, and I have already given reasons in my answer of 5th December last to the hon. Member for South Battersea (Mr. W. Bennett) against altering the present practice. I see no adequate ground for arranging for the matter to be debated.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many of the 284 British soldiers executed during the late War were condemned for cowardice and desertion, respectively?

During the late War, 264 soldiers were shot for desertion and 18 for cowardice.

asked the Secretary of State for War what were the unexpected difficulties that had to be overcome in carrying out the scheme of providing houses for the civilian workers at the Royal Army Ordnance Corps depot at Didcot; whether these difficulties still exist; if not, when will the full 6cheme be completed; and what is its nature?

I am not clear to what the hon. and gallant Member refers. There is no scheme at present before the War Department for building houses for civilian workers at Didcot, the 105 quarters for pivotal staff having been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of commissions granted in the Regular Army and the Territorial Army, respectively, during 1929 to men trained in officers training corps?

As stated on page 63 of Army Estimates, 1930, the number of commissions granted in the Regular Army and Territorial Army to those who had served in the Officers Training Corps was 405 and 551 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has now considered the Objections that have been raised by employés at Woolwich Arsenal to the arrangements to take the annual week's leave in one particular week; what decision he has arrived at in relation to this matter; and whether this applies to all departments?

The representations which have been received have been considered, but I regret that I am unable to depart from the decision already taken. As regards the last part of the question, it is not at present in contemplation to apply the week's closure to any War De- partment establishment at Woolwich Arsenal other than the Ordnance factories.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Glasgow Corporation has now paid damages, and the amount, to slaughtermen employed in the abattoirs of that city in respect of personal loss caused by disinfecting against foot-and-mouth disease at the instance of his Department?

I am informed that the slaughtermen's claim for damages in the circumstances referred to has not been paid, but that it is being considered by the markets sub-committee of the Glasgow Corporation, and that it is at present under discussion between the markets sub-committee and representatives of the slaughtermen.