asked the Minister of Labour the number of men who have been transferred from the depressed coal areas through the various Employment Exchanges to employment in other parts of the country for the three months ended to the last convenient date?

During the period from 14th January to 14th April, 1930, approximately 7,618 men were transferred from depressed areas under the industrial transference scheme.

Is the same ratio of transference taking place at, the present time?

I should like notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Labour the increase or decrease in the number of women, girls and boys unemployed in the Cardiff area for last week as compared with the same week of last year?

At 14th April, 1930, the number of women, girls and boys on the registers of Employment Exchanges in the Cardiff area showed an increase of 31 as compared with 15th April, 1929.

asked the Minister of Labour how many more persons are now unemployed than in May last?

At 14th April, 1930, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 506,765 more persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain than at 15th April, 1929.

Would the right hon. Lady care to make any comment on that answer?

Do the figures which the right hon. Lady has mentioned include Members of the late Government who are out of office?

We are all working.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that the Lord Privy Seal stated that in February this year the numbers of unemployed would be considerably reduced? How does she reconcile that statement with the present position?

asked the Minister of Labour (1) the town or district in Scotland which has the largest number per 10,000 of its population registered as unemployed?

At 14th April, 1930, the latest date for which figures are available, the town in Scotland with the highest proportion of insured persons on the register of the Employment Exchange was Alexandria, with 51.4 per cent., and in England and Wales it was Tonypandy, with 76.8 per cent.

asked the Minister of Labour whether caretakers of Employment Exchanges are entitled to an annual holiday with pay?

Caretakers of Employment Exchange premises are eligible for annual leave with pay, provided that by the taking of such leave no additional expense for substitution is occasioned to the Department.

Are we to understand that they can have leave with pay if they pay people to do their work while they are away?

This is an arrangement which was arrived at in 1924 between the Treasury and the Workers' Union.

What exactly does it mean?

It means that, if the staffs are such that the work can be rearranged among them, the worker gets leave without having to pay, but if additional staff is to be engaged, he has to pay.

If there is only one member of the staff, must he provide somebody else to do the work and pay him?

Does not the statement made by the right hon. Lady show that the offices are permanently overstaffed?

asked the Minister of Labour if she is aware that recently 15 girls were penalised by the Darlington Employment Exchange for not accepting the conditions of employment at Catterick Camp; and whether she will cause inquiries to be made as to the pay, lodgings, and hours offered by the canteen board?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my replies on the 15th April to the hon. Member for Darlington (Mr. Shepherd) and the hon. Member for Attercliffe (Mr. C. Wilson), of which I am sending him copies.

asked the Minister of Labour the extent to which the work of the Claims and Record Office of the Ministry of Labour, Kew, is in arrear?

Owing to the abnormally large number of claims, certain parts of the annual programme of work have had to be temporarily postponed. The current work of dealing with new claims is up to date.

asked the President of the Board of Education who constitute the Board of Education, and the number of occasions on which it has met during the last three years?

The Board consists of a President, the Lord President of the Council, His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, the First Commissioner of His Majesty's Treasury, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I can find no record of any meeting of the Board.

Has consideration recently been given to the question whether this is the best machinery for conducting the educational affairs of this country, and does not the right hon. Gentleman think that he might have a board over which he should preside?

That will, no doubt, be a matter of interesting discussion in the House, but I do not feel the need of it at present.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Class I civil servants there are at the Treasury; and how many of them saw active service during the Great War?

There are 71 officers (including two women), in the Administrative Class borne on the establishment of the Treasury, of whom 11 are at present seconded for service in other Departments. 37 of these officers saw active service during the Great War.

Have any men lost seniority in the public service who would now be in that class if they had not been ex-service men?

I am not aware of any instance of the kind, but, if the hon. and gallant Member will send me particulars, I will make inquiries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether when permanent non-pensionable ex-service clerks in the Civil Service in receipt of weekly salaries are appointed to the established clerical classes under the provisions of Clause 5 of the Government memorandum of 12th January, 1925, any reduction is made in their pay; if so, will he say what such actual reductions amount to; whether any representations have been made to him by the various staffs concerned; and, if so, will he state what action the Government intend to take in the matter?

I am not yet able to add anything to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on this subject on 8th April last. The question raised is under discussion with the representative Staff Associations concerned, from one of which I am awaiting a further communication.

When will it suit the hon. Gentleman's convenience for me to repeat the question?

I cannot anticipate the negotiations that are still proceeding, but, when they are completed and I am able to give the information, I will let the hon. and gallant Gentleman know.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that a large proportion of the kindergarten materials used in schools receiving grants from public funds are of foreign make, and that some education authorities specify by name the foreign makers of certain goods to be quoted for; and whether he will inquire into the matter?

I have no information which would support the suggestion in the first part of the question, and I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by an inquiry, as the local education authorities are well aware of the wishes of His Majesty's Government that goods and materials of home production should be purchased as far as practicable. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular recently issued by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, drawing the attention of all local authorities to this matter.

Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to receive evidence as to the foreign origin of the articles which I have mentioned?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what is the opinion of the experts in the infant schools on this matter?

Seeing that the word "kindergarten" is also of foreign origin, will the right hon. Gentleman also exclude that?

asked the President of the Board of Education the rights which would be enjoyed under the reorganisation scheme by a voluntary school which had repaid a grant made for the purpose of reconditioning or enlargement?

The special conditions on which the grant may be made would cease to operate if and when the grant is repaid.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether be proposes to put into the form of a Bill his proposals for dealing with the non-provided schools; and when he proposes to introduce it?

If, as I hope, the proposals summarised in the White Paper prove to be generally acceptable, they would have to be embodied in legislation. I cannot at present make any statement as to the last part of the question.

Will this subject be dealt with separately before the School Attendance Bill is introduced?

It is too early for me to say.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that those proposals are not acceptable to the teachers of the country?

I am aware that the opposite is the case.

Will not a great deal of time be required to put the scheme into operation as regards buildings, and is it not necessary that we should have legislation introduced as soon as possible?

Will precedence be given to this legislation over the School Attendance Bill, or will the School Attendance Bill be introduced first? Which will have preference?

I have already stated that it is too early to make any statement.

Will the passage of thins Bill be dependent on the passage of the School Attendance Bill?

asked the President, of the Board of Education if it is proposed that any grant made by a local education authority under Section 1 of the Summary of Proposals in Command Paper 3551 shall be recognised by the Board for the purposes of their grant; if so, what the percentage paid by the Board will be; and will the prior sanction of the Board to the making of a grant by the local education authority have to be obtained?

It is proposed that any grant made by a local education authority under Section 1 of the Summary of Proposals in Command Paper 3551 should be eligible for grant under the provisions of the Board of Education's current Regulations, and that during the operation of Circular 1404 the rate should be 50 per cent. The Board's prior sanction would not be required to any agreement which may be made by a local education authority with the managers of a non-provided school, but it would be a condition of the Board's grant that the actual proposals for the enlargement, reconstruction or improvement of the school in question should secure their approval in the usual manner.

asked the President of the Board of Education if it is proposed to vary from the present ratio the proportion of managers appointed by the trust and by the local authorities in the case of voluntary schools which receive grants from the local education authorities under Section 1 of the Summary of Proposals in Command Paper 3551?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Education if the managers of a voluntary school will be given any right of appeal, and, if so, to whom, where a local education authority recognise that their voluntary school could, subject to enlargement, reconstruction, or improvement, be efficiently incorporated in a scheme of reorganisation but decline to make a grant towards such enlargement, reconstruction, or improvement, and the managers are themselves unable to find the necessary funds?

No, Sir. The proposal is that the grant should be dependent on a voluntary agreement, and that there should be no compulsion upon either party to enter into such an agreement.

Surely, if later on, owing to change of teachers, for example, there is a dispute between the local education authority and the managers, there is a right of appeal?

That is another question.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the absence of further legislation, orders by the Minister of Health, under Section 46 of the Local Government Act, 1929, may result in the creation of a series of new Part III education authorities; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation in order to obviate such a result, which was not intended when the Act of 1929 was framed?

Yes, Sir. I am aware of the serious difficulties with which county councils will be confronted in carrying out their plans for educational reorganisation, if large numbers of new Part III authorities are created as a result of Orders made under the Local Government Act, 1929. It appears, as the right hon. Gentleman's question suggests, that such a result was never intended when last year's legislation was framed. His Majesty's Government are, therefore, prepared to introduce a short Bill to obviate the creation, by Orders under the Local Government Act, of new authorities for elementary education.

Will the Bill also include provisions whereby existing Part III education authorities below a certain size may be absorbed in the county areas?

I cannot possibly say that.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his Department takes steps to see that agreed syllabuses of religious teaching in provided schools are in conformity with the Cowper-Temple Clause governing such teaching?

The Board do not inspect or otherwise supervise religious instruction, but I have no reason to think that any local authority has adopted for its provided schools a syllabus of religious instruction with includes the teaching of a religious catechism or religious formulary distinctive of any particular denomination.

Is the President of the Board of Education aware that in these provided schools absolute doctrinal points are taught, such as the belief in the Virgin birth and other religious—[Interruption.] Am I not entitled, in a supplementary question, to ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that breaches of the Cowper-Temple Clause are taking place in connection with provided schools?

The hon. Member is entitled to ask a supplementary question in order to elucidate the answer which has been given by the President of the Board of Education, but he is not entitled to ask anything further.

May I ask the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that in certain of these schools doctrinal teaching is being included in the authorised syllabus?

I am not aware of that fact, but, if my hon. Friend has any such information, perhaps he will give it to me.

asked the President of the Board of Education what educational authorities are participating in the campaign to increase the consumption of milk by school children; and what extension of the campaign is in contemplation?

I understand from the National Milk Publicity Council that their milk service scheme in the schools is in operation in 82 areas, with the general approval and encouragement of the local education authorities concerned. A number of other authorities are providing milk meals under their arrangements for the provision of meals. I am anxious to see an increase in the consumption of milk in the schools, and with this end in view, I am keeping in close touch with the National Milk Publicity Council.

In view of the fact that milk is being given to the school children, may I ask what steps are being taken to see that the milk is free from tuberculosis?

I believe very great care is taken by the council in that respect.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in this respect he is doing no more than has been done by the late Government?

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has come to any fresh decision with regard to the percentage grant for transport of school children in rural areas?

No, Sir.

Has the fact been brought to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman that this matter is causing a great deal of anxiety?

asked the President of the Board of Education how many local education authorities have submitted full schemes for changes which will be necessary if the School Attendance Bill is passed by 1931; and how many have refused to submit such schemes until the Bill is passed?

245 authorities have submitted programmes already, of which 201 are complete and 44 are partial or preliminary. Nearly all these programmes make provision for the situation which will result from the raising of the school-leaving age. Three authorities have informed me that they are not prepared to submit programmes until the Education (School Attendance) Bill becomes law.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has received the Report of the Committee who are advising him on the means tests for maintenance grants for school children upon the compulsory raising of the school age?

I have not yet received this Report, but I understand that a draft Report will he considered by the Committee at their meeting to-morrow.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the situation created by bounty-fed competition, it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to denounce such treaties and conventions as forbid the imposition of countervailing duties in this country; and, if so, when that intention will be implemented?

I have been asked to answer this question. The answer to the first part is in the negative; the second part, therefore, does not arise.

Is it the intention of the Government to allow these conditions to continue permanently?

No. We make whatever representations are possible, but my hon. Friend asks me to do an impossible thing. I should have to denounce almost a score of treaties, with disastrous results to British commerce.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the disastrous results to British agriculture?

Are not these restrictions the result of the legislation passed in the last four years?

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider entering into negotiations, for example, with the German Government on this subject, without necessarily denouncing a treaty, but modifying it?

In one of the previous Debates in the House I indicated that, we had made informal representations at Geneva. That, in fact, has already been done.

What was the result of those representations?

I cannot anticipate the result this afternoon, but, they have promised to give the matter most careful consideration. I am hoping that there will be a result.

asked the Prime Minister when the White Paper on Agricultural Policy will be published; whether the White Paper will state in detail the action which it is proposed to take in response to the recommendations received from the Agricultural Conference; and whether a day will be allocated in the immediate future for a discussion of the condition of agriculture?

asked the Minister of Agriculture when the White Paper on the Government's agricultural policy will be available for Members?

I have been asked to reply. A number of proposals are receiving expert examination, and, when the inquiries are complete, a statement will be made. My right hon. Friend cannot anticipate the form which will be adopted, or the material which it will contain. In reply to the last part of the question by the hon. Member for Stone (Sir J. Lamb), I would refer him to the reply which the Prime Minister gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Eye (Mr. Granville) on the 3rd March.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give any intimation at all when it is probable that we shall have any statement from him or from anyone in the Government with regard to this question? Is he not aware that it is now nearly 12 months since promises were made, and nothing whatever has been done for the industry?

Considering that Question No. 47 deals, among other things, with the business of the House, asking whether a day will be allocated in the immediate future for a discussion of the condition of agriculture, is there any reason why the Prime Minister should not have answered it himself?

Having regard to the urgency of this problem, will the right hon. Gentleman exclude the further delay of any reference to a referendum?

Can we have no date at all from the Government when they are going to make a pronouncement upon policy or give an opportunity for discussion? Agriculture has not been mentioned for 12 months in this House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is now in a position to give the House detailed information concerning the Government's agricultural policy?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar question on the 3rd April, to which there is at, present nothing to add.

Can the right hon. Gentleman indicate when I may repeat the question so as to get a reply?

I think that that is a question which the hon. Member must decide for himself.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that this matter is vital to the life of a great many people in this country?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give the estimated loss on the potato crop, per acre, for the year 1929–30?

I regret that this information is not available.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that English potatoes are now being dumped into refuse pits as they are unsaleable owing to the importation of foreign potatoes?

No, I am not aware of that fact.

It is so.

Is no information at all available from the Ministry of Agriculture?

We have a great amount of information. The hon. and gallant Member is referring to last year's potatoes and not to this year's potatoes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the present number of allotments in this country, and their total aggregate as compared with the figures for the last five years?

As the reply consists of a number of figures, I propose, with the permission of the hon. Member, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the acreage of small holdings in the country on which cereals were grown in 1929; and whether in any recorded cases in which such cereals have been grown a profit has been made?

I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.

Is no information available from the Ministry of Agriculture?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps are being taken to renew and extend the drink-more-milk campaign; and what evidences are available of the increased consumption of liquid milk as a result of such propaganda?

There is no special milk advertising campaign in progress in this country at the present time, but the National Milk Publicity Council is continuing its work in the formation of milk clubs in the elementary and secondary schools of this country, which it is estimated has increased the consumption of milk by about 4,000,000 gallons a year.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman's Department taking some co-operative action with the Empire Marketing Board to bring about the success of this campaign?

The Empire Marketing Board, at our suggestion, is now spending a considerable sum of money and assisting in this matter.

Are farmers taking part in the campaign?

So far as farmers are disposed to do so, yes.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have improved their code of by-laws during the previous two years with reference to the sanitary conditions that exist through the hop-picking season; and can he state whether any further improvements have been suggested by his Department to local authorities for the forthcoming season?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on this subject to the hon. Member for Barnstaple (Sir B. Peto) on the 15th April.

Has the Ministry any inspectors who take opportunities of seeing these hop-pickers, and seeing whether any improvement in the conditions can be made?

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that, as a result of the new arrangements for the payment of the Government grant to the North Wales Home Teaching Society for the Blind, the society will receive no Government grant for the period from 1st October, 1929, to 31st March, 1930; and whether, in view of the fact that this will seriously cripple the work of the society, he will give instructions for the customary grant to be made for this period?

In the year ended 31st March last this society received a full year's Exchequer grant and, by the provisions of the scheme made under Section 102 of the Local Government Act, it will receive a full year's contribution from the local authorities during the present and each succeeding financial year. The continuity of the payments to the society is thus preserved, and I am unable to see how the changes effected by the Act will cripple its work.

Is it not a fact that there will be a gap of six months owing to the change over between payment by the Government direct and by the local authorities?