asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that by order of the Spindles Board, set up by the Cotton Spinning Industry Act, 1936, doubling machinery is being offered for sale; and what action he proposes to take, in view of the fact that this action of the Spindles Board is expressly prohibited by sub-section (5) of Section 2 of the said Act?

I have no information as to the transaction to which the hon. Member refers, but I am making inquiries from the Spindles Board.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, with a view to assisting the plum growers of this country and persuading canners to pack plums, the Government will assist them in the Home market by making a 20 per cent. cut in the imports of peaches and apricots, the two nearest competing imported canned fruits?

I have no power to regulate the imports of these fruits.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give any information in regard to the export of canned herring and other fish products to the United States prior to 1914?

Exports of canned herring were not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom prior to the year 1920, but the hon. Member will find such information as is available of the exports and re-exports of fish to the United States during each year 1909 to 1913 on pages 354 to 357 and 545 to 547 of Volume I of the "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom" for 1913.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that miscroscopes are not provided for ships' doctors on merchant ships; and, in view of the recent death of Mrs. T. J. Johnson, caused by the absence of a microscope on the steamship "California," will he consider introducing legislation to make such provision compulsory?

My attention has been called to the death to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers and I am making inquiries in regard to it. The provision of microscopes for ships on long voyages was fully examined in consultation with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, the Ministry of Health and the shipowners some years ago, when it was decided that there was not a sufficient case for making the provision of microscopes compulsory. I am having the question reviewed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many oil tankers landed cargoes in the United Kingdom during the past year, giving the British and foreign vessels, respectively?

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many vessels registered in the United Kingdom are engaged in the oil-tanker trade?

The number of steam and motor oil tankers of 1,000 tons gross and over owned in Great Britain and Ireland, as recorded in the 1937–38 edition of Lloyd's Register Book, is 394.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the charts of his Department suggest that there is an unknown and uncharted danger to ships which pass through the Portland Race in stormy weather; and whether, in view of the evidence given before the inquiry into the loss of the steamer "Stancrest," he will investigate this theory, which has also been raised in connection with the loss of certain vessels in the past?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Moreover, the varying extent and position of the Portland Race are well known and are referred to on Admiralty charts and in the Channel Pilot: in particular, small vessels are warned of the danger of passing through the Race in stormy weather. In the circumstances an investigation such as that suggested appears to be unnecessary.

asked the Secretary for Mines by what authority the Midland Amalgamated District (Selling Agency No. 9), after consultation and negotiation with coal distributors, fixed a standard schedule of road-haulage rates for coal which will be prejudicial to the interests of the transport industry; and, as the latter was not a party to the negotiations, will he take steps to reopen the negotiations at which all parties concerned shall be represented?

I am advised that the general manager of this selling agency has come to an agreement with the coal distributors regarding road haulage rates, in connection with the determination of coal prices. It is open to the representatives of the transport interests to approach the general manager of the selling agency in the matter. As the general manager derives his powers from the Midland (Amalgamated) District (Coal Mines) Scheme, 1930, any person who considers that they have been exercised unfairly may lodge a complaint with the District Committee of Investigation.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the amount and value of hydrocarbon oils produced in the United Kingdom for the years 1933, 1934, 1935, and 1936, respectively?

Available information regarding the quantities of hydrocarbon oils produced in Great Britain from indigenous materials in the years 1934, 1935 and 1936 is given in pages 15 and 16 of my Annual Report for 1936. Comparable statistics for 1933 were not collected. I have no information as to the value of these products.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mr. G. Davidson, of 87, Hutcheon Street, Aberdeen, has had his hospital allowances of £19 4s. forfeited for the reason that on returning to Edenhall Hospital, Musselburgh, from a visit to a firm of limb-fitters he was alleged to be intoxicated, though not guilty of any other improper conduct; that this man lost fully £90 in wages by having to undergo this operation; and whether he will take steps to secure the restoration of this hospital allowance, in the interests of less severe treatment to disabled ex-service men?

I am making inquiries into the circumstances of this case and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as these are completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, with regard to the forthcoming by-election in the Scottish Universities, he will make inquiries as to the procedure adopted in by-elections in other university constituencies; and whether the procedure followed in Scottish Universities' elections, whereby voting papers are received during a succession of days and the counting of the votes takes place during days on which voting papers are being received, will now be changed and the counting of the votes postponed until all the votes have been received by the returning officer or the deputy returning officers?

The procedure to be followed at Parliamentary elections for university constituencies both in Scotland and in England is prescribed by Statute. In each country the poll remains open for a period of days, and the counting of the votes is carried out by the returning officer after it is closed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is able to report the circumstances under which Mr. John Jamieson, of 7, Overton Road, Halfway, Cambuslang, Lanarkshire, was severely injured by an explosion when welding a large petrol tank, in the employ of the Riverside Engineering Company's works in Glasgow; and whether all statutory precautions were being observed at the time of the accident?

I have been asked to reply. I understand that the tank had contained sulphuric acid and it is presumed that sufficient hydrogen was generated from the diluted remains of the acid to form an explosive mixture, which ignited when welding commenced. There does not appear to have been any breach of the Factory Acts, but Section 28 (4) of the new Act of last Session will require further precautions against accidents of this kind.

asked the Home Secretary how many aliens were recommended for deportation in the year ended 31st October, 1936 and 1937, respectively; and in how many instances were the appropriate Orders for deportation made?

During the year ended 31st October, 1936, 203 aliens were recommended for deportation. Deportation orders were made in 150 cases, 14 left the country under their own arrangements, and one—a mental case—is held over because the patient has not yet sufficiently recovered to be removed. In eight of the remaining cases the recommendations were quashed on appeal, in 21 it was decided on merits not to make Orders, in seven it was found impossible to determine the aliens' nationality, in one the person concerned was found to be a British subject, and in the remaining case the alien who had been released on bail pending appeal absconded.During the year ended 31st October, 1937, 169 aliens were recommended for deportation. Deportation Orders were made in 115 cases, 14 left under their own arrangements, and 14 have not yet been decided. In 17 of the remaining cases it was decided on merits not to make Orders and in mine it was found impossible to establish nationality.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider instructing the Prison Commissioners to issue travelling vouchers to discharged prisoners on forms containing no reference to prisons, Prison Commissioners, or numbers, and which will in no way reveal the fact that the holder has been in prison, in order to prevent any possibility of the person using the pass or voucher being handicapped in his efforts to obtain work or being ashamed to use the pass?

The voucher issued to a prisoner on discharge is not carried by him on his journey by rail. It is merely presented by the holder at the booking-office at the station of departure, and an ordinary ticket is issued in exchange for it. There is therefore nothing to show, either on the journey or on arrival, that the passenger is an ex-prisoner. It is necessary for accounting purposes that the voucher itself should show that the fare is to be reclaimed from the Prison Commissioners, but there seems to be no possibility of the prisoner to whom it was issued being thereby handicapped in any way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the reasons for the recent preventive arrests of a number of members of the Revisionist party?

I understand that these persons were arrested because they were suspected of being connected with recent acts of reprisal.

asked the Minister of Health what action is being taken by his Department to meet what the Rolleston Vaccination Committee in their second report in 1930, described as the urgent necessity of trying to find some means of protection against small-pox other than that of the direct introduction of a living virus into the organism?

Experiments were carried out in 1929 and 1930 at the Freedom Research Laboratories of the London Hospital, with financial assistance from my Department, to test what immunity, if any, could be produced by in- activated vaccinia virus. A report was published in the "Journal of Hygiene" for January, 1932. I am advised that, though slight immunity was produced in some cases, the results of the experiments give little assurance that solid immunity can be produced in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the fact that Sir Hercules Robinson, with the approval of Lord Derby, the then Secretary of State for the Colonies, placed it on record that the position of His Majesty's Government in Bechuanaland did not amount to sovereignty, this position still obtains; and, if any change has taken place, under what instrument has it been accomplished?

I understand that the view expressed in the correspondence of 1885 to which the hon. Member refers related to the territory afterwards known as British Bechuanaland; and it was based upon the fact that the territory had not then been annexed. The territory in question was subsequently annexed by a Proclamation of the then High Commissioner dated September, 1885, and is now part of the Cape Province of the Union of South Africa.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, with the object of assisting the poultry industry, he will consider the practicability of making arrangements whereby English wheat may be available to poultry farmers at a reduced price?

As my hon. Friend will be aware, the supply of English wheat available for poultry farmers has greatly increased since the passing of the Wheat Act, 1932. Moreover, the limit of the "anticipated supply" under the Act was increased, by the Agriculture Act of last Session, from 27 to 36 million cwt. On the information before me, I do not think that it would be practicable, for various reasons, to make arrangements of the kind suggested, but if my hon. Friend would wish to state more precisely what he has in mind, perhaps he would communicate further particulars to me.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the number of railway trucks of British or Continental origin which enter or re-enter this country from countries where foot-and-mouth disease exists; the manner of packing the goods in these trucks; and what regulations are enforced on re-entry to ensure rigid inspection of the material in which the goods are packed?

I am informed by the Railway Companies concerned that the number of railway wagons which arrived in this country by the Dover-Dunkirk and Harwich-Zeebrugge train ferries during the month of October last was 1,870 and that the requirements of the Foot - and - Mouth Disease (Packing Materials) Orders, 1925 and 1926, are strictly complied with.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state the number of cars and other mechanically propelled vehicles carried by steamers from Continental countries during the month of October last; whether he is aware of the danger that foot-and-mouth infection may be carried by such vehicles; and what steps are taken to ensure that a thorough inspection is carried out of these cars on their re-entry into this country?

During October last 1,849 mechanically propelled vehicles entered this country from the Continent of Europe by the principal regular routes. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture informs me that he has no information indicating that foot-and-mouth infection may be carried by these vehicles and that no inspection of them, other than that of the Customs Officers, is required.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in the interest of British fishermen, he will consider what steps he can take to have the surplus fish caught salted down and exported, particularly to the West and East Indies, which at present import salted fish chiefly from Holland?

I have no doubt that the salt fish merchants in this country have explored and will continue to ex- plore the possibilities for the economic expansion of the market for their products. As my hon. Friend will be aware, legislation designed to assist the white fish industry is now before the House, and market development is one of the matters relating to the industry which could properly come under the review of the Commission which it is proposed to constitute under the Bill.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state the number of men serving in the Navy whose wives are in receipt of public assistance, owing to the inability of their husbands to maintain them adequately out of Navy pay?

Men who marry before the age at which they become eligible for marriage allowance are

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will give figures showing the number of children in public elementary schools receiving free meals and free milk as a proportion of the total numbers on the register; and whether he will give these figures first in relation to the country as a whole, and then in relation to the counties, the urban districts and boroughs, the county boroughs, and London?

The following table gives the required information. June, 1937, is the latest month not affected by school holidays for which complete figures are available.