asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give the reasons for the reduction of accountant warrant officers in this year's Navy Estimates, observing that six other branches of warrant officers are to be increased; and whether he will state how many of the increase of 67 accountant commissioned officers are to be cadet and reserve entries, respectively, and how many from accountant warrant officers?

I regret that owing to a clerical error certain incorrect figures are shown in the "Analysis of Vote A" on page 12 of the Navy Estimates, 1938. Owing to an oversight, Paymaster Midshipmen of over one year's seniority, who are normally shown amongst subordinate officers, were counted in amongst the commissioned officers. The correct figures should, therefore, be:Commissioned accountant officers—560 not 600.Subordinate accountant officers—131 not 91.If this correction is made, the increase in commissioned accountant officers is from 533 in 1937 to 560 in 1938, which is accounted for by the transfer of 27 Reserve officers who were not provided for in the 1937 Estimates.As regards the apparent reduction in accountant warrant officers from 117 in 1937 to 110 in 1938, I would point out that at the time of the preparation of the 1937 Estimates it was thought that 117 would be borne by 31st March, 1938. It has since been proved that this figure was an over-estimate and will not be reached by the end of the present financial year. At the present time no warrant officers are borne.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the cost per head of the population of Great Britain for this year's Navy Estimates, and the cost per head in Australia, New Zealand, India, South Africa and Canada, respectively, for their contributions?

Based on the latest census returns available, the cost per head of population of the provision made in the Navy Estimates for the current financial year, and that made for naval services in the Estimates of the several Dominions and India, respectively, is as follows:

• Great Britain (including Northern Ireland)—£2 5s. 7d.
• Commonwealth of Australia—10s. 10d.
• New Zealand—9s.
• India—Rupees 0.02.
• Union of South Africa—5.4d.
• Canada—$0.44.

I should add that the provision on which the figure for India is calculated includes a contribution of £100,000 towards the cost of ships in Indian waters, which will be remitted in future years.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange for gas masks to be offered for sale as they are in Germany, so that those members of the public who wish to do so may get accustomed to the wearing of them?

Gas masks for the whole of the civilian population are being manufactured by the Government. It is one of the duties placed upon local authorities by the Air-Raid Precautions Act to arrange for the distribution of the masks, and they will shortly be asked to instruct air raid wardens to visit all households and to give the members an opportunity of trying on the masks. It is not proposed to put these masks on sale to the public.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how much it would cost to supplement current prices received by growers for each of the following agricultural commodities, separately, by sufficient margins to guarantee the following prices: beef 50s. per cwt., mutton 1s. per lb., pigs 14s. 6d. per score, butter 1s. 6d. per lb., eggs 2s. 6d. per dozen, non-malting barley 37s. per quarter, and wheat 50s. per quarter; and if he will state the current prices on which his calculations are based?

The sum required to make up, in respect of the output in England and Wales of each of the commodities to which my hon. Friend refers, the difference between the prices he has suggested and current prices, excluding any subsidies already in force, may on certain broad assumptions be approximately estimated at the figures stated in the table below which includes the prices used.

Commodity.		Sum required to bring up to designated price.		Current Price. (d)
		£ million.
Beef	…	3·2	(a)	44s. 2d. per live cwt.
Mutton	…	1·6	(b)	10½d. per lb. dead weight.
Pigs	…	0·7		14s. 2d. per score dead weight.
Butter	…	0·6		1s. 4½d. per lb.
Eggs	…	14·8	(c)	1s. 2½d. per dozen.
Barley	…	—		49s. 8d. per quarter of 448 lb. (e)
Wheat	…	4·5		35s. 7d. per quarter of 504 lb.
(a) Based on total estimated live weight of home-produced beef in 1936–37 excluding cattle not certifiable for subsidy payments.
(b) Based on total dressed carcase weight of home-produced mutton and lamb in 1936–37 excluding ewe mutton.
(c) Based on total estimated production of hen eggs on agricultural holdings in 1937 excluding eggs used for hatching.
(d) Prices used are those ruling during week ended 2nd March, 1938.
(e) Gazette average price for week ended 5th March, 1938, for home-grown barley of all kinds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will amend the terms of reference of the Commission which is proceeding to the Rhodesias so that it will be possible for them to make an alternative proposal that Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland might co-operate more closely with East African dependencies rather than with territories south of the Zambesi?

The terms of reference of the Commission were settled after the most careful consideration, and it is not practicable to alter or amend them.

asked the Minister of Labour when he expects to receive the Report of the Unemployment Assistance Board?

I am informed by the Board that they hope to present their Report in the early part of June.