asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will state the number of persons employed and the quantity of coal produced in each of the districts in Great Britain for each of the years from 1920 to 1937?

As the reply involves a statistical statement too lengthy

—	Under 16 Years.	16 Years and over.	Proportion of persons under 16 years of those 16 Years and over.
			Per cent.
Number of persons employed below-ground	15,904	606,942	2.62
Number of persons killed below-ground	21	760	2.76
Rate per 1,000 persons employed	1.32	1.25	—
Number of persons injured below-ground and disabled for more than three days.	4,454	123,809	3.60
Rate per 1,000 persons employed	280	204	—

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is satisfied that Scottish firms, other than naval shipbuilding companies on the Clyde, are receiving a fair share of rearmament orders?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave him in answer to his question on this subject on 28th November. I may perhaps add that firms in Scotland have the same opportunities for obtaining orders under the rearmament programme as those in other parts of the country.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the number of boys, 14 to 16 years of age, in the mining industry underground; what percentage they are to the rest of the workers underground; the number of accidents fatal and non-fatal, separately, these boys, 14 to 16 years of age, sustained in 1937; and the percentage of these accidents as compared with the percentage of accidents to the rest of the people employed underground?

Following is a comparative statement showing the number of boys under r6 years of age employed below-ground at mines under the Coal Mines Act (except stratified ironstone mines) during 1937 and the number of all other persons employed below-ground together with the numbers killed and injured by accidents in each age group:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the burden borne by the local authorities in Scotland for public assistance has risen from £3,800,000 in 1930–31 to about £7,000,000 in the last financial year; and whether he will consider the initiation of legislation to transfer 50 per cent. of this burden to the National Exchequer?

The figures which the hon. and learned Member gives are the approximate amounts of the gross Poor Law expenditure in Scotland in the years 1930–31 and 1936–37. There fell to be deducted certain receipts which in the latter year included nearly £1,400,000 paid by the State to compensate local authorities for the postponement of the second appointed day under the Unemployment Assistance Act of 1934. The gross expenditure in 1937–38 is estimated at about £5,500,000. The proposal in the last part of the question was put forward by representatives of local authorities whom my right hon. Friend met in Glasgow last Saturday. I am not in a position to make any statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can make a statement with regard to the German herring-gutting machine, claimed to be a substitute for the gutting work of fisherwomen employed in the British herring industry?

I understand that a representative of the Herring Industry Board (who is at present in Germany) has inspected certain herring-gutting machines there but that his investigations are not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can state the present estimated strength in first-line fighting aircraft of France, Italy, Germany, Russia, United States of America, and Great Britain; and the number of bombing machines which these countries possess?

There is, I regret, no official publication which gives the figures asked for by my hon. Friend with regard to France, Italy, Germany, Russia and the United States of America. In these circumstances it would not be in the public interest to give the information asked for in respect of this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that a bacon-curer in Lancashire is allowed by the Bacon Board to retain only one-third of the pigs the local farmers have contracted to supply him; that the other two-thirds are diverted to distant destinations; that he can only operate his factory to one-fifth of its capacity, and is denied information as to the basis on which he is to carry on his business; and will he intervene with the Bacon Board in order to secure better treatment for this and other curers in similar circumstances?

If the hon. Member will supply me with particulars of this case I will have inquiries made of the Bacon Marketing Board and will inform him of the result.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is yet in a position to state when work will be commenced on the establishment of three experimental central slaughter-houses; how long it will be before the results of the working of these centres can be a guide as to future policy; and further, in view of the lack of cold storage and freezing facilities throughout the country, whether he will consider calling a meeting of the refrigeration industry to discuss the question of increasing accommodation to deal with the carcases of animals that would, under any emergency slaughter policy, be thrown on the market in large quantities?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given on the 28th November to the hon. Member of the Forest of Dean (Mr. Price). It will, I think, be apparent from the terms of that reply that no indication can be given, at the present stage, as to the date when work will be commenced on the building of the three experimental slaughter-houses. As regards the second part of the question, until the three central slaughter-houses have begun operations, it would be premature to attempt to estimate what period must elapse before the results of the experiments can be used as a guide to future policy.With regard to the third part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given by the President of the Board of Trade to my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, East (Mr. Temple Morris) on 14th November, to which I have, at present, nothing further to add.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can give the average price of the equivalent of a pint of milk in Great Britain, France, Germany, and the United States of America, and state what part of this price goes to the producer and what part to the distributor?

The following statement gives the average retail price of milk in Great Britain and Northern Ireland at 1st November, 1938, the latest

Country.	Average retail price as quoted.	Average retail price calculated as for an imperial pint.	Date to which price relates.
United Kingdom	—	3.5 pence	1st November, 1938.
France (Paris)	2.00 francs a litre	1.5 pence	October, 1938 (average for month).
Germany (Berlin)	24 Pfennigs a litre (shop price).	2.8 pence	19th October, 1938
United States of America (51 large cities).	11.2 cents a U.S. quart (shop price).	3.3 pence	12th July, 1938 (Provisional figures).
	12.3 cents a U.S. quart (delivery price).		3.6 pence

The price at which milk was sold wholesale under contract in England and Wales during October was 1s. 5d. per gallon, that is, 2.12d. per pint. It is estimated that in 1937 milk producers in Germany and in the Paris area of France received approximately 50 per cent., and in the United States about 40 per cent. of the average retail price.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to make any statement as to the action which it is intended to take to deal with the present low prices obtainable by farmers for barley and sheep, respectively?

I would refer my hon. Friend to recent replies on this subject, and to my statement during the Debate on the Address on the 15th November, to which I have at present nothing to add.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what is the present position of the scheme for providing a senior school at Hadley Salop; and what steps do the Board propose taking to secure the early erection of the school?

The Board have recently been informed that the authority propose date for which this information has been collected by the Ministry of Labour, together with the retail prices of milk in certain cities of France, Germany and the United States of America as given in official publications of the countries concerned, but expressed also in pence per pint, at the most recent date for which such information is available.to defer for the time being further consideration of this case. The authority's programme of reorganisation is a satisfactory one, and in the course of a recent visit to the area I urged them to proceed with it as speedily as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state the amounts spent on grants or scholarships for students at universities and university colleges in the academic year 1936–37 by each of the following local education authorities: Glamorganshire, including Rhondda, Burnley, Pembrokeshire, Blackburn, Sussex West, Derbyshire, Birkenhead, Bradford, and Grimsby?

The amounts spent on grants or scholarships for students at universities and university colleges in the academic year 1936–37 by each of the following local education authorities were as follow:

	Amount.
	£
Glamorganshire (including Rhondda)	10,282
Burnley	660
Pembrokeshire	290
Blackburn	615
Sussex (West)	1,200
Derbyshire	4,832
Birkenhead	418
Bradford	2,733
Grimsby	375

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he will state, separately, the numbers of students who left training colleges and training departments in 1938 in England and in Wales; and, if the figures are available, how many in each case have received appointments in grant-aided schools?

The numbers of students who left training colleges and university training departments respectively in England in 1938 are 4,620 and 1,267; and of these 3,849 from training colleges and 753 from university training departments have been notified to the Board up to 18th November last as having obtained appointments in grant-aided schools

Secondary Schools on the Grant List (excluding Direct Grant Schools).
Local Education Authority.			Number of Pupils on 31st March, 1937.*	Number of special place pupils paying			Total number of Special Place pupils.
				Full Fees.	Partial Fees.†	No Fees.
1			2.	3.	4.	5.	6.
Counties.
London	…	…	33,202	348	1,264	12,273	13,885
Durham	…	…	7,261	453	283	5,074	5,810
Essex	…	…	10,962	646	3,461	3,343	7,450
Kent	…	…	13,413	221	593	3,459	4,273
Middlesex	…	…	21,703	3,695	3,297	10,139	17,131
Surrey	…	…	10,751	224	467	2,061	2,752
County Boroughs.
Bradford	…	…	4,291	227	808	2,879	3,914
Croydon	…	…	912	41	36	204	281
Leeds	…	…	4,924	43	142	1,187	1,372
Sheffield	…	…	4,006	274	258	2,480	3,012
South Shields	…	…	873	56	44	283	383
* Figures for March, 1938, are not yet available.
† The Board are unable to analyse these figures in the precise form asked for in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when it is proposed to start operating the promised air service between London and Lisbon?

In January next, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health whether the St. Marylebone public vaccinator in all cases notifies the parents of children born in Queen Charlotte's

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education, if he will give, for the last convenient date, for London, the county boroughs of Bradford, Croydon, Leeds, Sheffield, and South Shields, and for the counties of Durham, Essex, Kent, Middlesex, and Surrey, respectively, the total number of scholars in secondary schools aided or maintained by rates; the total number of special places in such schools; and the number of special-place pupils paying full fees, three-quarter fees, half fees, quarter fees, and no fees, respectively?

Following is the answer:Maternity Hospital that he intends to visit the hospital on a certain day to offer to vaccinate their children; whether he gives 24 hours' notice of his visit, in accordance with the Vaccination Order; whether he inspects the vaccination wound eight days after the vaccination before giving a certificate of successful vaccination; what charge does he make for these vaccinations; and whether such vaccinations are legal?

I am making inquiries from the local authority and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider amending the Housing Act, 1936, Section so as to permit cottages being repaired if a definite offer is made after a demolition order has been approved by the local authority, provided the local authority is satisfied that the houses will be restored or suitable alternative accommodation offered elsewhere, or whether he will in some other way take steps that will enable public-spirited persons or societies to acquire cottages of interest and architectural merit even if a demolition order has been issued?

I recently requested the Central Housing Advisory Committee to consider this question. They did not recommend any change in the law in view of the necessity for finality, but have made various suggestions for changes in the administrative procedure to ensure that the possibilities of reconditioning are fully explored before a demolition order becomes operative. I hope shortly to issue to local authorities a circular on the subject and I will send a copy of it to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can indicate the British industries for which arrangements for representation at the world's fair in New York have already been made; and whether he will take steps to have personal discussions between his Department and the many industries of Leicester with a view to complete industrial representation at this exhibition?

Representation of industry at the New York World's Fair will be in two separate sections, one of which is commercial and is open to all firms who desire to exhibit their products individually. The other section is official and consists of pavilions erected by Governments participating in the fair. It is obviously not practicable to exhibit every industry of the United Kingdom in the restricted space available in a Government pavilion, the general purpose of which is national prestige and the adequate representation of the United Kingdom industrially, commercially, socially and politically. The guiding principle which has been adopted in regard to industries to be represented in the British pavilion has been to select those industries most interested in trade between the United States and the United Kingdom.As regards the industries of Leicester, the Leicester Chamber of Commerce was consulted by my Department last June and replied expressing its regret that the Chamber's efforts to stimulate interest among local firms in the fair had met with scarcely any success.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is considering any works of extension or development in the city of Liverpool during the next five years; and, if so, whether he will consider expediting the preparation of his schemes so that the work may be brought forward, thereby giving early practical assistance in reducing the unemployment in the city?

A scheme is in progress for converting all telephone exchanges within a seven-mile circle of Liverpool to automatic working as rapidly as possible, and it is not possible to expedite further the carefully arranged programme for erection of buildings and manufacture and instalment of equipment. Nor are there, I regret to say, any postal schemes which can be expedited.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the increased difficulties of the West Indian sugar industry following the recent increases in wages and the absence of any rise in the world price of sugar, he will now examine the question as to the adequacy or otherwise of the present rates of special supplementary preference granted in respect of colonial sugar with a view to assisting the West Indian sugar industry by an improvement in that preference scheme?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my written replies of 21st November to my hon. Friend, the Member for Blackburn (Sir W. Smiles).

asked the Postmaster-General when he anticipates being able to make available a television-broadcast service in the Midlands?

The question of extending the television service to areas outside the range of the London station has been considered by the Television Advisory Committee who have decided that further research is necessary on certain aspects of the problem. This research is still in progress, and until it is completed, the Committee will not be in a position to make any recommendation in the matter.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has completed his enquiries into the question of underemployment amongst the cotton weavers of Lancashire; and whether any changes are contemplated by him in the Unemployment Insurance Acts to deal with this matter?

I am aware of the position to which the hon. Member refers. I have, as I promised, looked into the matter again but I am afraid it has not been possible to find any appropriate method of doing what the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Labour what additional employment for men and women, respectively, he anticipates will be available at Christmas time at the post offices covered by the Greenock Employment Exchange; and if there is any other, and, if so, what, additional employment then in prospect in that area?

The Post Office requirements for men have not yet been notified to the Employment Exchange. Last year 162 men were engaged as porters and sorters and it is anticipated that similar opportunities for employment will arise this year. No other additional Christmas seasonal work was available last year, and it is not anticipated that there will be any change in the position this year. No women were engaged for seasonal Post Office work last year, but a number of women were employed as shop assistants and hotel domestic workers during the Christmas period. It is anticipated that somewhat similar opportunities may occur this year.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the estimated number of insured persons employed in the aircraft industry in July, 1938; and whether he will consider providing separate figures for the aircraft industry apart from the motor manufacturing industry in the unemployment returns given in the Ministry of Labour Gazette each month?

It has not been found practicable to distinguish the aircraft industry separately in the statistics of employment and unemployment among persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts compiled by my Department, and I therefore regret that the information desired is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the average each week in each month in 1938 of unemployed workers resident in Cullingworth who have signed the insurance register at Howarth and how many, resident in Wilsden, who have signed at Bingley?

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether his Department is contemplating any works of extension or development in the Liverpool area during the next five years; and, if so, whether he will consider expediting the preparation of his schemes so that the work may be brought forward, thus giving early practical assistance in reducing the number of unemployed in Liverpool and district?

I have in contemplation during the next five years a number of building works in the Liverpool area and elsewhere designed to meet the requirements of the various Government Departments. I do not consider, however, that I should be justified in accelerating the rate of progress of civil building works pending the completion of the defence works programme.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the recent improvements which he has effected in the pay of Army officers and the beneficial results which this has had, he will now consider the anomaly which exists with regard to the pensions of retired Army officers; and whether he will investigate the matter with a view to improving their positions?

The new conditions recently introduced do, in fact, include revised scales of gratuity and retired pay for combatant officers retiring on, or after, 1st August, 1938, the date on which the scheme came into effect. Unfortunately, in instituting a new set of conditions, those who have not been subject to these new conditions cannot receive the benefits, and this is the general position under any reform.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has given his approval to the new and improved victualling scales for seamen, which have been drawn up after negotiations between shipowners and representatives of the National Union of Seamen?

These important proposals are at present being examined by the Board of Trade in consultation with the Ministry of Health.

asked the Secretary of State for War what proportion of the total armament orders placed by his Department during the past two years were given to Scottish firms; and whether any effort is made by the War Office to secure that Scotland receives a fair share of all such orders?

An informative answer to the question is not practicable because many Scottish firms operate from London addresses and reference to each individual contract would be necessary in order to ascertain the precise local effect of any given contract at any given time. The vast amount of clerical labour involved would be disproportionate to the value of the information obtained, which would relate only to a fluctuating position. I can, however, assure my hon. Friend that Scottish firms have received equal consideration with all others in the past, and will continue to do so in future.

asked the Prime Minister whether His Majesty's Government will enter into a consultation and exchange of views on the international situation with the Government of Soviet Russia, on the model of the recent Anglo-French conversations?

As the hon. Member will be aware, His Majesty's Government and the French Government stand in a special relationship towards each other, which rendered desirable the recent conversations in Paris. While the same procedure would not be suitable in every case, His Majesty's Government are always ready, in the appropriate manner and at the appropriate time, to consult with other Governments and to exchange views on matters of common concern.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that bands of Polish irregulars are being equipped and sent into Carpathian Ruthenia, that frontier guards of that territory have been attacked, and that His Majesty's Government is under moral obligation to treat the guarantee to the frontiers of Czechoslovakia as being now in force, he is making representations in Warsaw to remind the Polish Government of their obligations?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's reply to the hon. Member for South-West Bethnal Green (Sir P. Harris) on 28th November, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will issue as a White Paper the provisions covering the right of opting for citizenship in Germany and Czechoslovakia, respectively; and the declaration of the two Governments on the mutual protection of minorities?

His Majesty's Government were not a party to either of these agreements between the German and Czech Governments. Under the circumstances I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House, instead of publishing them in a White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any conditions are attaching to the grant of £10,000,000 made to the Czechoslovakian Government whereby goods must be purchased in this country or whether Czechoslovakia is free to purchase her requirements in Germany?

His Majesty's Government have received an assurance that, in so far as the advance is used to purchase goods abroad, preferential consideration will be given to United Kingdom firms.

asked the Prime Minister whether steps have been taken to carry out the recommendations of the High Commissioner on refugees coming from Germany that there should be full cooperation between the inter-Governmental committee and the existing refugee services of the League of Nations, and full use made of the studies of migration made by the International Labour Office?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the increasing number of ex-service men in the Civil Service who are approaching the age of retirement but will have no pensions on retirement; and whether, with a view to preventing hardship and distress, the rule requiring retirement at the age of 65 years can be relaxed in respect of this class?

The general position is that the Head of a Department may call upon an officer serving in his Department to retire at any time after reaching the age of 60; retirement is compulsory on reaching the age of 65. Experience has shown that it would not be in the interests of the Service to depart from this arrangement and I regret therefore that I am unable to agree to the modification suggested.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will introduce legislation to enable the trustees of the Sir John Soane Museum to open it to the public on the same days as the Victoria and Albert and British Museums are available to the public and without verbal or written application?

Sir John Soane's Museum is a private foundation and the Government are not prepared to ask Parliament to intervene in its management.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is promoting himself, or assisting the Liverpool City Council or the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board in promoting, any works of improvement, extension or development in the next five years; and, if so, will he consider expediting the preparation and his approval of the schemes so as to bring the work forward, thereby giving practical early assistance in reducing the unemployment in the city?

I am not promoting or assisting the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board to promote any works in Liverpool, but under the city council's road programme I have approved in principle, for grants from the Road Fund, road and bridge schemes estimated to cost £400,000. I understand that the city council have under consideration further road and bridge schemes estimated to cost £1,350,000. I am prepared to give immediate consideration to all these schemes as soon as detailed plans and estimates are submitted by the council.

asked the Minister of Transport whether in connection with the recent representations which he has received from representatives of the four main-line groups with regard to the present railway position he has given consideration to the views of the light and other minor railway companies; and whether he will give an assurance that in taking any action in this matter or in setting up any inquiry he will have due regard to the interests of such companies?

I can assure my hon. Friend that in connection with any action that I may take arising out of the representations to which he refers the interests of the non-amalgamated railway companies will not be overlooked.

—	Number of licence holders.		Number of motor vehicles authorised and in possession.
	1938.	1937.	1938.	1937.
"A" licences (including Contract licences).	26,966	27,017	93,216	91,101
"B" licences	34,120	34,061	54,906	53,775
"C" licences	178,298	186,481	365,025	362,380
	239,384	247,559	513,147	507,256

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state the number of A, B and C licence holders and the number of vehicles authorised under each class of licence at the latest convenient date and at the corresponding period in the previous year?

The position at the 30th June, 1938, was: