asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Principal of the Royal College of Art is a part-time officer; how much time he devotes to the actual duties of the college,; whether his appointment is for a period of two, three, or more years: whether his salary of £1,000 per year is inclusive or exclusive of bonus; and whether he is an English subject by naturalisation?

The present Principal of the Royal College of Art is a part-time officer. He is required to devote the equivalent of three days a week throughout the college session to the work of the college. His appointment is for a period of three years in the first instance. His salary of £1,000 a year is inclusive of bonus. He is a British subject by birth, and not by naturalisation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government still owns a stock of East India tanned kips; and, if so, what is the weight and total value at present market prices and what was the weight and total value at the market prices ruling in May, 1921, all approximate?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The weight of the present stock is approximately 4,400 tons, and the total value at to-day's market prices may be taken to be approximately £5'7O,000. The figures for May, 1921, were 8,350 tons and £1,035,000 respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that storage and other overhead charges are incurred, while the Government's stock of East India tanned kips remain unsold; whether, although small parcels of the kips are being sold, the great bulk of the stock is still unsold and is deteriorating in quality and in value, while storage and overhead charges are mounting up; and will he say whether the Government's policy is to speculate for the rise, and, if not, why the Disposal Board does not offer to sell these kips at slightly below ruling market quotations and thus hasten the liquidation of the Government's holding, stop the loss for storage and overhead charges, relieve the home leather market of fear of being flooded by Government sales at an inopportune moment, and enable Indian tanneries to produce tanned kips for this market at a price which would enable British manufacturers to reopen export trade in cheap leather and cheap boots?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. T am unable to accept the suggestion contained in the second part of the, question. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the remainder of the question, the policy adumbrated therein has been I fully considered and rejected. I am glad to have this opportunity of stating the present position with regard to the disposal of material acquired by the Government during the period of leather control. Over £20,000,000 worth of hides and leather have been disposed of since the Armistice, and the stock of kips remaining, particulars of which have been given in reply to the previous question, forms a very small portion of the total quantity of material remaining surplus at the end of the War. Having regard to the inactive condition of the leather trade during the past year, the disposal of some 4,600 tons of kips and kip leathers without wholly stopping import from India is not regarded as unsatisfactory progress. The prices realised were higher than could have been obtained under any of the tentative offers made for a block deal. My hon. Friend may rest assured that the disposal of this stock has received the most careful consideration, and that all steps have been and will continue to be taken to ensure the most rapid liquidation of the position, having regard to all the conflicting interests involved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the waste and extravagance at the Hollinwood Stationery Office; whether he is aware that instead of sending the stationery out in bulk they are sending it in expensive separate envelopes; and whether he will take steps to see that reasonable economy is practised in this office?

The Hollinwood branch of His Majesty's Stationery Office (near Manchester) was established as a distributing centre for the northern area of

— England. Belgium. Acres. Percentage of total irea under cropi and grass. Acres. Percentage of total area under crops and gross. Permanent grass … 12,698,221 53.9 1,279,255 28.5 Arabic land … 10,343,512 46.1 3,211,341 71.5 Total under crops and grass … 23,541,733 100.0 4,490,596 100.0

England, and its supplies are in the main of a retail rather than a bulk nature. Every economy is practised in the management of the branch, and in the distribution of stationery and printed matter. I am unable to accept the suggestion implied in the first part of the hon. Member's question, but if he will furnish me with particulars of any specific case of waste or extravagance, I shall be happy to investigate it.

asked the Prime j Minister whether listening-in in respect-to telephone conversations is still continued in any official Department or in the office of any Minister of the Crown: and whether the record of any such conversations is kept?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my answers to the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Lyle) on the 4th of this month, and to the Noble Lord the Member for South Battersea (Viscount Curzon) on the 21st March—which both relate to this subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what are the comparative figures for England and Belgium under the following heads, namely, total area, percentage under grass, percentage of arable, head of livestock, i.e., cows, beasts (excluding cows), sheep, and pigs, respectively, per 100 acres of the total area?

The following statement gives the information desired: — Number. Per 100 acres of total acreage under crops and grass. Number. Per 100 acres of total acreage under crops and grass. Milch cows … … … 2,200,351 9.3 735,170 16.4 Other cattle … … … 2,591,956 11.0 752,191 16.8 Sheep … … … 10,614,636 45.1 126,202 2.8 Pigs … … … 2,290,104 9.7 976,643 21.7

The latest data under crops and grass in Belgium relate to 1910 only, and the live-stock figures (1920) are expressed in terms of that area. The English data are all for 1921.

asked the Minister of Agriculture when a Bill will be introduced to re-enact the provisions of Section 10 of the Corn Production Act, 1917, so as to give occupiers of agricultural land powers to keep down rabbits coming from land adjoining their holdings?

This matter is under consideration, but I am unable at present to make any statement as to the introduction of a Bill.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the approach of the May and June shows, he will, in the interests of breeders and exhibitors, take the earliest opportunity of indicating the policy of the Department towards the exhibition of cattle in view of the continued existence of foot-and-mouth disease?

The districts which are subject to restrictions are constantly under review, and already a large part of the country has been entirely freed. I could not authorise the holding of a show in an area which had been recently infected by the disease, but I would be prepared to consider applications in respect of any area in which restrictions are in force, and endeavour to indicate as far as possible the date when the restrictions might be withdrawn.