asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is now in a position to give any further information as to the date, nature, and personnel of the proposed inquiry by the Council of the League of Nations into the administration of the Saar basin, for which this country is responsible as a member of the League of Nations?

The inquiry has taken place, and a general statement of the results has already appeared in the newspapers.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can say what are the internal and external debts of Rumania, Yugo-Slavia, Czechoslovakia, Greece, Bulgaria, Turkey, Italy, and France; the amounts in each case owing to this country; and whether, in the trading interests of this country, he will agree to cancel the amounts due to us?

I am unable to give the hon. Gentleman exact figures asked for in the first part of his question. In answer to the second part I would refer him to the reply made by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Derby (Mr. C. Roberts) on the 19th June. The third part raises a question of policy which is hardly suitable for discussion by means of question and answer.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that in all cases of aliens entering the United States a head tax of eight dollars has to be paid, and that the total sum accruing to the United States under that tax last year from immigrants from the United Kingdom was approximately 618,736 dollars, he will, as a means of raising revenue, consider the question whether all Americans coming to England could be charged a similar tax on landing in this country?

As stated by the Prime Minister on the 15th February, His Majesty's Government are not prepared to discriminate against citizens of the United States. I should explain that the head tax is refunded in the case of persons remaining a short time only in the United States.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the hiatus occurring between boys leaving the primary schools at the age of 14 years and their subsequent enlistment in the Royal Navy, he is prepared to consider a scheme whereby it may be possible for a boy to be recruited on leaving school without, as at present, interrupting the course of his education?

The question of the age of entry of boys in the Royal Navy has recently been under consideration. It is regretted that any lowering of the minimum age for entry would be impracticable, if only on account of the expense involved.

asked the Minister of Labour why 20 London men were sent to Durham to train in the vehicle trade while there were 200 empty places in the Government factory in Camden Town; and what is the additional cost in maintenance and travelling involved in sending these men so far away from their homes?

The men were sent to Birtley, near Newcastle, because there were then no vacancies in London for training coach painters. They would have had to wait six months for vacancies in London, and it was obviously in their interest to start training at once. There was some additional cost in maintenance allowances; the amount cannot be stated without inquiry into each man's home circumstances. The cost of tickets to and from Birtley was more than offset by the saving of daily travelling expenses in London.

asked the Home Secretary if he will inquire into the case of Joseph Anderson Gore, of 15, Lambert Avenue, Mortlake, an ex-soldier, who passed the test and examination to be an omnibus conductor but has been waiting for his licence from Scotland Yard for seven weeks and, after repeated applications, is told that his Army records have not been received at Scotland Yard; and will he take steps to accelerate the issue of a licence to this man, who in the meantime is forced to take unemployment pay?

A licence was issued to Gore on 29th June. Gore was in receipt of unemployment pay for a considerable period before he applied for a licence.

asked the President of the Board of Education on what grounds the Board refuse to recognise for grant purposes the service of teachers with the Crown forces after January, 1919; how the Board proposes to treat such service for superannuation purposes; and whether the Board's ruling applies to those teachers engaged in educational work in the Army after the Armistice?

With regard to the first part of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to paragraph 4 ( b ) of Circular 1227, a copy of which I am sending him. There is no general rule excluding service with the Forces of the Crown after January, 1919, in the calculation of salary. The Board are unable, however, under the terms of the Circular, to recognise for this purpose service for which a teacher volunteered after the Armistice. So far as superannuation is concerned, the matter is governed by Section 15 (1) ( f ) of the School Teachers (Superannuation) Act, 1918, and Rule 19 (1) of the Rules made thereunder. The fact of service being rendered before or after the date of the Armistice is not relevant so long as it was rendered before the statutory termination of the late War. These principles are of general application.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his Department has had under consideration the necessity for the more extensive use of mechanical contrivances for the prevention of accidents through the breaking of ropes to which pit cages are attached; whether in that respect the attention of his Department has been directed to the safety grip for mine cages invented by Mr. E. R. Evans, Nythfa, 19, Wood Street, Bargoed: and, if this be deemed satisfactory, whether his inspectors will bring it to the notice of those responsible for the safety of miners in their employ?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Doncaster (Mr. Paling) on 26th March. The invention referred to has been considered by my technical advisers, but, as the inventor was informed in April last, it is not one in respect of which I can usefully take any action.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the desirability, while observing the principle that awards of Civil List pensions are only made in cases when financial need is combined with personal merit or public service, of sparing those who receive them the formal and public announcement that the pension is not granted entirely in consequence of personal merit or public service but also because of their financial circumstances?

I am in general agreement with this proposal and, before receiving the right hon. and learned Member's question, I had already arranged that, without any alteration of the system under which awards are made, or of the wording of the Royal Warrant, the form of the annual Return to Parliament should be altered for the future in the direction suggested, so that recipients may be spared the public announcement of pecuniary need in their individual cases.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that unemployment seems likely to continue to be serious throughout next winter, the fourth winter in succession of trade depression, he can now say what progress has been made with the preparation of further schemes of work of public utility as a better expedient than money relief for persons out of employment; whether the local municipal authorities have been invited, since the last invitation in 1922, to send up new work schemes in the financing of which the Government is prepared to assist; and what progress has already been made and is likely to be made in the near future with the several electrification schemes contemplated by the railway companies?

The arrangements made by the late Government for the grant of financial assistance to works for the relief of unemployment have been continued and expanded by the present Government. A circular was sent in May last by the Unemployment Grants Committee to local authorities, inviting them to submit proposals for schemes for next winter. A further circular on the subject has now been issued, and I am sending my right hon. Friend a copy of both circulars. Electrification schemes are in progress on the suburban lines of the Southern Railway; extensions and improvements are being carried out on the London Electric and City and South London lines; further powers for considerable extensions of the underground companies' lines are being sought by Bills of the present Session; and other railway companies are understood to be considering the question of electrification, especially in relation to the suburban areas served by them.

asked the Minister of Health whether any instructions have been issued by his Department to boards of guardians regarding the prosecution of persons refusing employment and in receipt of Poor Law relief; and, if so, will he state the nature of these instructions, the number of prosecutions that have taken place, and the terms of imprisonment imposed?

No such instructions have been issued by my Department, and the second part of the question accordingly does not arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether he will urge the railway companies of Great Britain to expedite electrification schemes and the construction of new rolling stock so as to provide employment during the coming winter?

I have recently called the attention of the railway companies to the fact that unemployment is likely again to be serious in the coming winter. They will no doubt take this state of affairs into consideration in determining upon the schemes of electrification or other new works with which they may be in a position to proceed at an early date.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. Marsh, 20d 4h, Dudley Port, Tipton, has had his unemployment benefit disallowed; that Marsh's employers reduced the wages of certain employés in an arbitrary manner; that he presented himself for employment as usual, and that the employer or his representative told him he was dismissed; and will he hold an inquiry into the case, with a view to Marsh's benefit being renewed?

I find that Mr. Marsh's claim to unemployment benefit has been disallowed by the insurance officer, and that Mr. Marsh has appealed to the Court of Referees, who are hearing the appeal to-day. I will inform the hon. Member of the result.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of cases referred by the Darlaston Labour Exchange to the Court of Referees during 1922, and for the first six months of the present year; the number of appeals allowed; the number disallowed; and the number, if any, cancelled by the insurance officer, despite the verdict of the Court?

I am having these particulars taken out, and will send them to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that when unemployment benefit has been allowed by the Court of Referees, the insurance officer can and does cancel the decision of the Court; and will he state the authority for such action?

No, Sir. I am not aware of any such case. Under the ex- press provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Acts, the Court of Referees can compel the Insurance Officer either to accept its recommendations or refer it to the Umpire by requesting him to refer the recommendation to the Umpire if he disagrees with it, and in practice the Court almost invariably takes this course.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal of unemployment benefit to Mr. F. Swallow, of 6, Steele Road, West Ham, on the grounds that he is a single man residing with relatives, to whom he should reasonably look for support and, as the father is a general labourer with low wages and a growing family to support, will he consider the grounds of the assumption that, in this case, the father could reasonably be expected to maintain this lad?

I am having inquiries made into this case, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage of British workers unemployed in the iron and steel trades during the first six months of this year?

The percentages of unemployment among insured work-people in the iron and steel trades of Great Britain at the end of each of the last six months for which figures are available are as follow: December, 1922 24.3 January, 1923 22.1 February 1923 18.6 March 1923 16.7 April 1923 16.8 May 1923 16.3

asked the Minister of Labour what retail prices for the purpose of the compilation of his cost-of-living index are taken in respect to Argentine chilled beef and frozen beef to-day; and what were the retail prices taken in respect of these two commodities in 1919 and 1920?

It is not possible to give separate figures for Argentine beef, as distinct from imported beef generally, but the average retail prices on 1st June, 1923—the latest date available—of the descriptions of chilled or frozen beef (of whatever origin) included in the calculation of the cost-of-living index number were 10¼d. per lb. for fore ribs and 5¾d. for thin flank. The corresponding figures for the beginning of June, 1919, were 1s. 4d and 10¾d., and for June, 1920, 1s. 3¾d. and 9¾d. respectively. These figures were published in the Ministry of Labour "Gazette" each month in the usual way. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the "Gazette" containing the figures for June last.

asked the Minister of Health whether certain boroughs and urban districts sent notifications of their small-pox cases to the Local Government Board from the year 1891; and, if so, will he state for each year from 1891 to 1922 the total number of cases of small-pox notified and the percentage of births vaccinated for each of those years?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, except that no particulars of notifications of small-pox are available for the year 1891. The following Table gives (I) the total number of cases notified in certain large towns in each of the years 1892 to 1910, with the total population of those towns: (II) the total number of cases occurring in the whole of England and Wales in each of the years 1911 to 1922; and (III) the percentage of births to vaccinations in England and Wales in each of the years 1892 to 1921. The vaccination figures for 1922 are not yet available and no separate statistics as to vaccination can be given for the areas to which Part I of the Tables relates.

I.—Number of cases of Small-pox notified in each of the years 1892 to 1910, inclusive, in certain large towns (including London), with the total population of such towns.

Year. No. of cases of Small-pox. Population. 1892 1,999 11,833,279 1893 10,438 11,894,990 1894 6,319 12,312,200 1895 1,949 12,257,700 1896 2,713 12,369,163 1897 195 13,095,255 1898 1,561 13,128,484 1899 931 13,128,484 1900 486 13,244,357 1901 1,980 15,555,319 1902 13,923 18,697,791 1903 7,383 18,781,337 1904 5,766 19,845,072 1905 2,338 20,333,508 1906 1,020 20,653,699 1907 127 21,050,550 1908 22 22,189,310 1909 87 20,029,880 1910 108 21,662,652

II.—Number of cases of small-pox occurring in England and Wales in each of the years 1911 to 1922 (Inclusive).

Year. No. of cases of Small-pox. 1911 289 1912 121 1913 113 1914 65 1915 93 1916 159 1917 7 1918 63 1919 311 1920 280 1921 336 1922 973

Unvaccinated. Vaccinated in Infancy. Vaccinated later. Revaccinated. Stated to have been vaccinated but showing no cicatrix of vaccination. After Infancy and before exposure to infection. After exposure to infection. 188 31* 1 3 2 2 * Including 2 suspected cases.

asked the Minister of Health whether the organism of vaccinia has yet been isolated; and, if not, what guarantee can be given that it is present in any given sample of calf lymph issued by his Department for public vaccination purposes?

III.—Percentage of vaccinations to births in each of the years 1892–1921 (inclusive).

Year. Percentage. 1892 74.5 1893 72.3 1894 70.4 1895 67.8 1896 66.0 1897 62.4 1898 61.0 1899 66.4 1900 68.7 1901 71.4 1902 74.8 1903 75.4 1904 75.3 1905 75.8 1906 73.4 1907 70.9 1908 63.2 1909 59.8 1910 55.9 1911 52.3 1912 50.1 1913 46.5 1914 44.6 1915 45.5 1916 44.7 1917 43.3 1918 41.5 1919 40.6 1920 39.5 1921 38.3

The figures for 1922 are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health how many of the 409 persons noted as suffering from small-pox for the four weeks ended 30th June were vaccinated at birth and/or were vaccinated at a later period?

Information as to the vaccinal condition of these persons is at present available in only 227 of the cases. This information is given in the following statement, but the particulars are subject to revision in the light of further information which may subsequently be received:—

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, I am advised that the efficacy of the lymph issued from the Government lymph establishment is adjudged by the usual laboratory tests for purity and its effect as reported by public vaccinators. I may add that the Government lymph used during 1922 for 284,000 cases of primary vaccination gave a percentage success of 994.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give information showing that as the percentage of exemptions from vaccination increased the cases of small-pox also increased, and dealing with each year for which the figures are available, namely, 1912 to 1921?

The following table gives the information desired by the hon. Member for each of the years 1912 to 1921: Year. Percentages of Exemptions to Births. Cases of Small-pox. 1912 32.1 121 1913 35.2 113 1914 36.5 65 1915 35.8 93 1916 38.0 159 1917 37.9 7 1918 37.5 63 1919 40.1 311 1920 43.4 280 1921 45.0 336

asked the Minister of Health whether the glycerinated calf lymph, manufactured by the Government, is tested on a certain number of children before being issued to the public vaccinators, with a view to ascertaining whether it is satisfactory; and, if so, whether the consent of the parents of the children is obtained before these experimental vaccinations are carried out?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of small-pox have been notified this year; how many deaths have occurred from small-pox this year: and is he satisfied that all cases notified as small-pox are small-pox or have any cases so notified been found to be chickenpox?

The number of cases of small-pox notified this year up to the 30th June, is 1,225. No deaths had been registered up to the end of last week as due to small-pox, but I under- stand that a fatal case occurred at Gloucester in an unvaccinated child on the 8th instant. As regards the last part of the question, I am advised that, in small-pox as in other infectious diseases, errors in the initial diagnosis have occurred in some cases, but the notification returns are corrected from time to time by the omission of those cases which, after notification, have been found to be cases of chicken-pox, and the addition of cases originally diagnosed as chicken-pox, but subsequently found to be cases of small-pox.

asked the Minister of Health if he will supply particulars of the cases of small-pox and deaths from that disease in the City of Mexico during each of the last 10 years for which the figures are available?

I have no information as to the number of cases of small-pox in Mexico City. The following are the particulars available in my Department of the number of deaths from that disease in the city during each of the years 1913–1922: 1913 326 1914 259 1915 (No figures available) 1916 246 (10 months) 1917 479 1918 140 1919 12 1920 40 1921 429 1922 404 (10 months)

asked the Minister of Health by what authority the London County Council, through their Asylum Regulations, have interfered with the right guaranteed to a petitioner by Section 72 of the Lunacy Act, 1890, to direct the discharge or transfer of a private patient from a pauper asylum by exacting four weeks' payment if the patient is taken away, whereas in institutions for rich patients the provisions of Section 72 are punctiliously carried out and the patient is allowed to leave at once on the legal direction given by his petitioners; and will he see that this practice is stopped?

Inquiry is being made by the Board of Control and I will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health if he proposes to introduce legislation to enable the staffs of insurance committees to be included in the Local Government Officers' Superannuation Act, 1922?

This question was carefully considered when the Bill was under discussion last year, and I am not prepared to introduce further legislation for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that in the 19 workhouses in Yorkshire and elsewhere, where the casual wards are closed, mid-day meals have in fact been given to all the destitute wayfarers who, had the casual wards been open to them, would have been entitled to such meals under the Casual Paupers Order, Article 8, he will make an Order that all the masters of workhouses where the casual wards are closed shall make such provision, and shall make a note (corresponding to that in Regulation No. 4 in Schedule C of the said Order) of the reasons why in any particular case they do not provide for a mid-day meal?

I have no reason to suppose that the facts are not as stated in the question. The casual ward Regulations are at present under revision, and I will consider whether any alteration is required to make the position more clear.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons who died in England and Wales, during the years 1921–22, from tuberculosis?

The number of deaths from tuberculosis in England and Wales during the year 1921 was 42,678, and during the year 1922, 42,777.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mr. John Williams, 14, Cyfing Road, Ystalyfera, has been ill since 6th March last; that the Welsh Board of Health has declined payment on the ground that his card is missing; that the card was sent in the usual way and time to the National Amalgamated Approved Society, who deny having received it; that the colliery company have given a certificate to prove that he was in their employ during the qualifying period and that he had paid his full contributions; and will he inquire into the matter and give instructions for the payment to be made?

I am having inquiries made into the case, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health if he can see his way clear to framing Regulations whereby a friendly society or group of societies may form medical aid departmeents for the purpose of supplying medicines and surgical appliances to their members?

The object which the hon. Member has in view cannot be secured without amending legislation, which would be of a controversial character, and which I do not see my way to introduce. I have no power to deal with the matter by way of Regulations.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the lack of clean and well-ventilated milk vans on certain railway lines noted in paragraphs 42 and 43 of the interim Report on milk issued by the Departmental Committee on the Distribution and Prices of Agricultural Produce; and whether his Department proposes to take any action in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I propose to ask my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport to bring the recommendations of the Departmental Committee to the notice of the railway companies.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that, notwithstanding the great dearth of houses suitable for the occupation of sailors and soldiers in Donaghadee, County Down, five houses are at present vacant in that town formerly occupied by coastguards; and whether, seeing that repeated offers have been made by ex-service men for occupancy, he will consider the advisability of handing over this property to the Donaghadee urban authority for the purpose of providing houses for such ex-service men in accordance with the provisions of the Sailors' and Soldiers' Housing (Ireland) Act?

I understand that there are five houses available for letting at Donaghadee, for which four applications have been received, one only being from a local resident. I am unable to consider the handing over of this property to the local authority, but applications from ex-coastguard men and members of life-saving crews may be sent to my Department.

asked the Minister of Health if any record of the hours occupied in the erection of the various types of houses under the Housing Act, 1919, exists; if so, what the minimum and maximum number in respect of similar houses are, giving in each case the dates of completion of the houses to which the hours refer; and what is the average number of hours worked in respect of such houses at the present day?

Complete records of the numbers of hours occupied in the erection of houses are not available. The general tendency is, however, indicated in the following figures obtained from an analysis of the figures for four schemes for which continuous records were kept over a long period. In these schemes the highest recorded average figure was 4,664 hours per house in respect of houses completed in the quarter ending December, 1921, while the lowest comparable figure was 2,711 hours per house for houses completed in the quarter ending March, 1923. The reduction in hours during this period was continuous and fairly regular.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, when calculating the deficiency as between rents obtained for houses erected under housing schemes and economic rent, what percentages are allowed, respectively, for interest, sinking fund, repairs, management, and losses?

In ascertaining the deficiency under assisted housing schemes, the actual interest and sinking fund charges incurred by the local authority with the approval of the Minister are allowed. As far as regards repairs, management and losses, the percentages are as follow: Per cent. of rent. Repairs 15 Management 5 Losses (if any) 5

asked the Minister of Health what are the average contract prices at the present date for non-parlour and parlour houses, exclusive of lands, roads and sewers?

Complete information as to contract prices at the present date is not yet available as local authorities are not now required to obtain prior approval to tender prices. Such tenders as have been submitted to me in the months of May and June have ranged from £277 to £400 for non-parlour houses and from £329 10s. to £444 for parlour houses.

asked the Minister of Health what is the latest date available as to the percentage to the total cost of the bricklayers', carpenters' and joiners', slaters', plasterers' and plumbers' work, respectively, on the non-parlour and also in the parlour type of house?

For the last 12 months contracts have usually been let at lump sum prices without quantities and without allowance for fluctuations in rates of labour or prices of materials. No recent data are accordingly available for arriving at any reliable average percentages of the cost of the whole work represented by the various trades named. The percentages vary considerably according to the design of the individual house, the locality and the period and general conclusions cannot be drawn from individual examples. An estimate made in the summer of 1921 from a number of examples gave the following average figures for the percentages of the total cost: Per cent. Excavator, concretor, etc. 7 Bricklayer, etc. 35 Carpenter and joiner 22 Slater and tiler 8 Plasterer 9 Plumber and glazier 12 Painter 4 Sundries 3 100

asked the Minister of Health if any records exist based on the super foot of floor area, giving the cost per super foot of various types of houses erected under the Housing Act of 1919; and, if so, what were the minimum and maximum rates per super foot, giving in each case the dates at which the rates were calculated and saying what is the average rate per super foot to-day?

The highest monthly averages of cost per square foot were as follow: s. d. Non parlour type for September, 1920 20 8¾ Parlour type for October, 1920 19 3 Individual figures did not exceed 22s. per square foot save in a few very exceptional cases. During the last six months tenders at or about 7s. per square foot for both types of houses have been approved and these may be taken as representing the lowest figures reached. Returns of tenders accepted by local authorities under the new scheme are not yet available, but such tenders as have been referred to the Ministry do not indicate any general departure from the figures of the last six months.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that since the publication of the Government housing proposals the prices of good sound building timber, iron and steel bars, glass, white-lead paint, red-lead paint, and other essential building materials have been considerably raised; and whether any means are being adopted to protect builders from these prices?

The fluctuations in prices of materials from April to June of this year will be seen in the Schedule attached to the first interim Report by the Committee on the Cost of Building Materials, a copy of which I will send to my hon. Friend. For the most part prices have remained constant. Fluctuations have, however, occurred in different areas and in certain materials, but have included reductions as well as increases in price.

asked the Minister of Health how many local housing authorities in the administrative county of Surrey have submitted schemes to him under the Housing Bill now before Parliament; the names of such authorities; the number of houses contemplated by each authority; giving separately the houses to be erected by public enterprise, and the cases in which he has sanctioned these proposals?

Schemes have been submitted under the new Housing Bill by Guildford Town Council and Caterham Urban District Council for the erection of 110 houses and 20 houses respectively by the local authorities, and by Maldens and Coombe Urban District Council for the erection of 302 houses by private enterprise. The scheme proposed by Caterham has been approved. The others are under consideration, and a decision will be given shortly.

asked the Minister of Health if the Return obtained by his Department in March last of the number of houses of less than £35 annual value which had been completed between 30th September and 31st March, and of the number of houses of five rooms or less under construction on the latter date related to the whole of England and Wales; if not, to what parts of England and Wales it related; what was the total number of houses included in each part of the Return; how many of the houses were erected, or in course of erection, for sale; and how many for letting?

The Return referred to covered all local authorities in the Metropolitan Police District and urban authorities in the rest of the country, and information was supplied by 1,067 of the 1,130 authorities. I will furnish the hon. Member with a summary of the information obtained, but particulars are not available of the number of these houses which were for sale and for letting.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses erected in Wednesbury, Tipton and Darlaston, respectively, since 1918; the number now in course of erection; and the number which will finally be completed under the schemes already sanctioned?

The total number of houses erected in the areas of the local authorities referred to under the State-assisted schemes outhorised by the Housing Act of 1919 was as follow: Wednesbury Borough 365 Tripton Urban District 125 Darlaston Urban District 144 All these houses have been completed. In addition, the Tipton Urban District Council have been authorised to proceed with 20 houses under the new Housing Bill. Information as to the total number of houses erected in these areas by private enterprise without State assistance is not available.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the inefficiency of the Grosvenor Telephone Exchange; that on Sundays it often takes several minutes before one can get a reply from the operator; that last Monday evening a period of seven minutes elapsed before communication could be established to the House of Commons; and will he explain the reason of these delays and make such arrangements for the future that will obviate these inconveniences to the public?

Recent records show that the service given by the Grosvenor Exchange compares well with the general average for other London Exchanges, and that 95 per cent. of the calls are answered by the telephonists within 10 seconds. Separate figures are not, however, available for Sundays, but complaints are few in respect of the Sunday service at the Grosvenor Exchange. Notice has been taken of the delay on the call made to the House of Commons on Monday last, and the service over the circuit concerned is being kept under special observation for a time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give particulars as to the loan of £5,000,000 under the Kenya Specific Loan Ordinance; how much of it has been expended; how much ear-marked for future expenditure up to date; and to what purpose that expenditure has been put and is intended to be put?

The allocation of the £5,000,000 loan, as revised under the power given in Section 3 of the Ordinance, stands as follows: £ (1) Kilindini Harbour Works 1,140,000 (2) Uasin Gishu Railway 1,224,000 (3) Repayment to the Treasury of loans already made for development purposes 1,103,912 (4) Repayment to revenue of advances from revenue for military expenditure in connection with the war and for purchase of reserve stores for railway and steamer services 600,000 (5) Payment of interest 477,688 (6) Expenses of issue, including discount 454,400 £5,000,000 I have no exact account showing expenditure to date, but items (3) and (4) are fully expended, while interest to the amount of £400,000 has been incurred to date, not all out of loan funds, and the expenses of issue, including discount, amounted to £448,620. Up to the end of April, 1923, the amounts advanced to the contractors for the Uasin Gishu Railway were £1,124,739. The amounts similarly advanced to the contractors for the Kilindini Harbour are not known: the last figure supplied was £148,000.

asked the Home Secretary the number of cases that have been dealt with by women patrols during the last six months?

No record is kept of the number of cases in which persons have been warned, admonished or assisted by the women police; the number of charges preferred by them in the period in question is two.

asked the Attorney-General how many claims there are still to be heard by the War Compensation Court; and whether steps will be taken to get these cases settled without undue delay?

I am informed that there are 373 cases awaiting hearing before the War Compensation Court. The Court sits continuously throughout the legal terms and I am satisfied that there is no undue delay in settling claims.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he is aware that the authorities of the British Empire Exhibition stipulate that goods exhibited must consist of at least 51 per cent. British manufacture; and will he recommend that only 100 per cent. British manufactured goods can be exhibited?

I understand that, in the case of manufactured articles to be shown at the British Empire Exhibition, the exhibition authorities require that at least 51 per cent. of the value of any such articles shall be due to British material and/or British labour. If this proportion were increased to 100 per cent., the effect would be to exclude all articles containing any foreign-produced raw material, such as cotton or any semi-manufactured product of foreign origin. My hon. Friend will doubtless recollect that the Dominions for tariff purposes treat as British any articles into whose value British labour or materials enters to the extent of 25 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of iron and steel and manufactures thereof imported into this country in the first six months of this year from Germany, Belgium, France and America, respectively?

Particulars of the value of iron and steel and manufactures thereof imported from the countries specified during the first six months of the current year are not yet available. During the five months January-May, 1923, inclusive, the recorded imports were as follow:— Consigned from: £ Germany 799,672 Belgium 2,299,481 France 726,951 United States 660,475 In these aggregate figures, the particulars for January-March include, while those for April and May exclude, goods imported direct into the Irish Free State.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the attention of that Department has been directed to the manner in which British traders are being hampered by the administration of the Tanganyika Territory; and whether any representations in favour of traders have been made to that administration with a view to creating greater facilities?

Criticism of the action of the Government of Tanganyika in connection with trade has been offered from time to time as in the case of other British dependencies, and particularly in connection with the Profits Tax and Trades Licensing Ordinances which have formed the subject of numerous questions and answers in this House during the last few months. Any representations made on the subject have received careful consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the nature, quantities, and values of the exports of produce from Kenya (British East Africa) from 1909 to 1913, inclusive, and in 1920, 1921, and 1922; if he can render a separate statement as regards the years 1920, 1921, and 1922, showing the proportion of this produce which came from Uganda and from Kenya, respectively; and if he will state, as regards the years 1920, 1921, and 1922, the proportion of this produce grown by the natives on their own account and produced by hired native labour in European employ in Uganda and Kenya, respectively?

TABLE A. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT of quantity and approximate Values of Exports from Mombasa of Agricultural Produce of Kenya, for the periods January-December, 1914, and January-December, 1920, 1921 and 1922. — Quantity. Value (£). 1922. 1921. 1920. 1914. 1922. 1921. 1920. 1914. Bacon and Ham … Cwts. 925 736 — 1 5,849 8,250 — 7 Butter … … … lbs. 18,768 2,634 — — 886 234 — — Cheese … … … lbs. 22,314 7,462 — — 1,941 713 — — Cocoanuts … … No. 69,440 80,218 106,450 121,648 254 486 472 419 Coffee … … … Cwts. 77,902 98,987 106,386 4,462 279,722 379,107 392,507 13,049 Copra … … … Cwts. 13,960 4,702 10,250 19,685 14,252 5,301 12,187 19,535 Cotton … … … … 500 — — — 2,650 — — — Sisal … … … Cwts. 179,400 134,722 108,049 29,267 259,344 202,083 147,569 27,625 Flax … … … Cwts. 38,500 8,818 6,029 — 60,491 13,221 9,304 — Beans and Peas … … Cwts. 7,545 6,756 62,546 12,314 4,145 2,193 34,786 3,799 Ground Nuts … … Cwts. 21,403 4,204 1,790 916 22,091 3,263 2,489 599 Maize … … … Cwts. 387,718 52,365 335,408 32,434 146,106 14,762 113,973 6,880 Millet … … … Cwts. 2,537 1,698 8,152 7 1,157 941 3,369 2 Pulse … … … Cwts. 3,942 2,042 13,062 3,259 4,303 1,742 11,706 1,934 Wheat … … … Cwts. 386 121 908 — 424 102 928 — Miscellaneous Grains … Cwts. 1,931 3 141 342 1,311 11 87 156 Simsim Oil … … Gals. — 7,242 2,469 1,408 — 1,830 892 267 Potatoes … … … Cwts. 16,061 22,517 30,889 18,088 7,030 6,305 9,041 4,370 Plantation Rubber … … 188,133 33,294 — 41,347 1,237 2,002 — 2,763 Castor Seeds … … Cwts. — 1,205 — 126 — 675 — 59 Flax Seeds … … Cwts. 8,020 2,816 280 342 7,772 2,149 70 156 Tobacco … … … … 69 32 95 9 95 132 297 10 Wattle Bark … … … 9,414 — 9,025 1,335 2,708 — 6,780 509 Wool … … … … 5,660 1,807 3,351 1,965 30,111 12,919 21,110 9,044 Simsim … … … Cwts. 2,033 17,611 35,777 22,976 4,826 16,000 36,390 18,298

For the years 1909–1913 I would refer the hon. Member to the Statistical Abstract issued by the Board of Trade. The annexed Table "A" shows the quantity and approximate values of produce from Kenya only during the years 1914 and 1920–1922. Table "B" shows the quantity and values of the exports of various articles of produce from Uganda for the 12 months, 1st April, 1914, to 31st March, 1915, and for the years ending 31st December, 1921 and 1921. I fear that it is not possible to furnish similar figures for 1922. Table "C" shows the statistics of agricultural produce sold by non-Europeans in Kenya during the period from 1st July to 30th June, 1920, 1921, and 1922, respectively. I regret that no statistics of the amount of native-grown produce in Uganda are available, but practically the whole of the exports detailed in the preceding Uganda tables are of native production, except in the case of coffee and rubber.

TABLE B. COMPARATIVE STATEMENT OF EXPORTS FROM THE UGANDA PROTECTORATE. — 1st April, 1914–31st Mar., 1915. Year ended, 31st Dec., 1920. Year ended, 31st Dec., 1921. Quantity. £ Quantity. £ Quantity. £ Cotton, Ginned … … … Cwts. 107,139 320,486 186,381 3,919,453 290,592 1,281,357 Cotton, Unginned … … Cwts. 30,188 33,660 — — — — Coffee, Husked … … … Cwts. 2,103 5,542 36,808 129,901 44,682 89,452 Coffee, Parchment … … Cwts. 18,998 35,463 4,385 8,009 4,174 4,586 Coffee, Buni … … … Cwts. — — 1,919 3,361 — — Rubber, Plantation … … Lbs. 22,056 1,838 446,427 32,521 74,002 4,441 Cacao … … … … Cwts. — — 1,235 4,933 329 1,475 Chillies … … … … Cwts. 5,116 5,835 4,535 14,176 7,355 30,213 Ground Nuts … … … Cwts. 156 76 248 359 44 35 Cotton Seed … … … Cwts. 180,334 18,172 47,232 10,873 97,311 22,113 Castor Seed … … … Cwts. — — 7,763 828 269 302 Simsim Seed … … … Cwts. 8,514 4,764 42,992 69,365 20,060 18,907 Simsim Oil … … … 3 6 3 19 12 47 Cotton Seed Oil … … Galls. 21 25 257 1,150 — — Ghee (Clarified Butter) … Galls. 4,693 12,264 1,744 9,539 481 2,075 Gaggree (Unrefined Sugar) … 265 159 777 1,226 2,593 4,341 APPROXIMATE ESTIMATE OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE SOLD BY NON-EUROPEANS during the periods July 1st to June 30th, 1920, 1921 and 1922. Quantities expressed in loads of 60 pounds. — 1920. 1921. 1922. Maize … … … … 2,522,582 3,101,817 1,262,377 Sorghums Millets … … … 1,569,436 2,425,949 660,457 Simsim … … … … 69,401 157,299 157,600 Rice … … … … … 15,599 22,721 12,518 Miscellaneous Grains … … 1,643,718 1,823,821 141,450 Other Pulse Crops … … … 263,934 260,758 3,156 Beans … … … … 416,383 380,425 118,000 Peas … … … … … 4,397 11,417 4,350 Potatoes … … … … 106,629 23,390 475,696 Sweet Potatoes … … … 431,014 903,939 53,450 Ground Nuts … … … 1,350 2,001 4,800 Cassava … … … … 6,050 35,050 39,325 Cotton … … … … 1,000,000 600,654 500,350 Bananas … … … … 5,114,591 5,250,159 241,800 Castor Bean … … … … — — 1,000 Chillies … … … … — — 51 Sugar Cane … … … … — — 5,000

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the present wholesale prices taken by his Departmental index in respect of Argentine frozen beef and Argentine chilled beef, and what were the prices taken in 1919 and 1920 for these two commodities, respectively?

The answer will contain a table of figures, and, if the hon. Member agree, I will have it circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the total number of claims presented by officers and seamen in the Mercantile Marine to the Reparations Commission; how many claims have been settled; the total amount paid in settlement; the latest date for sending in claims; and how many applications have been received since that date?

The number of officers and seamen of the Mercantile Marine (including fishermen) and of their dependants or relatives who have lodged claims with the Reparation Claims Department is 22,589. The cases of 20,845 of these claimants have been settled; 1,675 have been informed that their claims are rejected, and the remaining 19,170 have received in all the sum of £1,204,305. The latest date for sending in claims to the Reparation Claims Department was 15th February, 1922, except in cases where a claim had already been lodged with some other Government Department prior to that date; in these latter cases, the limiting period was extended to 30th December, 1922. The number of applicants who have communicated with the Department for the first time since 30th December, 1922, is about 15,000, and the majority of these applicants are members of the Mercantile Marine.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the amount of gold and silver held by the Austrian Republic; if the Reparations Committee has a lien on it;

(2) if the Hungarian Republic has any gold and silver; and, if so, has the Reparation Commission a lien on it?

I am not aware that either the Austrian or Hungarian Government hold any gold or silver. Gold held by a private bank such as the Bank of Austria is not, of course, the property of the State. The Reparation Commission have a charge on the revenues and assets of Austria and of Hungary under Article 197 of the Treaty of St. Germain and Article 180 of the Treaty of Trianon. As the hon. Member will be aware, the charge on Austria has been postponed for 20 years in order to permit of her economic reconstruction.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many munition factories and similar places owned and controlled by the Government are still undisposed of?

There are in all some 30 properties under the description of munition factories and some 16 miscellaneous properties, apart from vacant sites, all of which properties are available for disposal. In addition there are 11 factory properties and eight miscellaneous properties at present being used for Government purposes, some of which may hereafter become available for disposal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive and publish the Reports of Sir John Anderson's Departmental Committee on the emoluments of the Civil Service and of Sir Alan Anderson's Committee on the relations between the emoluments received, respectively, by the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Civil Service?

I am not yet able to say when the inquiry by Sir Alan Anderson's Committee will be concluded. This Committee is inquiring into the standard of remuneration of all State services, and the hon. Member's reference to a separate Committee on the emoluments of the Civil Service is apparently made under a misapprehension of the facts.