asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health what action he proposes to take to give effect to the recommendations of the Trawling Inquiry Committee

My Noble Friend the Secretary for Scotland is considering the recommendation of the Committee, but is not yet in a position to make a statement on the subject.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether, in view of the recent failure of the harvest in the crofting counties of Scotland, the Board of Agriculture is prepared to supply seed oats and seed potatoes to crofters and smallholders in accordance with the provisions of the Congested Districts (Scotland) Act, 1897, and the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, 1911?

Proposals for assisting smallholders in the crofting districts to purchase seed oats and potatoes are at present under consideration, and my Noble Friend the Secretary for Scotland hopes that an early announcement will be made on the subject.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether he has reviewed the position of the fishing industry at the close of last season in the light of the financial results of last year's herring fishing, the condition of the fishermen's gear, and the prospects of next year's demand; and what action he proposes to take to accelerate the recuperation of the industry?

The matters mentioned by the hon. Baronet are being reviewed, together with the question of any measures that may be practicable for the purpose of assisting in the improvement of the position of the industry.

asked the Minister of Health the number of eases in which private persons constructing, or ready to construct, working-class houses have been met by a refusal of their local council to submit them to the Ministry for the subsidy; and whether in all such cases he will, to stimulate building, have inquiry made by his Department as to the merits of the disagreement?

The Housing Act, 1923, requires that local authorities shall submit their general scheme for the assistance of private enterprise to the Minister of Health for approval, but they are not required to submit to the Minister the proposals of individual builders for the construction of houses with the aid of a subsidy. Where it appears that private enterprise is prepared with a, subsidy to erect working class houses, but the local authority are unwilling to adopt a scheme for the assistance of private enterprise, I have in practice made inquiries into the circumstances, with the result that in some cases the authority has reconsidered its decision. There have been very few such cases.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the proved trustworthiness of naval chief and petty officers, he will now approve of the request of this body of men to be granted fully licensed bars in their own depot messes?

The request for beer bars to be fully licensed for the sale of spirits arises principally from the fact that fully licensed bars are allowed in sergeants' messes in the Royal Marines and the Army. The conditions of the Navy, however, are quite different, and it is impossible in this, or in other matters, to attain exact similarity with the other Services. The decision must be considered final.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of seamen and engine-room artificer ratings who have been recommended by selection boards for mate and mate-engineer during the last two years and the number in each branch promoted to the rank of mate and mate-engineer?

In 1922, seven candidates for mate (General Service) were recommended by Selection Committees, of whom six were finally selected. In 1923, nine candidates were recommended, of whom six were finally selected, the other three not being qualified. In 1922, 31 candidates for mate (E) were recommended by Selection Committees, of whom 28 sat for the examination, and five were finally selected. No examination was held in 1923, the examination which would ordinarily have been held in that year having been postponed until February, 1924. In 1921, 41 were recommended, all of whom sat for the examination, and six were finally selected.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he intends to take any steps to remedy the position of sea and home service of mechanicians; if he is aware that under present conditions chief and mechanicians will be called upon to put in 95 per cent. sea service to 5 per cent. home service: and whether, if circumstances do not permit of an alteration, the drafting regulations will be amended accordingly in order that the mechanicians' branch may have authoritative grounds for making an official re presentation to the next welfare committee?

Steps have already been taken to increase the numbers of mechanicians, and it is anticipated that in the near future matters will improve.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the recent change in title of certain hitherto non-executive titles of naval ratings is to be taken to mean that branches which are now designated as chief petty officer writer, petty officer cook, or leading sick-berth attendant have executive or military status; and whether such ratings will be allowed to qualify for non-substantive ratings, i.e., gunnery and torpedo, and perform their ordinary duties in the same degree and time as chief petty officers, petty officers, etc., of the seaman class perform their substantive duties?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state what are the names and addresses of the insurance companies to which the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, applies, which were registered in the Companies Department of the Board of Trade during the years 1922 and 1923, the names of the insurance companies struck off the register during the years 1922 and 1923, and the names of the insurance companies ordered to be wound up in the High Courts and the County Courts during the years 1922 and 1923?

The desired information is given in the following lists:

(1) List of companies having power in the memorandum of association to transact assurance business of a class to which the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, applies, which were registered during the years 1922 and 1923, showing the registered office in each case:

Coal and Iron Trades Insurance Company, Limited, Armitage Chambers, Victoria Street, Nottingham.

Threadneedle Insurance Company (1923) Limited, 1, Royal Exchange Avenue, London, E.C.3.

(2) List of companies which had power in the memorandum of association to transact assurance business of a class to which the Assurance Companies Act, 1909, applies, which were dissolved or struck off the register during the years 1922 and 1923

British Oak House Purchase and Insurance Corporation, Limited.City and County Insurance Company, Limited.Kensington Mutual Plate Glass Insurance Company, Limited.Law Integrity Insurance Company, Limited.Lion Life Insurance Company, Limited.Modern Assurance Administration Company, Limited.Progress Glass Insurance Company, Limited.Progressive Assurance Company, Limited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the recent action of the German Government in repudiating its obligation to pay, he proposes to introduce legislation to remedy the burden imposed upon British importers and consumers by the operation of the German Reparation (Recovery) Act, 1921.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for Mid Bedford (Mr. Linfield).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount paid in interest and expenses upon the National Debt from the year 1800 to 1913?

The sums paid each year from the financial year ended 5th January, 1836, onwards are set out in the Return Cd. 7994 of 1914, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. To extract the particulars for earlier years would involve an expenditure of time and labour hardly to be justified by the importance of the results.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if the readjustment of the Army and Navy pay tables automatically becomes due on or after 1st July next; and what is the attitude of the Ministry in respect to the carrying out of this understanding?

Under Army Order 324 of 1919, the increased rates of pay of officers announced therein are subject to adjustment after five years, to the extent of a maximum of 20 per cent., in accordance with variations in the cost of living; and the rates will be adjusted accordingly from 1st July, 1924. As regards the Navy, the question should be addressed to the First Lord of the Admiralty.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War whether he is aware of the continued serious depression in the entertainment industry as a result of which a large number of the members of the Musicians' Union are totally unemployed, and that the practice of permitting the regimental bands of His Majesty's Forces to accept private employment which takes them away from their normal duties is in effect unfair competition; and whether he will issue instructions that service bands must not accept private engagements to the detriment of civilians

Military bands are allowed to accept private engagements only on the understanding that their normal military duties are not interfered with, and that the fair rates charged by civilian bands in the same locality are not to be undercut. Before accepting engagements commanding officers are required to satisfy themselves that this principle is rigidly observed. I do not think that the employment of military bands on these conditions involves unfair competition.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether War Office work has been expedited in order to relieve unemployment at Woolwich; and, if so, to what extent?

Every effort is being made to keep industrial staffs in the ordnance factories in regular employment. No special steps have been taken to anticipate orders which would normally be given in future years, since to do so would inevitably result in discharges on a larger scale in due course.

asked the Postmaster-General if his Department has issued, or is about to issue, a new scale of pay and hours for night telephone operators, under which they will be required to be on duty for 80Û hours per week and receive there-for the sum of 26s. 3d. a week; and, if not, will he state the scale of pay and hours now in force; and whether any alteration is proposed?

Full-time night telephonists give an attendance of 45 hours weekly, and the pay rises from 35s. a week to 72s. id. in London and 66s. 8d. in the provinces. No alteration is proposed. There are a number of cases, however, where the number of calls is few and attention is required only intermittently. In such cases sleeping accommodation is provided, and an allowance is paid to the person performing the work. This arrangement is of long standing. The amount of the allowance varies according to the circumstances of each case, being based usually on the number of hours for which the person is responsible and the average number of actual disturbances.