asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that many iron ore miners in West Cumberland work three shifts, one of which starts at 10 p.m. and finishes at 6 a.m. the next morning, and that in the event of a mine stopping whilst the night shift is being worked it is the custom of the manager at Cleator Moor Employment Exchange to debit the men who worked that shift two days unemployment benefit on the ground that they worked part of each day; and will he give directions that in future such practice shall be discontinued, as the alternative will be to stop the working of the night shift altogether?

I am having inquiry made, and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that increased hardships are suffered by the unemployed of Stoke Newington owing to the fact that no Employment Exchange exists in that borough; and will he take immediate steps to open one?

I am making inquiries immediately into the position of residents in Stoke Newington with regard to Employment Exchange facilities, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of cases in which un- employment benefit has been disallowed under Section eight (1) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1920, in connection with the recent dispute on the railways?

This information is not available, and could not be obtained, I am afraid, without very considerable labour and expense.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is his intention to grant to local authorities carrying out unemployed schemes of work the right to pay full trade union wages to unskilled labourers in those cases where they are now compelled to pay not more than 75 per cent. of such wages as a condition of obtaining financial assistance from national funds?

As I have already stated, I hope to be able to make a definite statement on this matter on Wednesday next.

asked the President of the Board of Education what provision can be made for teachers who have passed out of training colleges and have qualified but cannot get employment; and whether, if work cannot he found for them at their profession, as they are outside the provision of the Unemployment Insurance Act, an emergency grant can be given to local education authorities to meet their immediate needs?

I am greatly concerned at the unemployment of trained teachers, but I hope that by the reduction in the number of abnormally large classes which in co-operation with the local education authorities T hope to secure and by careful restriction of the employment of the less qualified classes of teachers, a closer adjustment between demand and supply may be attained. I am afraid that the system of grants to local education authorities in aid of their educational expenditure does not permit of such a grant as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total sum which has been granted under the Trade Facilities Act for the building of ships?

The total amount of the loans for which guarantees have been given under the Trade Facilities Acts for expenditure on shipbuilding is £7,089,000.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the event of an allowance being granted to a family by the Poor Law authorities to relieve distress caused through unemployment, such allowance is to be regarded as a loan and repayable when full employment is obtained?

It is entirely within the discretion of a board of guardians, when granting domiciliary relief to a person above the age of 21, to decide whether or not such relief shall be given by way of loan.

asked the Minister of Labour if the difficulties which prevented the ratification of the Convention on the use of white lead in paint have yet been removed; and if it is now the intention of the Government to agree to the ratification of this Convention?

I have been in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. The question is under consideration by His Majesty's Government and the decision will be announced as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the campaign in favour of a six-hours day; whether this limitation represents the view of his Department; and what in that case is the measure of its recommended applicability?

I am aware that a resolution in favour of a six-hours working day was passed at the last Trades Union Congress. The whole subject of the limitation of working hours is under consideration in connection with the question of the ratification of the Washington Hours Convention.

asked the Minister of Labour if it is intended to introduce legis- lation this Session to ratify the 48-hours working week decision arrived at the Hours Convention in Washington in 1919?

The question of the ratification of the Washington Hours Convention is under consideration, and I hope to be in a position to make a statement on this subject at an early date.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the intentions of the Government in reference to the draft convention passed at the International Labour Conference at Geneva in June, 1920, providing for the payment of two months' wages to seamen whose vessels have been lost?

I have consulted my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, who hopes to introduce as soon as possible a Bill designed to give effect to the provisions of this draft convention. Should this Bill pass into law without amendments contrary to the provisions of the draft Convention, it is proposed to ratify the Convention.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he proposes to make any addition to the staff of his Department of men and women of labour experience and knowledge; and how he proposes to make the selection of such additional staff?

Apart from any necessary temporary clerical staff required to meet pressure of work due to abnormal unemployment, I have no present intention of making any additions to the staff of my Department from outside the ranks of the Civil Service. The second part of the hon. Member's question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Prime Minister whether he gives support to the traditional custom that employés of the established Civil Service should take no overt part in public political affairs, and that should they elect to do so the tenure of the positions held by them should be determined?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, any case in which this rule of conduct is broken would fall to be dealt with according to the regulations. If my hon. Friend has also in mind the rules relating to the candidature for Parliament of members of the various public services, I should add that these rules have given rise to anomalies in their application and that the whole question will receive attention.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the claims of ex-service civil servants; and what action the Government proposes to take in the matter?

I am receiving a deputation of the Association of Ex-Service Civil Servants on this subject to-morrow. I can assure my hon. Friend that the Government intend to give the fullest possible consideration to the claims of the ex-service men for preferential treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the numerical strength of His Majesty's representatives in Hungary; whether there are commercial passport and consular offices; what duties are performed; and the number of staff employed and the total cost?

In addition to His Majesty's Minister, there are two diplomatic secretaries, one commercial diplomatic secretary, one vice-consul, one passport control officer, and a total clerical staff of nine. The duties performed are those normally falling to the officers in the above categories, and I feel sure it will be recognised that it is impossible to give a detailed description of them within the limits of an answer to a question. The total cost in salaries and allowances is £10,901.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a number of farmers inject their herds with tuberculin and that such injections have the effect of nullifying the veterinary inspectors' tests; and whether he will restrict the sale of tuberculin to qualified medical men and veterinary surgeons

I have been asked to reply. I am aware that a tuberculous animal, which has been subjected to the tuberculin test, will not normally react again to this test for a considerable time, and that an unscrupulous stockowner, therefore, might use this to enable him to pass a tuberculous animal for a healthy one. I have no reason to think, however, that this practice is carried on to any appreciable extent. Many farmers use tuberculin for the legitimate purpose of testing their herds, and I am not prepared at present to place obstacles in their way by adopting the suggestion contained in the second part of the question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the total loss on the agricultural institutes for the last year in England; how many agricultural institutes are there; and do any of them pay their way?

I presume the hon. Member refers to the nine farm institutes in England, of which eight are provided by county councils and one by a private benefactor. The eight farm institutes provided by local education authorities serve as the headquarters of such authorities' systems for providing technical advice and instruction in agriculture and allied subjects; the returns supplied to the Ministry do not enable the cost of all the work, which is centralised at the institute, to be stated separately from the cost of outside work in the county, i.e., itinerant classes, advisory visits to farmers, etc.; but I may say that the total expenditure of the eight county councils concerned on agricultural education in 1922-23 amounted to £72,436, towards which grants amounting to £49,048 were made by the Ministry. I would point out to the hon. Member that educational work of this character cannot be expected to pay in the commercial sense, but that it is none the less of the utmost value and importance to the nation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what amount in compensation and in administration has been spent in order to cope with the foot-and-mouth disease during the past 12 months; and can he state what amount has been spent in the same period in scientific research devoted to the study and prevention of diseases in animals?

The grose amount of compensation payable in respect of the present series of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (i.e., from the 27th August, 1923, up to and including 13th instant) is estimated at 12,803,000. This figure, however, is subject to a deduction of some £363,750, which represents the estimated receipts for salvage, thus leaving a net cost for compensation of approximately £2,439,250. Administrative expenses during the period amount to approximately £357,000. With regard to the second part, approximately £60,000 was allocated in the current year to the Ministry for general investigation into animal diseases.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to a letter dated the 13th December, 1923, from Mr. A. E. Butterfield, of Stevenage, Herts, addressed to the Ministry and acknowledged by it on the 4th January, 1924, suggesting that a State-aided scheme of insurance against foot-and-mouth disease be initiated on the same lines as was done during the War in regard to marine insurance; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

The reply to the first part is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I may explain that the Departmental Committee which I have just appointed to report on the present series of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease have been asked to consider the question of insurance against losses caused by this disease.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the agricultural Tribunal of investigation appointed by the late Government have made their Final Report; and, if so, whether that Report CAM be published at an early date?

I understand that the Agricultural Tribunal hope to present their Final Report shortly after the end of this month. The question of publication will be decided when the Report is received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of boxes of fish caught by foreign vessels and landed at British ports during the last 12 months?

The total quantity of fresh fish taken by foreign fishing vessels and brought to ports of Great Britain in the 12 months ended 31st December, 1923, was 2,611,208 cwts. Of this total, 1,241,000 cwts. were landed in British ports by foreign fishing vessels direct from the fishing grounds and 1,369,689 cwts. were landed by foreign fishing vessels in foreign ports and subsequently imported into this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is prepared to set up a Committee to examine into the financial position of the British trawling industry, with a view to granting credits en easy terms to British trawling companies, in order to enable them to tide over the present period of depression?

I have received no request to institute such an inquiry from the Association of British Fisheries or any other association representative of the trawling industry as a whole. I do not think that an inquiry of the character proposed would add materially to the information already at my disposal regarding the financial position of the industry, and I should be unwilling to take a step which might appear to suggest that I was prepared in any circumstances to propose that it should be subsidised by the Exchequer. I would add that I am advised that conditions in the fishing industry, though still difficult, show distinct signs of improvement.

asked the. Minister of Agriculture if he will recommend that the Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew', should be thrown open to the public free of charge, or will he recommend a charge of 1d. per day for all days of the week?

I have carefully considered these proposals, but regret that I do not see my way to adopt them, for the reasons that were given to the hon. Member as recently as the 6th October last.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the excessive unemployment amongst members of the Musicians' Union, he will take such steps as may be necessary to restrict the employment of bands of His Majesty's Forces in private engagements during the continuance of acute depression in the entertainment industry?

I have been asked to answer this question. Army bands are not allowed to accept private engagements unless at least 25 bandsmen, or in the case of indoor performances 20 bandsmen, are required. They are further not allowed to accept engagements which would interfere with their military duties. These rules constitute restrictions on the employment of Army hands, and lessen the extent to which they compete with civilian bands, thereby increasing the area within which civilian bands are free from competition. I am not prepared to impose further restrictions, which would be unfair to the bandsmen by depriving them of the benefits of an old standing and well recognised custom. The attendance of Army bands is in response to a public need, but they are not permitted to accept engagements at less than the fair current rate charged by civilian bands in the same locality.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the Report of General the Honourable Sir Herbert Lawrence's Committee will be laid upon the Table of the House of Commons; and, as the Report was a unanimous Report, will he state the cause of the delay

asked the Under-Secretary of State for War if it is proposed to circulate the Report by the Committee of Experts, which sat under the chairmanship of Sir Herbert Lawrence, and which was appointed to inquire into the system of administration of Army expenditure; and, if so, will the Report be circulated in time for Members to thoroughly examine the same before the Army Estimates are discussed in this House?

This Committee was appointed by my predecessor, the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Colchester (Sir L. Worthington-Evans), for the purpose of advising the Army Council, and its Report is, therefore, purely a Departmental document. The important questions raised therein are at present under the consideration of the Council, and pending such consideration I am not in a position to make any statement or to give an undertaking as to publication. I will give these matters my best consideration in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that certain buglers of the Grenadier Guards were employed to sound the Last Post at Charing Cross on 30th January on the anniversary of the death of Charles the First; whether this was done with his authority; and, if so, whether he will give instructions for the performance of a similar ceremony on: 3rd September next to mark the anniversary of the death of Oliver Cromwell, the great Protector?

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will inform the House, by whose instructions buglers of the Grenadier Guards sounded the Last Post at the service held at the statue of Charles the First on 30th January last; and whether similar directions will be given to the Grenadier Guards on 3rd September, the anniversary of the death of Cromwell, the Lord Protector, at the Cromwell statue?

asked the Secretary of State for War by whose authority, at what charges, and by whose orders, the buglers of the 2nd battalion Grenadier Guards were instructed and permitted to take part in the service at the base of the statue of King Charles I, Trafalgar Square, on the 30th January?

I am aware of the incident, which was unauthorised, and due to a misunderstanding on the part of the regimental authorities. There will he no repetition of such an incident. I am not aware that any charges were incurred. The action of the regimental authorities had no political significance, but was due solely to a wish to give friendly help at what was understood to be a memorial service. I regret the mistake, but no importance need be attached to the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what were the special circumstances connected with the discharge from No. 1, Stores Depot, Kidbrook, S.E.3, of Mr. A. Richardson, on 2nd January, 1924: whether reduction of establishment is regarded as special circumstances; and, if not, will he give instructions that this man shall, according to the regulations for civilian employés at Air Ministry establishments (A. P. 826), receive one week's wages in lieu of notice?

Owing to a misconstruction of the Regulations, which is regretted, this man did not receive a week's wages in place of notice, but this omission has since been rectified, and I may add that it has been found possible to re-engage him.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air why the trees on the summit of Boddington Hill, Wendover, comprising part of the Halton estate, are being demolished, seeing that it is a notable landmark and one of the beauty spots of the neighbourhood; whether he is aware that during the War these trees were specially spared, after protests made by people in Wendover; and whether he will now intervene to preserve the beauty of this part of the Chilterns?

There is no intention in the present felling operations to interfere with the fringe of trees on the summit of Boddington Hill. The trees which are being felled in this vicinity are mostly becoming diseased, and if not felled would gradually rot to the ground. I am, however, causing further inquiries to be made into the matter. As regards the second part of the question, I have no information as to the circumstances in which the trees were spared during the War. As regards the last part of the question, the Air Ministry is most desirous of preserving the amenities of the place to the utmost degree compatible with its use for the purpose for which it was acquired, namely, as a large Royal Air Force training establishment.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the annual cost of keeping the air squadrons in the Far East; and when he proposes to bring them to this country?

It is impracticable without considerable labour to state precisely the cost of the air squadrons employed in Iraq and Palestine, to which I assume my hon. Friend refers. The total cost of defence in the Middle East falling on Imperial funds will be found in Class V.4 of the Civil Service Estimates. Reduction in this expenditure has been continuous in the past, and further reductions are in prospect. The date on which our liabilities in Iraq will cease is not a matter for the Air Ministry.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any air machines have dropped bombs for the purpose of compelling the payment of taxes in Iraq?

I will answer this question. The reply is in the negative. No bombe have been dropped for any such purpose. I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statements on the subject made on behalf of the late Government on the 27th November, 1922, the 19th, 20th, and 22nd February, and the 1st March, 1923. There has been no change in the position since these statements were made. Explicit instructions on the subject were sent to the High Commissioner on the 23rd February, 1923, and I am satisfied that they have been strictly carried out.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether there is a Regulation of the Ministry which provides that all candidates for the Royal Air Force must, in addition to being British subjects, be of pure European descent; and, if so, will he give the reason why the condition of pure European descent is insisted upon?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The answer to the second part is that the Royal Air Force is a British service and that the mixture of European and non-European subjects in the same fighting service raises grave practical difficulties.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what steps he contemplates taking in order to expedite the airship line to India, seeing that unemployment in Bedford would be thereby relieved?

This question is at present under consideration by His Majesty's Government, and I regret that I am not therefore, at the moment, in a position to make any statement. The Air Ministry is, however, fully alive to the desirability of relieving unemployment in Bedford.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the latest Report on the health of the British Navy, issued in 1922, the China station again shows the highest venereal rate of all the Navy stations; and whether he will consider the desirability, in this connection, of abolishing the system, of regulated prostitution existing in Hong Kong and other British ports in this naval area, thus bringing them into line with other British ports in the East where maison tolerées have been abolished and where health conditions have been greatly improved?

The prevalence of these diseases in the China Squadron is receiving serious consideration at the Admiralty. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the Noble Lady to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Colonies.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he has received from the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries claims on behalf of fishermen whose boats and tackle have been damaged by the leakage of oil from the Admiralty installations in the River Tamar; and, if so, whether he is now in a position to settle them?

These claims are now under consideration, and I hope a decision will be reached at an early date.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the promise given by his predecessor in regard to the advancement of the construction of light cruisers is being acted upon; and, if so, what provision will be made for Devonport?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply of the lath February to the hon. Member for Barrow-in-Furness (Mr. D. Somerville).

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the qualifying sea-time of naval officers is being strictly adhered to; whether there is a rule against officers holding Admiralty appointments for more than two years: whether the rule is being adhered to; and, if not, in how many cases are officers employed in the Admiralty who have held the same appointments for more than two years?

The rules requiring officers to have certain periods of sea time in order to qualify for promotion have been adhered to in all but very exceptional cases, in which officers have, owing to the exigencies of the Service, been retained in non-seagoing appointments against their wishes. Such exceptional cases are, however, very rare. No rule is in force definitely limiting Admiralty appointments, as distinct from other appointments, to two years, though the majority of shore appointments, whether in the Admiralty or elsewhere, are, as a matter of practice, so limited. The circumstances of Admiralty appointments, indeed, vary so greatly that it would be impossible to lay down any hard and fast rule. Fifty-five officers are now employed at the Admiralty who have held the same appointments for more than two years, hut the majority of these are filling posts in which special professional or technical qualifications are necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government directors on the Anglo-Persian Oil Company have secured a sufficient supply of oil fuel being available for the British Navy at a reasonable price?

The duty of providing for an adequate supply of oil fuel for the British Navy is a function of the Board of Admiralty and not of the Government directors on the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that the pension of 14s. 5d. per week awarded to Mrs. Parker, of Seascale, in respect of her son, the late Private John Parker, No. 50,783, Border Regiment, who was killed in the War, has been reduced to 5s. per week, and that the late Private Parker worked as a farm servant and contributed in cash some 18s. per week to the family fund; and if he will take immediate steps to restore the pension of 14s. 5d. per week?

I am looking into the facts of this case and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will send to the parents of deceased ex-service men intimation that if they desire to appeal against any reduction of their pensions they can do so before the local pensions committee of their area; and will he send word to those parents whose pensions have already been reduced what procedure they must follow to have their cases reviewed?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough West (Mr. T. Thomson) on the 12th instant and to the answer which I am giving him to-day and of which I am sending copies to my hon. Friend. The facilities for making a complaint through war pensions committees are well known, and I think there should be no difficulty about any pensioner affected having full opportunity of stating his or her case. A letter addressed by the pensioner affected to any office of the Ministry will ensure that the case is sympathetically reviewed.

asked the, Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the failure of the crops in the Western Isles, he will take steps immediately to revise all pensions in which the income from a croft was taken into consideration?

The pensions to which the hon. Member refers are no doubt those based on pecuniary need. If need for any reason increases during the currency of such an award, the pensioner has a right of application for reconsideration, through the local area office, where all necessary information can be obtained. I shall, of course, be glad to have any individual case carefully and sympathetically investigated if the hon. Member will give me particulars.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the Government will allow disabled men, who cannot Obtain work owing to their disability, to be assessed for a pension according to their loss of earning capacity on lines similar to the alternative pensions, although the time for application for such pensions has now passed?

I am not prepared to adopt this suggection. Since the establishment of my Department disablement pension has been granted on equal terms to all men suffering from the same degree of disablement without regard to such factors as earning capacity on employment. I could not recommend a, return to the earlier method, which embraced the suggestion in the question, and which was generally condemned as leading to grave inequalities and injustices.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. A. E. W. Sellers, of 33, Walpole Street, fiaxby Road, York; and, if so, what action, if any, he proposes to take in the matter?

This man has been compensated for rheumatism, accepted as due to service, and also for heart trouble of pre-War origin, which service in the Great War aggravated. The effects of service on the heart condition passed away in 1920, when disablement had become very slight, and a decision of the Ministry to that effect has been confirmed on appeal by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. The tribunal have also agreed with the Ministry that compensation on a final basis should be granted in respect of the slight disablement remaining from the rheumatism, and an award of a final allowance therefor has been made and is in course of payment.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether there is any and what right of appeal by an ex-soldier against a decision that he has been guilty of misconduct under paragraph 4 of the Royal Warrant of 6th December, 1919; whether, before any reduction in pension is made under this paragraph, it is requisite that the ex-soldier should be summoned to appear and state his objections to his pension being reduced; whether the fact, that an ex-soldier was on one occasion the worse for liquor is, in the view of the Ministry a sufficient ground for the reduction of pension by one-third: and whether, if no right of appeal exists in these cases, the Government will take immediate steps to promulgate Regulations conferring such right?

Article 4 of the Royal Warrant provides for the reduction of pension by one-half when treatment is unreasonably refused. This power, which is very necessary in the interests of the man and his prospects of recovery, is very rarely used in practice, and then only after the man has been given full opportunity of stating his case and all the circumstances have been carefully considered by senior officials of the Ministry. Isolated breaches of discipline during a course of treatment are met by small fines.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can make a statement of the Government's policy in reference to ranker-officers?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the dissatisfaction which exists with regard to the pensions of ex-ranker officers and to the pledges given by Members in all parts of the House, he will be willing to reconsider his decision?

I regret I am not in a position to reconsider my decision, and I would refer the hon. Members to the replies which I gave on 12th instant, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the determination expressed by all parties in the House to remove at the earliest opportunity the present limitations on the' grant of old age pensions based on the possession of other income, he will instruct local pensions officers to suspend proceedings for the reduction of old age pensions on such grounds?

I should not be justified in taking administrative action to interfere with the operation of the existing law.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that since the War thousands of children have been unable to obtain education in the secondary schools as they exist; and whether he proposes to take any steps to provide extended opportunity for advanced education?

Proposals for the provision of new schools and the extension of existing schools will receive my very sympathetic consideration, and I hope that I may receive from the local educa- tion authorities in the near future programmes of expansion the execution of which will substantially contribute to the removal of this defect in our public system of education.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the acting teachers' examination for teachers unable to afford attendance at training colleges is to be abolished, and, if so, why; and will he state the course that should he pursued by teachers who cannot afford the training colleges and who, being ineligible for the acting teachers' examination to be held this year, are at present in much anxiety as to how they are to continue their studies?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction respecting the acting-teachers' examination; and, if so, does he propose to remedy such grievances of the teachers?

As has already been announced in this House, the Board intend to hold the acting teachers' certificate examination in November, 1924. The question whether it shall be held again after that date is at present receiving my consideration. But I prefer to await the report of the Departmental Committee on the Training of Teachers, which I hope to receive at an early date, before giving a decision.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Treasury has agreed to accept the Board of Education's ruling that service in special schools where the teachers bold full-time appointments, but where the nominal school hours are less than 1,080 per year, is regarded as service in a school organised on a full-time basis for the purposes of the Teachers' Superannuation Act?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The answer is in the affirmative. The circulars on full-time service issued by the Board of Education after consultation with the Treasury lay down that a year's teaching service should not be regarded as "full-time" unless it can reasonably be supposed to occupy at least 30 hours a week during 36 weeks, or the equivalent: but this number of hours was "intended to include, not only the hours of actual teaching, but also hours devoted to subsidiary duties entailed by actual teaching."

asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that women teachers who, with the sanction of the Board, served in military hospitals during the War are now penalised for their war service by not being allowed to count those years for purposes of salary; that men teachers who performed similar service in military hospitals, as members of the Royal Army Medical Corps, have been accorded this right; and if he will reconsider the case of those women teachers who, although ineligible for service in His Majesty's forces, yet served as members of the voluntary aid detachments at military rates of pay, with a view to placing them on the same footing, in respect of their war service, as those men teachers who rendered similar service?

The war service of women teachers has been treated for salary purposes as on the same footing as that of those men teachers who did not serve as embodied members of His Majesty's forces. Their position has been fully considered at a very recent date, when Circular 1318 was under preparation, and I regret I am not in a position to extend the arrangements made in the Board's Circulars 1227 and 1318 to women members of voluntary aid detachments.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he can give the number of persons imprisoned, interned, or detained, for political offences in India; also how many are imprisoned as a result of convictions after trial; and, how many are detained without trial or charge?

The following are the approximate figures of the number of persons imprisoned as a result of conviction after trial for offences of a political character:

(1) There are 30 or more persons now in gaol who have been convicted of sedi- tion or causing enmity between classes, or conspiracy against the King.

2. There are between 70 and 90 persons in the United Provinces convicted of offences arising out of political agitations. It is possible that there may be a few more in other Provinces, but certainly not many, except perhaps in the Punjab.

3. There is still a number, probably amounting to some thousands still, of Moplahs imprisoned as the result of conviction in connection with open rebellions. About 243 more of these Moplahs have been placed under restraint away from Malabar in the same connection.

With reference to the last part of the question, the number of persons interned as State prisoners under Regulation 3 of 1818 is 23. All of these cases in which there was any room for doubt as to the actions of the individuals arrested have been examined by two Judges of the Calcutta High Court.The above figures do not include the Sikhs who are under trial or already convicted in cases in the Punjab caused by the Akali agitation. According to the latest information available there are about 120 under trial, while rather less than 180 have been convicted in recent cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the continued use by the Board of Inland Revenue of Form No. 99, notwithstanding the repeal of Section 29 of the Finance Act, 1920, on which that form, now rendered obsolete, was based; and what action he has taken or proposes to take in the matter?

It has evidently escaped the hon. Member's attention that the claims which are made on Form 99 may be preferred at any time within six years after the end of the year of assessment to which the claim relates. As the repeal of Section 29 of the Finance Act, 1920, took effect as from the 5th April, 1923, it follows that the forms in question will not become obsolete until the 5th April, 1929.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the annual percentage of Income Tax payments under Schedule B reclaimed by the taxpayer on the grounds that a loss had been made, and what it was for the year 1922–23; will he state the percentage of demands for payment made under Schedule B disallowed in 1922–23 on the ground of loss; the number of farmers who paid Income Tax under Schedule D during the year 1922–23; and what the total payment was?

I regret I am unable to answer the first part of the question in the form in which it is put, as the amount of tax due from any individual depends not upon any particular source of income but upon the total income from all sources, as modified by any title to special reliefs. The following information is, however, available. In the year 1922–23 the approximate amount of income assessed under Schedule B in Great Britain was £34,640,000. The estimated amount of income in respect of which tax was repaid, on account of (a) loss, or (b) the actual income falling short of the amount assessed, is £850,000, or about 2 per cent. of the income assessed; and the approximate amount in respect of which tax was discharged on similar grounds is £1,360,000, or nearly 4 per cent. Statistics are not now collected as to the number of farmers who elect to be assessed under Schedule D. or as to the amount of tax paid by them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the complaints in the Press recently on the subject of Income Tax assessments; whether steps are being taken to remove these grievances; and whether he will consider the urgent necessity of simplifying the methods of Income Tax collection?

I have seen recently some complaints in the Press regarding the administration of the Income Tax and also some letters of appreciation of the manner in which the work is conducted. It is the continuous endeavour of the authorities to carry out the administration with the minimum of friction and error. In reply to the last part of the question, I agree with the hon. Member that the ancient machinery of Income Tax assessment and collection urgently requires to be overhauled. Proposals to that end were, in fact, introduced into the House some few years ago.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of private dwelling-houses in England, Scotland and Wales assessed at not more than £26 per annum and occupied by the owners thereof?

I regret that, in view of the time required for the final settlement of appeals, the collection of reliable statistics of the numbers and values of private dwelling-houses in Great Britain as disclosed by the recent re-assessment cannot be commenced until some time after the 31st March, and that the results are not likely to be available for a considerable time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Income Tax under Schedule A collected in the last fiscal year, and the amount of such tax repaid as being overassessed in respect of private houses in England, Scotland and Wales assessed at not more than £26 per annum and occupied by the owners?

I regret that the information is not available, as, under the present system of graduation and differentiation of the Income Tax, with personal allowances, deductions and reliefs appurtenant not to the various sources of income charged under Schedules A, B, C, D and E, but to the total income of the taxpayer, the total yield cannot be divided between the respective schedules.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if in his Budget he will remove hardship by making it unnecessary for a husband to include his wife's income in his Income Tax return?

I would remind the hon. Member that in the Income Tax Acts full recognition of the principle of equality as between husband and wife is accorded by the provisions under which either spouse may elect for separate assessment. As regards the rate of tax to be borne by each of the spouses, I would remind the hon. Member that, as was pointed out by the Royal Commission on the Income Tax, the adoption of a course under which a husband and wife would be taxed at a rate or rates determined by their individual incomes and not by their joint income would result in a shifting of burdens from the rich to the poor, and I am not prepared to introduce legislation on such lines.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the hardship which is inflicted by the present Income Tax Regulations upon widowers whose children are no longer in a dependent position; and whether he will make a concession whereby a relative living with a widower, as his housekeeper, shall be treated for Income Tax purposes as his wife?

The case to which my hon. Friend refers is receiving my consideration, but he will not expect me in a matter of this kind to anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the grounds for the Government's refusal to consider the sale of the Anglo-Persian shares;(2) what price per share the Burma Oil Company was prepared to pay for the Government's holding in Anglo-Persian shares; and what profit would accrue to the nation had the offer been accepted?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the representations of the Burma Oil Company, in connection with the recent negotiations for the purchase of the Government shares in the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, the Government will reconsider their decision not to sell?

The price offered appears to have been between £3 15s. and £4. This would have represented a profit of nearly £3 a share on the original price, and of about £1 a share on the current market price, on 5,000,000 shares. His Majesty's Government were satisfied on a full examination by the Departments concerned of the proposal that it would not have been in the national interest to part with the shares to a combine and in particular that Naval interests, for which the original investment in an independent ail company was made, would have been seriously prejudiced. I would add, as the existence of any doubt in the matter is unfair to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, that His Majesty's Government have no intention whatever of reconsidering their decision.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount, as on 1st January, 1924, of British Government stocks held by owners not domiciled in the British Isles?

The external debt of this country is approximately £1,000 millions of which the greater part is due to the United States Government. It is impossible to say to what extent ordinary British Government stocks are held outside this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to take steps to terminate the perpetual pensions now being paid in respect of services rendered to the State more than a century ago?

There are only three such pensions, one of which will probably be commuted very shortly. Provided that terms satisfactory to the taxpayer can be arranged, the Treasury are always ready to commute these pensions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether shipping companies are allowed rebate of duty in respect of intoxicating liquor purchased by them for consumption on board their ships by passengers and others?

Subject to compliance with legal requirements, the master of a vessel proceeding to an overseas destination may ship stores, including intoxicating liquors, free of duty for the use of his crew and passengers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the actual cost to the Treasury of collection of the Entertainments Duty with respect to Government stamped tickets, stationery and printing matter incidental to the levying of the duty, and inspection and all clerical and accountancy charges associated therewith, respectively, for each of the four years ending 31st March, 1920, 1921. 1022 and 1923, and for the nine months ending 31st December, 1923?

The administration of the Entertainments Duty is undertaken, not by a staff solely employed on that work, but by the general Customs and Excise staff in combination with other revenue and non-revenue duties. It is not possible, therefore, to state the actual cost of collection of the duty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will furnish a return showing the yield of the Entertainments Duty, and indicating the amount produced by each denomination and type of ticket issued?

The yield of the Entertainments Duty from 15th May, 1916, when it was first imposed, has been as follows:

Year ended 31st March—	£
1917	3,001,268
1918	4,987,568
1919	7,520,080
1920	10,479,516
1921	11,735,840
1922	10,279,543
1923	9,603,047

Statistics of the yield from the various rates of duty are not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps, by legislation, if necessary, to secure a return from the banks of the United Kingdom as to the amount of unclaimed money and balances there is in each bank?

I do not think any useful Purpose would be served by such a return, and I do not therefore propose to ask for the legislative authority required.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of money deposited in the savings banks on the 1st January, 1923, and the amount on the 1st January, 1924?

The amounts due to depositors were approximately as follows:

	1st Jan., 1923.	1st Jan., 1924.
	£	£
Post Office Savings Bank	268,100,000	273,000,000
Trustee Savings Banks	75,500,000	79,400,000
	£343,600,000	£352,400,000

The increase is more than covered by the accrued interest for 12 months on the deposits.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, as stated in the Civil Service Appropriation Acts, for some reason or other the State has lost the best part of 3,000 typewriters; what. was the cause of such loss; and whether there ware any prosecutions whatever instituted in connection with their disappearance?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The majority of these typewriters were lost in the forward areas in France and Belgium during hostilities. In the case of typewriters lost under peace conditions prosecution is undertaken where practicable.

asked the. Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether it has been decided to print in bulk all forms for use in connection with future Parliamentary Elections and to supply these-from a central office to the returning officers in such numbers as they may require, spaces being left for the necessary local matter to be inserted by clerical labour; whether he is aware that several returning officers, who have been interviewed on the matter, have expressed their view that the cost of clerical labour involved, at a period of very high pressure in their Departments, will outweigh many times the saving which might be effected as a result of mass production where the number of the forms required runs into many hundreds; whether this is confirmed by the proposal that the printing of ballot papers shall in future be relegated to the local returning officer for him to make his own arrangements, thus showing that the supply from a central office of hurried printing work for an election has not been efficient or satisfactory; and whether he will institute an inquiry into the whole of the circumstances with a view to the withdrawal of work from local printers being obviated?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to-day to questions on this subject by the hon. Members for Weston-super-Mare (Mr. Murrell), the Harborough Division of Leicester (Mr. Block), and Montrose Burghs (Mr. Sturrock).

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the recent decision in the King's Bench Divisional Court, in the case of a tenant named Palmer, whereby a tenant is prevented from receiving the benefit of a reduction in local rates; whether he is aware of the intention of Parliament that tenants should receive the benefit of such reductions in rates; and what steps he proposes to take?

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the decision of two Judges, sitting as a Divisional Court, that under the Rent Restriction Act a reduction of rates does not legally involve a reduction of rent, he will introduce legislation to compel landlords to make such reduction?

I am aware of this decision. I gather that the ease may be taken to the Court of Appeal. As I stated on Tuesday last the Government are considering the whole question of rent restriction.

asked the Minister of Health what steps he proposes to take to deal with empty houses which are allowed to remain for several months without tenants for the purposes of house profiteering?

I am looking into this matter, but I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health what method he has adopted to prevent shoddy materials being used in building houses, in view of the fact that the highest price is no guarantee to quality being supplied?

For houses which are to qualify for assistance under the Housing Act, 1923, the local authority must be satisfied that the materials used are of good quality such as are ordinarily specified by a local authority in a contract for working-class houses; and the local authority is required to certify by a duly authorised officer that the requirements as to materials and type of construction have been complied with and that the houses have been constructed in a proper and workmanlike manner.

asked the Minister of Health whether his Ministry has intimated to any local authority that there is no need for it to secure the Minister's sanction as to the maximum density of houses qualified to receive State assistance under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923; and, if so, whether this policy is to be continued in the future in view of the provisions of Sub-section (1) of Section two of the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923?

Local authorities, generally, have been notified that they will not be required to submit for approval details of their housing schemes under the Act of 1923. In a circular issued in August last they were informed that it was not proposed to prescribe a maximum density, and that it was considered that a discretion might properly be exercised by them in this matter in view of the particular circumstances of their district. The opinion was expressed, however, that a density of approximately 12 houses to the acre represented a desirable standard, and that, as a general rule, a local authority should not approve the building of more than 20 houses on any one acre. It is not my intention to modify this policy.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that cases of hardship have arisen through persons being refused the housing subsidy owing to the fact that they have commenced building, in some cases, a few days, prior to the proposals of the local council being approved; and, if in such cases it can be shown that they have proceeded according to advice given by local officials, will he be prepared to give sympathetic consideration to their claims?

In cases in which I am satisfied that builders, on the faith of assurances given by or on behalf of local authorities, have proceeded with building in anticipation of the approval of the local authorities' scheme for assisting private enterprise, the equivalent of the Government grant under the Act will be paid in respect of houses which would otherwise be eligible for assistance.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is willing to sanction the establishment of infant welfare centres under the supervision of the county councils, and with the useful Government grants wherever efficient voluntary services are offered for the proper conduct thereof?

I am prepared to consider, where additional centres are needed, proposals for the establishment of infant welfare centres by local authorities, or by voluntary bodies acting in co-operation with local authorities, and to pay the usual grants in aid on approved expenditure.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared to sanction the provision of hospital treatment for advanced cases of tuberculosis as proposed by the County Council of Leicester; and, if not, whether he has considered the futulity of providing treatment for many early cases of consumption whose disease can be directly traced to infection from persons in an advanced state of tuberculosis who are compelled to remain in crowded houses until removed by death?

The question of the provision of hospital treatment for advanced cases of tuberculosis in Leicestershire is receiving my consideration in connection with communications which have taken place between my Department and the county council as to the most suitable means of effecting such provision. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Health the number of deaths caused directly by, or attributed to, excessive milk drinking; and what steps he is taking to assure that the public can have a clean and wholesome milk supply?

The answer to the first part of the question is "No." All practicable steps are being taken to secure the efficient administration of the statutory provisions designed to attain the object to which the hon. Member refers.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the effort now being made by milk producers to popularise this commodity in the interests of the public health, his attention has been called to an advertisement which, quoting a chemist, remarks that mothers ought to realise how totally unsuitable cows' milk is for babies; and whether this view is entertained by his Department?

My attention has not been called to the advertisement in question. My own view and that of my advisers is that the most suitable food for babies is mothers' milk, and that cows milk suitably modified is usually the best available substitute.

asked the Minister of Health whether the attention of the Government has been called to the agitation in favour of the amendment of the Local Government and other Officers' Superannuation Act, 1922; and whether it proposes to take or to encourage any legislative action in that direction?

I am aware that some proposals are being made for an amendment of the Act. I will carefully consider these proposals when they have been formulated.

asked the Minister of Health if he can give the death rates for each of the Metropolitan boroughs, and the infantile mortality rates for the said boroughs for the years 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923, respectively?

With my hon. Friend's permission I will circulate these figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state when a Bill dealing with the traffic problem of London may be introduced?

I have been examining the various aspects of this complicated problem, but as the hon. and gallant Member is well able to appreciate the consideration must take a little time, and I am not in a position to make any statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport whether, pending the Report of the Committee now sitting on the revision of the methods of taxation of motor vehicles, he will consider the desirability of issuing monthly, in lieu of quarterly, licences to owners of motor Vehicles used for commercial purposes and of reducing the sums chargeable for such quarterly or monthly licences to one-fourth and one-twelfth, respectively, of the rate for the licence for a complete year?

Any changes such as those suggested by the hon. and gallant Member would require legislative sanction, and effect could not he given to them merely by administrative action. I am advised that there are serious objection to the issue of monthly licences for any month in the year, but I understand that the Departmental Committee have under consideration proposals designed to attain some, at least, of the objects desired by the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General why postmen retired on pension are not allowed in retirement to do Government work without their earnings therefrom being taken into consideration; and why this disability applies only to Post Office pensioners?

Under Section 20 of the Superannuation Act of 1834 a retired civil servant re-employed under the Crown cannot receive more in pay and pension than he was receiving at the time of retirement. This enactment applies equally to the whole Civil Service, and there is nothing exceptional in the treatment of Post Office servants.

asked the Postmaster-General whether a contract has been made with the Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Company, of Liverpool, for the installation of automatic telephony in London; whether, under the terms of this contract, a monopoly is given for a period of two or three years to this particular company; whether he will state the estimated value of the contract and if, when the contract was made, his Department was aware that the company, although registered in this country, is controlled by Theo. Gary and Company, of the United States of America, and the Automatic Electric Company, of Chicago; and whether he will order an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the granting of this contract?

A contract has been made with the company referred to, but no monopoly has been granted them. On the contrary, three other companies are participating in the provision of automatic telephones in London, the patents owned by all four companies being pooled for this purpose. The value of the contract depends upon the amount of plant ordered under it, which is not definitely settled, but will probably be in the neighbourhood of £1,500,000. The Automatic Telephone Manufacturing Company is a British company controlled by British directors with its factory at Liverpool. It was known when the order was given that a considerable part of the capital of the company is held by the International Automatic Company, but as the plant supplied under the order will be with negligible exceptions if any, manufactured and installed by British labour, I see no reason for any further inquiry such as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the handicap under which agriculturists suffered by the grant of the weekly half-holiday to postmen, to which there was no objection, without the provision of proper arrangements to carry on their work, to which there was objection; and what steps he proposes to take to reduce the disadvantages under which such residents suffer?

It is not he practice to suspend any postal facilities in order to afford a weekly half-holiday to postmen without the concurrence of the local authority for the district, which is consulted as representing local public opinion. To obtain a regular substitute on one half day a week would, in many cases, be impossible, and if practicable in the aggregate would involve expenditure which the results would not justify; but if the hon. and gallant Member will give me particulars of any cases which he has in mind, I will have inquiry made.

asked the Postmaster-General if, when publishing the list of members of his Advisory Committee, he will publish their attendances during 1923?

I will send the hon. Member a list of members of the Advisory Council, together with their attendances last year.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the latest available figures of the income and expenditure, including a proper allowance for depreciation, interest, sinking fund, and overhead charges of the telegraph services conducted by the General Post Office, distinguishing between the inland telegraph services, cable services, and wireless services?

The Post Office Commercial Accounts for 1922–23, which will shortly be available, will give the information asked for by the hon. Member, including detailed figures respecting the revenue and expenditure of the various Government wireless services and the Imperial cable service. It would be extremely difficult to separate the figures as between ordinary inland and foreign telegrams with any approach to accuracy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that certain stains used in microscopic work in the research departments of various hospitals and other laboratories have necessarily to be imported from Germany; whether he is aware that the Department, of Customs and Excise open certain of the bottles of these stains for the purpose of ascertaining the alcoholic content and that some of the bottles are rendered absolutely useless for research purposes by this method and occasioning serious loss of time and energy to those engaged in research; and whether he will take steps to see that the bottles are delivered to research departments of hospitals and approved scientific institutions without being so opened?

I have been asked to reply to this question. When stains used in microscopic work are imported, the Department of Customs and Excise open the smallest possible number of bottles for the purpose of ascertaining the alcohol content. But the bottles may he delivered without being opened, provided the importer indicates in the Customs entry that the strength of the stains is not to be tested and pays spirit duty at the rate appropriate to preparations containing spirits and not tested as to alcoholic strength.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the last occasion on which property in this country sustained damage in consequence of an air raid; how long the Royal Commission on Compensation has been sitting; and, in view of the hardship sustained by many owners of property many years ago, can he give an approximate date on which the Report of the Commission may be anticipated?

As to the first part of the question, the last occasion on which property in this country sustained damage in consequence of an air raid was on 19th May, 1918. As to the second part of the question, the first sitting of the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action was on 17th August, 1921. As to the last part, the Second Report of the Commission is in draft, and is now under consideration by the Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Track what steps are being taken to expedite the settlement of outstanding claims by seamen and others against the Reparations Claims Department; and whether anything can be done to secure immediate payment to men whose claims have been outstanding since 1918, many of whom are now unemployed and in poverty?

Awards of the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action have been paid in the case of almost all the claims by seamen and others in respect of loss of life, injury to health, maltreatment during internment and loss of personal effects at sea lodged with the Reparation Claims Department before the final dates fixed by the Royal Commission. Claims in respect of damage to property will form the subject. of a Second Report, which is in draft and under consideration by the Commission. On its publication, payment of the sums recommended will be made. Claims notified after the final dates fixed by the Commission fall into the category of be- lated claims and are at present being considered by the Commission.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the case of Mr. J. W. Wiggins, of 25, Perscholme Green, York, who was, in May 1916, severely injured by a bomb dropped in York by enemy aircraft; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As to the last part, the first intimation to the Reparation Claims Department of a claim by Mr. J. W. Wiggins was contained in his letter of 6th September, 1923, and having regard to paragraph 17 of the First Report of the Royal Commission, the claim falls into the category of belated claims which are under consideration by the Royal Commission on Compensation for Suffering and Damage by Enemy Action.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the growing discontent amongst seafaring men against the continuation of the Plimsoll load-line in its present position; and whether, in the interest of our seafaring community, he is prepared to consider the lowering of the Plimsoll load-line to its former position?

1 am aware that there is a certain amount of anxiety on the subject of load-line. The whole question was inquired into by a Committee under the chairmanship of Sir Philip Watts, which reported in 1915. [Parliamentary Paper, Cd. 8204 of 1916.] This Committee examined the criticisms which had been brought against the load-line as altered in 1906, and found that on the whole it was sufficient to ensure the safety of vessels, although in some cases it had made the ships less comfortable. The Committee also prepared revised Tables of Freeboard, which had to stand over owing to the War, but are now being considered. As soon as the new proposals are ready they will be placed before the Merchant Chipping Advisory Committee, on which all the interests connected with shipping are represented.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the recent rise in the price of petrol; and if he proposes to take any steps to protect the consumer from being exploited by oil trusts?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In the second part, the hon. Member has raised an issue which cannot be adequately dealt with within the limits of question and answer or with reference to a particular commodity.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities and values of British dyestuffs, products of coal tar, exported in 1913 and 1923 respectively, and the average value per cwt. in each year?

The quantity of dyestuffs, products of coal tar, of United Kingdom manufacture, exported during the year 1913 was 60.733 cwt., of a total declared value of X206,109, or an average of £3 7s. 10d. per cwt. The exports in 1923 amounted to 126,157 cwt., valued at £1,031,903, or an average of 28 3s. 7d. per cwt.

asked the President, of the Beard of Trade the imports to Great Britain from the United States of America, and the exports from Great Britain to the United States of America, excluding gold and bullion, for the years 1922 and 1923?

If the hon. Member will be good enough to look at pages 168, 173 and 178 of the latest monthly accounts relating to trade and navigation of the United Kingdom, which was published on the 12th February (H.C. 12), I think he will find the information he desires.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the respective quantities of unbleached printed and dyed cotton piece goods imported in 1913 and 1923, and the respective quantities exported in 1921 and 1923?

The following statement shows the quantities of cotton piece goods, of the descriptions specified, imported into the United Kingdom in

Description of Cotton Piece Goods.	1913	1923.
IMPORTS, TOTAL*:—	Linear Yards.	Square Yards.
Grey, unbleached	2,897,080	2,676,319
Printed	32,906,611	6,662,508
Dyed in the Piece	89,482,219	21,428,997
Manufactured wholly or in part of dyed yarn	5,040,248	5,490,236
IMPORTS RETAINED (IMPORTS less RE-EXPORTS)*:—
Grey, unbleached	2,484. 21,	2,304,741
Printed	21,276,081	5,561,363
Dyed in the Piece,	85,974,472	19,183,863
Manufactured wholly or in part of dyed yarn	3,755,664	3,981,705

Description of Cotton Piece Goods.	1921		1923.
	Linear Yards	Square Yards	Square Yards
EXPORTS (United Kingdom Manufactures)—
Grey, unbleached.	899,451,100	955,66,800	1,301,631,000
Printed	520,702,100	433,911,700	632,769,500
Dyed in the Piece	501,487,600	441,279,000	729,252,000
Manufactured wholly or in part of dyed yarn	133,254,700	114,400,400	200,856,600
From 1st April, 1923, the particulars include the trade of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the Irish Free State. From the same date, the direct foreign trade of the Irish Free State has been excluded.
Quantities were ascertained in linear yards only in 1913. The particulars of linear yardage are not yet available for 1923.
* In 1913 imports of Book Cloth to the amount of 398,181 linear yards of which 387,735 yards were retained, were recorded. Such imports were not. separately distinguished in 1923, but were included with other imports in the appropriate classes of piece goods.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if anything can be done to expedite the authority for payment of returning officers' charges, as at present considerable delay occurs in the settlement of these accounts, causing hardship to the individuals concerned?

Claims submitted by returning officers for expenses incurred in connection with General Election work are examined by the Treasury, as expeditiously as possible, in the order in which they are received. Very substantial advances, amounting in some cases to 80 per cent. and upwards of the total claim, are made, to enable returning officers to settle pressing accounts and to make immediate payment for services rendered

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department when the new Factory and Workshops Bill will be introduced; and whether it is intended to incorporate in the same a Regulation for a maximum 48-hour working week in textile and other factories?

It is not yet possible to say when this Bill will be introduced, nor has any decision yet been taken by the Government as to its provisions.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the need for the re-establishment of the women police force on a more, effective and numerically larger basis in the Metropolitan district is receiving consideration; whether the Home Office is contemlilating any steps to supply the need; and whether arrangements are being made to remove the whole of the present Metropolitan force of women police (20 members) from their present duties at the opening of the forthcoming British Empire Exhibition at Wembley in April next., and to utilise their services within the exhibition, thus leaving the Metropolitan district without women police officers?

As regards the first two farts of the question, I would refer to the reply which I gave to-day to the hon. Member for Leith (Captain Benn). As regards the last part of the question, the answer is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been called to the judgment delivered by Lord Shaw of Dunfermline in the case of Hewitson v. the St. Helens Colliery Company, Limited; and if, having regard to the very unsatisfactory way in which the judgment in that case affects a large body of workmen in regard to compensation for accidents, and the strong appeal made by Lord Shaw for legislative remedies, he will grant facilities for the passing of a short Act of Parliament that will ensure to the workers that measure of protection which they have hitherto possessed, and of which they are now deprived?

I have seen a report of the judgments in the case referred to by my hon. Friend, and I agree that workmen who are employed under the special conditions which existed in that case are placed in a very unsatisfactory position. The matter will require careful inquiry and consideration before any conclusion is reached, and as it affects chiefly the mining industry, I think it will be best in the first instance to confer with representatives of that industry and with the Mines Department on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will include a clause in the proposed Russian recognition treaty whereby complete religious liberty will be guaranteed to all religious denominations in that country?

I do not think that the step proposed by the hon. Member would be either possible or proper, but I hope that, with the return to normal and peaceful conditions and the sense of internal security, which is one of the objects of our recognition of Russia, the Soviet Government will find it possible to adopt the principle of religious toleration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether compensation has yet been paid by the Russian Government for the damage and loss sustained by the detention of the Scarborough and Hull trawlers "James Johnson" and others; and, if not, what steps does he propose to take to obtain this money?

No compensation has yet been paid by the Soviet Government in connection with these vessels, as various items in the claim are still under discussion, the precise amounts payable being a matter for negotiation. His Majesty's Government will continue to press for a settlement of the claim.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what are the Treaties concluded between this country and Russia, or the International Conventions to which they both are parties, which have not been denounced or otherwise juridically lapsed

I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a list of the Treaties bilateral and multilateral to which this country and Russia are both parties and which have not been formally denounced. Which, if any, of these Treaties may be held to have juridically lapsed is a question which is engaging the careful attention of His Majesty's Government, and I am therefore not prepared at present to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has any intention, whether as part of a policy of inter-Allied debt settlement or on any other ground, of contemplating the cession of Jamaica or any other part of the British Empire to any foreign power?

His Majesty's Government have no intention of ceding Jamaica. This is a rumour of hardy recurrence to which no credence must be given. Nor has His Majesty's Government contemplated the cession of any other part of the British Empire to any foreign power. But it has been informed that its predecessors committed themselves to an agreement which may involve a certain small cession of territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Government intends to sign the optional Clause of the Statute of the Permanent Court of International Justice, which makes recourse to the Court obligatory; how many Powers have so signed this Clause; and what is its exact effect?

His Majesty's Government have not yet had time to examine the question raised by the hon. Member, and I cannot make any state- ment of their policy in regard to it. So far as I am aware, 21 States have signed the Clause, and 15 of these have ratified their acceptance of it. Acceptance is in some eases for five years only, and is generally subject to reciprocity. As regards the last part of the question, I would ask the hon. Member to refer to Article 36 of the Statute of the Court, which has been laid before Parliament (Cmd. 1981).