asked the President of the Board of Trade how the rates of pay compare now with pre-War rates in the chief distributive trades, e.g ., rail-waymen, dock 'workers, and vanmen, and the main productive trades, e.g ., agricultural workers, miners, and engineers?

I have been asked to reply. Particulars were given in the October, 1923, issue of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," showing the increases in rates of wages in the principal industries, including those referred to in the question, between August, 1914, and the end of September, 1923. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of that issue of the "Gazette," together with a summary of the principal changes in rates of wages since that date.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many boys and girls are now in attendance at day continuation schools; and what steps the Board of Education is taking to encourage the extension of the day continuation schools?

In the course of the school year ending 31st July, 1923, about 12,600 boys and about 10,800 girls were enrolled in schools or classes of the day continuation school type, but the numbers in attendance on any one day in that year would have been considerably smaller. It was recently ascertained that in Birmingham 1,033 boys and girls of 14 to 16 and in London 4,814 boys and girls were voluntarily attending day continuation schools. Without making special inquiries, it would be impossible to state the exact figures of the present attendance. I do not propose, in present circumstances, to require local education authorities to undertake the provision of day continuation schools on the basis of obligatory attendance, but I am prepared to consider sympathetically any effective arrangements proposed by local education authorities.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government has any schemes for stimulating employment in the shipyards which are not capable of producing war material?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer, of which I am sending him a copy, given to the hon. Member for Newcastle East (Sir R. Aske) on the 17th March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total value of the 1922 and 1923 English hop crops, and the total sums paid to growers, hop control, factors, and merchants, respectively, for each year?

I am not in a position to give particulars under the various heads mentioned in the Noble Lord's question. As far as the 1922 crop is concerned, hop growers received £3,170,000 for 300,000 cwts. so far sold at the date of the last published account. In respect of the 1923 crop particulars are not yet fully available. Approximately 230,000 cwts. have been taken into control, for which the growers have received an average price of £13 per cwt. The Hop Control takes no cognisance of the charges made by merchants, and growers themselves have to pay the usual charges to factors. The administrative expenses of the Hop Control in the year ended 30th June, 1923, were £6,900.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he proposes to take any action on the reports of the Linlithgow Committee on the Distribution and Prices of Agricultural Products?

A statement was made in this Houes on the 21st January in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Louth (Mrs. Wintringham) as to this matter. The recommendations of the Committee continue to receive the attention of the Ministry and progress is being made along the lines indicated in that reply.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is considering the question of setting up a board of supply for the purchase and importation of staple foodstuffs, as suggested in the Report of the Agricultural Committee of the Independent Labour party?

Without prejudice to consideration of this question at some future date, it is not the Government's present intention to set up a board of supply for the purchase and importation of staple foodstuffs

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the high rents necessarily charged for small dwellings erected during recent years, he will consider the possibility of still further raising the exemption limit from Inhabited House Duty from an annual value of £30 to an annual value of £40?

In the course of preparing the forthcoming Budget statement, Inhabited House Duty, as well as all other duties and taxes, will fall under review; but the hon. Member will not expect me to anticipate my budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that Entertainment Duty has been demanded from the Spen Valley, Paxton, and Chrysanthemum Society in respect of a show held at Cleckheaton on 24th November, 1923; that the show was entirely of a horticultural character except that in connection therewith there was an exhibition of schoolchildren's drawings of wild flowers, buds, and leaves; whether it is proposed to exact Entertainments Duty in respect of this show; and, if so, on what grounds?

I have made inquiry regarding this case, and find that Entertainments Duty was charged because the show was not entitled to a grant of Exemption under any of the Statutory provisions. There is no power to remit the charge.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in the event of Parliament sanctioning the building of the five new cruisers, any orders for guns or mountings or other materials will be placed with Woolwich?

The usual practice of giving consideration to Woolwich, in connection with the allocation of guns and mountings, will be followed in giving out work.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the Admiralty Regulation 322 as to calculating the pensions of persons holding established situations in His Majesty's naval establishments is still in force; and, if so, why this procedure has been departed from in the case of storehouse assistants promoted to established grade?

Article 332, not 322, of the instructions as to cash duties, to which reference is presumably made, is still in force. Superannuation benefits are not awarded under the Article, but under the Superannuation Acts. The Regulation quoted is merely a general instruction to officers in charge of cash duties as to the manner in which superannuation forms should be prepared. The grade of storehouse assistant is not pensionable, but where, owing to lack of vacancies, it is not practicable to promote a storehouse assistant (whom it may be desired to establish) to a higher established post it is the practice to establish him in a lower grade to enable him to become eligible for a pension on retirement. It is not permissible under the Superannuation Acts to award a pension on the emoluments of the hired grade of storehouse assistant.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he has now decided if any assistance, ex gratia or otherwise, can be given to the widow of the late Sergeant A. G. Bates, No. 7,816,003, 5/6th Dragoons?

I much regret that I have no power to grant assistance in this case. Careful inquiry has been made, and I am satisfied that Sergeant Bates' death was not attributable to the service.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will furnish a list of the names of candidates who have received from the Army Council nominations for Woolwich and Sandhurst since the date of the Army entrance examination in June, 1923, giving the names of the schools from which they came and the marks which they obtained in the Army entrance examinations preceding their nomination?

The information asked for is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will furnish the names of the King's and honorary King's cadets nominated for Woolwich after the Army examinations of 1923 and of the King's, King's India, honorary King's and honorary King's India cadets nominated for Sandhurst after the examinations of 1923?

The information asked for is as follows:

CADETS WHO ENTERED, OR WERE NOMINATED TO, THE ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY, WOOLWICH, OR THE ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE, SANDHURST, AFTER THE ARMY ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS, 1923.

Royal Military Academy, Woolwich .

King's Cadets:

Farrell-Palliser, H J.

Gore, F. N. W.

O'Halloran, D. N. E.

Honorary King's Cadets:

Galloway, J. L.

Ponsonby, W. M.

Tyler, J. N. D.

Royal Military College, Sandhurst.

King's Cadets:

Buchan, P. W.

Ford, L. S.

Honorary King's Cadets:

Nil.

Honorary King's India Cadets:

Nil.

King's India Cadets:

Garraway, E. A. R.

Hay, J. W.

Jenney, W. R.

Keene, G. A. E.

Lang, I. F.

Melville, C. A. S.

Pembroke, E. J.

Pettigrew, D. W.

Rich, H. W. W.

GENTLEMEN CADETS GRANTED KING'S CADETSHIPS IN RESIDENCE DURING 1923.

In residence at Royal Military Academy, Woolwich:

Dawes, E. G.

Tailyour, K. R. H.

In residence at Royal Military College, Sandhurst:

Bowley R. G.

Goulden, G. A.

Hopkins, R. H. I.

Wilson, A. R.

Wilson, H. E.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has given consideration to the claims of the permanently commissioned ranker officer who suffers from the halving of his rank service and the corresponding drop in retired pay; and whether he can take any action in the matter?

An officer promoted from the ranks is entitled to count for officer's pension one-half of his service in the ranks below warrant officer, Class I, and the whole of his service as warrant officer, Class I. It is not proposed to make any change in this rule.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, if a reversion to 1d. letter postage is at present impossible, he can see his way to adopting ½d. rate of postage for all ordinary kinds and sizes of postcards?

I regret that I am not able to make any statement on this subject at present.

asked the Postmaster-General for what reason the Post Office do not recognise their liability when giving a spurious coin at the General Post Office, considering that they refused to refund the value after recognising the fact, at another post office, that the bad coin had been given by one of their clerks?

It is notified at all post office counters, and at page 47 of the Post Office Guide, that when money is paid at a post office, whether as change or otherwise, no question as to its right amount or goodness can be entertained after it has been removed from the counter. This Regulation is necessary in order to safeguard the Post Office against wrongful claims. I do not know the details of the case mentioned in the question; but it is not apparent how a clerk at one post office could recognise that a counterfeit coin had been given out by a clerk at another office.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of broadcast receiving licences and experimental receiving licences issued in Scotland, in the North of Scotland, to include Dundee and Perth, and in the areas covered by each of the British broadcasting stations?

It would be impossible without undue labour to give the figures in the form which the hon. Member suggests; but the following approximate figures are available, and are given in the hope that they may meet his requirements:

asked the Postmaster-General the profit or loss on postal, tele- graph and telephone working for each financial year since 1909–10?

The hon. Member will find the information he desires in respect of the years 1912–13 to 1922–23 inclusive on page 42 of the Post Office Commercial Accounts, which have just been issued. Information in this form is not available in respect of the earlier financial years.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether he will arrange for the publication in pamphlet form, with supplements as required, of all information relating to Post Office examinations;

Leaflets containing information as to examinations for entry into the Post Office service are already available. The question of issuing a further leaflet, which would indicate to a new entrant the Post Office competitions for which he is, or may, become eligible, is at present under consideration.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that Auxiliary-Postman J. M. Perry was discharged from the Forest Gate Section, Eastern District, 12th January, 1924, owing to physical disabilities directly arising from War service; and whether he can reverse such decision?

J. M. Perry's employment as Auxiliary Postman was discontinued because he was certified by the Post Office medical officer to be physically unfit for the work. I am inquiring whether it is possible to offer him suitable indoor employment.