asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Francis Owens, 1/MO/127 G, was awarded a 50 per cent. pension according to the notification of assessment sent him by the medical board; that Owens has received from the regional director of Scotland an intimation that his pension assessment is only 20 per cent.; and whether, in view of the contradiction between those official notices, he will have this matter thoroughly investigated with a view to full justice being done to Owens?

The medical board's assessment of disablement was 20 per cent., an assessment subsequently confirmed by a medical appeal board. I have personally looked into all the papers in this case, and I regret the unfortunate error that occurred in the notice sent to the man by the medical board. I have no doubt that it was a clerical error.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Patrick Callaghan, 35, Albert Street, Govan, has been certified as suffering from bronchitis, caused by his services during the War, by the medical officers of his Ministry; that Callaghan is assessed at 1 per cent. to 5 per cent. for more than a year; that, on the same day as the tribunal fixed this rate of assessment, his panel doctor examined him and stated that, owing to his disability, he was unable to follow his employment, and he has been on the sick list ever since; and that Callaghan is now confined to bed and is in receipt of parish relief; and whether he will have this case reconsidered, with a view to a proper award being made?

I have had inquiries made into this case. Following a medical examination of the man within the past week, I am advised that his general condition is good, and that the slight degree of disablement from bronchitis is adequately compensated by the award which has been confirmed on appeal by the tribunal. I understand that the man is at work.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that Edwin T. Ross 1, Plevna Road, South Tottenham (Port Division, Chatham, J.89,867), has been in the North Middlesex Hospital since he was invalided out of the Royal Navy in 1923; whether he was medically fit when he entered the service; and if so, in what way his disabilities arose if they are not attributable to his service?

Ross was invalided on the 10th October, 1923, and admitted to the North Middlesex Hospital on 13th November, 1923, where he still remains. He was medically fit on entry to the service. His disabilities arose in the same way as they might have arisen had he been employed in civil life; that is to say, there was no special conditions incidental to the naval service which gave rise to the diseases in his particular case. In order to admit of his disabilities being regarded as attributable to the service, it must be shown that they were specifically attributable to conditions appertaining to the naval service, and this evidence is not forthcoming in Ross's case.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will issue instruc- that the chief area officers, when replying to objections against the reductions made in dependants' pension, shall inform the applicants that they have the right of appeal to the area war pensions committee?

Instructions were issued some time ago to all chief area officers impressing upon them that all complainants should be encouraged, if they so desired, to lay their cases before the war pensions committee; and supplementary instructions with the same object have been issued to the committees themselves and to the regional staffs.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he can make arrangements whereby dependants' pensions may be antedated in cases of proved hardship where, through ignorance of their rights, dependants failed to claim their pensions until some considerable time after the death of the son or other relative on whom they were previously dependent?

If, as I presume, the hon. and gallant Member is referring to pre-War dependence pensions, I would point out that no such pensions have been granted since 31st March, 1922. I could not, at this date, justifiably entertain the suggestion made in the question.

asked the Minister of Pensions what kind of evidence will be accepted by him as showing that an award was erroneously declared final; whether medical evidence is essential for this purpose; and whether he will pay the applicant's doctors' fees for examination and report as to errors in awards?

The question whether an award was made final in error owing to incorrect diagnosis will be determined on the results of examination by a special medical board of the Ministry. Ordinarily it is anticipated that such cases, which are not numerous, will be discovered in the course of medical treatment by the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that, whilst widows claiming pensions under Article 11 of the Royal Warrant for Military Pensions of 1919 are granted advances equivalent to the rate of the pension pending the award of the same, widows claiming under Article 17 are not granted such a privilege but have to have recourse to Poor Law relief or to a voluntary fund pending the grant of a pension; and will he take steps to have the latter class of widow put on the same basis as the former?

I will consider my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion. But my power to make advances in anticipation of the decision on a pension claim is extra-statutory, and is limited to claims made within the terms and time limit of Article 11. My hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that claims not covered by that Article involve special consideration and the decision cannot ordinarily be anticipated.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he can now make any statement with respect to the trouble in the Moss Side Hospital at Liverpool; whether he is aware that the protest by the patients was directed against the curtailment of their free time; and whether there was any reason for placing a cordon of police around the hospital?

Full inquiry was made at once into this matter, and the difficulties that had arisen have now been satisfactorily adjusted. The complaint from which the inmates of this hospital are suffering renders it essential that leave of absence should, in the interests of the patients themselves, be safeguarded by certain conditions that are not necessary in the case of inmates of other types of hospitals. The enforcement of these conditions was resented under a misapprehension of their reason. It was on one occasion necessary that police assistance should be made available in the interests of public order, but had not in fact, I am glad to say, to be utilised

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can supply figures showing the number of bankruptcies in the United Kingdom during the year ended 31st December, 1923, the amount involved in such failures, and the main commercial and industrial categories into which they may be divided?

The number of receiving orders gazetted during 1923 in England and Wales was 5,099, but the further information desired by the hon. Member is not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the lack of uniformity in patent and trade mark laws amongst the signatories of the Convention of 1883; and whether the Government, in the interests of British patentees and trade mark owners, will take steps to press for a greater measure of uniformity amongst the contracting countries?

I am aware of the lack of uniformity in the patent and trade mark laws of the countries signatory to the Industrial Property Convention of 1883, which was last revised at Washington in 1911. Every effort has been made in the past to obtain greater uniformity in the general principles of patent and trade mark legislation in the contracting States, and it is hoped that at the next conference for the revision of the Convention a further advance in this direction will be made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that artificial flowers of German manufacture are being sold here at 1s. 4½d. per dozen, and that to manufacture a similar article in this country the cost in wages alone at the Trade Board rates, without reckoning the cost of materials or other costs, would be 3s. 1d. per dozen; and whether the Government can take any action in the matter so as to prevent the young girls employed in this industry being thrown out of employment?

I am aware of complaints as to the low prices at which artificial flowers of German manufacture are being sold in this country, but I am not in a position to suggest any action that could usefully be taken by the Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade why the Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom has been discontinued; whether the figures published therein can be procured in any other way; and, if so, if he will give the titles of the respective reports or papers?

The Statistical Abstract for the United Kingdom has not been discontinued. The next issue, now in course of preparation, will relate to the 15 years 1908–1922, and will be published, it is hoped, in the course of the next few weeks. Most of the figures in the Abstract are to be found in the annual publications of various Government Departments, and the titles of these publications are shown at the heads of tables in the number of the Abstract last issued.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the claim of Joseph Scott, of 760, Hallam Road, Porchester, Nottingham, for compensation for air-raid damage is still unsettled, and that the last communication received from the Board of Trade in reference to it was so long ago as 2nd September, 1922 (Reference A/787/P 1); and whether, under these circumstances, he will use his best endeavours to secure a speedy settlement?

As to the first part of the question, the answer is in the affirmative. As to the last part of the question, the claim is one in which the Royal Commission recommended that no ex gratia payment should be made. In this connection I would refer to the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member for Bromley (Lieut.-Colonel James) on 26th March.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the continuance of the dispute at Woolworth's, Swansea, and its serious effects on the girls concerned; and what steps he is taking to secure their reinstatement?

It has not been possible to effect an agreement between the firm and the trade union, and it is understood that the places of the girls who left work have now been filled. The services of the Department are at the disposal of the parties if they so desire, but further action could only be taken with the consent of both sides.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the recommendations of the Cave Committee's Report which it is intended to apply to the wages board in the grocery and provision trade; and if he can indicate at what date they will be put into operation?

In so far as legislation would be required to give effect to the recommendations of the Cave Committee, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to his question on 19th March. I am considering how far it may be advisable to adopt certain of the recommendations which do not involve legislation.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of women registered as unemployed at the Exchanges in East Anglia, and the number now receiving training in domestic work in the Ministry of Labour's training centres?

The number of women registered as unemployed at all Employment Exchanges in the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridge at 24th March, 1924, was 2,513. There are at present no domestic training centres in operation in East Anglia under the Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment, although two centres in that area are under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that James M'Laverty, 586, Govan Road, Govan, has been refused benefit on the ground that he is not genuinely seeking employment; that this man has been employed in His Majesty's dockyards at Malta six years, Rosyth and Pembroke five years, and was on the establishment, and has also worked in Govan and Partick shipyards; and whether, in view of this record of work, he will further consider the matter with a view to payment of benefit?

I am making inquiries into this case and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can give any indication as to the number of people to be employed at the ordnance stores at Didcot after the Woolwich depot has been closed down; when the proposed transfer of employés is to commence; and when it is likely to be completed?

I regret I am not in a position to give indications on these matters at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will provide for the claims of acting-paymasters to be specifically included in the inquiry concerning ranker officers?

In those cases where pensioners were given temporary commissions as acting paymasters, they will come within the terms of reference already published. The claims of civilian acting paymasters do not come within the terms and cannot, as the question suggests, be specifically included.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the officer commanding Tidworth camp has intimated his intention of imposing a levy of £1 half-yearly on all tradesmen delivering goods in the camp; and whether, inasmuch as the requirements of discipline are adequately met by the system of free passes hitherto in operation, he will take steps to protect the officers and men and their families from this rise in cost of living which must result, and the local tradesmen from what appears an unjustifiable imposition?

I have no information on this subject, but am making inquiries and I will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can now make any further statement with reference to the use of Elphinstone barracks at Plymouth for the housing of civilian families?

I regret that I cannot yet add anything to my previous answers.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been directed to the appointment of a special committee by the Birmingham City Council to inquire concerning the prevalence of cancer in the city, the facilities for treatment of the disease, and the steps which might usefully be taken by their council to help cancer sufferers; whether similar committees have been appointed in other counties, cities, or towns; whether he approves of such local committees and will give them encouragement where possible; and whether he will direct the attention of county, city, and town councils, and other public bodies to the action taken at Birmingham?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes." My Departmental Committee on Cancer is in touch with the medical officers of health of several other towns with a view to the prosecution of similar inquiries, either through special committees or otherwise, as may be most suited to the area concerned. The formation of such local committees has my cordial approval, and I may refer to the suggestions on this point contained in the memorandum on cancer issued by my predecessor to all local authorities in England and Wales in August of last year, of which I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health the actual amount expended on administration and other costs of working by the approved societies in the year 1922; the actual amount expended on administration by the National Health Commission in the same year; the amount of any other expenditure incurred in the administration of the Act by the insurance committees or other bodies, excluding payments to medical practitioners; and what rates these expenses bear to the actual contributions from all sources, save Government grants in aid, received during the year?

The amounts expended on administration of National Health Insurance in England and Wales in the year 1922 were as follow:

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the high rate of juvenile unemployment and of the fact that juvenile unemployment centres do not cover to any appreciable extent the children between 14 and 16 years of age, he can give an undertaking to raise the school-leaving age, at any rate, to 15?

I am fully alive to all the considerations referred to, and as I have already said, in my reply to a question on the 21st February last, I am prepared to consider proposals from local education authorities for byelaws raising the age of obligatory school attendance to 15. To impose on all children an obligation to attend school till 15, or to empower me to require local education authorities to submit byelaws for the purpose, would involve legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Education, in reference to Circular 1326, whether it is the considered policy of the Board of Education that State scholarships tenable at the Universities should be confined to scholars from grant-aided secondary schools; and, if so, whether he will state the reasons for this restriction?

The primary object of the scheme of State scholarships has been to strengthen the connection between the grant-aided secondary schools and the Universities, and, by providing larger facilities than have existed hitherto for enabling pupils in those schools to receive a university education, to stimulate advanced work in the upper forms of those schools. The enlargement of the scheme and the establishment of a system of State scholarships open to all schools would involve important considerations, both of principle and of finance, and, although I have not overlooked its possibility, I cannot in any way commit myself on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of secondary school places, classified by areas, which have been provided per 1,000 of the population over the last five years; and the percentage of elementary school leavers, classified by areas, proceeding to secondary schools over the same period?

Figures of the number of pupils per 1,000 of the population attending grant-aided secondary schools from the areas of local education authorities are not available for the year 1918–19. Those for the 31st March, 1920, are given in Table 87 of the Board's Statistics of Public Education, 1919–20, and those for the 31st March, 1921, in Table 103 of the Volume for 1920–21; copies of these volumes have been placed in the Library of the House. It is intended to include figures for later years in future volumes. The proportion of elementary school pupils entering grant-aided secondary schools to the total number of pupils between the ages of 10–11 in public elementary schools for the country as a whole are given in Tables 72 and 84 of the two statistical volumes already referred to. Separate figures for individual areas have not hitherto been published, but I am considering the desirability of including them in future statistical volumes.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will give the summary of any information he has received from the authorities of training colleges relating to the employment of teachers who left these colleges in the summer of 1923?

The returns which I have asked for on this matter have not yet been received from all the training colleges. Those which have reached me so far show that out of 5,872 students who left the colleges in July, 1923, and about whom the authorities of the colleges possess information, 5,077 (86·5 per cent.) have obtained teaching posts, 103 (1·8 per cent.) have not attempted to obtain posts, and 692 (11·7 per cent.) have failed to obtain posts.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware that men working in His Majesty's dockyard, Devonport, as ropemakers have been compelled either to leave the service and receive their pensions or to accept a reduction of 8s. in their wages; under what authority the officer commanding has compelled the men to accept this reduction in their wages in breach of their contract; and whether he will take steps to restore the men to the wages of 37s. per week, being the rate at which they were established?

The amount of ropemaking work being insufficient to employ all the ropemakers at the dockyard, and all the hired ropemakers having been discharged, the established men, additional to those who could be employed as ropemakers, were, in June last, offered either discharge with such superannuation allowances as they had earned by service, or employment in another capacity at the wages for men employed in that capacity until such time as their services can again be utilised at their trade. There has been no compulsion nor breach of contract. The men cannot be paid as ropemakers when they are not employed at that trade.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will give a list of the ships which have been disposed of to shipbreaking firms since the end of the War, the names of the firms to whom they have been sold, and the amount of money received for each ship?

The disclosure of contract prices is not in the public interest, and it is undesirable to publish a list of individual ships sold to particular shipbreakers. Since the date of the Armistice obsolete warships of an approximate tonnage of 2¼ million tons have been sold, and the total amount realised is between 4 and 4½ million sterling.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the serious complaints of West Country fishermen in respect of their loss of gear, owing to the large number of wrecks lying on the sea bottom between Start Point and Portland Bill; and if he can give any assistance towards meeting their losses?

I am aware of the complaints to which the hon. Member refers, and of the facts which have given rise to them. Wrecks, mines and other relics of the War, in this area and elsewhere, constitute a serious obstruction to fishing operations, and cause great losses of gear. The question of taking steps to deal with these obstructions has been under serious consideration ever since the War, but it has not been found possible to devise any practical scheme to remove them or render them innocuous. The Ministry has no funds out of which losses to gear arising from this cause could be met, and I would point out that if the principle of such assistance were admitted, the Government would be faced, not only for the present, but over an incalculable future period, with recurring claims from almost every fishing port, the bona fides of most of which it would be impossible to test.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, when issuing schedules for silk-covered wires, he will specify that, in view of the great amount of unemployment in the silk trade, only British net silk for insulation of electric wires shall be used?

"if natural silk is to be used … only British-spun silk shall be used."

Spun silk is satisfactory for Post Office purposes, and it is not necessary to specify "net silk," which, I understand, is silk of the highest grade.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Aircraft Disposals Syndicate has for disposal 2,000 complete aeroplanes, 10,000 aeroplane engines (new), and 8,000 Vickers and Lewis machine guns (air type); whether he is aware that several parties are endeavouring to purchase these armaments; and whether, before they are allowed to be sold or leave the country, he will insist upon guarantees as to their destination and that they will not be used for illegal purposes?

I have been asked to reply. I understand that the Aircraft Disposals Company purchased large quantities of aircraft, including planes and engines, from the Government and the company are reselling that material. I have no information as to the quantities remaining for sale or as to what negotiations, if any, are proceeding between the company and other parties. As regards the machine guns mentioned, the company are only allowed to sell these after full particulars of their proposed sale have been furnished to the Government and the Government are satisfied as to the propriety of the sale.

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether his attention has been called to the increasing number of accidents taking place at the docks, in view of the increased size of ships and the increased speed of discharging and loading by modern machinery; and whether, in view of the increase of danger by reason of these factors, he will take the necessary steps to increase the number of inspectors, so as to insure compliance with the Docks Regulations under the Factories Acts;

(2) whether his attention has been called to the fact that whereas there were 222 factory inspectors and their assistants, and 276,855 registered factories and workshops in 1914, the number of factory inspectors and assistants have been reduced to 205, while the factories have increased in number to 283,542, and that the number of effective visits in 1914 were 470,742, and in 1922 the number of visits were 313,965; and will he cause immediate inquiry to be made into the position with a view to increasing the inspectorate in order to give effect to the provisions of the Factories and Workshops Acts?

The number of dock accidents has been a matter of serious concern, and a conference of representatives of the Factory Department and of the employers and workers affected has been meeting at the Home Office to consider means for securing a higher standard of safety. I am glad to say that the Conference has now presented a unanimous Report, which will be published next week. The Conference recommends the issue of revised Regulations and the establishment locally of safety first organisations, and steps will be taken without delay to give effect to their proposals. Meanwhile special attention has been and will continue to be paid to the enforcement of the existing Regulations. On the general question of increasing the factory inspectorate, I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the question on the subject asked on Monday last by the Member for North Bristol (Mr. Ayles).

asked the Home Secretary if he will set out the several representations which he has received during the present year from the various bodies of county and borough justices relating to the necessity of regulations in respect of registered clubs?

I do not think I can properly adopt the hon. Member's suggestion; but if he would like to look at some specimens of the representations in question, and will call at the Home Office, I shall be happy to arrange for them to be shown to him.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state the respective decisions arrived at by the several licensing authorities in the Metropolitan area, so far as the closing of licensed houses is concerned?

The hon. Member will, I hope, find the information which he desires in the following table:

asked the Home Secretary if he proposes to introduce a Wild Birds' Protection Bill this Session, on the lines of the Bill passed in the other House last year?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on the 13th March on this question.

asked the Paymaster-General on what grounds and under what Act or printed Regulation any increase of pension payable under the Pensions Increase Act is forfeited during such period that the pensioner is in an asylum; and whether he will inquire into the claim of ex-Sergeant James Hoban, late of the Royal Irish Constabulary, with a view to the issue of any balance which may be due to him under the Pensions Increase Act and which has been withheld?

I have been asked to reply. I have considered this case, and after examining all the circumstances I have felt justified in arranging for payment to be made of the increase, which has been withheld under the discretion allowed to pension authorities by the Act of 1920.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the number of ex-service men holding established appointments in the Civil Service, and show the number who were professional soldiers and the number who were hostilities men?

The number as on 1st February, 1924, of ex-service men holding permanent appointments in the Civil Service is 104,355. Details are not available of the division of this number into the categories stated.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of the claims for the repayment of Excess Profits Duty outstanding on the 31st March, 1924; the gross amount of the duty paid during the present year; and the gross amount repaid during the same period?

I am unable to state the amount involved by claims for repayment of Excess Profits Duty at present under investigation, as many of them are disposed of locally without being brought before the Commissioners of Inland Revenue. Repayments found to be due are made immediately the amount is finally ascertained. The gross amount of Excess Profits Duty (including Munitions Levy) paid during 1923–24 is approximately £23,500,000; the gross amount repaid during the same period is £25,400,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the large amount of the Supplementary Estimates for the financial year ending 31st March, he will introduce further safeguards in the forthcoming financial year to check the tendency of several public Departments to incur heavy expenditure without the sanction of this House?

I do not follow the suggestion in this question. Supplementary Estimates are presented for the precise purpose of obtaining the sanction of this House to expenditure unforeseen when the main Estimates are presented. I should naturally be the first to discourage them, and I would remind the hon. Member that the necessity for the large Supplementary Estimates in the year just closed arose out of the commitments entered into by the late Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give the date on which he proposes to introduce the Budget?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now name a day for the introduction of the Budget?

I would refer the hon. Members to the announcement made on Tuesday, in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Warrington (Mr. Dukes).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the relief from Income Tax in respect of earned income was originally, in 1907, equivalent to 25 per cent., and has now been gradually reduced to 10 per cent.; and whether he will consider the possibility of restoring this relief to its original amount?

The hon. Member will not expect me, in a matter of this kind, to anticipate my Budget statement. He will recall that the existing differentiation is based on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Income Tax.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that in the contracts given to the temporary staff above graded clerks it is expressly stipulated that their whole time is at the disposal of the Government without additional remuneration; and whether he will undertake that a definite limit shall be set as to the number of hours' work which can be demanded from such staff?

The senior staffs of Government offices, whether permanent or temporary, are normally required to place their full time at the disposal of the public service without additional remuneration. I am not aware that any difficulty arises in practice in the interpretation of this requirement, and I do not think that it is necessary or desirable to lay down any more definite rules.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that civil servants claim a refund of Income Tax in respect of 1921–22 and previous years; and whether he is prepared to co-operate with the claimants in obtaining an authoritative decision of the Court on the point of law in dispute before making legislative proposals which may have the effect of condoning past illegalities and imposing taxation, retrospectively?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that civil servants are claiming a refund of Income Tax in respect of 1921–22 and previous years; and whether he is prepared to co-operate with the claimants in obtaining the authoritative decision of the Courts on the point of law in dispute before making legislative proposals which might have the effect of condoning past illegalities and imposing taxation retrospectively?

I assume that the hon. Members are referring to the matter which was the subject of a question by the hon. Member for East Ham South (Mr. Barnes) on the 25th March, and I would refer the hon. Members to the answer then given. The course suggested in the questions to which I am now replying is not one which could reasonably be adopted. Plainly in the event of the Courts rejecting the view upon which the claims are based, the position would, apart from the inevitable delay, be the same as would result from legislation in the sense indicated in the answer to which I have referred. On the other hand, in what I am advised is the unlikely event of the Courts upholding the view in question, there would be no option but to follow the course previously approved by Parliament in analogous cases, and consequently to submit legislative proposals in effect reversing the decision and providing for payment of tax upon the full amount of the annual incomes in all the cases that might be affected. It will be appreciated that this course would be necessary in order to secure uniformity of treatment as between the various sections of taxpayers concerned. Such a decision by the Courts could, under the law and practice, have no effect whatever upon the Income Tax liability in any case which had become final and conclusive before the date of the decision. It would follow, therefore, that, unless the matter were put right by legislation, the effect of a decision upholding the claim would, in any cases to which it could legally be applied, be to relieve for one or more years certain privileged taxpayers from liability to Income Tax upon a substantial part of their income, notwithstanding the fact that they, like other taxpayers similarly circumstanced but not in a position to claim the benefit of the decision, have all along been charged upon the simple and, as I am advised, the legal basis of the emoluments of the year of assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any interest is being received by the British Government on the capital value of the railways in Iraq; if not, whether any measures are being taken to recover such interest; and what was the balance of receipts over expenditure for the last financial year?

The railways in Iraq are the property of His Majesty's Government, and interest on the capital value is not payable. As from the 1st April, 1923, the administration and management of the railways was taken over by the Iraq Government, on behalf of His Majesty's Government. The arrangement with the Iraq Government provides that all receipts are to be used solely for meeting current expenditure of the system and, in so far as there may be any surplus of revenue over current expenditure, for meeting the cost of further capital works undertaken, with the approval of the High Commissioner for Iraq, or the payment of interest on money borrowed for the purpose of such capital works. No charge will fall on the Exchequer as from 1st April, 1923, in respect of these railways. The excess of receipts over expenditure in 1922–23, which accrues to the Exchequer, was, approximately, £20,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the agreed fee of £70,000 for Messrs. Stewart and M'Donnell, for advising the Gold Coast Government with regard to the Takoradi harbour works, included the purchase of materials necessary for the proposed harbour; and whether a part of the machinery and tools provided for these works have been found either partly or wholly defective?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Certain machines purchased for the work of the Colonial Government, through the Crown Agents, did not work satisfactorily; the responsibility for this failure is one of the questions which Mr. Palmer will investigate.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will arrange to have a representative of the co-operative movement in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex appointed to the traders' panel in connection with the Railways Act, 1921; and will he further consider the necessity of an Amendment of this Act which leaves solely to the Chambers of Commerce the right of nomination to the traders' panel, thus involving the boycott of an important national organisation?

I have been asked to reply. I am sending the hon. Member an extract from Section 24 of the Railways Act, 1921, from which he will see that the members of the general panel are nominated by the President of the Board of Trade, and not by any Chambers of Commerce. I may add that one of the members of the panel is directly concerned with the co-operative movement.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the growing danger, both to bicyclists and to motorists, by the practice of bicyclists riding at night without either a light or a coloured disc at the rear of their machines; and whether he will introduce legislation, whether promised or not, at the earliest possible moment to deal with this danger?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 19th February to the hon. Member for the Exchange Division of Manchester (Mr. Barclay), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can yet state what provincial cities and police forces have so far adopted white overalls for the use of their police officers employed upon point duty?

I have already communicated this information to the noble Lord.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the difficulty of parking cars in London without causing obstruction; whether he is aware that in some of our great cities notices are prominently displayed stating where vehicles may be parked and how many in any particular place; and whether he will, in consultation with the great automobile associations, consider the adoption of a similar scheme in the Metropolitan police area?

I am aware of the difficulty referred to, and I know that different systems are in force in different cities. The question of the parking of cars has been referred to a Departmental Committee appointed by the Minister of Transport with instructions to consider the whole question of the regulation of Hackney vehicles and the parking of vehicles.