asked the Minister of Pensions what was the total expenditure in respect of War pensions, exclusive of cost of administration, for the year ended 31st March, 1924?

Excluding the cost of administration the total expenditure of the Ministry for the year ending 31st March, 1924, was approximately £68,300,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider the desirability of allowing the commutation of pensions in the case of conditional awards so as to allow pensioners who so desire to leave the country?

I am afraid it would not be practicable to commute a conditional pension, as its continuance beyond the period of the award is dependent on the state of the man's disability at the time. Facilities already exist for enabling a pensioner, who has arranged to emigrate to a British Possession, to obtain a substantial advance of funds in respect of his current award on application being made through the local office of the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that in determining the income for the home, when dealing with applications for need pensions from the Special Grants Committee, the earnings of sons who are married and living away from home are taken into account; and will he take steps to have this rectified?

The Special Grants Committee in considering claims for supplementation of pension by parents of deceased soldiers are, like the Ministry itself, bound to have regard to the amount of support which the deceased son might reasonably have been expected to contribute had he survived. For this purpose they must ordinarily take into consideration the circumstances of other surviving sons. But each case is considered on its merits and neither in the case of the Special Grants Committee nor of the Ministry, are such considerations rigidly applied without regard to other qualifying circumstances which may be present in an individual case. In this connection, I may remind my hon. Friend of the substantial improvements in this class of pension which the Government have recently made, and which were announced in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Birkenhead (Mr. Egan) on the 5th inst.

asked the Minister of Pensions for what reason the mother's pension of Anne Horrocks, widow, of 48, Stuart Road, Walton, which she is receiving in respect of her late son, Frederick William Horrocks, who died of influenza in Italy in November, 1918, has been reduced from 19s. 6d. to 8s. 10d.; if he is aware that this son was Mrs. Horrocks's sole support prior to the War; and if he will give instructions to have this case looked into?

I am glad to inform the hon. and gallant Member that, on reconsideration of the facts of this case, it has been found possible to restore the former award of 19s. 6d. a week, with effect from the date upon which the reduced award came into force.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will consider the question of the transference of dependency pensions to an invalid sister (on the death of the father or mother of the deceased soldier or sailor) in cases where genuine, hardship results by the loss of such pension?

I have no power to authorise transfer of pension from parent to child, and I fear that I should not be justified in recommending an amendment of the Royal Warrant in that direction. The Warrant contains separate provision for relatives, other than parents, who are incapacitated and in need if they were in fact dependent on the deceased soldier before enlistment.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will inquire urgently into the case of Mr. Thomas H. Johnson, who is now undergoing a course of training at Clark's College, Bristol; is he aware that on the 10th December, 1923, Mr. Johnson was admitted into the Cossham Memorial Hospital, Kingswood, Bristol, on the instructions of the Ministry of Pensions' medical officer; that Mr. Johnson's wife had to wait for two weeks without any money; that on the 12th April, 1924, Mr. Johnson was discharged from the hospital and recommended 20 days' leave; that the Ministry of Pensions refuses to issue a leave warrant or any treatment allowances; that Mr. Johnson failed to get any money before going on leave, and that three weeks' pay at least is now due to him; and will he see that all money due to Mr. Johnson is paid as soon as possible?

The delay referred to in the third part of the question was occasioned by the man's failure to complete the necessary application. As regards the remainder of the question, treatment ended on 24th April, and after the end of that week, until training commenced, the man was found not to be in need of further treatment and was, therefore, entitled only to pension. I understand that payment of training allowances by the Ministry of Labour commenced on the 14th instant. The recommendation referred to was made under a misapprehension, there being no Warrant authority to pay treatment allowances in such circumstances. I regret if any inconvenience has been caused.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the Indian Railway Board has authorised the construction by the South Indian Railway Company of a line from Villupuram to Trichinopoly; and whether, seeing that this proposed line would deprive the British port of Cuddalore of the carrying trade of the South Arcot district in favour of the French port of Pondicherry, he will make representations in this sense to the Indian Railway Board?

The construction by the South Indian Railway Company of a line from Villupuram to Trichinopoly was sanctioned in 1923. I am not aware that the alignment selected would necessarily have the prejudicial effect, indicated by the hon. Member, on the trade of the port of Cuddalore; but my Noble Friend will have an inquiry addressed to the Government of India on the matter.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to a meeting held in Calcutta, at which a Bengali lawyer presided, where resolutions were passed declaring that the inhabitants of South Calcutta condemned the action of His Excellency the Governor, and demanding the immediate recall of His Excellency for his various unconstitutional acts; and what action has been taken in the matter?

I have seen a paragraph to this effect in an Indian newspaper. So far as I am aware, no action has been taken in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the passage by the United States Senate of a Bill intended to relieve China from any further direct payment on account of the Boxer Indemnity and the donation of the proceeds to the purposes of education in China; and whether he will now proceed with the Bill on similar lines he has already promised to introduce?

I have seen reports in the Press that a Bill, of the nature indicated in the first part of the question, has passed through Congress. As regards the second part of the question, I regret that in view of the exceptional pressure of business at the moment it is not yet possible to fix a definite date for the introduction of the Boxer Indemnity Bill, but I can assure the hon. Member that the Government are anxious to make arrangements for its passage at the earliest possible opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State, for Foreign Affairs whether protests have been received by cable from Issa Ibn An, Sultan of El Bahrein, against the action of the head of the British Consulate in the Persian Gulf in asking for the abdication of the Sultan in favour of his son Hamad; and whether orders have been given to collect the funds of the Customs and deposit them in an English bank?

I have been asked to reply to this question. It is the case that protests have been received from Sheikh Isa of Bahrein, by cable and otherwise, in regard to his abdication in favour of his son Sheikh Hamad in May, 1923, and in regard to the action of the Political Officers, which, however, was taken with full authority from H.M. Government. Sheikh Hamad has, since his acceptance of the Regency, appointed the local branch of the Eastern Bank as the State Bank of Bahrein, into which the Customs receipts are paid.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether, in view of the desire in Tiree and Mull for similar opportunities for sharing in the subsidy for helping the erection of new houses under the Housing Act, 1923, enjoyed by other parts of the country, but not available in these districts by reason of the fact that the Mull district committee have not formulated a scheme under the Housing Act of 1893, he will take steps to make these advantages available to people in Mull and Tiree?

The exercise by a local authority of their powers under the Housing, etc., Act, 1923, is optional, and I regret I am therefore unable to extend the advantages of the Act to the districts referred to.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether a decision has been taken to suspend herring-fishing along the East Coast for a month; and what effect, if any, will this have on employment, particularly on the Scottish coast?

I have been asked to reply, as Scotland is mainly concerned in the early part of the summer fishing. A voluntary arrangement has been come to by herring fishermen and curers to defer the opening of the summer herring-fishing on the East Coast of Scotland and at Shetland until the beginning of June, in order to avoid the capture of immature herrings, for which there is not a remunerative demand. I understand that in the opinion of the trade any temporary loss of employment during the close time will be more than compensated for by an improvement over the season as a whole.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he can explain the reason for the delay in the reconstruction of the bridge on the road between Kippen Station and Kippen village, Stirlingshire?

I have been asked to answer this question. I am making inquiries into the matter, and will communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government is aware of the fact that, although Schedule E of the Income Tax Acts is limited to persons holding a public office or employment of profit (whose salaries are publicly known), it has recently become the practice of His Majesty's inspectors of taxes to assess under Schedule E all employés, whether public or not and who were hitherto assessed under Schedule D, affecting a large section of the population; that under Schedule D these persons had the option of making their returns to and of being assessed by the district commissioners or by the special commissioners, and that under Schedule E they are deprived of this option and thus lose the benefit of the secrecy afforded by an appeal to the special commissioners; that the declaration of secrecy required of tax officials under Section 89 of the Income Tax Act, 1918, applies exclusively to returns under Schedule D and not Schedule E; and whether the Government, in view of the dissatisfaction which this change in the method of assessment has created and of the personal nature of the information which has now to be supplied on tax returns, will make provision in the Finance Bill granting all persons the privilege of the alternative methods of assessment and providing for all returns being treated as confidential?

The hon. Member appears to have overlooked Section 18 of the Finance Act, 1922, which transferred to Schedule E, subject to some trifling exceptions, all employments not previously within the scope of that Schedule. Although the employés so transferred have not the option of assessment by the Special Commissioners—an option which, I may observe, was seldom exercised in such cases—I can assure the hon. Member that returns under Schedule E, equally with returns under Schedule D, are treated as strictly confidential, and I would further point out that under Section 19 of the Finance Act, 1922, any person charged under Schedule E has the right of appealing to the Special Commissioners against his assessment, if he so desires.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he can state, for the financial year 1923–24, how many of the 4,700,000 persons estimated to be above the Income Tax exemption limit had incomes exceeding £160 a year.

I regret that, following the change in the system of graduation of the Income Tax, introduced by the Finance Act, 1920, there is no statistical information available for classifying the total number of taxpayers according to the amount of their total incomes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the net receipt from the Beer Duty in 1923–24 fell below the Budget Estimate of his predecessor at the Exchequer; and, if so, by how much?

The net receipt from the Beer Duty in 1923–24 was approximately £300,000 below the Budget Estimate of £82,000,000 for that year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the figure per gallon motor spirit consumed by motor vehicles which would yield the equivalent revenue to that from the tax now being paid per horse-power on motor vehicles?

I have been asked to answer this question. I am afraid the information at present at my disposal is insufficient to enable me to give any reliable figure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the numbers and value of the imports and exports of motor-cars and chassis subject to import duties for the years 1921, 1922 and 1923, respectively, together with similar figures for 1911, 1912 and 1913?

There were no import duties on motor-cars in the years 1911, 1912 or 1913, but the complete figures as to imports, exports and re-exports of complete motor-cars and chassis during each of the six years in question are given in the table appended.

Motor Curs and Motor Car Chassis . — 1911. 1912. 1913. 1921. 1922. 1923.* No. Value £ No. Value £ No. Value £ No. Value £ No. Value £ No. Value £ ( a ) Imports — Motor cars complete: Touring cars (incl. cabs) not exempt from duty. 6,778 1,717,983 7,373 1,826,678 6,820 1,738,462 5,137 1,293,959 13,340 2,323,083 16,428 2,708,730 Commercial vehicles, etc., exempt from duty. 2,260 511,364 975 191,315 771 141,419 Motor car chassis: Not exempt from duty 6,672 1,723,889 7,518 1,901,829 7,958 1,894,465 3,136 742,702 6,977 1,221,365 7,699 1,067,061 Exempt from duty 933 346,224 1,540 305,326 4,928 661,267 ( b ) Re-exports of Foreign and Colonial Manufacture — Motor cars complete: Touring cars (inch cabs) not exempt from duty. 1,047 308,569 1,099 358,204 1,239 351,554 812 388,571 348 135,198 1,999 352,942 Commercial vehicles, etc., exempt from duty 1,163 419,789 58 16,657 573 87,562 Motor car chassis: Not exempt from duty 494 152,735 628 174,787 546 144,662 312 84,262 30 7,561 61 15,221 Exempt from duty 62 28,203 44 14,604 88 24,652 ( c ) Exports of Manufactures of United Kingdom — Motor cars complete: Touring cars (incl. cabs) 4,536 1,804,419 5,277 2,023,715 7,595 2,396,369 1,966 1,639,186 1,338 827,685 3,256 1,203,963 Commercial vehicles, etc. 755 686,425 596 473,330 976 663,137 Motor car chassis 735 296,689 1,180 437,224 1,234 465,283 1,041 957,253 1,107 654,610 2,022 976,621 * As from 1st April, 1923, the figures relate to Great Britain and Northern Ireland only.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the wages paid to skilled engineers at the Citroen works in France and the Fiat works in Italy?

I regret that there is no information in my Department on the point raised by the hon. Member, but inquiries are being made from our commercial representatives in both France and Italy, and as soon as I am in a position to do so, I will communicate further with the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount received in the last financial year from the German Government in respect of reparations, with the amount of the cost of the Army of Occupation and the proportion of the amount which the German Government have paid?

The total receipts during the financial year 1923–24 (including paper marks to the value of £784,000 supplied in Germany itself) were £11,111,000. As stated by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War, in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Barnstaple (Captain Tudor Rees) on the 13th May, the actual cost of the Army of Occupation was £1,560,000. But the amount for which Germany is liable towards the cost of the Armies of Occupation is limited by inter-Allied agreement. The British share for the last financial year is estimated at £1,200,000 which is a first charge on the receipts. This figure is included in the total of £11,111,000 given above, and Great Britain will thus be debited by the Reparation Commission as having received £9,911,000 on account of reparations proper.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what has been the total expenditure of the Forestry Commission since its establishment to 31st March, 1924; and who are the principal officers controlling such expenditure?

I have been asked to take over this question. The expenditure of the Forestry Commission, since its establishment to 31st March last, has been approximately as follows: £ Total payments … 1,248,000 Total receipts … 130,000 Net expenditure … 1,118,000

The expenditure of money annually made available by Parliament from the Forestry Fund of £3,500,000 which was established by the Forestry Act, 1919, is controlled by the Forestry Commissioners subject to such directions as are given by the Treasury in accordance with Section 3 (3) of that Act.

asked the right hon. Member for Tiverton, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, the extent to which the recommendations contained in the Report of the Forestry Sub-Committee of the Reconstruction Committee in respect of afforestation in the years following the War have been accepted and acted upon?

The extent to which the recommendations referred to have been accepted and acted upon is stated in the Annual Reports of the Forestry Commissioners, published by the Stationery Office and laid before this House. The Commissioners have not accomplished as much as would have been done if the annual quota of the fund of £3,500,000 (voted by Parliament in 1919 for the first 10 years of the scheme) had not been reduced. The afforestation programme recommended could, however, be carried out if the unspent balance of the fund is made available in five annual instalments; representations have accordingly been made in the appropriate quarter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the Whitley Council was held at which the representatives of the staff side agreed to a reduction of hours and pay for temporary clerks in the Civil Service with a view to avoiding the discharge of ex-service men; and whether, seeing the effect of the reduction of hours by two per week means that a grade I clerk, receiving 87s. 10d., and a grade 2 clerk, receiving 80s. 10d. per week, have their wages diminished by less than 1s. per week, while a grade 3 clerk, whose wages range from 60s. 8d. to 67s. 3d. per week, loses 4s. 5d. per week, he will take such action as will ensure that the reduction in the wages of the grade 3 clerks shall not be more than the reduction in the wages of the clerks in grades 1 and 2?

As stated in the answer given to the hon. Member for Rotherhithe (Mr. B. Smith) on the 9th April, the reduction in hours and pay of certain temporary clerks in the Civil Service is the outcome of representations made, not on the Whitley Council, but directly by the temporary staff organisations concerned. The apparent disparity to which the hon. Member refers is due to the fact that the rates of pay of grade 3 clerks on a 42-hour basis are exclusive of overtime pay, whereas the rates of pay of grade 3 clerks on a 44-hour basis, and of grade 1 and 2 clerks on either basis, are inclusive of overtime.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the present condition of Ireland, he will recommend the Treasury to abolish the Imperial grant of £1,352,534 for special constabulary in Northern Ireland in 1923–24, and allocate a proportionately larger sum to housing and unemployment in the same area?

The sum mentioned has been paid to the Exchequer of Northern Ireland in 1923–24 out of the provision voted by Parliament as a grant-in-aid of the expenses of the Northern Ireland Special Constabulary. I have no power to adopt the suggestion made in the question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the cost to the taxpayer of the expenses incurred by appointed members, employers' representatives, and workers' representatives, respectively, on the Agricultural Wages Board and the district wages committees in each year under the Corn Production Acts, 1917 to 1920?

The Ministry's records do not distinguish the amounts paid to each of the several categories of members mentioned in the question, but in the aggregate the fees (including subsistence) at the rates of 3 guineas and 1½ guineas per day respectively, and travelling expenses paid to appointed members of the Agricultural Wages Board and the district wages committees, together with subsistence allowances at £1 per night and corresponding allowances for day attendances to representative members of the wages board and the district wages committees and travelling expenses of representative members were as follow: — Fees. Travelling and Incidental Expenses. Total. £ £ £ 1917–18 (4 months). … — 880 880 1918–19 … 8,493 6,019 14,512 1919–20 … 6,857 5,420 12,277 1920–21 … 6,170 4,884 11,054 Total … 21,520 17,203 38,723

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of the Government to give facilities for the discussion of the Industrial Courts Amendment Bill which has now passed its Third Reading in another place?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of persons who have settled in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, respectively, under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922; and also the amount of money expended by the Imperial Government and by each of the Dominion Governments under this scheme?

The number of persons assisted to proceed overseas under the Empire Settlement Act and the expenditure of the Imperial Government up to 31st March last were as follows: Number of Settlers. Imperial Government Expenditure. £ Canada 7,957 48,300 Australia 38,779 341,400 New Zealand 8,287 70,200 South Africa (1820 Memorial Settlers' Association) 13 200 Totals 55,036 £460,100

A considerable portion of this expenditure represents loans recoverable over varying periods. As regards the last part of the question, the basis of the expenditure incurred under the Empire Settlement Act is that the contribution of His Majesty's Government shall not exceed one-half of the cost of the scheme concerned. Detailed information is not, however, available as to the amounts expended by the Dominion Governments. It should be added that the figures given include certain schemes arranged between the Imperial Government and philanthropic societies in this country, in which the Dominion Governments do not share.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists amongst civil servants in Nigeria by reason of the fact that since the revision of salaries which came into force on 1st January, 1920, the commencing salary in the case of political officers is lower than that in other Departments of the Service; whether, seeing that before the above date the reverse was the ease and having regard to the importance and variety of the duties performed by the political officers, he will state what was the reason for the change; and will he institute an inquiry into the matter?

The facts are not as assumed by the hon. Member. The 1920 revision allowed political officers a minimum salary of £500 instead of a minimum of £480 for certain technically qualified officers and £450 for others. In view of the fall in the cost of living generally, the minimum salaries were reviewed last year and reduced to £450 for political officers and £400 for other non-technical officers. The technical officer still commences at £480 in view of the fact that he is professionally qualified while the newly appointed political officer is a cadet who has to learn his duties. I do not consider there is any need for an inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport if any grants have been made by his Department to rural authorities in the administrative County of Leicestershire in the years 1921, 1922, and 1923; and, if so, the total amount of such grants for each of the years in question?

The grants made from the Road Fund to rural authorities in the County of Leicestershire, during the years in question, were as follows: £ 1921–22 … … … 2,628 1922–23 … … … 6,292 1923–24 … … … 13,675

asked the Minister of Labour whether there was an increase or decrease in the number of persons employed on schemes for the relief of unemployment at the end of April, 1923, as compared with the end of January, 1923; and what was the amount of the increase or decrease?

Between the end of January and the end of April, 1923, the numbers as reported to my Department increased from 98,812 to 115,846, an increase of 17,034.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that applicants for Poor Law relief at Hulling, Kent, are faced with the insistent demand of the relieving officer that he be admitted to their homes to inspect their household goods; that he ofttimes indicates articles of furniture that should be sold before the application for relief is considered; that relief, when given, is on condition that an agreement be entered into for repayment; to the guardians of the amount of relief so granted; and, as such actions are contrary to law, will he inquire into this action on the part of the Strood Board of Guardians with a view to this discomfort being discontinued?

No complaints have been addressed to my right hon. Friend in regard to this matter, but inquiries will be made.

asked the Home Secretary what was the amount of pension paid to widows of police officers who left the

— Prior to 1st September, 1918. Since 1st (September, 1918. Ordinary Pensions — Nil *Sergeant or Constable—£30. *Inspector—£40. *Higher rank—£50. Special Pensions — Case of accidental injury Sergeant or Constable—£15 As above. Inspector—£25 Higher rank—£30 Case of non-accidental injury As above One-third of Deceased Officer's pay (since 1909). * These are the minimum rates; the rates may be higher in the case of superior officers with long service.

asked the Home Secretary whether negotiations are in progress for the acquisition by the Home Office of the Silver Grill licensed restaurant in English Street, Carlisle?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Government telegraph wires are leased to the Press Association under an agreement which has not been laid before Parliament in accordance with the provisions of Clause 23 of the Telegraph Act, 1868; that the contract in question does not contain a fair wages clause; that trade rates are not paid to telegraphists in the employment of the Press Association; and that the Press Association are competing

service prior to the 1st September, 1918; and what is the amount of pension paid in the case of officers leaving the service on and after that date?

It is necessary to distinguish between the special pension payable to the widow of a constable who has died as the result of an injury received in the execution of his duty, and the ordinary pension payable to the widow of a constable who dies from some other cause after having completed five years' service. The annual rates of pension payable prior to 1st September, 1918, and since that date, are indicated in the following table:

with the Post Office for general news for transmission to newspapers; and whether he will take steps to recover for the Post Office the monopoly rights vested in it by Parliament?

I am advised that the Telegraph Acts do not impose upon the Post Office any obligation to place a licence such as that referred to on the Table of the House, and that a fair wages clause is inappropriate to such a licence. No such clause is included in the licence. I have no jurisdiction to intervene in the matter of rates paid by the Press Association to their telegraphists. Thu Post Office leases wires to the Press Association in the same way as it leases wires to other parties. This arrangement is advantageous to the Post Office, and I see no reason for reversing the policy which has been in force for many years past.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware of the difficulty Members find in readily obtaining authoritative information about ancient monuments in the care of his Department; and whether he will arrange for periodical Reports regarding these monuments to be made to Parliament?

I hope that it may be possible this year to resume the issue of Annual Reports, the suspension of which was necessary during the War and has since been continued on grounds of economy. My Department is also arranging for cheap leaflets to be prepared, giving a short history of each monument of importance throughout the country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that on the Maresfield Estate, which being the property of an ex-enemy alien has been administered by the Government since the outbreak of war until recently, are two public-houses, the Chequers Inn and the Nutley Inn; that these houses were leased to a firm of brewers in Brighton from 1899 to 1919, and since that date have been held by the firm in question on a yearly tenancy; that the Maresfied Estate having been recently sold privately by the Public Trustee the houses in question were disposed of without giving the brewery firm a chance of bidding for them; and what the reason for this action was?

The answer to the first three parts of this question is in the affirmative. A report has been furnished by the Public Trustee that the property was sold as a whole by private treaty to an adjoining landowner for a satisfactory price. In these circumstances the two public-houses could not be offered for sale separately.

asked the President, of the Board of Trade the approximate total amount represented in the claims submitted to the Royal Commission on War Damage; and whether the assessments of such claims made by the Commission are only to apply for the purpose of allocating the £5,000,000 set aside by the Government as an ex-gratia payment, and will not prejudice the claims for payment out of reparations?

It is not possible to state, even approximately, the total of the amounts claimed, since in a large number of cases no sum is specified. The obligations of Germany in respect of reparation are obligations to the Allied Governments entitled to reparation and not to individual nationals of those Governments, and, accordingly, the second part of the question does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount of net profit realised by the British Australian Wool Realisation Association, Limited; and the amount of stocks on hand on 31st March, 1924?

As stated on page 7 of Command Paper 2,106, which was laid on the Table of the House on the 9th April, the net profits made by the British Australian Wool Realisation Association, on behalf of the British and Colonial Governments, are estimated approximately at £78,000,000, of which approximately £44,000,000 have accrued to the British Exchequer, plus approximately £8,000,000 interest on capital, etc. The balance, approximately £34,000,000, goes to various Dominions under profit sharing schemes. Including approximately 6,000 bales which remained unsold at the March auctions, the total number of unsold bales on the 31st March last was 44,778. All these have since been sold.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the volume and value of British exports to India for the first four months of 1924 and the corresponding figures for the same period in 1923?

I have been asked to reply. Particulars of the trade of the United Kingdom with individual countries are only made up quarterly and annually, and figures for periods of four months are not available. The declared value of the exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures registered as consigned to India during the quarter January-March, 1923, was £23,354,904, and during the corresponding quarter of 1924, £22,590,521. Sufficient details are not available respecting exports from this country to India to enable a comparison to be made of the total volume in the two periods in question; but for a limited number of the principal classes of commodities, the quantities exported to India are shown in the monthly "Accounts relating to the Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for the month and three months ended 31st March last.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what is the value of the exports from Russia during 1923 to Great Britain, the United States of America, and Germany; and what is the value of the imports into Russia from those countries for the same period?

The following statement, which has been derived from Russian official sources, shows the value of the trade of Russia during the year 1923 with the countries specified. The values are expressed in thousands of gold roubles at 1913 prices: Imports from: United Kingdom 36,597 Germany 49,707 United States of America 18,696 Exports to: United Kingdom 33,511 Germany 61,319 United States of America 797

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will suggest to the Colonial authorities concerned the desirability of not interfering with the assessment of standard production on such Malayan and Ceylon rubber estates, the private owners or lessees of which have already left for England to be present at the British Empire Exhibition; and whether he will suggest that the assessment figures fixed and existing before their departure should remain in force until their return on or after the last day of October, 1924?

Such consideration as is desirable in the light of local conditions will no doubt be given by the Governments in Ceylon and Malaya in the cases mentioned by the hon. Member, but I do not think it would be practicable for those Governments to adopt a suggestion of the nature he proposes.