asked the Minister of Labour if he will open a branch Employment Exchange at Hailing, Kent, now in the Maidstone area, and thus avoid the necessity of men having to walk to Snodland to sign on, and thus entitle them to obtain work in the Chatham area and from the Chatham Exchange?

I am inquiring into the position of residents in Hailing with regard to Employment Exchange facilities, and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the average percentage of unemployment for all skilled workers in the building trade, and the separate percentages of unemployment for plasterers and bricklayers for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, and 1923?

The percentage rates of unemployment in each of the principal

Percentage Rate of Unemployment in Skilled Occupations in the Building Trades . UNITED KINGDOM. Date. Carpenters. Bricklayers. Masons. Plasterers. Painters. Plumbers. Total of 6 skilled occupations. 1920. January 1.2 1.0 4.0 5.8 9.0 3.6 4.1 February 0.8 0.6 3.2 3.8 4.8 3.1 2.5 March 0.5 0.5 2.2 2.3 2.0 2.7 1.4 April 0.4 0.3 1.7 1.4 0.9 2.2 0.9 May 0.4 0.3 1.4 1.1 1.0 2.0 0.8 June 0.4 0.3 1.2 1.2 1.7 2.0 1.0 July 0.4 0.2 1.0 0.9 2.3 2.0 1.1 August 0.4 0.2 1.0 0.8 1.9 1.9 1.0 September 0.4 0.2 1.1 0.8 4.7 2.0 1.9 October No figures available—Coal Dispute. November 0.6 0.5 1.2 0.6 11.0 2.9 4.0 December 1.8 0.8 2.7 1.5 19.0 4.1 7.0 Mean for 1920 (11 months). 0.7 0.4 1.9 1.8 5.3 2.6 2.3 1921. January 3.3 0.9 4.2 1.8 23.1 5.3 9.0 February 3.5 1.1 4.3 2.5 18.0 7.0 7.8 March 4.8 1.5 5.5 2.2 15.1 8.1 7.6 April 6.8 2.3 6.8 2.2 12.1 9.3 7.7 May 9.9 4.1 9.4 3.3 14.3 10.8 10.0 June 9.8 4.6 9.7 3.3 15.2 11.1 10.4 July 9.1 5.3 8.0 2.5 15.6 10.5 10.2 August 8.5 4.7 7.4 1.8 13.3 9.6 9.1 September 7.1 4.1 6.9 1.4 15.7 8.2 9.0 October 5.6 4.7 8.5 1.6 17.7 7.9 9.3 November 7.5 7.7 11.7 2.6 23.5 8.3 12.4 December 8.5 10.2 13.5 3.1 27.6 9.1 14.6 Mean for 1921 7.0 4.3 8.0 2.4 17.6 8.8 9.8 1922. January 9.8 13.5 17.7 4.1 30.6 10.6 16.9 February 10.6 14.1 17.5 4.3 28.1 9.9 16.4 March 10.1 11.6 13.9 3.9 17.3 10.1 12.4 Mean for 1922 (3 months). 10.2 13.1 16.4 4.1 25.3 10.2 15.2 GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND. 1922. April 10.0 11.2 11.6 3.9 12.4 10.2 10.8 May 8.8 10.3 10.4 4.0 9.3 10.0 9.2 June 8.2 10.2 8.9 4.7 9.6 10.4 9.0 July 8.6 10.0 8.6 6.6 11.1 10.7 9.7 August 8.3 8.7 8.1 6.7 9.3 10.4 8.8 September 8.9 8.3 8.0 8.0 13.1 10.0 10.0 October 9.0 8.7 7.7 9.2 16.5 9.9 11.2 November 9.9 9.9 8.6 10.9 21.8 10.4 13.4 December 10.2 11.1 9.6 12.8 25.5 10.7 15.0 Mean for 1922 (9 months). 9.1 9.8 9.1 7.4 14.3 10.3 10.8

skilled occupations in the building trade are given in the following table:

GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND— continued . Date. Carpenters. Bricklayers. Masons. Plasterers. Painters. Plumbers. Total of 6 skilled occupations. 1923. January 11.6 12.8 10.2 16.7 30.6 12.4 17.6 February 10.7 12.1 9.5 15.6 24.3 13.0 15.3 March 9.1 9.0 7.9 14.6 14.6 11.8 11.2 April 8.4 7.6 6.9 13.6 9.9 11.7 9.2 May 6.8 5.1 5.2 9.2 7.1 10.6 7.0 June to September. No figures available — Returns suspended. October 3.6 1.3 2.5 3.0 16.7 7.8 7.4 November 3.8 1.7 3.0 3.7 23.3 6.7 9.5 December 4.1 2.0 3.5 3.9 26.7 6.0 10.6 Mean for 1923 (8 months). 7.3 6.5 6.1 10.0 19.2 10.0 11.0 1924. January 4.8 2.3 4.1 4.5 31.1 7.2 12.3 February 4.0 1.8 3.3 3.0 22.0 7.2 9.2 March 3.2 1.6 2.7 2.2 10.9 6.8 5.5 April 2.7 1.2 2.2 1.9 6.4 6.7 3.9 Mean for first 4 months of 1924. 3.7 1.7 3.1 2.9 17.6 7.0 7.7

NOTE.—Since June, 1923, no figures are available of the exact numbers of insured workpeople in each of the various occupations shown in the table. The percentages have been calculated on estimates derived from all the available data, but should be regarded as only approximate.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any instructions have been issued by his Department to the Employment Exchanges to give preference to married men or to single men, respectively, in filling vacancies for work?

In filling vacancies notified by employers, the Employment Exchanges are required to select the applicant who appears to be industrially best qualified for the vacancy, subject to a general preference to ex-service men. No instructions have been issued for preference to be given to married men or to single men.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether grants made to students recognised as intending teachers at the universities are restricted to those who intend to teach in State-aided schools; and, if not, whether there is any restriction as to the character or status of the educational institution to which such sudents are destined?

Persons who apply for admission as recognised students in university training departments aided by the Board are required to sign a declaration stating that they intend to adopt and follow the profession of teacher in an approved school. The expression "approved school" is defined as including any public elementary school, and any school for blind, deaf, defective or epileptic children certified under Part V of the Education Act, 1921, and any Poor Law school, certified industrial school, day industrial school or certified reformatory school in England or Wales, and any Army or Navy school, and any secondary school, pupil teacher centre or training college, in respect of which grants are paid by the Board out of moneys provided by Parliament, and any other school which in the case of any teacher the Board approve in writing for the purpose. The Board are prepared, where sufficient reason is shown, to accept proposals for service in schools of other types than those mentioned, including efficient schools which are not State-aided.

asked the President of the Board of Education the aggregate amount of the grants made in each of the last three financial years to students recognised as intending teachers at the universities, the annual amount per student, and the duration of the grant?

The table set out below gives the aggregate amount of the

NON-L.E.A. UNIVERSITY TRAINING DEPARTMENTS. Financial Year. Average Number of Students during Financial Year. Aggregate Payments. Total. Average per Student. Total. Tuition Grant. Maintenance Grant. Tuition Grant. Maintenance Grant. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 £ £ £ £ s. d. £ s. d. £ s. d. 1921–22 … 3,755 119,820 122,324 242,144 31 18 2 32 11 6 64 9 8 1922–23 … 4,019 129,467 116,192 245,659 32 4 3 28 18 3 61 2 6 1923–24 … 3,990 141,207 119,680 260,887 35 7 10 29 19 11 65 7 9 LONDON DAY TRAINING COLLEGE. 1921–22 … 780 16,548 21,245 37,793 21 4 4 27 4 9 48 9 1 1922–23 … 764 14,106 19,548 33,654 18 9 3 25 11 9 44 1 0 1923–24 … 657 Not yet available. 13,428 — Not yet available. 20 8 9 —

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether suitable boys from the Royal Navy and His Majesty's training establishments are permitted to present themselves for examination for special entry cadetships; if so, how many of these boys have so presented themselves during the last five years; and how many have been successful in the examinations?

Boys serving in the Royal Navy and the training establishments are eligible to become candidates for special entry cadetships. During the last five years twenty candidates

grants made in each of the last three financial years to students recognised as intending teachers at the universities, and also shows the average annual amount per student. Separate figures are given for the London Day Training College (which is a school of London University provided by the London County Council), because it is aided under different conditions from those which apply in the case of the other University Training Departments. Complete figures for the London Day Training College are not available for the financial year 1923–24. As regards duration, the grants are in most cases made to the students for four years, three of which are spent in taking a degree course, and the last year upon professional subjects.

presented themselves and were selected to undergo the competitive examination at which one candidate was successful.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many special entry cadets are now under training for His Majesty's Navy; what fees are charged to their parents or guardians; and how many of these cadets came from secondary schools?

Fifteen special entry cadets are at present under training. No fees are charged for the training of special entry cadets, but they are credited with pay at the rate of 1s. a day, together with messing allowance, and parents or guardians are required to provide on behalf of the cadet a private allowance at the rate of about £50 a year from the time he joins the Naval Service until he reaches the rank of midshipman. Thirteen of this entry of cadets came from secondary schools, one from the Naval Colleges, Osborne and Dartmouth, and one from the Nautical College, Pangbourne.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can see his way to recommend the grant of separation allowance to ratings under the age of 25 years, in order that these ratings may be enabled to marry if they so desire or, if married, to

— Laid down since 12th November 1921, the date of the 1st meeting of the Washington Conference. Projected on 21st May, 1924, not yet laid down. Battleships. Light Cruisers. Flotilla Leaders and Destroyers. S/Ms. Minelayer. Light Cruisers. Flotilla Leaders and Destroyers. Submarines. Great Britain 2 — — 1 1* 5 2 — U.S.A. — — — 1 — 8† 12‡ 7‡ Japan — 7 18 17 — 6 19 20 France — 3 9 9 — 4 6§ 33 48§ 28 42§ 2 15 14 Italy — — 5 — — 2 4 4 * Authorised by Programme presented to Parliament in July, 1921. † A Bill to authorise these Light Cruisers is now before Congress. ‡ Authorised under 1916 Programme, but for which no money has yet been voted. § Not yet authorised.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty it there are any private firms doing contract work for his Department who have not fulfilled the conditions of membership of the King's Roll?

On a few exceptional occasions when goods cannot be obtained from an enrolled firm or can only be so obtained at an excessive extra cost, contracts have been placed with firms not on the King's Roll. Every possible step is then taken to secure that the firm qualifies for the Roll. Firms employing not more than 25 hands are by arrangement exempted from membership of the King's Roll and are not covered by the foregoing statement.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is

be able to give reasonable support to their dependants?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply of the 20th February last to his previous similar question.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiraty if he will state the naval construction programme contemplated and realised since the Washington Conference by the different Powers represented at that Conference?

The reply is as follows:

the system of entry of boys to the Greenwich Royal Hospital School; how are these boys chosen; and by whom?

Admissions to the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich, are made between 11 and 14 years of age, and are limited to the sons of— ( a ) Warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, petty officers and men of the Royal Navy and Marines, and second mates of coastguard cruisers. ( b ) Men of the Royal Naval Reserve. ( c ) Other seafaring persons and men drowned in the lifeboat service. Before admission they must sign an agreement (together with their parents or guardians) that they will enter for continuous service in the Royal Navy. Candidates for admission are selected by a committee appointed by the Admiralty.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the salary of the superintendent of Greenwich Royal Hospital School; how long does the appointment last; and what is the total amount of salary and pension that the superintendent receives?

The salary of the superintendent is at the rate of £600 a year, rising by increments of £25 to a maximum of £800 a year, in addition to which he receives an allowance of £50 a year for charge of the Boreman Foundationers. He has the use of an official residence, and is appointed for five years or during the pleasure of the Board of Admiralty. The officer at present holding the appointment is in receipt of naval retired pay at the rate of £720 a year.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the cost to the State of each boy at the Greenwich Royal Hospital School; who lays down the system of training and education at the school; who is responsible for seeing that it is carried out; what is the system of inspection at the school; and when was the last inspection held?

The cost to the State of each boy is nil, the whole cost of the school being defrayed from the funds of Greenwich Hospital. The system of training and education is laid down by the Board of Admiralty acting in their capacity of trustees of Greenwich Hospital. The general responsibility under the Board of Admiralty, as trustees, rests with the director of Greenwich Hospital, and more immediately with the superintendent of the school. The school is inspected annually by a committee appointed by the Admiralty, the last inspection having been carried out in the summer of 1923.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he will investigate the disability under which officers and men of the Royal Navy labour on account of the high cost of living on the North America and West Indies Station, with a view to the reintroduction of the allowance of the rate of exchange that formerly obtained on that station?

It is not considered that the changes which have occurred since the matter was last considered are sufficient to justify holding such an investigation.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what are the air-space measurements of the office in which the writer ratings on the admiral's staff of His Majesty's Ship "Queen Elizabeth" work; if he is aware that seven writer ratings are employed in this office space on an average of 60 hours per week; that the conditions under which they have to carry out their duties has threatened to seriously impair the health of some of the ratings who were employed in this office; and what steps it is proposed to take in order to assist the responsible officers to alter this condition of things?

I am having inquiry made into the matter.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he is aware of the discouragement caused to hired men in the royal dockyards owing to the small prospect that these men have of becoming established; whether he can see his way to inquire into the whole question of establishment in the royal dockyards, in order to increase the facilities for establishment; and whether, in the meanwhile, he will take steps to modify A.F.O. 553/22, which limits the filling of vacancies upon the established list to one appointment for eight vacancies?

I regret that the entry to the established list has had to be restricted because, owing to the great expansion of the dockyards before and during the War, a very large number of the men now employed are established, which is heavily in excess of the proportion previously fixed. But in order that establishment shall not be entirely suspended for some years to come it was decided, some two years ago, that one vacancy in eight might be filled, notwithstanding the excess. I regret that I am not able to authorise any further concession.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if there are any naval officers or dockyard employés serving abroad whose emoluments are increased by allowances credited on account of the rate of exchange; and will he give particulars of

Naval Rank or Rating. Afloat. Ashore. £ s. d. £ s. d. Commander-in-Chief 45 0 0 — Rear Admiral, Yangtse 38 0 0 — Commodore — 67 10 0 Or such net lower amount as is locally issued. Captains 30 0 0 37 10 0 Commanders 30 0 0 37 10 0 Lieutenant-Commanders 25 0 0 30 0 0 Lieutenants 20 0 0 25 0 0 Sub-Lieutenants 12 10 0 Whole of pay issued locally up to a maximum of £20. Mates Commissioned Officers from Warrant Rank Warrant Officers Midshipmen 7 10 0

Provision lodging and servants' allowances are also convertible at 2s. = $1, and one half of any allowance for entertainment or table money both afloat and ashore. Eighty-four salaried civilians and 26 wages employés are in receipt of exchange compensation on the following basis:

The first £250 plus 1s. 3d. of the balance of sterling emoluments per annum payable in the Colony is converted into currency at the rate of exchange of $1=2s., the balance of sterling emoluments being converted at the current rate of exchange.

All the above are serving or employed on the China Station. The Naval Attaché and the Assistant Naval Attaché at Washington, U.S.A., who are both naval officers, receive exchange compensation on the following basis:

£100 per annum plus 3s. 5d. of full pay and the whole of the local allowance is converted at the par rate of exchange of the dollar, the remainder of the full pay being converted at the current rate of exchange.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the Admiralty policy whereby

these numbers, where they are serving, and the amount they receive?

The number of naval officers in receipt of exchange compensation is approximately 370. The compensation consists in the conversion of a fixed amount of each monthly payment into dollars at the rate of 2s. to $1 in the following proportions:

Maltese officers, stewards, and cooks are mainly employed on the Mediterranean Station, he will state what steps are to be taken to deal with the officers, stewards, and cooks now serving in ships of the Atlantic Fleet, which will be transferred to the Mediterranean Station on the redistribution, who will become redundant on account of the reduction of sea-going billets; if it is proposed to re-introduce any system of gratuities on discharge: and, if so, can any information be given as to the probable conditions of these grants?

The matter is now under consideration, but no guarantee can be given that any subsidy scheme will be adopted or needed. The changes in officers' stewards and cooks will only be carried out gradually.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware of the hardship caused by the practice of the Admiralty Departments concerned of deducting the pensions of old pensioners who go to Haslar and other naval hospitals for treatment before inquiry has been made into the circumstances of the old pensioners; and if he will issue instructions that these deductions are not to be made until a report on each case has been received of the financial circumstances of the pensioner in question, and that the charges made will then be in accordance with the scale laid down and not be a deduction of the whole of the pension for the period treated?

Under present Regulations the pensioner has the benefit of treatment and maintenance in the naval hospital at the expense of the charitable funds of Greenwich Hospital, but his pension for the period of maintenance is withheld and paid over to those funds. The pensioner and (if married) his dependants are, however, granted small money allowances, and if the pension exceeds 2s. a day the whole of the excess over that amount may be paid to the pensioner's wife or other person having charge of his children in the form of such money allowances, subject to the proviso that the money allowance shall be at least 5s. a week. The practice under the present Regulations, so far from inflicting hardship on the pensioner, appears to me to confer benefits upon him.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will have urgent inquiries made about the case of Mr. T. H. Johnson, who is now undergoing a course of training at Clark's College, Bristol; is he aware that Mr. Johnson was admitted, on the 10th December, 1923, into hospital at Kingswood, Bristol, and that on 24th April, 1924, he was recommended for 20 days' leave, but no arrangements were made by the divisional director of training about pay and that three weeks' money is now owing; and will he see that all the money owing to Mr. Johnson is paid to him without delay?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by the Minister of Pensions on 19th May. Before going on leave Mr. Johnson was told by the local training officer that no training allowances could be paid during his absence from training, but that he would receive his pension of £2 11s. 4d. a week. To this he raised no objection. Pension was paid and there is no ground for paying training allowances in addition or instead.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will state exactly what are the conditions which govern grants by the Special Grants Committee; and how much money is at the disposal of this body for helping applications made to it?

The powers of the Special Grants Committee to make grants in special cases are exercised subject to Regulations made under the War Pensions Acts with the approval of the Minister of Pensions and the Treasury. The estimated expenditure of the Special Grants Committee for the current year is £269,900.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether a man who has been awarded 100 per cent. pension for life is free to accept employment without the risk of having his pension reduced?

Assessment for the flat-rate disablement pension is based on medical grounds alone, and is made without regard to the fact of the pensioner's employment. Accordingly a final award of disablement pension at the maximum (or any lesser) rate is not in any way affected by the pensioner accepting employment.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if the sale of houses on the Abbotsmead estate, at Barrow, is still in progress; whether it is the policy of the Government to sell over the heads of the existing tenants the houses they occupy, compelling them to find additional accommodation; and whether this policy of ejecting tenants is being followed on any other property owned by the Office of Works?

Permanent houses on the Abbotsmead estate and on all other ex-Ministry of Munitions, etc., estates under the charge of my Department, are for sale, and are being sold whenever a suitable offer is received. So far as I am aware no purchaser of an occupied house has dispossessed the tenant. Sitting tenants have been given the first opportunity of purchasing the house they occupy, and no pressure whatever has been put upon them by my Department either to purchase or to vacate the house, if, for any reason, they do not wish to buy it.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average amount of the housing tenders being received by the local authorities this month; and whether there is any increase in amount over the previous two months?

Local authorities are not required to submit to my Department tenders received for the erection of houses, and I have, therefore, no particulars as to tenders received this month. Returns are obtained monthly showing the prices of houses in contracts let during the month, and for England and Wales the average prices during the last two months for which information is available were as follow: Non-parlour. Parlour. March … … £416 £459 April … … £425 £440

asked the Minister of Health how many private enterprise houses were in course of erection on 31st March last, with and without subsidy respectively; and what annual rate of building might be expected on this basis?

The following numbers of houses were in course of erection by private enterprise on the 31st March last: Subsidy houses 20,222 Non-subsidy houses of all sizes (approximate) 36,750 Total 56,972

I do not think it is practicable to make any useful estimate of the annual rate of building based on these figures.

asked the Minister of Health under which section of the Housing Act of 1923, he has imposed a limit of £700 on the cost of houses eligible for subsidy under that Act?

Before approving the proposals of a local authority for subsidising the erection of working-class houses, I am required by Section 2 of the Housing Act, 1923, to be satisfied that the need for the houses cannot be met without assistance under the Act. The question whether the subsidy should be available for houses of so high a cost as that indicated by the Noble Lord will depend on local circumstances. No general rule can be laid down, but I am of opinion that the price mentioned is too high for a working-class house.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of houses for which subsidies have been applied for under the 1923 Act, and the total number sanctioned?

Approval has been given to schemes providing for the erection of 135,660 houses, including 46,153 proposed to be built by local authorities and 89,507 by private enterprise. Contracts have been let by local authorities covering 28,754 houses, while in respect of the houses to be built by private enterprise definite arrangements have been made for 56,626 houses.

asked the Minister of Health how many houses have been approved for building by the Birmingham Corporation under the Act of 1923; how many have been built; and what is the present deficiency of bricklayers in that city?

The number of houses so far authorised to be built by the Birmingham Corporation under the terms of the Housing, Etc., Act., 1923, is 5,000, and 1,410 of these had been completed on the 1st May. I understand that the town council have still about 19,000 applications for houses. As regards the last part of the question, I understand that in a recent report the corporation expressed the view that more than double the number of bricklayers employed were required on the houses then in course of construction, and that several hundred more could have been employed upon a greatly extended programme which the corporation desired to carry out.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the number of houses authorised to be built by local authorities in Scotland under the provisions of the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, as at 1st May, 1924; the number of houses under construction; and the number completed at the same date?

The number of houses which local authorities in Scotland have been authorised to build under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, is 7,011. Of these 1,007 are under construction, and 16 have been completed.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health the number of houses authorised to be erected by private enterprise under the provisions of the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923, as at 1st May, 1924; the number of houses under construction; and the number completed at the same date?

Plans have been passed by local authorities in Scotland for the erection by private enterprise of 3,079 houses under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923: of these 1,802 are under construction, and 73 have been completed.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health how many houses in each of the villages of Duntocher, Hardgate, and Garscadden, in Dumbartonshire, condemned by the local authority as unfit for habitation, are still being occupied; how many people are directly affected; and how many houses are at present in course of erection and passed for erection in the vicinity?

I am informed that, owing to the shortage of houses, the local authority has not condemned any houses in the localities referred to. As regards the last part, 52 houses have been erected by the local authority and 48 are in course of erection. The local authority are also proceeding to erect 96 houses under their scheme for improvement of insanitary areas, and it is proposed to build an additional 200 houses to deal with other similar areas in Duntocher.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that borough councils are at present empowered by the Public Health Act, 1875, to establish and maintain hospitals for any class of illness, he will consider the advisability of allocating to the health committees of local authorities grants sufficient for the provision, where desired, of hospitals for uncertifiable cases of nervous breakdown to promote their restoration to self-supporting life while avoiding the stigma associated with institutions under the control of the lunacy authorities?

The terms of reference to the Royal Commission will include the question of the best method of providing for the treatment of mental disorder in the incipient stage; and pending the recommendations of the Commission I am not prepared to introduce legislation on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the remarks of Lord Justice Scrutton in giving judgment in the case of Harnett v . Bond in the Court of Appeal; and whether he is now in a position to give the names of the proposed Royal Commission and to say when it will begin its sittings?

The reply to the first part of the question is "Yes." As regards the second part, I am not yet in a position to give the names, but I hope that the Commission will be appointed within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of service patients at present in asylums; what occupational interests are afforded them; whether any remuneration is given for extra work voluntarily undertaken by them; whether the Brabazon scheme is in operation in any asylum; and how many service patients were discharged from asylums during the year 1923?

The total number of service patients in county and borough mental hospitals in England and Wales on the 1st January, 1924, was 4,623. News- papers, books, games, etc., are provided for recreation and amusement, and such patients as are fit for it are given employment out-of-doors on the farm and gardens and indoors in the wards and workshops. It is the practice in most mental hospitals to reward patients so employed. I am not aware that the Brabazon scheme is in operation in any county and borough mental hospital. The number of service patients discharged from county and borough mental hospitals in England and Wales during the year 1923 was 879.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is the intention of the Government to make it compulsory that East Indian wool imported into this country should be disinfected; whether he is aware that the carpet trade has stated that the cost of this disinfection would be 3.05d. per pound, and that as a result the article secured would be inferior, thereby resulting in a serious handicap upon the carpet trades in this country; and whether, under the circumstances, he will suspend the bringing of such an order into force pending a full and proper inquiry into the whole matter?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The whole matter is receiving careful consideration. The figure of 3.05d. per pound was put forward by a deputation of manufacturers recently received by me. The calculations on which it is based are being scrutinised. On my present information, I am by no means prepared to admit that the additional cost due to disinfection would be anything like this figure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of imported foreign-made leather gloves during the years 1922 and 1923; and whether the gloves are stamped with the name of the country of origin?

The imports of leather gloves into the United Kingdom registered as consigned from foreign countries amounted to 447,796 dozen pairs in 1922 and to 608,592 dozen pairs in 1923. As from 1st April, 1923, these particulars are exclusive of direct imports, if any, into the Irish Free State. I have no knowledge of the extent to which these gloves are marked on importation or on sale with the name of the country of origin.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the £5,000,000 originally advanced by the Treasury for payment of losses due to enemy action during the War has already been paid over to claimants; what is the amount involved in claims already admitted for settlement but not yet paid; and, after all such claims have been paid, what is the estimated amount of the balance that will remain in the hands of his Department or of the Treasury?

As to the first part of the question, the payable orders issued amount to approximately 84 per cent. of the £5,000,000. As to the second and last parts of the question, it is estimated that the claims admitted for compensation will absorb, approximately, the rest of the £5,000,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the number of British vessels which have left British ports to be repaired in Dutch, German, and Belgian ports since the beginning of 1923, and the approximate cost of such repairs?

Some information on this subject was given in answer to a question by the hon. Member for Sunderland on 11th March, and I will endeavour to obtain further information as to the number and tonnage of British ships repaired on the Continent in 1923 and 1924. I am afraid it will be very difficult to frame any useful estimate as to the cost of the repairs.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of small holdings in Scotland which have been allowed to go out of cultivation, where the tenants are not residing upon them, and which have been sublet as sheep grazings?

No statistics are available from which the information desired by the hon. Member can be furnished.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the source of infection of the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Grantham last week; and whether he has any information regarding this case other than has appeared in the Press?

The actual source of infection in the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease at Grantham, which was confirmed on the 17th May, has not yet been discovered. The owner of the infected premises is a butcher, and he may have bought cattle in the incubative stages of the disease, and killed them before they showed symptoms of the disease and at a time when they might still be infective. Blood and offal from the slaughter-house were placed on the land on which the infected cattle grazed and may have infected them. Stock on farms from which came the animals recently slaughtered, are being examined by inspectors of the Department in an attempt to find the true origin of this outbreak.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government has framed any scheme which will relieve the blind poor from being dependent on Poor Law relief?

No scheme has been found for relieving Poor Law authorities of their obligation to provide relief for destitute blind persons as for other destitute persons, but every effort is made under the Blind Persons' Act to prevent blind persons from becoming dependent on Poor Law relief.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the hardship caused in some cases by the fact that fully trained and certificated nurses who, whilst serving abroad, were not in a position to know of the conditions attaching to application for registration until after the period of grace had expired, i.e., in July last, and are therefore debarred from the advantages of registration; and whether he is in a position to recommend that, in such cases, their application be reconsidered?

I am aware that hardship has arisen in the circumstances mentioned by the hon. Member, but only one or two instances of this nature have been reported to the Department. I am not in a position to recommend the reconsideration of such applications since a statutory time limit is fixed by Section 3 of the Nurses Registration Act, 1919, and amending legislation would be required to enable the General Nursing Council to admit them.

asked the Home Secretary the policy of his Department with respect to what is known as the Otley sweepstake; and whether he proposes to institute any inquiry into the whole question of these sweepstakes?

Proceedings are being instituted in regard to the sweepstake. As regards the last part, of the question, I cannot add anything to the statement made by my right hon. Friend in the course of the Debate on Thursday last.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that British women employed at the British Empire Exhibition, serving in restaurants and teashops, are being paid a weekly wage of 15s. for 60 hours' work; and whether he will see that the provision of the Shops Act are enforced in these establishments?

I have no information as to the hours worked or the wages paid in the case of these employés, and I would point out that the enforcement of the Shops Acts rests not with the Home Office but with the local authority.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware that at the British Empire Exhibition no dressing-rooms or mess-rooms are provided for the British people employed there, men and women alike; that they are compelled to pay the same price for lavatory accommodation as the ordinary visitors, or to pay 12s. 6d. for a season ticket for lavatory accommodation; and whether he will cause the whole matter to be reconsidered, so that these workpeople may be provided with free lavatory accommodation, in the same way as ordinary employés engaged in the ordinary commercial industries in this country under the Factory Acts?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on the same subject to the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mr. E. Harvey) on the 13th instant.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department (1) what control the management of the British Empire Exhibition are able to exercise over the catering arrangements in the hands of Messrs Lyons; whether he will consider the propriety of having a representative of the exhibition management in each restaurant to receive the complaints of visitors, and a policeman at the door of each to control the unseemly quarrels which now take place; and what, if any, proportion of the waiters are British born and how many possess a fair working knowledge of the English language?

(2) Whether his attention has been called to the fact that at one of the restaurants at the British Empire Exhibition run by Messrs. Lyons and Company, in the exercise of their monopoly, the prices are as follows: tea 7s. 6d., dinner 25s., cocktail 2s. 6d.; and if he will take immediate steps to have these prices reduced to a level which will not bring disrepute to the exhibition in the eyes of the visitors, who include many thousands from the Colonies?

I am in communication with the British Empire Exhibition authorities, and should be very glad if the hon. Member could see his way to repeat these questions in a week's time.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what sums have been expended on the work of overseas settlement each year since the Empire Settlement Act became law; and what has been done with the unexpended balances?

During the financial year 1922–23 the sum of £35,000 was expended under the Empire Settlement Act, and during the year 1923–24 the sum of £425,100. The unexpended balances reverted to the Exchequer in accordance with the usual practice.

asked the Secretary of State, for the Colonies whether news of the recent riots in Georgetown, British Guiana, in April last, was censored and prevented from reaching this country, as no notice has appeared in the English newspapers, although it appeared in the public Press in British Guiana and India; and, if so, for what reason was this information suppressed?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and, therefore, the second part does not arise.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether, before deciding against the alternative route proposed for the Watford by-pass road through the Child's Hill district by the Association of the Citizens of Hendon, he will receive a deputation from that body;

(2) whether he has received a protest from the Association of the Citizens of Hendon against the demolition of houses and the destruction of gardens along the route through Child's Hill, proposed for the Watford by-pass road; whether the alternative route suggested by the association avoids the demolition of houses; whether he will accept this alternative route; and, if not, what are the reasons which prevent its acceptance?

Acting in conjunction with the Middlesex County Council, who are carrying out the construction of the Watford By-Pass, both my predecessor and I fully considered the representations made by the Hendon Urban District Council and other local bodies regarding the line to be adopted for the new road. As at present advised, I am satisfied that the line now selected is the most advantageous to traffic and the most economical. Along the whole length of 17 miles not more than six houses will need to be demolished. An opportunity for making further representations, if considered necessary, will present itself in the near future, as an inquiry is to be held by an Engineering Inspector of my Department into objections which have been raised to the confirmation of the Order made by the Middlesex County Council under the Unemployment (Relief Works) Act, 1920, for the compulsory acquisition of certain properties required for the road. Any representations made to the Inspector will be carefully considered by me before the Order is confirmed, and in the circumstances I do not think that any useful purpose would be served by my receiving further deputations on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health the total amount spent by local authorities in the years 1922 and 1923 on the upkeep and maintenance of rural roads, and the total contributions towards such expenditure made from Road Fund revenues or other central resources?

I have been asked to answer this question. I understand that the returns of highway expenditure supplied to the Ministry of Health are not yet available for any year later than 1921–22. In any case it would not be possible to distinguish between the expenditure on rural roads and on other roads. The grants made to Rural District Councils from the Road Fund have been as follow: £ 1922–23 … … … 686,356 1923–24 … … … 1,406,982 I should point out, however, that County Councils, and even many Urban District Councils, are responsible for the maintenance of many miles of roads which could properly be described as rural.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the members of a public body should be proportionately representative of those who provide the income of that body, he will arrange that in the Thames Conservancy Bill now before Parliament provision will be made for applying that principle to the Conservancy, and so end the anomaly which at present exists whereby a majority of conservators appointed by non-contributing bodies is in a position to spend money which it does not have to provide or be answerable for?

The hon. Member may perhaps not realise that one effect of the adoption of his suggestion would be to transfer to the Metropolitan Water Board the control of the Thames Conservancy. By the Bill to which he refers the conservancy propose to make the alteration in their constitution recommended by the recent Inter-Departmental Committee on the Thames Conservancy, and I am not prepared to press them to consider any further alteration at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War why troops of His Majesty's Army, such as the Highland Light Infantry, have been sent to such places as Ballykinlar, in Northern Ireland; and whether these troops have received instructions as to their conduct in the event of trouble on the disputed boundary between Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State?

Troops are stationed at Ballykinlar in order to make use of accommodation which is available there and not elsewhere in Northern Ireland. Two battalions have been quartered at Ballykinlar for some time. As regards the last part of the question, I see no reason to supplement the Regulations and other standing instructions which are already in the hands of the general officer commanding.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he has now considered the scheme for the reorganisation of the Royal Indian Marine on a combatant basis; and what decision has been arrived at?

The future of the Royal Indian Marine is still under discussion with the Government of India.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount contributed by the employers and workmen, respectively, to the National Health Insurance and to the Unemployment Insurance Fund for the year ending 31st March, 1924, or the latest appropriate date?

The estimated figures are as follow: — National Health Insurance. Year to the 31st December, 1923. Unemployment Insurance. Year to the 31st March, 1924. £ £ Employers' Contributions. 13,700,000 18,430,000 Employees' Contributions. 12,300,000 16,590,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether His Majesty's Government have yet come to a decision upon the Report of the Disposals and Liquidation Commission regarding Richborough?

I regret that I cannot at present add anything to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member for North Lambeth (Mr. Briant) on the 8th May. As I then stated, the engineer's report raises questions which cannot be settled without a very complete investigation. Everything possible will be done to expedite a decision.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to impose a tax upon land values in the forthcoming Finance Bill?

I would refer my hon. Friend to what my right hon. Friend said in his Budget statement on this subject.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the present amount of the Government's holding in the Sudan Plantations Syndicate and the amount held by that syndicate in the Kassala Cotton Company; and, in view of the fact that the value of shares in the Kassala Cotton Company is determined by its title to the waters of the Gash River, which title is contested by certain Italian interests in Eritrea, will he state what steps were taken by His Majesty's Government to safeguard the investment of public funds in the holding and/or subsidiary company?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The Government has never had any holding in the Sudan Plantations Syndicate or the Kassala Cotton Company. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would refer him to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on the 7th May to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Hudson).