asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether a Standing Joint Committee of representatives of the Government and of ex-service organisations is still in existence; if so, when it last met; and whether any reports as to its progress have recently been issued?

I have been asked to reply. A Standing Joint Committee for Ex-Service Questions, representative of the Service Departments, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Pensions, and the British Legion, meets periodically. The last meeting was held on the 9th May, and the next meeting is fixed for the 27th June. It is not the practice to publish reports of the proceedings.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether application has been made by any ex-service men for the breaking up into small holdings of Kirkibost farm, North Uist, in the Western Isles; what is the present position; and is it his intention to provide facilities for the settlement of these ex-service applicants on this farm?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I can give no undertaking that a scheme of land settlement on this farm will be proceeded with in the meantime, but further inquiries will be made before a decision is reached.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that, since July, 1922, a litigant in the Court of Session is subjected to a charge of 10s. per hour for the time his or her counsel is speaking; and if, seeing that this method of raising revenue from litigants in a Court of Law is not applied to litigants in the Courts of any other part of the Empire, he will take the necessary steps to relieve poor people from this impost?

I have been asked to reply. The fee referred to is, I understand, only exigible when the speech is on evidence or in a jury trial. It is in substitution for a fee or fees for each witness examined and formed part of the recommendations of the Committee on Court Fees, which was presided over by Lord Blackburn and which reported as recently as 1922. While I admit that the principle of this fee is a new one, I have no evidence that it presses unduly on litigants, and its abolition, which I should deprecate after so short a period, would necessitate the imposition of alternative fees to yield an equal revenue. The cost of the Scottish Courts exceeds the amount raised in fees.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he has received a communication from the Lewis district committee, showing that he has been misinformed regarding the Lewis relief schemes; and whether he is now prepared to undertake an immediate investigation into the matter?

I have received a letter from the district committee which represents that most of the information contained in two letters which I addressed to the hon. Member is inaccurate. After further examination of the matter, I cannot accept the district committee's view, and I propose to answer their communication to this effect. This course will, in my opinion, adequately meet the case, and I see no occasion for a special investigation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that prospectuses, issued by the London and North Eastern Railway Company, show a steamer engaged in the Clyde service from 7.25 a.m. to 6.50 p.m. for six days a week; that, in addition, there is work to be performed on Sundays; and that, during the summer months, the engineers and all the other officers are engaged for about 90 hours a week; and what steps he proposes to take that steamers carrying His Majesty's mails shall operate under reasonable working conditions?

The Board of Trade have no power to regulate hours of labour on board ship, and can only intervene if there is reason to think that the arrangements are such as to cause inefficiency or danger. In view of the information given me by the hon. Member, I have directed inquiries to be made, to ascertain whether the matter is one calling for the intervention of the Board of Trade.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury to what extent increases of staff have resulted from the reduction of working hours of the temporary clerical staff in the Civil Service to 42?

The scheme for a reduction in the working hours of a proportion of the temporary clerical staff in the Civil Service is being applied departmentally, and I have no figures showing in detail the effect in each Department. But I anticipate that the result will be to enable a number of staff whom it would otherwise have been necessary to discharge to be retained rather than to increase the total staff.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give particulars of the number of persons employed on the War Office staff to-day and the corresponding number in 1914, and the total personnel of the Army on each of these dates?

The figures are: Strength of the War Office in 1914–15, 1,590; in 1924–25, 2,463; Army Vote A in 1914–15, 186,400; in 1924–25, 157,500 excluding Indian troops under the Air Ministry. I would point out that the volume of business at present being transacted by the War Office, as measured by the quantity of incoming correspondence, is still considerably in excess of that of 1914. This business depends on numerous factors other than the size of the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the greatly increased east of steamship travel, he will grant to officers serving in India free passages home for themselves and their families upon their retirement?

Concessions to officers of the Indian Service in regard to passages such as the hon. Member suggests will naturally come up for consideration in connection with the impending revision of conditions of service in India.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, whether the surplus stocks of the officers' clothing at present being sold by a particular firm in London are the same for which it was announced in the public Press on the 15th April last that tenders would shortly be issued by the Director of Army Contracts; and, if so, why it was subsequently decided not to issue tenders for the same, but to sell the stocks privately, and without affording other firms equal facilities

It is probable that the stocks offered for sale by the private firm to whom the hon. Member refers includes some of the surplus clothing recently disposed of by the War Office, but I have no special information on this point. As indicated in the advertisement, it was at first proposed to sell this surplus clothing, the bulk of which consisted of articles of service dress uniform, by competitive tender, but a favourable offer having been received for the whole of the quantities available it was decided, after consultation with the Treasury Surplus Stores and Liquidation Department, who have had a large experience of similar sales, to accept it.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of pensioner clerks appointed to established posts in each of the home dockyards since 1st January, 1922; and if he will give in each case the date of appointment to the established post and the date of entry as temporary or hired pensioner clerk?

Twelve pensioner clerks have been appointed to established posts in the home dockyards, and one in a naval hospital, since the 1st January, 1922, the particulars being as follows:appointed to an established post on the 20th October, 1923. His establishment is now being antedated to the 1st March, 1918. It is under consideration to adopt the same course in the case of Mr. A. W. Watts, of Portland, who entered the service on the 1st July, 1912, and received an established appointment on the 30th September, 1920.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will grant a Return showing, for the area of every local education authority for elementary education in England and Wales, the number of rooms used for teaching which on the 21st May, 1924, contained two, three, four or more classes?

I am prepared to accede to my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received a protest from the Barrow Education Authority against the new draft Regulations in which the method of reckoning the produce of 1d. rate is defined and, seeing that these Regulations contain a new Clause stating that provision in special Acts for the differential assessments of particular kinds of property will be disregarded for the purpose of the article, can these Regulations be modified so as to press less heavily on necessitous areas?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and I can assure the hon. Member that the representations of the authority have been very carefully considered. I am satisfied that a continuance of the old method of calculation, by which some areas derived an advantage from local arrangements for the distribution of local burdens, would be inequitable. As regards the second part of the question, the Board's grants are by Regulations so calculated as to take into account low produce of rates, or high rates in the pound, and I do not see my way to propose a further modification of the Regulations in that direction this year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the figures showing what were the values of exports of ships from yards in Great Britain for the first four months of this year, and for the same period in 1922 and 1923?

If the hon. Member will turn to page 176 of the Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom for April he will find the figures for each of the periods specified.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the increases in the prices of certain articles of food, notably butter, bacon and cheese, since the Budget; and whether he will consider the desirability of obtaining power to compel the cold storage companies to declare the nature and quantity of stocks held in cold storage, when required by his Department, with a view to preventing unnecessary increases in the prices of foodstuffs?

My attention has been drawn to recent movements in the prices of foodstuffs. They are being carefully watched, but I do not think it would be useful to introduce legislation, which would be necessary to give effect to the suggestion of my hon. Friend.

asked the President of the Board of Trade when the allocations made under the Final Report of the Reparation Claims Commission are to be actually paid; and whether he is aware that the delay in making these payments is causing distress among the potential recipients who have nothing to live on?

Payable orders have been issued in payment of the awards of the Royal Commission out of the £5,000,000, except in the comparatively small number of cases where either the persons entitled have not been ascertained, or where the assignments recommended in paragraph 21 of the Final Report of the Commission have not been received, or, in the case of French claims, where the assessments have not yet been received.

asked the Minister of Health what is the capitalised value per house of the proposed subsidy from the Exchequer of £9 per house for 40 years?

The present value of an annual subsidy of £9 for 40 years is, approximately, £160.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what action he intends to take to induce the Eastern District Committee, Berwickshire, to proceed with the building of houses, in view of the death-rate, insanitary condition of present housing accommodation and the fact that they in 1919 decided that 165 houses were required to meet the reeds of the district?

The Eastern District Committee of Berwickshire have now accepted tenders for six houses, and building will commence immediately. I am hopeful that the new proposals, which the Government have undertaken to submit at an early date, will prove a sufficient inducement to the local authority to take further steps to meet the housing requirements of the district.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction expressed by boards of guardians in reference to the grant of 4s. per week now made towards the cost of the maintenance of lunatics; and whether he will take steps to so increase the grant as to bring it more into proportion with the present cost of maintenance?

My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot give any undertaking as to the introduction of legislation for this purpose this Session.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Romford Board of Guardians has ceased to hold relief committees in the Ilford and Barking areas; that in. consequence applicants for unemployed relief are compelled to make a journey of five or six miles, often spend some hours before being interviewed, and then make the return journey; that these arrangements involve unnecessary hardship upon these people; and whether he will make representations to the Romford Board of Guardians with a view to other arrangements being made?

I understand that the guardians consider that it is inexpedient to continue holding relief meetings at Ilford and Barking, and that no person who is not fit and well is asked to appear before the Committee at Romford. 1 further understand that the guardians propose to consider the question of paying an additional allowance for travelling expenses. The guardians are acting within their discretion, and on the information at present before me, I doubt whether it is necessary to intervene.

asked the Minister of Health the number of cases of encephalitis lethargica reported during the 12 months ended 30th May, 1924; the number reported during the corresponding period of the preceding year; and the total number of deaths in the periods mentioned?

The figures for the actual periods mentioned in the question are not available, but the following table gives the particulars required for each quarter in 1922 and 1923 and for the first 20 weeks of the present year:

asked the Home Secretary the numbers and names of those Powers signatory to the International Labour Organisation Convention of the 19th November, 1921, who have either ratified the proposed restrictions on the use of lead paint or have laid legislation to that end before their respective legislatures; and whether he will give the names and numbers of those Powers concerned who have taken no such action?

I have consulted with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour on this matter. Our information is that three Powers, namely, Czechslovakia, Esthonia and Sweden, have formally ratified the Convention, though I understand that in the case of Czechslovakia legislation to give effect to the provisions of the Convention has not yet been passed. Ratification has been authorised, though not formally registered, in the case of four other Powers Austria, Greece, Italy and Poland In the case of seven countries—Bulgaria, Chili, Cuba, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands and Spain—legislative proposals to give effect to the draft Convention have been laid before the respective legislatures. Draft Conventions adopted by the International Labour Conference are not signed. Of the 54 members of the International Labour Organisation at the time of the third session of the Conference in 1921, 39 were represented at the Conference; in the case of Albania, Bolivia, Canada, China, Finland, Guatemala, India, Japan, Rumania, Siam and Venezuela, the government representatives did not vote for the draft Convention. So far as I am aware, the remaining countries represented at the Conference, namely, South Africa, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, France, Luxemburg, Norway, Portugal, Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes. Switzerland and Uruguay, have, as yet, not brought before their respective legislatures legislation designed to give effect to the draft Convention. I would add that in France the use of white lead in painting operations carried out by operative painters, whether on the exterior or interior of buildings, is prohibited by a Decree, dated 20th July, 1909.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of parcels dealt with at Mount Pleasant parcels office during the year 1923; the amount of revenue derived; and the number of staff and expenses connected therewith?

The total number of parcels dealt with at the Mount Pleasant parcel office during the year ended the 31st of March, 1924, was 42,420,000; the revenue from these parcels was approximately £1,800,000, but this has to cover, of course, much more than their treatment at Mount Pleasant. The staff employed on parcel work at Mount Pleasant numbered 1,749; and the salaries and wages of this staff amounted to about £380,000. I regret that I am not in a position to furnish particulars of all the expenses incurred in connection with these parcels.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephone exchanges equipped with automatic apparatus; the name of such exchanges; the number of telephone operators displaced by the introduction of automatic arrangements; and the amount of saving secured, having regard to the capital charges involved in the purchase of equipment?

Twenty-two telephone exchanges are at present equipped with automatic apparatus, namely, Leeds, Portsmouth, Southampton, Blackburn, Accrington, Newport, Grimsby, Stockport, Paisley, Darlington, Epsom, Dudley, Hereford, Marton, Dundee, Broughty Ferry, Hurley, Ramsey, Chepstow, Fleetwood, Hadleigh and Blockley. Owing to the rapid growth of the telephone service and to the normal wastage of the staff, it has been unnecessary to dispense with the services of any established operating staff, and only a few have had to be transferred to other offices. Many of the automatic exchanges in operation were established in order to provide practical experience of the various types of automatic equipment. The exchanges were not selected primarily with a view to securing economy, but efficiency. Although in most cases there has been some saving, comparative figures of annual charges on existing automatic exchanges would not serve any useful purpose. Taking, however, exchanges recently transferred, the annual saving at Dundee and Broughty Ferry, which form a single group, is estimated at £4,000, and at Southampton at £2000.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the duty charged on many of the parcels at Mount Pleasant parcels office only averages ld. or 2d.; and whether he can see his way to reduce the charge of 6d. on such parcels?

I am aware that the duties raised on foreign and colonial parcels are in many cases of small amount. There is, however, no necessary relation between the amount of the duty raised on a parcel and the cost to the Post Office of clearing it through the Customs; and as the present fee of 6d. does not cover the average cost per parcel of the services performed by the Post Office in connection with the Customs clearance I regret that I cannot see my way to reduce the fee.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been directed to the complaints of inadequate accommodation and overcrowding on railways from London stations to the British Empire Exhibition, and particularly trains from Baker Street on the Metropolitan Railway; and whether any action has been taken, or representations made, to improve railway facilities for visitors to the exhibition?

The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the negative, and I have not hitherto had occasion to take any action in connection with the point to which he refers. I will, however, call the attention of the Metropolitan Railway Company to his question.

asked the Minister of Transport what local authorities have agreed to contribute to the cost of the Glasgow-Edinburgh road scheme; and what is the proposed contribution of each authority to the total sum of £500,000 they are expected to contribute out of a total of 22,000,000?

The estimated cost of the length of the Glasgow-Edinburgh road, lying within the counties of Lanark, Linlithgow and Midlothian, is £1,900,000. Towards this sum the Glasgow Corporation have agreed to contribute £275,000, the Edinburgh Corporation £100,000 and the Lanarkshire County Council £100,000. In addition, certain works estimated to cost £215,000 are to be carried out within the boundaries of the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and towards these works the corporations will contribute 50 per cent. of the actual expenditure incurred within their respective boundaries.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will again approach the Treasury with the suggestion that a considerable percentage of the cost, estimated at £2,000,000, of the Glasgow-Edinburgh road, which has been undertaken mainly for the relief of unemployment in preference to other and more urgent works of road improvement, shall be defrayed by the Exchequer?

I do not agree with the suggestion contained in the question that the construction of the Glasgow-Edinburgh road has received preference over other and more urgent works of road improvement, nor do I see any reason to apply to the Treasury for a special grant from the Exchequer.

asked the Minister of Transport how many men are at the present time employed upon the work of constructing the Kingston by-pass road; whether he is satisfied with the progress being made; whether it is now possible to give the approximate date when the contract will be completed; and whether it is proposed to open any part of the road to traffic before the whole is available?

The number of men employed for the week ending 15th May was 506, and the progress of the work appears to me to be satisfactory. The date for the completion of the contract is October, 1925, though possibly some of the bridges may not be completed by then. It is proposed to open sections of the road to traffic as and when they are finished. It is hoped that the first section, from Tolworth to the Hook Road, will be open to traffic in about three months' time.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the displacement of labour by the introduction of mechanical devices on railway trains; and whether he can state the number of men displaced and the consequent saving of expense to the railway companies?

I am not aware of the circumstance referred to by my hon. Friend. I have no information which suggests that the total number of persons employed by the railway companies in all capacities has diminished recently.