asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. Herbert Rogers attended at Victoria Street Employment Exchange, Bristol, on the 18th instant in the endeavour to secure unemployment pay for an applicant who accompanied him; that the committee consisted of two persons and that, although a list of firms was produced to whom application had been made for employment, the only member of the rota committee who spoke said that he would never accept such evidence, on the ground that it was possible to compile such a list without having applied for work at the addresses named; and whether, although this applicant was not entitled to benefit on other grounds, he will protect unemployed workmen from such treatment and take steps to revise the rules governing the conduct of rota committees?

I was not aware of the case referred to by my hon. Friend, but I am having enquiries made, and will communicate the result to him as early as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that Mr. W. W. Capper, of 77, Strode Road, Clevedon, Somerset, late sergeant, 1900 Military Provost Staff Corps, No. 5,771, 13th Hussars, and No. 4,372, 4th Hussars, was two years in hospital under treatment for neurasthenia due to service; that he was given 15 months' training, which has proved insufficient; that in February, 1922, he was awarded a final weekly allowance of 13s. for 35 weeks in respect of himself, his wife and four children; that he is unable to undertake work offered by the Clevedon branch Employment Exchange, but has received no unemployment benefit either on Friday, 11th July, or Friday, 18th July, although he supplied a doctor's certificate; and that his wife and five children have had to apply for parish relief last Saturday, 19th July; and what steps he will take to deal with this case?

I have no information with regard to the first and third parts of the question except that I understand Mr. Capper was under treatment at a pensions hospital for one year and seven months after demobilisation, and that his disablement pension was terminated some time ago. He received 15 months' training under the Ministry of Labour in 1922–23, and no previous complaint that his training was insufficient has been received. There is no record of his having refused work offered by the Exchange. As regards unemployment benefit, Mr. Capper renewed his claim on 7th July, and medical evidence that he was then capable of work was required. This occasioned some delay, but the claim has since been admitted and payment was made on 25th July.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Unemployment Grants Committee have issued any communication to local authorities on the subject of their needs in the coming winter; whether the answers received to date indicate unusual distress; and when the allocation of funds for relief works is expected to begin?

The Unemployment Grants Committee issued circulars to local authorities on the 27th February and 27th June inviting applications for grants for works in relief of unemployment during the current financial year. Replies so far received show that local authorities with the financial assistance supplied by the Government will be putting in hand works this winter as before. I do not understand the last part of the question, as the allocation of grants for works in relief of unemployment is proceeding continuously.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the public authorities in Oxford to which the circular has been sent by the Unemployment Grants Committee calling attention to their winter plan of operations; whether he has received any answers from any of them and, if so, from which; and, in that case, whether any grants have been promised for the relief of unemployment in the districts concerned?

A circular has been sent by the Unemployment Grants Committee to the Oxfordshire County Council and to the various Borough, Urban, and Rural District Councils and Boards of Guardians in Oxfordshire. Up to the present applications for grants in respect of two schemes have been received from the Chipping Norton Rural District Council and are under consideration, but I should point out that replies were not asked for until 1st September, or where possible 1st August.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in East Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss, and Dysart districts of Fifeshire at the unsatisfactory arrangements made by the local exchanges for the miners of these districts signing the unemployed registers, and also at the arrangements for payment of unemployed benefit; that the men were informed that they were to attend to sign the registers on 22nd July; that they attended, and waited from 9 a.m. to 11.30 a.m., but no clerks of the Ministry put in an appearance; and what action, if any, does he propose taking to avoid similar occurrences in future?

I have made enquiry and find that about 9,000 miners in Fife-shire have made claims for unemployment benefit during the past month. To meet this very heavy volume of unemployment special arrangements were made. These arrangements, which included the opening of temporary offices at East Wemyss, Dysart, Windygates and Methil, were made in consultation with representatives of the Miners' Union, and I have no reason to believe that in general the arrangements made are unsatisfactory.

As regards the second part of the question, I find that on the 22nd July the officer in charge at East Wemyss, who lives at a distance from East Wemyss, was delayed by a cycling accident, but that in spite of injuries received he arrived at the office at 10.50 a.m. In the meantime the Manager of the Employment Exchange at Kirkcaldy had arrived about 10.30 a.m. It will, therefore, be seen that the delay on this date was due to circumstances which could not be foreseen.

As regards the payment of benefit, I understand that the claims of certain miners were antedated and that difficulty was experienced in ascertaining the days of unemployment. An opportunity has, however, been given to the men concerned to attend at the Local Office with a view to any necessary adjustment of their payments being effected.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men under 30 years of age and of boys, respectively, who have completed their apprenticeship to skilled trades and who are registered as unemployed at the employment exchanges of Plymouth and Devonport?

It has been ascertained that the number of males under 30 years of age who had completed an apprenticeship to skilled trades and were registered at 26th July as unemployed was 94 at the Devonport Employment Exchange, and 63 at Plymouth. As apprenticeship is not normally completed before 21 years of age, there are no boys in this category.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will supply Members of Parliament with copies of the various instructions and regulations issued to employment exchange officials and to rota committees since February, 1924?

Apart from the fact that the printing of the copies of these documents which would be necessary for distribution would entail considerable expense, I do not think it would be right to depart from the established practice of treating instruction to exchanges as confidential. All points of policy, however, of any importance, are dealt with in Regulations or in Memoranda issued to Local Employment Committees, copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can find employment for the men recently discharged from the naval inspection department al Woolwich?

Thirty-eight men of those recently discharged from the naval inspection department at Woolwich are registered at the Woolwich Employment Exchange, and efforts will be made to submit them for suitable employment when vacancies arise. I am informed that four of the discharged men have been re-engaged at the Arsenal.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state for each of

— Average Number on Register. Amount paid in Direct Benefit. Men. Boys. Women. Girls. Total. 1924. £ January … … 22,943 886 3,025 549 27,403 64,588 February … … 21,157 847 3,457 607 26,068 75,308 March … … 19,164 695 3,348 510 23,717 63,877 April … … 18,464 606 3,059 475 22,604 60,660 May … … 18,372 657 2,988 699 22,716 75,557 June … … 18,305 666 2,872 609 22,452 58,909

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can make any statement regarding his visit to Glasgow and his inquiry into the method of administering the Unemployment Insurance Acts obtaining at the Employment Exchanges in that area?

I recently visited a number of Exchanges in Glasgow and district, and discussed the administration of unemployment insurance with chairmen and members of local employment committees in session and otherwise. The impression I formed was that the committees deal both efficiently and impartially with claims to benefit in accordance with the powers entrusted to them, and I found no evidence of bias in their recommendations, either in favour of or against applicants for benefit. It is obvious that where thousands of cases have to be dealt with, mistakes will be made, but I am confident that where such mistakes have occurred, they were made inadvertently. The percentage of disallowances of claims for benefit is lower in the Glasgow area than the average percentage in the rest of Great Britain.

the last six months the average number of men, women, and young persons upon the Sheffield unemployment register, and the amount paid each month in unemployment benefit?

The following figures relate to the Sheffield and Attercliffe Employment Exchanges. The figures for benefit paid do not include benefit paid through associations, which could not be ascertained separately for a particular district without great labour.

asked the Minister of Labour the trades in which there exists a legalised minimum wage; and the amount of such wage in each case?

With regard to the first part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which was given on the 12th May to the hon. Member for East Grinstead (Sir H. Cautley) With regard to the second part, I append a table which shows the minimum time rates in force under the Trade Boards Acts for the lowest paid classes of adult workers (male and female) in each case. I am informed that no legal minimum rates of wages are in force under the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act, 1921. Minimum rates of wages for underground workers in the Coalmining Industry under the Coal Mines (Minimum Wage) Act, 1912, vary in the different Districts and for the different classes of workers within each District. For further details thereof reference should be made to my hon. Friend the Secretary for the Mines Department.

Following is the table:

SUMMARY OF TRADE BOARDS MINIMUM RATES AS ON 1ST JULY, 1924. General Minimum Time-Rates for the lowest paid class of adult workers. (Except where otherwise shown the rates are operative at the age of 18 in the case of females and at 21 in the case of males.) Trade. Female Workers. Male Workers. Per Hour. Per Hour. d. s. d. Aerated Waters (E. & W.). 6½ 1 0½ Aerated Waters (Scot.) — — Orkney and Shetlands 5½ 11½ Rest of Scotland 6½ 1 0½ Boot and Floor Polish 7½ 1 1½ Boot and Shoe Repairing 10 ( a ) 1 2¼ Brush and Broom 6¼ ( a ) 10¾ Button-making 6½ 1 1½ Chain* 6 3/10( e ) 1 4⅛ ( e ) Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making— Coffin Furniture Section 6¾6/7( a ) 1 2¼4/7 Cerement Making Section 7¼ ( b ) — Corset 7 1 1 ( d ) Cotton Waste— England and Wales 7 1 0 Scotland 6¾ 1 0 Dressmaking and Women's Light Clothing— (1) England and Wales— ( a ) Retail Bespoke Section 6¼, 7, 7½ ( c ) 1 0 ( d ) ( b ) Other Sections 7 1 0 ( d ) (2) Scotland— ( a ) Retail Bespoke Section 7, 7½ ( c ) 1 2 ( d ) ( b ) Other Sections 6½ Flax and Hemp 6¼ 10¼½ Fur 8¾ 1 2 General Waste 6¼ 11 Hair Bass and Fibre 6¾ 11¼ Hat, Cap and Millinery— (i) England and Wales 7 1 1 ( d ) (ii) Scotland— ( a ) Wholesale Cloth Hat and Cap Section 7½ 1 2 ( d ) ( b ) Other Sections. 7, 7½ ( c ) Hollow-ware 6¾ 11½ Jute 6¼ 9¾⅞ Lace* 6¼ — Laundry— Cornwall and North of Scotland 6½ 1 1½ Rest of Great Britain 7 Linen and Cotton Handkerchief, etc. 6½ 1 0 Made-up Textiles 6¼ 10¾ Milk Distributive— (i) England and Wales 6⅜, 7½ 10½, 1/1 (ii) Scotland 8⅝ ( c ) 1 2 ( c ) 6⅛ ( a ) 11⅜ Ostrich Feather, etc. 7 1 0 ( d ) Paper Bag 7¼ 1 1⅛ Paper Box 7⅓ 1 0¼ Perambulator, etc. 6¾ ( a ) 11½ Pin, Hook and Eye 6½ ( a ) 10¾ Ready-made and Wholesale Bespoke 6½ 10¾ ( d ) NOTES.—( a ) At 21 years of age. ( d ) At 22 years of age. ( b ) At 24 years of age. ( e ) Approximate. ( c ) According to population. * The minimum rates in the Chain Trade and the Lace Finishing Trade are not fixed by reference to sex. The rates shown under the column "Female Workers" are those applicable to work wholly or mainly performed by women, and the rates shown under the column "Male Workers" are those applicable to work wholly or mainly performed by men.

Trade. Female Workers. Male Workers. Per Hour. Per Hour. d. s. d. Retail Bespoke … … … 7½ 1 0 Rope, Twine and Net … … … 6¼ 10 Sack and Bag … … … 6½ 11½ Shirtmaking … … … 6½ 1 2 ( d ) Stamped or Pressed Metals … … … 6 11 Sugar Confectionery … … … 6¾ 1 0 ( b ) Tin Box … … … 7¼ 1 1 Tobacco … … … 9⅝ ( a ) 3⅜ Toy … … … 6¾ ( a ) 1 0½ Wholesale Mantle and Costume … … … 6½ 10½ ( d ) NOTES.—( a ) At 21 years of age. ( b ) At 24 years of age. ( d ) At 22 years of age.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in the parish of Fan., in the county of Sutherland, crofters paying £3 rent per annum are being assessed at two-thirds of the full rental or annual value of their holdings and that those paying £1 per annum are being assessed at the full rental or annual value of their holdings; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation to amend the Law so that these crofters may obtain the full benefit intended to be conferred on agricultural owners and occupiers by The Agricultural Rates Act, 1923?

I have no information on the subject, but if the hon. and gallant Member will give me particulars of specific cases, I will consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the names of the Committee which is about to inquire into the working of the Assurance Companies Act, and when it will commence its proceedings.

The Committee to which the hon. Member refers has been constituted ass follows:Mr. A. C. Clauson, C.B.E., K.C. (Chairman). Mr. S. J. H. W. Allin, C.B.E. Sir Gilbert Garnsey, K.B.E. Mr. C. M. Knowles, LL.B. 2416 Mr. J. C. McBride. Mr. O. Morgan Owen. Mr. W. P. Phelps, F.I.A. Mr. G. Stuart Robertson, K.C. Mr. A. L. Sturge. Mr. H. M. Trouncer, F.I.A. Mr. H. M. Winearls, O.B.E.

The secretary to the Committee, to whom all communications should be addressed, is Mr. W. J. Smith, Board of Trade, Great George Street, London, S.W.1. I understand that in order to give opportunity to the members of the Committee to survey the ground which will be covered by the inquiry, the first sitting of the Committee will not take place before the middle of October.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether all the prize money of the War has been claimed and distributed; and, if not, what is the balance in hand?

Of the £15,000,000 distributable under the Prize Proclamation, shares amounting to approximately £367,000 remain unclaimed, i.e., about 2½ per cent. The rest has been distributed.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware of the dissatisfaction that exists in the crews of certain submarines now serving on the China station on account of the conditions under which they have to live in that climate, the curtailment of privileges, and the apparent lack of sympathy and consideration shown toward their case by superior officers; and will he take steps to inquire into the conditions under which these submarine ratings exist?

No, Sir. The Admiralty is not aware of any dissatisfaction, but inquiries will be made. I feel certain that the hon. Member is under a misapprehension suggesting that there is any lack of sympathy and consideration on the part of the officers.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if, in view of the dissatisfaction that now exists among the crews of smaller vessels on the China station on account of the conditions of their life and service, which do not tend to congenial conditions, he will reconsider the possibility of housing the crews of small vessels and craft refitting at. Hong Kong in shore establishments or hutments?

The Admiralty is not, aware of any dissatisfaction, but inquiries will be made. As regards the second part of the question, I have nothing to add to my reply of the 5th of May.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that G. H. Boyer, of 25, Amberley Street, Sunderland, who was an in-patient of the Ministry of Pensions hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne, up to a few weeks ago, during which time shrapnel was extracted from his back,

COUNTY OF LONDON. Nature of Scheme. Completed. In course of Erection. Total. 1919 Act, Assisted Scheme 11,988 399 12,387 Private Builders' Subsidy (1919 Additional Powers Act). 452 — 452 1923 Act. By Local Authorities 33 947 980 By Private Enterprise 121 166 287 By Public Utility Societies — — — 12,594 1,512 14,106 Private Enterprise without State Assistance (figures only available for 18 months prior to 31st March, 1924—no information since this date). 2,563 1,379 3,942

made an application for a pension in February of this year and has not received any reply from the Ministry of Pensions to his application; and will he see that prompt attention is given to this case?

I find that in this case both the diagnosis and the origin of the disability claimed were very doubtful. A period of observation in hospital was found to be necessary, and very full inquiries had to be made with a view to obtaining evidence in support of the claim. Mr. Bostock was informed from time to time that these inquiries were being made. A decision on the Case has been reached, and communicated to the claimant. It has, I regret, not been found possible to give a favourable decision, but the claimant has been informed that he has a right of appeal to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal. I am not satisfied, however, that there has been no unavoidable delay in the handling of this case, and I am looking personally into the procedure adopted.

asked the Minister of Health the number of dwelling-houses erected, and in course of erection in the county of London and in the area of Greater London within the last three years?

The following Table gives the information available on this

GREATER LONDON (Including the County). Nature of Scheme. Completed. In course of Erection. Total. 1919 Act Assisted Scheme 23,897 399 24,296 Private Builders' Subsidy (1919 Additional Powers Act). 971 — 971 1923 Act— By Local Authorities 256 1,497 1,753 By Private Enterprise 628 1,827 2,455 By Public Utility Societies 16 78 94 25,768 3,801 29,569 Private Enterprise without State Assistance (Figures only available for 18 months prior to 31st March, 1924—no information since that date). 16,663 8,739 25,402

asked the Minister of Health if he can give the average cost, respectively, of the non-parlour house under the State-assisted housing schemes in February, May, June, and July?

The following are the average prices of non-parlour houses (excluding cost of land and development) included in contracts let by local authorities during each of the months from January to June, the latest date for which figures are available:

Month. Average prices of houses. 1924. £ January … … 348 February … … 389 March … … 418 April … … 416 May … … 408 June … … 421

Similar figures are not available as regards houses erected with State assistance by private enterprise.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give a list of the rural parishes in Kent which will be entitled to the subsidy of £12 10s. in the event of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill passing in its present form?

A statement giving this information will be prepared and sent to the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in the last three years 112,029 summonses have been issued in Sheffield for non-payment of the consolidated rate; that the charges imposed upon ratepayers who have been summoned have amounted to not less than £15,000; and that by the re-introduction of compounding the summoning of impecunious ratepayers can be largely avoided; and whether he can take any, and, if so, what steps to relieve an intolerable situation?

I am aware that there have been a large number of summonses for non-payment of rates in Sheffield, but I understand that the greater part of the arrears relate to premises to which compounding could not be applied. After my hon. Friend's previous question on 9th July, an officer of my Department conferred with the city authorities, and made certain suggestions for improving the conditions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the rata of maternal mortality in Fulham for the years 1919–22 was 4˙34, the fourth highest in the Metropolis, and more than double that of West Ham; that for the same years its maternal mortality from puerperal fever was 2˙56, the second highest in the Metropolis, and more than three times that of West Ham; will he give the figures of Fulham for 1923; what was the expenditure, or estimated expenditure, on maternity and child welfare per head of population of Fulham and West Ham in 1923; the number of mothers to whom in that year the guardians and borough councils of those districts, respectively, supplied doctors or trained midwives for their confinement; what was the number of expectant and nursing mothers in that year to whom those bodies, respectively, gave milk or other food; whether the high mortality and fever in Fulham was mainly among the poorer classes; and whether he will have a medical inquiry as to Fulham, or take other steps so that a poor woman; in Fulham may run as little risk in childbirth as one in West Ham?

I am in communication with the authorities concerned, and will furnish my hon. Friend with the information desired as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Health the number of mothers who, in 1923 in Kensington and Poplar, respectively, obtained the assistance of a doctor or trained midwife in their confinements from the guardians or borough council, respectively; the number of expectant and nursing mothers to whom those bodies in the same year gave milk or other suitable food; in what proportion of the above cases did the Kensington guardians place the relief on loan; whether there is a woman relieving officer in Kensington; and, if not, whether he will suggest that one should be appointed to receive applications from mothers and expectant mothers?

I am in communication with the authorities concerned, and will furnish my hon. Friend with the information desired as soon as possible.