asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the rise in the price of flour, he proposes to take any steps to control bread prices?

I may refer to the information given in my answer of 29th July to the hon. Members for Woolwich West (Sir K. Wood) and Bedford (Mr. Wells). I regret that I do not at present see any steps which could usefully be taken in this matter, which will, however, be kept closely under observation.

The following statement shows the changes in the price of bread in London which have been announced by the Associations of Master Bakers since the beginning of 1921, and also the price of London-made straight-run flour at and about the same dates, as announced by the principal London flour miller:

proposes to introduce legislation to give effect to same; and if such legislation will be introduced in the Autumn Session?

The subject is under consideration, but I am not in a position to say what action the Government may be able to take.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health if any Report has been received on the state of the water supply of Garscadden, Dumbartonshire; and what he proposes doing in the matter?

A report on the state of the water supply at Garscadden has been received from the health officials of the local authority concerned, which states that the results of analysis have never been such as to warrant condemnation of the supply. The defective roof of the tank has been repaired, and the interior is at present being cleaned. As regards the allegation that the supply is contaminated by the adjacent surroundings, I am informed that the analyst's report does not bear out that contention.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of the contribution of Scotland to the Exchequer; and what are the amounts derived by Scotland from the Exchequer in respect of all the various services for which the Exchequer makes contribution, showing separately the sum for each separate service?

The approximate figures are as follow: £ Contribution of Scotland to the revenue of the Exchequer in 1923–4 80,000,000 Charge on the Exchequer for Scottish services in the same year 25,000,000

These figures do not include any payments received in Scotland on account of General Services, such as the National Debt, the Fighting Services, or War Pensions. The total of such general expenditure in 1923–4 may be approximately estimated at £550 millions. The difference between the £80 millions contributed by Scotland and the £25 millions paid to Scottish services, namely £55 millions, may be taken as Scotland's contribution to this total. The Scottish contribution is thus about 10 per cent. The main items in the charge of £25 millions for Scottish Services are (1) Consolidated Fund Services. £ £ Courts of Justice, Judicial salaries 114,000 Payments to Local Taxation Account, Scotland. 1782,000 Land Settlement, Scotland 722,000 Other Services 82,000 2,700,000

(2) Supply Services. Revenue Departments: Customs and Excise 738,000 Inland Revenue 491,000 Post Office 5,000,000 Rates on Government Property 139,000 Stationery and Printing 100,000 Scottish Board of Agriculture 315,000 Police 727,000 Prisons 147,000 Universities and Colleges 220,000 Public Education (Scotland) 5,891,000 Old Age Pensions 2,613,000 Scottish Board of Health 2,229,000 Ministry of Labour 1,560,000 Relief of Unemployment 594,000 Other Services (items of less than £100,000 each) 1,536,000 22,300,000 Total £25,000,000

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many cases of assault or sexual offences committed in regard to children and girls below the age of 16 were reported to the police in Scotland during the last three years; in how many of these cases convictions were obtained; how many children were concerned in these cases; how many of the children were below five years of age; and in how many of these cases were there records of previous convictions for similar offences?

I am taking steps to obtain the information desired. When I get the figures, I will communicate them to the Noble Lady.

asked the Attorney-General whether, having regard to the fact that most County Court Judges during the long vacation will not be available in August and September, any steps can be taken to establish vacation Courts in order to consider applications under Section 2 (1) of the Prevention of Evictions Act, 1924, in order to protect poor tenants?

The County Courts have no long vacation. A Judge is bound to hold each of the Courts on his circuit at least once in every month, with the exception of one month, which is usually either August or September, but cannot be both. This enables the Judge to have a necessary holiday, but the existing machinery is sufficient to protect the rights of tenants while the Judge is not sitting. Any Judge is capable of acting for any other Judge in any place, and enough Judges will be available in August and September to deal with urgent applications with which the Registrar cannot deal. It is, therefore, not necessary to adopt my hon. Friend's suggestion. I may add that Registrars have certain powers of suspending, Orders and staying execution during the Judge's absence, and my right hon. Friend the Lord Chancellor is considering whether these powers are sufficient, or whether they ought to be extended.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the number and names of the agricultural parishes in Somerset which will rank for the higher subsidy under the new Housing Bill?

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

asked the Minister of Health what are the names of the parishes in the administrative County of Worcestershire which will be entitled to the subsidy under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill, as amended?

A statement giving this information is being sent to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the reason why stipulations, in regard to the price of houses sanctioned under the Housing Act, 1923, are being imposed by the Ministry of Health upon Aldershot which are not being imposed upon adjoining local authorities?

As I informed the Noble Lord, in reply to a question on the 21st may, I am required before approving proposals of a local authority for subsidising the erection of working-class houses to be satisfied that the need for houses cannot be met without assistance under the Act. The approval of proposals by the authorities adjoining Aldershot was given on the understanding that discrimination would be exercised in regard to the value of the houses for which subsidy would be promised, and I am not aware that such discrimination is not in fact exercised. If the Noble Lord has particulars of any instances in which this is not the case I should be glad to look into them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will ask county councils to set out their annual expenditure on maternity and child welfare in the same way as that of the metropolitan boroughs for the year 1919–20 is set out in the London County Council's Volume 28 of London Statistics, 1921–23, page 352; if he will ask boards of guardians in future to record annually their expenditure in out-relief on doctors or midwives for Confinements, and on necessitous mothers, expectant mothers, and infants under 12 Months of age; and the numbers of confinements, mothers and children so assisted?

The figures referred to for metropolitan boroughs are taken from Part II of the Local Taxation Returns issued by the Ministry of Health. Figures showing the total expenditure on maternity and child welfare by county councils (other than the London County Council) are given in Part III of those Returns. I will consider the question of giving in future issues separate figures for each county council. As regards the rest of the question, I doubt whether it would be possible for the guardians to show separately their expenditure for the purposes mentioned, but I will consider whether any useful statistics could be obtained as to the number of years.

asked the Postmaster-General when the Newcastle-Bergen cable was taken over by the Government; whether he is aware that the staff at Newcastle and at the repeater station at Aberdeen are still under the control of the Great Northern Telegraph Company; and whether he will state why the staff has not been transferred to the establishment of the Post Office?

The PeterheadEgersund cable, which connects Newcastle and Bergen, was bought in January, 1911 by the British and Norwegian Governments jointly, and the British end of it is worked on behalf of the Post Office by the Great Northern Telegraph Company. The question of taking over the working has recently been examined, and I am advised that in present circumstances the transfer is inadvisable.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is the practice of the Postmaster-General to withhold the current month of interest from Post Office depositors in the case of redemption of War Bonds when transferred to a deposit account?

When the proceeds of a redemption of a holding in War Bonds are transferred to a Post Office Savings Bank account, interest on the money is allowed from the first day of the following month. This practice is based on Section 7 of the Post Office Savings Bank Act of 1861, which provides thatinterest shall not be calculated on any amount less than one pound or some multiple thereof, and not commence until the first day of the calendar month next follow- ing the day of deposit, and shall cease on the first day of the calendar month in which such deposit is withdrawn. I have no authority to allow interest for the month in which the deposit is made.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received a representation from the Civil Service Clerical Association, urging that no further examinations should be held for shorthand-typists while girls who have qualified in two or more previous examinations are still unappointed; and, if so, whether he proposes to comply with this request when filling up future vacancies?

No representation from the Civil Service Clerical Association has been received by me in the matter referred to.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has any information regarding the recent incident in the Law Courts at Calcutta, in which Mr. S. C. Bose, a leading Calcutta lawyer, was involved; is he aware that a mass meeting of protest organised by the Calcutta bar has been held; and will he cause inquiry to be made into the circumstances of this incident?

I have seen only a Press report of the incident mentioned in the question. The maintenance of discipline in the Courts is entirely a matter for the High Court.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the Muslim organ in Europe, the "Crescent," is prohibited from circulating in India; and will he take steps to inquire of the Viceroy the reasons why this journal is prohibited?

The importation into British India of this paper, which is published in Berlin, was prohibited by the Government of India by Notification of the 2nd May last. I see no reason to address any inquiry to the Government of India as to the propriety of their action.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India why the Government of India, who are responsible for painting and decorations in the new building at Delhi, are refusing to give work to Indian decorators of proved ability from the Bombay School of Art, whose work is exhibited at the British Empire Exhibition, even though these artists are applying to do the work at a very reasonable price, and although the Government of Bombay gives scholarships valued Rs.30 or £2 per month to artists under training whose sole means of livelihood is the scholarship?

My Noble Friend has no information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs seeing that the Soviet Government has appointed an Ambassador to China instead of a Minister and that Japan has promised to do so next year, and that an Ambassador ranks before a Minister, whether, in view of British interests in China, he will sympathetically consider the desirability of our raising the diplomatic status so that it is not behind that of the other Powers?

The Government think it undesirable that any such change should be made except as the result of an agreement between the Great Powers that took part in the Washington Conference, and, further, that any agreement for the purpose should be withheld at least until China has taken steps to establish an effective central government. The action taken by the Soviet Government does not constitute a reason for modifying this view.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Government has been approached by the Chinese Government with a view to raising the diplomatic status both in China and in this country to an ambassadorial rank; and what, in that case, is the attitude of the Government on the subject?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave this afternoon to the hon. Member for Epping (Sir L. Lyle).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in what foreign countries, if any, penalties are imposed in the case of electors who do not exercise the franchise; and what is the nature of such penalties?

I am not in possession of the information required by the hon. Member, but I have Reports made about two years ago, of the working of the compulsory voting system in two of the most important countries in which it is in force—the Netherlands and Belgium—and I am prepared, if the hon. Member so desires, to place copies of these in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies in what, if any, British Dominions, Colonies, and Protectorates penalties are imposed in the case of electors who do not exercise the franchise; and what is the nature of such penalties?

The Queensland Elections Act makes voting at elections compulsory, an elector qualified to vote but failing without a valid and sufficient excuse to do so being liable to a penalty not exceeding £2. I have seen Press statements to the effect that the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia has just passed similar legislation, but I have no official information as to this. I am not aware of any such provision in the legislation of other Dominions, Colonies or Protectorates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the case of any railway work now being carried out Departmentally in Kenya, any comparative tender was first of all obtained from private firms; and, if not, what expert opinion was first obtained as to the minimum cost at which such work could be carried through?

The only construction work arising out of the question is that of the extension of the Thika branch to the Tana River, a distance of 58 miles. Tenders for the whole work were not invited, but full use is being made of competitive local contracts for portions of the work. Estimates were prepared by the Resident Engineer who represents the Government on the construction of the Uasin-Gishu line and also by the Railway Department, and the plans and estimates were examined by the consulting engineers, on whose advice my predecessor authorised the construction. A revised estimate shows a saving of about 6 per cent. on the lower of the two original estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information as to the reason for the action taken by the Egyptian Government against Colonel Liddell, M. Juder, and Mr. Daniel?

So far as His Majesty's Government are aware, the execution of the contract for the extension of the Port of Suez gave rise to litigation in the Egyptian Mixed Courts and to several administrative inquiries, the outcome of which the Egyptian Government presumably consider to justify their recent action.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the increase in the price of bread, he will, in order to make this country less dependent upon overseas supply, appoint a committee to advise upon the best way to encourage the home-growing of wheat, whether by way of stabilisation of prices, bonus on production, a national subsidy, or otherwise?

The methods mentioned by the hon. Member involve questions of general policy, the application of which cannot be confined to wheat growing, and which raise very controversial political issues. I feel, therefore, that there would be little advantage in the appointment of a committee for the purpose suggested.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the loss of employment suffered by farm labourers due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the county of Dorset; that such labourers are precluded from obtaining other employment on neighbouring farms due to the fear of infection; and whether, in determining the amount of compensation to be paid, some provision can be made for labourers who temporarily lose their work on farms where outbreaks occur?

From special inquiries I have had made in this matter, it does not appear that there are any farm workers in Dorset unemployed as a result of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease. The remainder of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can give any further information as to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Dorset; whether there have been any fresh outbreaks since the last announcement; what is the total number of cases in this area up to date; and how many head of cattle have been slaughtered?

Since the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Yeovil (Major Davies) on the 24th July two further outbreaks have occurred in Dorset and two in the Salisbury district of Wiltshire, sonic 12 miles from the nearest Dorset outbreak. The total number of confirmed cases in the area up to the 2nd inst. is 15, involving the slaughter of 460 cattle.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state, since the 1st July, the number of new outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease; the number of infected premises; the number of cases, if any, where treatment instead of slaughter is being tried and the number of animals slaughtered, diseased and in contact?

The total number of premises on which foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed during the month of July was 74, involving six new centres of disease and the extension of five existing areas. Slaughter was adopted in each outbreak and the total number of animals slaughtered or authorised to be slaugh- tered was: cattle 2,373, sheep 3,109 and pigs 599. Particulars of the animals actually infected with the disease at the time of slaughter are not immediately available.

asked the Home Secretary the difference to the country in the cost of a Minister and Ambassador; how many Powers have, by agreement, raised their Ministers to Ambassadors since the War; and whether size, population and trade relations are factors in deciding the admissibility of this procedure?

The difference as regards salary is £500 a year, an Ambassador receiving £2,500 and a Minister £2,000. The allowances granted to both Ambassadors and Ministers in respect of frais de representation vary in accordance with the requirements of particular posts. His Majesty's Government have, since the War, raised the former Legations at Brussels, Rio de Janeiro and Lisbon to the status of Embassies. In October, 1919, after it had been decided in principle to take the above action, His Majesty's Government agreed with the French and Italian Governments not to create fresh ambassadorial posts without previous consultation and agreement between the three Powers. I am not aware whether any such agreement is in force between other Powers, and I am, therefore, unable to answer the second part of the question. Considerations of size, population and trade relations are not overlooked when dealing with particular cases.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the House statistics showing in which countries capital punishment has been abolished, in which countries during recent years this punishment has been in abeyance although still on the Statute Book, what alternative punishments have been adopted in both groups, and the amount of crime in the various countries both before capital punishment was abolished or disused compared with those countries in which capital punishment is still in operation?

I regret that I am not in possession of the statistics the hon. Member desires.

asked the Home Secretary how many houses of remand are now in use in England; and what steps are being taken to increase their number in order to lessen the number of persons who, in the absence of remand houses, are detained in prison while awaiting trial and are subsequently acquitted or discharged without sentence?

As the hon. Member is aware, prisoners on remand are ordinarily committed to a prison or to the custody of the police. If they are under 16 they can be committed to the places of detention established under the Children Act and managed by the local police authorities. The provision of other special places or institutions which might in some cases avoid the remanding of an accused person to prison is a matter which I have by no means lost sight of, but I am not in a position to propose legislation on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary if he will introduce legislation to prevent the sending of Police Court cases, on insufficient grounds, to a remand prison to have their mental state inquired into, seeing that these institutions are prisons with indignity and stigma superadded?

The question whether a remand is desirable in any particular case is, of course, one for the discretion of the Court and could not be regulated by Statute. The provision of special institutions which might in some cases avoid the remanding of an accused person to prison is a matter which I have by no means lost sight of, but I am not in a position to propose legislation on the subject.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is satisfied that the provision of a disinfecting station at Liverpool is the best means of protecting British workers against infection from material which contains the germs of anthrax; and whether, seeing that this disinfecting station cannot possibly protect dock workers handling such material, he will undertake to explore thoroughly the first means of protection suggested by general conference of the International Labour Organisation of the League of Nations, 1919, namely, the disinfection of material infected with anthrax spores in the country exporting such material?

The Home Office has throughout been fully alive to the desirability of arranging, if practicable, for disinfection in the country of export; and with this object in view, immediately after the Home Office Committee on Anthrax reported in 1918, representations were made to the Government of India, from which country the greater part of the infected material comes. The Government of India, however, have not seen their way to arrange for disinfection in India and we have therefore been thrown back on the alternative of providing for disinfection at the port of entry in this country. Under the arrangements in force at Liverpool the material is conveyed direct from the ship to the disinfecting station, so that the risk to the dock workers is reduced to a minimum.

asked the Home Secretary why commutation of the Royal Irish Constabulary pension of George Fowler, Carleton House, Church Path, Middle Deal, Kent, has been refused; and whether, in view of the fact that this man has a good opportunity of securing a profitable business by purchasing the freehold premises of a shop at Folkestone, he will reconsider the application?

I understand that the tribunal appointed to investigate these cases carefully considered this application, and came to the conclusion that it would not be in the interests of Mr. Fowler himself to accede to his request.

asked the Minister of Transport if he would approach the various railway companies with a view to their making arrangements for the conveying of children under 14 years of age at half-fare, as against the present regulation age of 12 years, seeing that wages are not earned until they are 14 years of age?

The Railway Rates Tribunal, established under the provisions of the Railways Act, 921, as the authority for dealing with railway companies' charges, have recently approved the railway companies' proposal, of which public notice was given, that half-fares should be restricted to children of three years of age and under 12 years of age, and in the circumstances I am not in a position to make representations to the railway companies in regard to the matter.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will cause investigation to be made into the feasibility and probable cost of a Mid-Scotland ship canal, with a view to assisting commerce and giving profitable relief to the unemployed?

I have been asked to answer this question. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave last Thursday to a question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Maclean), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in issuing the contract for the Blair Atholl-Inverness Road, there will be any requirement of a preference in employment for ex-service men?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given on 31st July to the hon. Member for the Perth Division (Mr. M. Mitchell) of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Labour why unemployment pay has been withheld for a period exceeding four weeks from the miners of the Kent coalfield, who have been locked out by the employers serving notices upon the workmen?

Claims for benefit made by certain miners in the Kent coalfields were disallowed by the insurance officer on the statutory ground that they had lost employment owing to a stoppage of work due to a trade dispute. An appeal was made to the Court of Referees who upheld the insurance officer's decision. An appeal may now be made to the Umpire by an association acting on behalf of the claimants. I am unable to intervene in the matter.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give information as to the Regulations governing cases where the wife of an unemployed man has been in the habit of taking in one or two lodgers; what percentage of the payment made for board and lodging is regarded as income to the wife for service rendered; and whether the wife's benefit of 5s. is forfeited by such Regulations?

The position is, briefly, that dependants' benefit would not be payable in respect of the wife unless the house is neither a boarding house nor is occupied for the purpose of letting lodgings, and either the rooms are let unfurnished, the wife performing no services for the lodger, or the lodger is taken into the household and lives as one of the family.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the aggregate profits of the brewing companies in the United Kingdom for the year 1913–14 and the latest year for which complete figures are available?

The estimated profits of brewing concerns in the United Kingdom for the years 1913–14 and 1922–23 (the latest year for which figures are available) are as follow:— £ 1913–14 … … … 9,971,000 1922–23 … … … 19,000,000 These figures represent the profits for the accounting years ended within the Income Tax years 1913–14 and 1922–23, rspectively. For the latter year they are based upon the ascertained results of about one-half of the trade. The estimated profits stated represent profits as computed for the purpose of Income Tax, Schedule D (adjusted for 1922–23 to exclude the effect of payments or repayments of Excess Profits Duty) less the amounts allowed in respect of the wear and tear of machinery and plant. They include profits arising from carrying on any trade ancillary to the main business of brewing as, for example, from the retail trade of managed houses, sale of wines and spirits, bottling, etc.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a resolution recently passed at an area meeting of the Association of Ex-Service Civil Servants resident in Bromley, Dartford, Greenwich, Lewisham and Woolwich protesting against the recommendations of the Final Report of the Southborough Committee on the grounds that it is not an adequate solution of the problem of the re-settlement of ex-service men in the Civil Service, and that it is not in accordance with pledges made by the members of the Government; and whether he is taking any action in the matter?

I have received resolutions similar to the one referred to by-the hon. Member. With reference to the remainder of the question I would refer the hon Member to the reply which I gave on the 23rd July to the hon. and gallant Member for Basingstoke (Lieut.-Commander Fletcher).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether it is a fact that an order has been issued to the aircraft apprentices at Halton, Bucks, forbidding them to keep their motor cycles in the district and ordering them to return the motor cycles to their homes; if so, for what reasons this order was issued; and whether, in view of the very considerable expense to which the parents of these apprentices have been put in providing their sons with motor cycles, this order can be cancelled?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the reckless riding of a number of the boys recently caused several serious accidents, including one fatal accident, and the air officer commanding felt bound, in the interests of the boys, to issue the order referred to. As regards the last part of the question, I regret that in the circumstances I cannot see my way to have the order rescinded. I would point out that in an establishment which contains 2,000 boys under training, and will shortly contain 3,000, the, maintenance of discipline is rendered difficult if boys have the freedom of movement conferred by a motor bicycle.

asked the Prime Minister why the Government decided to hold the naval review at this time when delicate diplomatic discussions were in progress with other nations to whom such a display of force may convey a wrong impression, and thereby endanger a satisfactory termination to the negotiations?

The decision to hold a naval review to enable Dominion and other visitors from overseas to see the Fleet was come to long before the London Conference was thought of. If my hon. Friend will recollect, it was stated in the House on the 5th March last that it was then in contemplation to hold a naval review towards the end of July at Spithead.