asked the Minister of Labour whether he will present a Return showing the number of men registered at the Employment Exchanges at Eastville and Kingswood, Bristol, who have been offered work on the Sandy Park railway bridge widening scheme?

I am informed that four men were placed on this work by the Eastville Employment Exchange and one man by the Kingswood Employment Exchange. I understand that other men have been placed by the Bristol Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the number of men unemployed in Mountain Ash and Aberdare, he will make representations to the Glamorgan County Council to pro- ceed as speedily as possible with the making of the new road between Abercynon and Aberdare, so that work may be found during the coming winter?

Now that the Aberdare Canal Bilk has received the Royal Assent, I understand that the Glamorgan County Council propose to proceed at once with the preparation of plans and estimates for the construction of this new road. Directly these papers have been submitted to my Department, the proposal will be carefully examined with a view to deciding the extent of the assistance that can be offered to the scheme from the Road Fund.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of grants made since the beginning of the year by the Civil Liabilities Committee and the average amount of such grants; and whether the committee has at its disposal sufficient funds still needed vigorously to carry on its policy of assisting ex-service men?

The number of original and supplementary grants made from Civil Liabilities Funds from 1st January to 1st August, 1924, was 1,791. The average amount was £52. The answer to the last part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been drawn to a resolution passed by the Liverpool City Council on the 30th ultimo, authorising various standing committees to arrange for the employment of 100 disabled soldiers suffering from disabilities and graded B or C who are now on the Liverpool King's Roll; and will he consider whether such cases can be dealt with as a national and not a municipal matter?

I have been asked to reply. The decision of the Liverpool City Council was communicated to the King's Roll National Council at their last meeting on 30th July, but, so far as I am aware, neither the National Council nor my own Department has yet received details of the arrangement the city council propose to make nor of the responsibilities which they consider the Government should accept.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of old age pension claimants to whom the pension has been refused on the ground that they have not, since the age of 50, resided 12 years in this country; and how many of these unsuccessful claimants were precluded from fulfilling, this condition by being absent abroad during the War and refused permission by the military and naval authorities to return?

I regret that the information asked for is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to the case of an old age pensioner, Mr. W. Carter, of 25, Andersons Road, Oatlands Park, who is in receipt of 12s. a week as a gardener, for which sum being correct his employer vouches, in spite of which he has been wrongly assessed by the pensions committee as earning 15s. a week, this decision being taken in his absence; if he is aware that this man has only been awarded a pension of 4s. a week on these incorrect data, although the employer has personally informed the clerk of the correct figure; and whether he will see that this man obtains his correct pension?

My attention has not previously been called to this case. Under the law the decision as to the rate of old age pension, if any, to which a person is entitled, rests with the local pension committee subject to appeal to the central pension authority, which is in England and Wales the Ministry of Health, and in Scotland the Scottish Board of Health. I have, therefore, no power to intervene in the case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the internal debt and external debt, respectively, of France in pounds at the current rate of exchange?

According to the latest figures in my possession the public debt of France as on 31st December last was 270,708,000,000 paper francs internal debt, and the equivalent in various currencies of 38,795,000,000 gold francs external debt. At the sterling exchange at the end of last year these totals were equivalent to £3,196,100,000 and £1,629,000,000 respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the internal debt and external debt, respectively, of Italy, in pounds, at the current rate of exchange?

According to the latest information in my possession, the public debt of Italy on the 30th June, 1924, consisted of 93,162,000,000 paper lire internal debt, and the equivalent in various currencies of 22,721,000,000 gold lire external debt. At the sterling exchange on 30th June these sums are equivalent to £929,300,000 and £943,900,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any steps will be taken to induce cinema proprietors to give the public some share of the benefit of the recent reduction of the Entertainments Duty which they now enjoy?

I would refer the hon. Member to the full statement which I made on this subject in Committee on the Finance Bill, on 30th June last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the powers of the Bank of England in the matter of credit issue, he will set up an inquiry with a view to legislation as to the form in which the nation should he represented on the board of directors in order that some form of national control may be exercised?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the parish council of Box were informed that machine-gun firing would not be carried out on the rifle range on Sunday afternoons except under exceptional circumstance; what were the exceptional circumstances which necessitated machine-gun firing on two out of the last three Sundays; if he is aware that this firing on Sunday afternoons causes annoyance to many of the inhabitants; and if he will take steps to abate it?

No special information on this subject is available at the War Office, but I am in communication with the local military authorities, and I have hitherto deferred my reply in the hope that I should be in a position to give a definite answer before the end of the Session. This does not now seem probable, but I will communicate again with the hon. Member as soon as I have received and considered the Report which I have called for.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will give the following particulars of amounts deducted in respect of the tolls received for the length of highway to the west of Rye repairable by the War Department, namely, the gross amount of the tolls so received for the six months ended 30th June last, the amount deducted in respect of salaries, and to whom those salaries were paid before the balance of the tolls was reserved for expenditure on the maintenance of the road?

I am in communication with the local military authorities on this subject and I have hitherto deferred my reply in the hope that I should be in a position to give a definite answer before the end of the Session. This does not now seem probable, but I will communicate again with the hon. and gallant Member as soon as I have received and considered the Report which I have called for.

asked the Secretary of State for War if those Army pensioned ranker officers now receiving their service pensions from the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, but whose names are recorded on the roll of the Reserve of Officers, will, in the event of a national emergency, be recalled as officers or be required to re-enlist as private soldiers; will he say if Army pensioned ranker officers who are not members of the Reserve of Officers are now liable to recall as officers; if not, whether they would be again invited to re-enlist, in the first instance, as private soldiers; and whether he will give the reference to the present Regulation?

The hon. and gallant Member appears to proceed on the supposition that the question whether an ex-ranker officer is in receipt of a soldier's pension or not has some connection with his membership of the Reserve of Officers and with his liability to recall on emergency. This is not the case. All ex-temporary officers who hold commissions in the Reserve of Officers are liable to recall as officers on emergency. No ex-temporary officers who do not hold such commissions are liable to recall in any capacity. These principles apply to ex-ranker temporary officers amongst the rest, but the acceptance by any such officer of a commission in the Reserve of Officers is purely voluntary, and the question whether he is in receipt of a pension or not has no bearing on the matter. The question of whether, and in what rank, an ex-officer not liable to recall might nevertheless be invited to rejoin on emergency would depend on his age, health, wishes and other circumstances of the individual case. The main relevant Regulations are Articles 519 and 660 to 669 of the Pay Warrant.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will state, in regard to the 294 Royal Air Force flying accidents in which error of judgment was a contributory cause and which occurred between 1st January, 1920, and 31st March, 1924, the number of pilots concerned who had flown 150 hours or more, 100 hours or more but less than 150 hours, 50 hours or more but less than 100 hours, and under 50 hours, respectively, in the six months prior to the accidents in question, discriminating between accidents at home and accidents overseas?

The information required by the hon. and gallant Member would involve a very lengthy research into the records of past years. I may say, however, that the inquiry which is implied in his question, namely, whether there is any connection between the occurrence of an accident and the lack of recent flying experience on the part of the officer concerned, is being closely watched by the Air Ministry.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number and total emoluments of higher division staff employed at the Air Ministry in the secretarial, finance, accounting, and contract departments, respectively?

The accounting and contract departments of the Air Ministry are organised on an executive basis. As regards the secretariat and finance divisions, the number of higher division staff is 20 and 15 respectively, with total emoluments of £18,678 and £15,336 respectively, but in addition there are seven officials whose services are divided amongst both secretariat and finance divisions and whose emoluments amount to £11,674.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of trade board investigators and inspectors either at present appointed or authorised; and whether he will give the corresponding number of staff on 1st January, 1920?

The figures as to the Inspectorate and Investigating staff in respect of the Trade Boards Acts now sanctioned were given in reply to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich (Miss Jewson) on the 4th August. On 1st January, 1920, the number of inspectors sanctioned was 15. In addition, an arrangement, since abandoned, was then in force whereby a varying number of the Unemployment Insurance inspectors gave part of their time to Trade Board work. At that date the number of investigators sanctioned was 60, but I should add that 36 of these posts were under a temporary sanction for two years which expired 1st April, 1921. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the answer given on 4th August to which I have referred.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury 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 the Government proposes to comply with this request when filling up future vacancies?

I am informing this Association that whilst, as a matter of fact, all the girls who qualified at the last examination are being called up, it is not possible to comply with their request in general as the examinations are competitive and not qualifying, and it is necessary to hold them at regular intervals.

asked the Prime Minister whether, seeing that the candidates who took the open competition of 1921 for the administrative class were informed that, subject to the recommendations of the Lytton Committee, the list arising from their examination would be available for filling any vacancies arising in a period ending 31st March, 1924, and that in that period appointments were given to one man and three women who were neither Lytton nor 1921 candidates, he will state why these appointments were made, in view of the undertaking given by the Treasury to the 1921 candidates?

The special concession under which the list of candidates from the 1921 open competition was kept open for two years beyond the regulation period did not preclude the appointments referred to by the. hon. Member which were made in fulfilment of existing obligations.

asked the Prime Minister if he will provide facilities for early discussion of the Criminal Justice Bill in the Autumn Session?

Yes, Sir; the Government propose to do so.

asked the Minister of Health what steps, if any, are being taken by his Department to test adequately the so-called Weir type of house construction?

I should hope that the method referred to will be fully dealt with in the course of the inquiry as to alternative methods of house construction just promised by the Government in another place.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the complete list of rural areas in Norfolk which will be eligible for the increased subsidy of £12 10s. under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Bill, as amended?

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

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

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

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the allocations or repayments to local authorities under the various local government Acts which have not been altered in face value since the start of the War, and indicate in each case the object of such allocation or repayment?

I am having a statement prepared, which I will send to the hon. Member.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 17th July last, in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for Bedwelty (Mr. C. Edwards).

asked the Minister of Health why obstructions are being placed in the way of the carrying out of Section 79 of the Lunacy Act, 1890, in the matter of the release of Miss J. B., an inmate since October, 1923, of Cave Hill Mental Hospital (the personal appearance of the applicant being unduly insisted on by the central office); and, in view of the fact that a gentleman, Mr. O., acting as her friend, has given in writing every reasonable guarantee that he is in a position fully to carry out the responsibility which he is ready to assume in making application under the said Section, will he see that no further obstacle is raised?

The necessary inquiries are being made, and I will inform the hon. Member of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, as £367,000 of naval prize money remains unclaimed, he has published, or proposes to publish, the lists of those people entitled to it, so that they or their friends may be aware of what is due to them?

The question of publishing lists of the names of persons who have not yet claimed their shares in the Naval Prize Fund will be considered when the usual channels through which they can be traced have been exhausted. At present applications are still being received, and, wherever possible, the addresses of those who have anything due are being traced from official records. The amount outstanding includes shares due to ranks and ratings recruited overseas, and such sums as may have already been paid by the several Governments of oversea Dominions, etc., but not yet reclaimed by them.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty when the result of the examination for naval writers and supply assistants, held on the 29th May last, will be promulgated?

The results of this examination are being transmitted to the three home ports to-day, and will be communicated to the candidates concerned as soon as possible.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he is aware that certain men who prior to the War were employed in the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory, Greenock, as skilled labourers on writing duties, and who in the ordinary course, but for War, would have been promoted to the grade of clerks, have been refused such promotion; is he aware that the Admiralty Administrative Whitley Council have recommended that the men in question be placed on the permanent clerical staff; and will he reconsider the matter?

The answer to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. It is not a fact, however, that these particular men would necessarily have been made clerks in the ordinary course, but for the War. The question of the position of these men has not been before the Admiralty Administrative Whitley Council, but representatives of the clerical grades concerned were consulted on the subject. I am giving the matter further consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if the present Admiralty Regulations provide, in the event of naval and marine pensioners being recalled to service in case of national emergency, that such pensioners will be entitled to draw their pensions while serving and count their war service for additional pension; and, if so, whether he will give the reference to the present Regulation?

The Pension Regulations have been revised and the revision will be published shortly. I may inform the hon. Member, however, that pensioners recalled to service in emergency will continue to be entitled to draw their pensions while serving, as this is a statutory provision, but the Regulations under which they counted their war service for increase of pension have been withdrawn in association with the introduction of the improved post-War (Jerram) scales.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether there is a fair-wage Clause in the contract with Messrs. Cox and Danks for the salvage of the ex-German Fleet in Scapa Flow; and whether there is any obligation on the contractors to obtain local labour through the local Unemployment Exchange?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second part in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if entitlement to widows' pension was granted with the retired pay of £250-£300 to those pensioned marines who served as temporary Army officers during the War?

The answer is no, so far as pensions at the ordinary rates are concerned. The question of pensions, where the death is attributable to, or due to disability aggravated by, service, would be one for the Ministry of Pensions.

asked the Civil Lord of the Admiralty why widows of naval officers, who became such between 4th August, 1914, and 13th August, 1920, are not being allowed to participate in the benefits of the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1920?

The Pensions Increase Act, 1920, does not apply to the widows of naval officers, but under the Order in Council dated the 13th August, 1920, the widows of naval officers who became pensionable between the 4th August, 1914, and the date of the Order in Council are allowed to participate in its benefits to the extent of the difference, if any, between the scale of pension awarded and the corresponding post-War scale. As the hon. Member will realise, the great majority of widows who were pensioned between the dates mentioned were pensioned by the Ministry of Pensions on scales superior, both as regards themselves and their children, to either the pre-War or the post-War scales.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of compassionate grants made this year and the average amount of each; and whether, in view of the beneficial operation of this form of assistance, the Ministry possesses sufficient funds for the purpose?

So far during the present year 93 such grants have been made from the voluntary funds in my hands. The average amount of each grant has been £22. There is still a fair balance in hand for the assistance of deserving cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any information as to the circumstances in which the contract for the Arapuni power scheme was placed and as to the circumstances in which a large proportion of the contract was placed in a foreign country?

I have been asked to reply to this question. Up to the present I have received only telegraphic reports from New Zealand as to the award of this contract, but I am expecting a full statement by mail from His Majesty's Trade Commissioner in Wellington. I understand that the New Zealand Government is awarding the contract to a British engineering company, whose tender, though above those of foreign competitors, was much below those of other British firms. I understand that the tender of this company involves the supply of some foreign material, but I have reason to believe that the proportion of foreign goods to be used has been substantially reduced at the instance of the New Zealand Government. I would also refer the hon. Member to the answer which the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to a question on this subject addressed by the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer).

asked the President of the Board of Trade, with reference to the composition of the Trade Inquiry Committee, whether he can see his way to increase its personnel so as to include representatives of the boot and shoe, leather, furniture, pottery, and glass industries, seeing that in the aggregate these industries employ more workpeople than the industries which have secured representation upon the Committee?

As I explained in my answer of yesterday to the hon. Member for Ilford (Sir F. Wise), a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member, the Committee has not been constituted on the basis of representation of particular industries, since such a course would have resulted in an unduly large membership. In these circumstances, I am unable to adopt the suggestion made by the hon. Member.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether his attention has been called to proposals made in France to increase the French tariff duties on imported steel products and other goods by means of new classifications, and by the adoption of a gold basis for the payment of the duties; whether he is aware that these proposals, if put into effect, would have a damaging effect on the British steel trade and employment in that trade; what representations have been or will be made to the French Govern- ment in the matter; and what steps the Government are prepared to take, in the event of the proposals being adopted, to secure markets for the steel products effected?

I am aware that the French Customs tariff is in process of revision, and my attention has been called especially to the case of steel. No official information is at present available as to the proposed rates of duty, and it is therefore not yet possible to form an opinion as to the effect of the new tariff on British trade; but the hon. and gallant Member may rest assured that the matter is being carefully watched, and will continue to be. Representations have already been made to the French Government regarding certain changes in the tariff classification of steel which were reported to be under consideration by that Government.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many children between the ages of 14 and 16 years were attending school in the period for which most statistics are available; and whether he can give an estimate of the total juvenile poulation at the same period?

According to the figures taken from the Census Returns of 1921, the number of boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 16 is 1,446,593. Of these, 298,745 are, according to the latest figures, at the disposal of the Board, in full-time attendance at schools falling within the jurisdiction of the Board. As there are a number of private schools of which the Board have no knowledge, it cannot be assumed that this latter figure is complete.

asked as to the number of children exempted from attendance at school owing to the disinclination of the local education authorities concerned to provide adequate conveyances to take them backwards and forwards?

I am afraid I have no information on this matter.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that at a meeting of the Communist party of Great Britain, and the Young Communist League, held in Trafalgar Square on Saturday, 26th July, an announcement was made that a collection would be taken for the purpose of obtaining funds for the purchase of arms by the party in question; that the collection duly took place and realised upwards of £10; what police action was taken in the matter; and what action he proposes to take, if any, to prevent the armament of the Communist party, and the further abuse in similar manner of Trafalgar Square?

There was a meeting of Communists in Trafalgar Square on Sunday, 27th July, not Saturday, 26th July, and a collection was invited, but I have no information that contributions were invited for the purpose stated in the question; nor do I know how much was collected.

asked the Home Secretary if he is now prepared to amnesty all persons now in prison in Great Britain for political offences, including, as far as possible, all Irish political prisoners in British prisons?

Prisoners are not classified according to the motives underlying their offences even when those motives are known, which is by no means always the case, but as previously stated in the House my right hon. Friend is always ready to examine on its merits any individual case that is brought before him.

asked the Home Secretary if it is the intention of the Government to establish an industrial medical service; and, if so, with what object?

Provision is made in the Factories Bill for the amendment and extension of the existing system of medical examination of young persons for factory employment on the lines recommended in the Report of the recent Departmental Committee (Cmd. 2135).

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the valuation made of pedigree stock belonging to Mr. Edwin Roy Bligh, of Goddards Green Farm, Benenden, Kent, which, on or about the 21st February last, were ordered to be slaughtered owing to an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease was made on the special instructions to a valuer by an inspector of the Ministry to eliminate any consideration of pedigree value; why were such special instructions given, in view of Section 15, Sub-section 2 (1) and (2), of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894; whether he is aware that permission to call in Messrs. Thornton to act as valuers of Mr. Bligh's stock was refused, and, if so, why; that valuation on a pedigree basis of the stock of Mr. Egerton Quested, of Cheriton, Kent, which also had to be slaughtered for the same reason at a date later than in the case of Mr. Bligh's stock, was admitted; that in Mr. Quested's case Messrs. Thornton were permitted to act as valuers; and whether he will state the reason for such differentiation in two like cases of pedigree herds?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The special instructions given to the valuer were given in consequence of the owner of the animals agreeing to accept compensation for the animals slaughtered on a non-pedigree basis rather than have the animals isolated. In cases of foot-and-mouth disease the Minister has two alternatives:- (1) to cause the animals to be slaughtered, in which case compensation is payable in accordance with Section 15 of the Diseases of Animals Act, 1894; or (2) to isolate the animals where suitable premises for isolation exist. In the latter case no compensation is payable and any loss consequent upon isolation falls upon the owner of the animals. The owner of the animals expressed his willingness to accept compensation for slaughter on a non-pedigree basis rather than risk the loss to himself on isolation, and the animals were accordingly valued on this basis and compensation was paid thereon. I am unable to accept the statement that permission to call in Messrs. Thornton to value the animals was refused. The valuer was agreed upon between the owner and the Ministry. The circumstances in connection with the outbreak referred to in the last part of the question were entirely different. Isolation in that case was considered to be impracticable, and therefore different considerations arose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that some of the work-worn and aged horses which are annually exported from this country to the Continent are rested for a while and then used in Spain for bull-fighting, in which they are exposed to great suffering; and whether he can do anything to prevent horses sent out of this country from sharing such fate?

I have no information that horses exported from Great Britain to the Continent are subsequently used for bull-fighting. Owing to the high cost of transporting horses through the northern French ports and thence to Spain, it is improbable that English horses ever enter the bull-ring. I can only prevent horses unfit to travel or work proceeding to the Continent, and cannot exercise any control over their subsequent movements and treatment. In the two and a half years from 1st January, 1922, to 30th June last, the number of horses shipped from this country to Spain was seven, and the number shipped to Portugal was 12. Some of these horses were of very high value.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that two years ago the Postmaster-General agreed to consider the question of re-classifying offices where financial hardship was found to exist, apart from the question of units of work, and that the Board of Trade figures proved that the cost of living in Bournemouth is high, he is prepared, in view of these facts, to give an undertaking that other postal areas should not be given preference owing to the units of work being greater without consideration of the cost of living?

The classification of certain head offices, of which Bournemouth is one, is still the subject of discussion between the Post Office and the staff associations, and I am hopeful that a settlement will be reached shortly. In the meantime I am unable to make any statement in regard to individual cases.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that at Lingdale, Boosbeck, Yorkshire, the last collection of letters it at 3.45 p.m., whereas before the War it was 7.40 p.m.; and whether he can now restore the pre-War collection?

I am having inquiry made and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has been able to make arrangements for a motor mail service up Wensleydale?

Consideration of this matter is now approaching completion and I hope to be able to reach a decision shortly. I will then communicate with the hon. Member.