asked the Attorney-General whether he is aware that a number of persons on the Commission of Peace for the Tower Division of the County of London no longer reside in the division, thereby causing inconvenience to the inhabitants; that many on the Commission no longer act as magistrates in the area; that over 200 names of persons suitable to act as magistrates are before the advisory committee; and whether he will make representations to the Lord Chancellor on the matter so that the inconvenience to the inhabitants may be remedied

The Lord Chancellor understands that there are 102 Justices on the Commission of the Peace for the County of London who are attached to the Tower Petty Sessional Division, of whom 13 were appointed in the year 1924. Twenty-eight of the 102 appear to live outside the division. The Lord Chancellor is not aware that many no longer act as magistrates in the area. If the hon. Member will communicate with the Lord. Chancellor as to the particular districts in which he is of opinion that there is a shortage of magistrates, my right hon. and Noble Friend will cause inquiries to be made with a view to removing any inconvenience to the inhabitants.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of promotions from the ranks to permanent commissions that have been made in the Royal Air Force during the last 12 months; and the number of officers holding short-service commissions in the Royal Air Force who have been granted permanent commissions in that force during the last 12 months?

As regards the first part of the question, seven airmen have been granted cadetships at the Royal Air Force Cadet College, Cranwell, within the last 12 months with a view to the subsequent award of permanent commissions. As regards the second part, 82 officers holding short service commissions were granted permanent commissions in the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether provision has been made to provide parachutes as standard to all fighting machines?

I hope to be able to make a statement during the debate on the Air Estimates to-morrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of boys at the school of technical training, Halton, and also the total staff of all ranks, including civilians?

The number of boys at Halton according to the latest return is 2,101. As regards the staff, it is difficult to distinguish between the personnel who may be regarded as the school staff and those who are not so allocated, but if the staff on the strength of the boys' section only is taken, the total, including civilians, is 490.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of boys at the Royal Air Force cadet college, Cranwell, and also the total staff of all ranks, including civilians?

The number of boys as at 31st January last was 1,015, and the staff at the same date numbered 463, including civilians. These are the figures for the boys' wing at Cranwell, to which I take my hon. Friend to refer, and they do not include the cadets nor the headquarter staff of the station, which administers both the cadet college and the boys' wing; they do, however, include a considerable number of airmen borne on the strength of the boys' wing but engaged on duties other than instructional duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what is the gross total of the French Government's expenditure on military, naval and civil aviation, respectively, for each of the last three years?

I regret that it is not possible to give the figures asked for by the hon. and gallant Member. Under the French budget system the rule is to include in the Military and Naval Votes various charges which, under the British system, would appear in Air Votes, and these charges cannot be segregated. The French Vote for "civil aviation" is itself also composite, for it includes expenditure for research and for certain supply services for military and naval aviation as veil. In these circumstances no apportionment of expenditure between the three heads nor a statement of the gross total of the expenditure on aviation would be practicable.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that three Departments of State countenance an organisation competing with private traders under the designation of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute, that the activities of the organisation have expanded beyond the needs of soldiers and sailors; that the organisation sells to customers not in the Services; and whether he can assure the House that, in time of peace, Government trading enterprise in competition with private trade will be restricted to maintaining the skeleton organisation that might be required for expansion in case of war?

I have been asked to reply. The Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes is the officially recognised canteen organisation of the three Services. It exists to meet the needs of sailors, soldiers and airmen, and I have no evidence that its activities have expanded beyond those needs. The only civilians who are permitted to make purchases from the organisation are those who are employed on Government service, and to whom special permits enabling them to deal with the Institutes have been issued. Arrangements are in force for restricting these permits to the narrowest possible limits and for safeguarding them against abuse. No grant is made from public funds to subsidise the trading, and the organisation cannot properly be described as a Government trading enterprise.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware of the fact that certain warrant officers in the Royal Navy in charge of departments are receiving less pay than lower-deck ratings when the marriage allowance of the latter is taken into consideration; and whether, seeing that this is unfair, he will expedite a favourable decision upon marriage allowances for officers in the Royal Navy?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Lancaster (Sir G. Strictland)

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many naval ratings were inoculated against enteric fever during the past six months; how many re- fused to be inoculated; whether any naval ratings were refused leave for declining to be inoculated; and, if so, what ranks they belong to and the dates of refusal of leave?

"10. No punishment or penalty is to be incurred for declining vaccination or revaccination on conscientious or other grounds, but every precaution is to be taken to prevent objectors becoming a danger to the service. They are not to land in ports where there may be any danger of contracting small-pox, and while the ship is lying at such ports they are to be inspected daily by the medical officer. The fact that a man has refused vaccination or re-vaccination is to be noted on his service certificate, and in no circumstances is he to be allowed to re-engage or to be enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve ( see Article 830, Clause 9).

11. When circumstances arise which render it advisable to inoculate officers and men against enteric fever, cholera, or any other infectious diseases, voluntary inoculation can only be performed. The provisions of Clause 10 are to apply to persons objecting to such inoculation on conscientious or other grounds."

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is estimated to be the total final cost of the five new cruisers when complete for service and what are the comparable figures for the ships they replace; whether he can state the cost of maintaining the new cruisers in commission; and whether he can give any figures showing the comparative cost of maintaining in commission the new and the old ships?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given on the 11th February last to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle). The total cost of a "County" class cruiser was approximately £950,000. The annual cost, at present prices, of maintaining in full commission in Home waters a cruiser of 10,000 tons would amount to about £259,000 as compared with £214,800 for a cruiser of the "County" class.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that in the Royal Marines there are at present 12 quartermasters who have been promoted from an eligible personnel of 26 commissioned sergeant-majors and superintending clerks, whereas there is only one commissioned officer who has been promoted from an eligible personnel of 25 commissioned Royal Marine gunners; and, in view of the higher skill and importance of the latter category, will he explain the reason for this discrimination

There can be no fair comparison between the promotion of commissioned sergeant-majors and superintending clerks on the one hand and commissioned Royal Marine gunners on the other, as the avenues of promotion are quite distinct and the former attain promotion to warrant rank at a much later age. The training, etc., of Royal Marine gunners is not such as to fit them for the performance of quartermasters' duties, and they are, moreover, required for the particular duties afloat for which this branch was introduced. The proportion of higher ranks allowed is exactly the same as in the Naval warrant officer branches, with which the Royal Marine gunners correspond, and the numbers are fully sufficient to meet requirements. No reason, therefore, is seen for increasing them. I may add that there is at present one vacancy for commissioned rank, owing to the fact that no commissioned Royal Marine gunners have yet passed the qualifying examination for early promotion.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what wages a dockyard workman should now be drawing who, in August, 1920, when serving in the Manager, Engineering Department, was in receipt of 34s. per week, and who, in the same month, was transferred to the Director of Works Department on the same rate of wages, where he remained until July, 1924, when he was again transferred to the Manager, Engineering Department?

Where men are transferred from one Department to another as the alternative to discharge, their rates of wages depend upon the grades in which they are employed in the Department to which they are transferred. A workman rated and employed as a labourer can be paid only a labourer's wages, notwithstanding that he may previously have been employed in a higher capacity and paid a higher rate of wages. The rate of wages at present due to a workman could not be determined from the circumstances stated in the question.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether there are any first-class engineers of yard craft now serving in His Majesty's dockyards who were serving in His Majesty's dockyard, Portsmouth, when Admiralty Statement D. 30,925/14, of 23rd February, 1915, was issued, and who are not borne on the established list?

There is a first-class engineer of yard craft who, on the 23rd February, 1915, although then filling a post then authorised for a second-class engineer, was permitted to retain his former rank and its emoluments.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty who is responsible for the naval hospital stores contained in the wards of the Royal naval hospitals?

The sectional ward-master is solely responsible for all stores, furniture, etc., issued for use in the wards of his section.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is prepared to name a date when he will be in a position to make a statement regarding the placing of naval officers on a plane of equality with those of the Army and Air Force with reference to marriage and passage allowances; whether he is aware that married men, when promoted to be warrant officers, are mulcted in their emoluments and that the naval officers of equal rank, living together with Royal Air Force officers on aircraft-carrying vessels of His Majesty's Navy, receive less pay by reason of being married than married Air Force officers on the same ships?

I am not yet in a position to fix a date on which any definite statement with regard to an allowance to married officers can be made, but the matter is being dealt with as quickly as possible. I am not aware of any question being under discussion as to the payment of passage allowances, by which I presume is meant the cost of passages for wives and families, as the cost of the officer's own passage is already borne by the State. The regulations already provide, however, for the payment of such expenses in the case of practically all purely shore appointments abroad, if the duration of the appointment exceeds five (5) years, or a portion of the cost if it exceeds two (2) years. As regards the second part of the question, arrangements exist for ratings on promotion to warrant rank to receive a rate of full pay not less than the emoluments they were receiving before promotion, including marriage allowance, provided that the rate of full pay is in no case in excess of the maximum allowed to the warrant rank. This stipulation affects a few cases where the special rate of full pay granted on promotion falls slightly below the emoluments received before promotion. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total expenditure on housing in the years 1922, 1923, and 1924 from rates, including loans, and from taxes, respectively; and the amount of the payments made from the Exchequer to persons erecting houses under the provisions of Section 1 of the Housing (Additional Powers) Act during the same periods?

The expenditure of local authorities on housing for the financial year 1922–23, the last year for which full information is available, was £1,083,000, defrayed from current rates, and £29,500,000, defrayed from loans. The payments by the Exchequer respect of annual housing subsidies have been

£7,220,327 in 1922–23;

£7,856,122 in 1923–24; and

£5,775,467 to date in 1924–25.

The payments by the Exchequer under the provisions of Section 1 of the Housing (Additional Powers) Act, 1919, were £2,422,746 in 1922–23 and £1,433 in 1923–24.

asked the Minister of Health the number of schemes in England and Wales now approved for the building of houses under the Act of 1924; the names of the authorities whose schemes have been approved; the number of houses in each scheme; and the number of houses transferred from the 1923 Act to the Act of 1924?

Schemes under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, have been approved and are being undertaken by 303 local authorities in England and Wales. The total number of houses for which approved schemes provide is 30,037. I will send the hon. Member a list of the local authorities concerned and the number of houses approved for each. The number of houses transferred from schemes under the Housing, etc., Act, 1923, to the Act of 1924 is 11,479.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received any complaints as to the lack of proper sewerage and drainage in many houses in the urban district of Porthcawl; and what action he proposes to take?

I have received various complaints as to the lack of proper sewerage in this district. The council have now submitted a scheme for the improvement of these conditions, and a local inquiry in regard to the proposed scheme will be held within the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Health the number of urban district councils in Wales that have submitted housing schemes to his Department and the number that have not?

Of the 113 county borough, borough and urban district councils in Wales, 75 have submitted schemes under the Housing Acts of 1923 or 1924, and 38 have not.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated increase in the population of the United Kingdom from the Armistice to 31st December, 1924; the total number of houses completed in that period; and the number of houses demolished in the same period?

Particulars for England and Wales were given in reply to a question put by the hon. Member for Reading (Mr. H. Williams) on the 17th instant. As regards Scotland and Northern Ireland, I would suggest that similar questions should be addressed to my right hon. Friends the Secretary for Scotland and the Home Secretary.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state, in regard to the Parish of Tinsley, the total amount of Poor Law relief granted by the guardians of the Rotherham Union upon loan, the number of cases so relieved, what the largest amount of loan in individual cases amounts to, how much of the total loan has been repaid, and how much is regarded as irrecoverable?

The total amount of relief granted by the guardians of the Rotherham Union on loan to the inhabitants of the parish of Tinsley since March, 1921, is £9,715 9s. 6d. The total number of cases so relieved is 1,456. The largest amount of relief advanced on loan in any individual case is £122 3s. The repayments amount to £263 15s. 6d. No definite estimate appears to have been made of the amount which is to be regarded as irrecoverable.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the existing shortage of available accommodation for the sick in voluntary hospitals and of the steadily increasing needs of the community, he will issue the necessary instructions that everything that tends to discourage or limit the use by the sick of Poor Law hospitals or infirmaries be removed, and that disqualifications and disabilities to which patients in voluntary hospitals are not subject shall no longer continue; and will he consider the desirability of taking the necessary steps for the amendment of Section 46 of the Local Government Act, 1894, in order to remove the disqualifications to which a guardian or a district councillor or a parish councillor becomes subject where either he or his wife or child is admitted as a patient into a Poor Law hospital or infirmary?

The question of the best method of utilising the hospital accommodation at present provided under the Poor Law cannot be dissociated from the larger question of Poor Law reform, and, pending a full consideration of the wider problem in all its aspects, it would not be desirable to introduce legislation in the sense suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health the average annual cost, including administration per individual, of maintaining patients in sanatoria, county and borough asylums, and institutions belonging to Poor Law authorities?

The average gross cost per inmate for the year 1923–24 is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received resolutions from the Bootle Town Council in regard to the rating of unoccupied dwelling-houses and the supervision of maternity homes; and whether he proposes to introduce legislation on these subjects during the present Session?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers given on Thursday last and on the 17th December to similar questions. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend copies of those answers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has issued any instructions to Employment Exchanges with the view to tightening up payment of unemployment benefit?

I have issued no instructions to the effect indicated by the hon. Member other than those relating to the conditions for waiving the requirement, that applicants for unemployment benefit must have paid at least 30 contributions since the beginning of the last insurance year but one. The amended rules were given in my reply on 11th February to a question put by the hon. and gallant Member for Bury (Major Ainsworth).

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that James Wilson, 94, King Street, Govan, has been refused benefit on the ground that the Committee considered that he failed to prove he was making every reasonable effort to obtain employment suited to his capacities and was willing to accept such employment (U.I. 503a, Clause 4); that Wilson's record books show that his contributions to the unemployment fund are as follows: 1918, 50 stamps; 1919, 44 stamps; 1920, 51 stamps; 1921, 24 stamps; 1922, 19 stamps; 1923, 32 stamps; 1924, 21 stamps; and whether he will issue instructions either that benefit be paid to this man or that his case be reconsidered?

I am having inquiry made in this case, and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Miss Elina Cassels, 17, Albert Street, Govan, was refused benefit on the ground that she had refused a situation as pantry maid in an hotel at Rothesay; that this girl had no experience of hotel work; that she had been employed for six years in a boot factory at Govan, and that she stated to the Exchange officials she was willing to take employment in any public work; and whether, as hotel work cannot be considered as suitable employment, he will have this case reconsidered or have the benefit of which she was deprived for six weeks paid?

The facts of this case have already been given to the hon. Member in correspondence. Under the terms of the Unemployment Insurance Acts the question whether Miss Cassels, who had been unemployed since October, 1923, could remain on benefit after refusing this offer of a situation as pantry-maid falls to be decided, not by me, but by statutory machinery provided for the purpose. The insurance officer held, and a Court of Referees confirmed, that in view of Miss Cassels' refusal of this situation, benefit should he disallowed. This disallowance ran for six weeks in the first instance, and was then renewed by the insurance officer. She appealed to a Court of Referees against the renewed disallowance, and the Court, on consideration of all the evidence, recommended allowance of benefit on the renewed claim from 3rd October, 1924. The insurance officer accepted this recommendation.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that James Breckenridge, 21, Albert Street, Govan, has been refused benefit on the ground that he has failed to prove that in normal times insurable employment suited to his capacities would be likely to be available for him (Clause 2, U.I., 503a); that Breckenridge was employed for close on 40 years in A. Stephens and Sons, Linthouse, and has paid into the scheme since the commencement; that this man has been unemployed since June, 1923, and must have a number of stamps still to his credit; that this man is over 60 years of age; and whether he will take steps to restore him to benefit?

I am having inquiry made in this case, and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will specify the reasons for which, during the period 9th December, 1924, to 12th January, 1925, 37,687 claims to extended unemployment insurance benefit were rejected by local unemployment committees, with particular reference to the number which was rejected on the statutory ground that the applicant would not in normal times be able to obtain insurable occupation?

The reasons for rejection of claims to extended benefit during the period 9th December, 1924, to 12th January, 1925, were as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured persons respectively whose unemployed benefit has been disallowed by the Darlaston Employment Exchange since 1st January, 1925, on the ground that they were not genuinely seeking employment, and they were not likely to be absorbed in industry; how many were over 60 years of age; and how many were ex-service men?

The number of claims to extended benefit rejected by the Darlaston Local Employment Committee from 13th January, 1925, to 9th February, 1925, on the ground that the applicants were not making every reasonable effort to obtain suitable employment was 19, and the number rejected on the ground that insurable employment was not likely to be available was seven in the same period. Without making special inquiries locally I am unable to state the number of these claimants who were over 60 years of age or who were ex-service men.

asked the Minister of Labour if he proposes to take action, by further Employment Exchange Regulations or otherwise, to alleviate the posi- tion of men and women who at present are refused payment of unemployment benefit on the ground that they are not genuinely seeking employment, although in many cases they have in fact made genuine efforts to obtain employment?

In accordance with the Unemployment Insurance Acts unemployment benefit is not payable to any person who is not genuinely seeking employment, and I have no power to alter this rule, nor do I think it would be right to do so. If the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion is that this requirement has been wrongly interpreted, I can only say that I have no information leading me to suppose that can be said correctly of any considerable number of eases, but if he will supply me with particulars of any individual case he has in mind, I will gladly make inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the rota committees are offered any rules for guidance in dealing with unemployment benefit, and especially with extended benefit: and, if so, whether these could be supplied to the House?

Local employment committees are supplied with detailed memoranda for their guidance in dealing with unemployment benefit. The principal memoranda relating to uncovenanted or extended benefit are L.E.C. 82/2 and L.E.C. 82/10. Copies of these memoranda are available in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that persons who secure employment by their own efforts are precluded by the Labour Exchanges Act, 1909, from receiving advances of fares, he can see his way to an early amendment of the Act which penalises the person who makes an effort to find employment?

I will consider the hon. Member's suggestion, but it seems to me generally desirable that advances from public funds should be made only in cases where it is within the knowledge of the Employment Exchange that the circumstances of the vacancy are such that it would be in the public interest to fill it by transferring labour from other districts.

asked the Minister of Labour how many schemes have been brought into existence under the provisions of Section 6 of the Unemployment insurance Act, 1923; and the number of young persons between the ages of 14 and 16 and between the ages of 16 and 18, respectively, who are utilising the benefits of such schemes?

125 schemes are now in operation. On 9th February 27,264 juveniles between the ages of 14 and 18 were registered for employment at the juvenile employment bureau of local

The estimated number of insured work-people was:

Glass bottle manufacture, 16,540 in 1923 and 18,000 in 1924.

Other glass manufacture, 27,740 in 1923 and 26,920 in 1924.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in certain cases unemployment insurance benefits are paid to men in respect of wives and children who are maintained by a board of guardians in a Poor Law institution; and whether he will consider the advisability of issuing instructions to the local insurance committees that such benefits should be paid to the guardians during the whole period of such chargeability?

I am not aware of any such cases, and if any have come to the knowledge of the hon. and gallant. Member I should be glad to have particulars. On the general question which he raises, I would refer him to my replies given on the 18th February to the Members for Kidderminster (Mr. Wardlaw-Milne) and Brighton (Mr. Cooper Rawson), and on 25th February to the hon. Member for Kidderminster.

education authorities. Separate figures for juveniles between 14 and 16 and those between 16 and 18 are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what were the average total numbers of workpeople employed in the manufacture of flint glassware articles in this country during the years 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1924, respectively; and what was the percentage of unemployment in the industry during each of the same years?

The only available statistics are as under:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that it is the practice of passenger liners after a long distance voyage to discharge their stewards on arrival in port and to sign them on again about a month later for the voyage out; whether these conditions are the same as existed before the Unemployed Insurance Acts; and how many days unemployment benefit a steward or stewardess gets in such a case?

I am aware of the practice to which the hon. and gallant Member has referred in the first part of his question, but I cannot say whether the conditions have changed during the currency of the Unemployment Insurance Acts. If benefit is allowed it would be paid for the period of unemployment after the first three days (or after the first fortnight if the claim is made elsewhere than at a seaport). The question whether it would be allowed would depend on the circumstances of the particular case. I may say generally that if other suitable employment became available during the interval between voyages, the person concerned would not be allowed to refuse it and remain on benefit merely because he or she was accustomed to follow a particular ship or a particular line.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in Wales who have been placed in employment through the medium of the Employment Exchanges during the past 12 months?

During the 12 months ended 2nd February, 1925, the number of persons placed in employment by Employment Exchanges in Wales was 38,577. This figure includes 865 persons placed in connection with temporary Post Office work at Christmas, 1924, but excludes 2,637 placings of casual workers such as dock labourers, coal porters, etc.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that members of the Boilermakers' Society in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing districts of Glasgow and West of Scotland are being refused unemployment benefit solely because they are intermittently employed and are over 60 years of age;

asked the Minister of Labour what was the original amount of the Estimate for the current financial year for the British contribution to the International Labour Office; and how much he now expects will be spent?

that these men are being asked whether they are entitled to superannuation benefit from their society, and, if so, to apply for the same; is he aware that Exchange managers and rota committees in the above area are giving decisions on the principle that men over 60 years of age intermittently employed should not be given further benefit; and whether he has issued any instructions to this effect?

I have issued no instructions to the effect suggested, but I am having inquiry made into the various points raised and will communicate the result to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state for each of the years 1918 to 1924, inclusive, the total receipts from unemployment contributions, the expenditure on unemployment benefits, and the average number of unemployed persons?

The figures for the insurance years 1917–18 to 1923–24 are as follow:

The original amount of the Estimate for the current financial year for the British contribution to the International Labour Office was £40,000. The net British contribution to the International Labour Office for the current financial year will be £29,103.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can state the number of members of registered trade unions who contracted out of payment of the political levy in the years 1923 and 1924, respectively?

The figures as at 31st December, 1923, will be found in the Official Report for 24th February, Vol. 180, No. 23, Cols. 1779–1786. The Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies informs me that those for 1924 are not yet, available, as the annual returns of trade unions for that year are not finally due till 31st May next.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Report of General Walsh's Inter-Allied Committee has yet been received; and whether our Ambasador in Paris will be given instructions based on the Report to guide him when the Council of Ambassadors is considering the interpretation of that Report drawn up by Marshal Foch's Inter-Allied Committee?

The answer to the first part of this question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part, any views expressed by or on behalf of His Majesty's Government will give due weight to the advice of their own military authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information from the French Government as to the date on which they propose to commence the evacuation of the Ruhr?

I can only refer the hon. Member to the joint letter addressed to Dr. Marx in London on 16th August, 1924, by Monsieur Herriot, Monsieur Theunis and Monsieur Hymans. This letter was published at the time in the Press, and contained a declaration that if the London agreements were carried out in a spirit of loyalty and pacification, the French and Belgian Governments would proceed to the military evacuation of the Ruhr within the maximum period of one year from the date of the letter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the present total of the French debt to the British Government?

The War Debt of France to the British Government as on 1st January, 1925, is £638,000,000 in addition to £4,500,000 due to the Disposal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been drawn to the wrongful arrest and detention of the staff of Messrs. A. R. Mohamed Cassim and Brothers, a firm of rice merchants at the Chalmers granaries, Colombo, on the 8th October last, and the subsequent admission of, and expression of regret for, the offence by His Majesty's Inspector-General and whether, in view of the complaints concerning the conduct of the Ceylon police, he will cause art inquiry to be held into the administration of this department?

I have no information about this incident, but I will ask the Governor for a report. I see no reason at present to consider the question of any general inquiry into the administration of the Police Force, which I believe to be well administered.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what the imports and exports from India, respectively, are for 1923 and 1924?

The following statement shows the values of imports into and exports from the United Kingdom, consigned from and to British India in each of the years 1923 and 1924 as recorded in the Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom (H.C. 13/1924) for January, 1925:

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the good work done for ex-service men by such organisations as the British Legion poppy factory, he will consider the advisability of making his sanction for any charitable organisation to hold a flag day conditional on the emblems for it being made by disabled ex-service men?

I regret that I cannot accept this suggestion. The Secretary of State could not properly use the powers given by the statute for the purpose of regulating street collections in the public interest to establish a trade monopoly.