asked the Minister of Health whether he will institute a system of registering the houses of the working classes in order to prevent such dwellings being acquired as week-end cottages or otherwise used by persons who contribute in no special manner for the provision of alternate accommodation for the persons and families thus dispossessed?

I cannot see my way to adopt this suggestion. I am afraid that the cost of compiling such a register, and the practical difficulties of classification involved, would outweigh any possible advantages.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether Bill No. 27 of 1924, introduced in the Indian Legislative Assembly on 3rd September, 1024, and entitled a Bill to provide for the better regulation of cotton ginning and cotton pressing factories, has been passed by the Government of India; and, if so, whether any prosecutions under this Act have been instituted, and how many?

The Bill was referred to a Select Committee early in February. No further report of its progress has been received.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether there has ever been a marine survey of the Nicobar Islands; and, if so, upon what date?

The Nicobar Islands were surveyed by the Danes in 1846 and by the Austrians in 1858. The coast line and topography were surveyed by Colonel Strahan in 1887. Additional soundings were made by Commander Jones, R.N., in 1918. Surveys by the Royal Indian Marine are now in progress.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number and names of the local education authorities which have raised the age of compulsory attendance at school to 15 years and the number and names of the authorities that have such matter under their immediate consideration?

I have nothing to add to my reply of 16th February to the hon. Member for North Camberwell (Mr. Ammon), a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has considered the Report of Lord Gorell's Committee upon the use of the cinematograph in education; whether he has been able to carry the inquiry any further; and, if so, with what results

I have considered the report in question and have caused an inquiry to be made into the possibilities of the practical use of the cinematograph for educational purposes. In the result I am disposed to think that its proper place and function as an instrument of instruction cannot yet be defined. No doubt films of a general character illustrating scenery, natural history, wild or primitive life, agricultural, commercial and industrial operations and other activities of our complex civilization may serve a very useful purpose in supplementing and providing a background for the instruction given in the schools and in augmenting its significance and interest; such films would be educational in the widest sense for adults as well as children. But so far as concerns the use of films as a means of specific instruction in the class-room, at a cost not out of proportion to its value, the results of my inquiry have been, generally speaking, negative; and while there is no doubt a fairly wide field for educational experiment, I do not think that the time has yet arrived when it is possible to make specific recommendations on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health how long the unqualified dental dressers, employed under the Ministry of Education in Derbyshire and Shropshire, will be permitted to continue in practice?

The conditions under which dental dressers may be employed in the school dental service have been formulated in a circular issued by the Board of Education after consultation between the Dental Board and the Ministry of Health. In order to allow time for the arrangements in Derbyshire and Shropshire to be reorganised in conformity with the new conditions, permission was granted to the local education authorities of these counties to continue the employment of their existing dental dressers without modification up to the end of the present year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, the nature and the cost of building, rebuilding, and repairing works contemplated by the First Commissioner of Works during the next six months?

The provision for architectural services in the Subheads for New Works and Maintenance of the Class I Estimates for the financial year 1925-26 will amount to approximately£1,600,000 in each case. The details of the building schemes will appear in the printed estimates to be issued at an early date, while the maintenance provision will cover the repair and upkeep of all buildings at home and abroad under the control of the First Commissioner of Works. Of the total provision for the financial year, roughly one-third of that for new works and one-half of that for maintenance will be spent during the first half of the year.

asked the Home Secretary when the Departmental Committee on Pensions for Silicosis is likely to present its Report?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the inquiry which the Departmental Committee of Workmen's Compensation for Silicosis has been asked to make into the question of a scheme of compensation under the Workmen's Compensation (Silicosis) Acts for the grinding trades. I am assured that the inquiry will be proceeded with as expeditiously as possible, but it would not be practicable at present to say when the Committee are likely to be in a position to present their report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many vessels under the British flag were convicted in the United States of America of rum running in 1924?

Complete figures are not available in the. Foreign Office, but I have inquired of His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any and, if so, which countries have accepted the protocol on arbitration clauses set out in the schedule to the Arbitration (Protocol) Clauses Act, 1924?

The protocol concerning arbitration clauses in commercial agreements has been ratified by Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Finland and Albania. The Government of Southern Rhodesia have also acceded to the protocol.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the wireless apparatus and accessories imported from foreign countries in the month of January, 1925, and the amount imported in the corresponding month in 1924?

The following statement gives the available information for the months specified:

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of bricks imported into this country for the years 1913 and 1924?

The total quantities of bricks of brick earth or clay registered as imported into the United Kingdom during the years 1913 and 1924 were as follow:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that during the War His Majesty's Govern-

asked the President of the Board of Trade the imports and exports of cement for the years 1913 and 1924?

The quantity and value of cement, calcareous, for building and engineering purposes, registered as imported into and exported from the United Kingdom during the years specified were as follow:ment leased from the British and Argentine Meat Company the Las Palmas meat works at Las Palmas, on the Rio Parana, Argentina, formerly operated by James Nelson and Sons, Limited; that the British and Argentine Meat Company worked it on the Government's behalf; that a resolution was carried by the meat, bacon, and canned goods section of the Standing Committee on Trusts recommending that the Government should continue the lease, even after the decontrol of the Food Ministry, as a precaution against the danger of an Argentine meat trust, and that for nine months after 31st March, 1921, this course was adopted; can he give the financial results of the undertaking up to the decontrol of the Food Ministry on 31st March, 1921, and from the decontrol of the Food Ministry to the point at which it passed out of the Government's hands, respectively; and what was the reason for discontinuing the lease?

The answer to the first three parts of the question is in the affirmative. The Las Palmas contract showed a profit of £636,875 from its inception in 1915 to the cessation of the Food Ministry on 31st March, 1921. The contract was extended to the 31st December, 1922, and deliveries throughout the later period, when markets generally were falling, showed a loss of £280,875; and the continuation of this trading by the Government was not considered justifiable in the circumstances.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many assistant principals or administrative cadets had been in his Department promoted to the rank of principal since 1st May, 1924; and how many principals, administrative class, had been promoted, transferred to other appointments, or struck off the establishment during the same period

In the period referred to, one assistant principal was promoted to be a principal; one principal was promoted to a post of the rank of assistant secretary in place of an officer of that rank who retired; and two principals were transferred to other appointments in a temporary capacity.

asked the Minister of Pensions what are the special qualifications, medical or otherwise, of each of the under-named officers without overseas service, which render their retention in the service of the Ministry, in the interests of the pensioner, more desirable than that of the officers with oversea service and in some cases with a war disability whose full-time services are about to be terminated: Dr. A. C. Pickett, Bristol (no overseas service), Dr. A. Williams, Brighton (no service during the War), Dr. J. D. Allen, Bath, and Dr. T. Sheedy, Ministry Headquarters, London; whether he is aware that one of their number only obtained his medical qualifications in the year 1916 and has had practically no experience in the medical practice of his profession since that date, having been employed by the Ministry of Pensions, since he joined the Ministry, on purely administrative duties of a subordinate nature during the past five years; and whether he has been told that he is to succeed an officer with overseas service and a war disability whose services are to be dispensed with, part of whose duties consist in visiting pensioners at their homes and the holding of medical clinics?

The considerations governing the selection of medical officers of the Ministry of Pensions for further employment were fully explained in a reply which I gave the hon. and gallant Member on the 12th February, and it is due solely to those considerations that the officers mentioned in the question are being retained.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many assistant principals or administrative cadets had been in the Inland Revenue Department promoted to the rank of principal since 1st May, 1924; and how many principals, administrative class, had been promoted, transferred to other appointments, or struck off the establishment during the same period?

The answer to both parts of the question is "None."

asked the Postmaster General what steps he is taking to enlarge the post office accommodation in the city of Leicester; and when he intends to carry out the work involved?

It is proposed to improve the postal arrangements at Leicester by erecting a new sorting office; but it is not possible at present to state when the work is likely to be commenced.

asked the Post. master-General whether he is aware that a large number of rural railway stations are not connected with the Post Office telephones; and whether he would be willing to approach the railway authorities regarding this matter, with a view to making rural telephones of greater value?

The question of providing telephone facilities at rural railway stations has already been taken up with the railway companies, and, as a result, the companies have been arranging for the connection of additional stations with the telephone system. The matter will continue to receive consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the attitude of the Government towards the proposed Severn road and rail bridge, near Chepstow; and is there any prospect of co-operation with the Great Western Railway in order to proceed with this very important scheme?

A proposal considered last year by the Great Western Railway for the construction of a new Severn bridge appeared to present considerable advantages, and my Department entered into discussion with the company as to the possibility of comprising road facilities in their project. The railway company did not, however, promote their Bill, and for the moment I do not see any immediate prospect of further progress.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the prevalence in England of a system of Income Tax collection through small tradesmen, and the consequent delay in producing the requisite results, he will consider the advisability of introducing the system of direct settlements which is in vogue in Scotland?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to him on the 25th February. I am unable usefully to add anything to that reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the guardians of the Newport Union, Monmouthshire, have passed a resolution, on 21st February, urging him to amend the Old Age Pensions Act removing the disqualification of a pensioner from the receipt of a pension after treatment in an institution infirmary for three months, and that such pension be paid to the guardians so long as the pensioner is chargeable; and will he introduce legislation to give effect to the principle of the resolution?

I have not seen the resolution in question, and would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12th February to similar questions by the hon. and gallant Member for Leicester South (Captain Waterhouse) and the hon. Member for the Bedwellty Division (Mr. C. Edwards).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many depositors there were in the trustee savings banks on the 31st December, 1924; and what was the total amount of the deposits on that date?

The figures available relate to 20th November, 1924, which was the termination of the Trustee Savings Bank year: number of depositors, 2,282,109; amount due to depositors, £82,284,551 3s. 4d.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what sum of money is due from the Irish Free State under Clause 5 and other agreements; and how much of this sum has been paid up to date?

The financial liability of the Irish Free State under Article 5 of the Treaty has not yet been determined. Detailed information concerning payments made by the Free State otherwise than under Article 5 and the amounts outstanding as on the 1st April, 1924, is contained in Command Paper 2160 of 1924. Of the sum of £1,204,836 2s. 4d., stated therein to be due to His Majesty's Government on that date, £692,542 ls. 9d. has since been paid by the Free State Government, and£6,248 12s. has been withdrawn from the British claim by agreement.

asked the land and number of workers employed on Minister of Agriculture how many acres of agricultural holdings in England and arable land were under cultivation in Wales as returned on 4th June in each of 1913, 1920, and subsequent years; and how many workers, male and female

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the Board of Agriculture have inquired into the question of creating small holdings on Colonsay; and whether he will inquire into the case of Angus McGilvray, of 822, Rutherglen Road, Oatlands, Glasgow, an ex-constable from Glasgow, who applied on the 12th March, 1921, for a small holding on Colonsay, and the Board of Agriculture's reasons for not taking steps to see that he gets a small holding?

The Board of Agriculture for Scotland have investigated the possibility of carrying out a scheme of land settlement in Colonsay, but, having regard to their commitments elsewhere, they are not able to undertake proceedings for the constitution of new holdings there at present. In carrying out schemes of land settlement preference is given to ex-service applicants. Mr. Angus McGilvray is not an ex-service applicant, but his application has been noted for consideration with others in the event of a scheme being carried out later.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the respectively, were engaged on the land during the same years?

The acreage of arable land and number of workers employed on agricultural holdings in England and Wales as returned on 4th June in each of the undermentioned years were as follows:—shortage of men qualified to cut and bind hedges in dairy-farming and pastoral districts, it is the intention of the Ministry to promote training in the art among unemployed juveniles in or near such districts?

Instruction in hedging (among other manual processes) is already provided by many local authorities. As the Noble Lord is no doubt aware, the primary responsibility for this, as for other forms of agricultural education, rests with those authorities. The Ministry does its best to encourage the extension of this particular kind of instruction, and provides two-thirds of the cost.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he proposes to introduce any Bill this year dealing with the tenure of allotments or to facilitate the co-operative purchase of seeds and fertilisers by allotment-holders?

So far as "tenure of allotments" is concerned, the answer is in the negative. The hon. and gallant Member for Oxford (Captain Bourne) will, however, shortly introduce a Bill which inter alia will deal with this ques- tion. With regard to the second part of the question, I would remind my hon. Friend that the Agricultural Credits Act provides for loans to be made to credit societies whose members can borrow money to purchase agricultural requirements such as fertilisers and seeds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the fact that the cost of land drainage and coast erosion is borne by occupiers of land, he will bring this question before the Agricultural Conference?

As it is not possible to establish the Agricultural Conference on the lines originally proposed, the question raised by my hon. and gallant Friend does not arise. 1 would point out to him, however, that the whole question of coast erosion was dealt with exhaustively by a Royal Commission which reported in the year 1911. The Commission definitely reported against the cost of sea defence works being made a national charge, and I am not aware of any circumstances that have arisen since the Report of that Commission which would justify adopting another view. As regards land drainage, the principle underlying existing legislation is payment for benefit received, and I can hold out no hope of the cost of land drainage being made a national charge.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that many badly-wounded officers, through no fault of their own, were unable to obtain higher temporary or acting rank, whereas a number of officers of much junior rank to such wounded officers on the active list did obtain such rank, and now hold that rank on retirement; and whether he will consider the advisability of granting one rank higher without additional emolument, as in the Navy, above the permanent rank to all disabled officers up to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, retired through wounds, provided they held their permanent rank for at least one year prior to retirement?

I am well aware of the inevitable loss of oppor- tunities by wounded officers. By Army Order 376 of 1918, which dealt with the retention of acting or temporary rank on cessation of employment, special treatment was accorded to officers who were disabled by wounds or sickness due to the Service. I do not think any further concessions can be made, especially at this distance of time. The naval rule to which the hon. Member refers is not a special rule for disabled officers, but is part. of the general conditions of retirement for the Navy, which differ in many respects from those for the Army.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men serving with the Forces, either at home or abroad, during the Great War who were charged with inflicting self-inflicted wounds; and how many were convicted and imprisoned for this offence?

The number of soldiers charged with the offence of self-inflicted wounds and convicted by court-martial during the Great War will be found in Table 2 (b) on page 50 of the General Annual Report on the British Army for the year ended 30th September, 1924. It would not be possible to give the number of men charged with this offence who were acquitted, or the number convicted who received sentences of imprisonment, without examining the proceedings of all trials during the period in question, and this would involve the expenditure of a great amount of time and labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the Imperial War Graves Commission destroyed the permanent tombstone erected over the grave of Lieutenant D. E. Stephens, Royal Air Force, who was buried in a private cemetery in Bavaria, and removed the officer's remains to Cassel, after informing his parents that no exhumation would be possible and agreeing to the parents erecting a permanent memorial over the grave; and will he say why the Imperial War Graves Commission, having accepted full responsibility for their admitted blunder, refuse to make any reparation for the damage done?

I think that the hon. Member is under some misapprehension. The parents of Lieutenant Stephens were informed only that exhumation and removal to the United Kingdom were not possible, for the reasons which I explained in reply to the hon. Member's question on the 23rd ultimo. The remains were removed to Cassel in accordance with the approved policy of concentrating war graves into special cemeteries where perpetuity and maintenance by British personnel could be assured. The Commission have not destroyed the permanent headstone; they did not agree to its erection. The Commission think that any misunderstanding that has arisen has been due to Mr. Stephens' mistaken belief that perpetual rights in the grave had been acquired by him from the German authorities. Such rights had not, in fact, been acquired, but through an oversight Mr. Stephens was not informed of this at the time of the removal: this is the only mistake committed by the Commission, and for this mistake the vice-chairman has expressed personally and in writing to Mr. Stephens his profound regret.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mrs. Pettit, 54a, Lorenco Road, Tottenham, widow of the late Private George Pettit, No. 56,091 case No. 11/W/17,188), has been refused a pension on the ground that her late husband's death was not due to his War service; whether he is aware that the insurance company has refused to pay a claim of£28 on the ground that Pettit's death was due to War service; and, in view of the direct contradiction of these two statements, whether he will have this case reconsidered?

This case has been very carefully considered in the light of all the evidence obtainable, but I regret that it has not been found possible to admit entitlement to pension. The widow has a statutory right of appeal against that decision to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, and she has been so informed.

asked the Minister of Labour if the contributions at present being paid are meeting the expenditure connected with the administration and payment of Unemployment Insurance benefit?

As stated in the reply on the 18th February to the hon. Member for Reading, the present weekly income of the Unemployment Fund is about £944,000, and the total weekly expenditure (excluding compensation for the abolition of refunds at 60) is about £1,040,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if a Report of the Investigation Committee that was set up last year to inquire into the Severn barrage scheme has been received; and, if so, will the Report be published?

I have been asked to reply to this question, as the Committee referred to was constituted by the Department for Scientific and Industrial Research. No Report has yet been received from the Committee.

asked the Minister of Labour the average increase in wages above the 1914 standard now paid to workers in trades not subjected to foreign competition?

it would be difficult to make a rigid classification of industries according to whether they are or are not subject to foreign competition. Such particulars as are available with regard to the increases in rates of wages in the principal industries since 1914 are given in a special article in the current issue of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of wage earners employed in the industries in regard to which statistics as to wage changes reported are published monthly in the "Labour Gazette"; and how many wage earners are employed in the industries from which reports are not obtained?

Exact figures are not available, but it is estimated that the number of wage-earners as to whom information is obtained for the purpose of these statistics is rather less than eight millions, or nearly one-half of the total number of wage-earners in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the limitations on Portsmouth as a port of transit for commercial purposes, due to the naval requirements of the Admiralty, he will see that Portsmouth Dockyard receives a full share of construction work and, in particular, will authorise the construction of new building slipways at Portsmouth and Devonport to be available for future construction purposes?

Portsmouth Dockyard always receives a full share of construction work. There is no necessity at the present, nor as far as can be foreseen in the future, for additional building slipways at Portsmouth or Devonport.