asked the Minister of Labour if he will give the statistics he has showing the average period of training received by unemployed young persons at juvenile employment centres?

I am afraid that the information asked for is not available, but I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a summary of the replies received from certain local education authorities in response to an inquiry made last July.

asked the Minister of Labour how many people have been refused benefit at the Employment Exchanges, being 60 years of age, in the parishes of Blantyre, Cambuslang, and Rutherglen?

Between 1st August, 1924, and the middle of March, 1925, about 40 persons of 60 years and upwards have been refused unemployment benefit at the Employment Exchanges covering the areas of the parishes of Blantyre, Cambuslang and Rutherglen.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the present Unemployment Insurance Act terminates on 30th June, 1926, and therefore legislation will be required this year on the subject, he will state when he will be in a position to introduce a Bill, or if he is prepared to make a statement?

It is certainly necessary that further legislation with regard to unemployment insurance should be carried through so as to come into operation immediately after 30th June, 1926, but my right hon. Friend cannot undertake to introduce a Bill for this purpose during the present Session.

asked the Minister of Labour how many firms and local authorities, respectively, were upon the King's Roll at the end of each month during 1924?

As the hon. and gallant Member is no doubt aware, the records of the King's Roll were decentralised early last year, but I will obtain the information for which he asks from the King's Roll Committees and send it to him as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his Department is prepared to consider steps to check the supply of cheap labour in the catering and domestic service of the country; and what is the rate of wages, respectively, below which situations are not now offered to applicants at the various exchanges?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply given on the 4th March to questions by the Noble Lord, the Member for Derbyshire West (Marquess of Hartington) and others, with regard to the application of the Trade Boards Acts to the catering trade. As regards domestic service, I am advised that this is not a trade within the meaning of those Acts. In reply to the second part of the question, it is no part of the duty of Employment Exchanges to inquire as to whether wages are suitable, provided always that there is no minimum rate fixed by law which is being infringed. When the question of stoppage of benefit arises there are rules with which no doubt the hon. Member is familiar.

asked the Postmaster-General when it is proposed to proceed with the erection of the new post office in Mitcham, in the county of Surrey; and on what date was the purchase of the site completed?

This matter will be considered in connection with the Post Office Estimates for 1926–27. The site was purchased in January, 1924.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephones in use per 1,000 of inhabitants in this country and in the United States of America; and how many other countries have- in use more telephones per 1,000 of inhabitants than this country has?

The number of telephones per 1,000 inhabitants at the 1st January, 1924, was 142 in the United States and 26 in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Eleven countries have in use more telephones per 1,000 inhabitants than this country.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of the dissatisfaction among many telephone subscribers over the system in existence by winch subscribers are charged for telephone calls that they do not pass; and will he consider the introduction of some further means to ensure that only the proper number of calls passed through the exchange by any subscriber are registered and charged correctly?

Complaints of overcharges are periodically received, but I am not aware that the system of registration is generally challenged. I should welcome the invention of any device which would wholly eliminate the human element and thus place the possibility of error beyond dispute, but this is at present impracticable except in association with automatic exchanges. The utmost that can be done is to employ the best mechanism available, and no better method has yet superseded the meter system which has long been in use not only in this country, but in America and on the Continent. This system has been examined and approved by members of telephone and telegraph advisory committees and other interested persons on many occasions, but if the hon. and gallant Member would care to visit an exchange I should be happy to arrange for the system to be fully explained and demonstrated to him.

asked the Postmaster-General, seeing that wireless telegraphy under the Act of 1904, Section 2, Subsection (1), ensures the granting of a licence for experimental purposes without rent or royalty, where an applicant proves to the Postmaster-General that such licence is for experimental purposes only, whether he will continue to safeguard such concession in any contemplated alteration of the existing law for scientific improvement?

The provisions of Section 2, Sub-section (1), of the Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1904, are reproduced without any alteration in Section 2, Sub-section (1), of the Wireless Telegraphy and Signalling Bill.

asked the Postmaster-General the amount of abnormal traffic dealt with in the Glasgow telegraph instrument room during the week ending 19th July, 1924, and the estimated extra revenue accruing therefrom; and if he will state for the same week the total number of hours and the cost of the overtime performed by the permanent telegraph staff, the amount and the cost of the temporary labour employed, and the number of hours and the cost of the work performed by sorting clerks and telegraphists from the sorting office?

The traffic which was dealt with at Glasgow during the week ended the 19th July, 1924, was about 28,000 telegrams above the weekly average. Most of the telegrams merely passed through Glasgow, and were handed in at and delivered from other offices. The extra revenue cannot be stated with any degree of accuracy. The permanent telegraph staff at Glasgow performed about 1,220 hours' overtime at the cost of £135, temporary staff was employed for 670 hours at a cost of £33, and the sorting office staff performed 380 hours at a cost estimated at £26.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that an unestablished sub-office assistant has recently been appointed to be salaried sub-postmaster at Budleigh Salterton; if he will state the number, rank, and service of the established officers who applied for the post, and why an unestablished officer was preferred to established full-time officers of long experience; and whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction created among the staff because of the nature of this appointment?

The officer appointed to this post had over 30 years continuous service in the Post Office, and had for the past 20 years taken charge of the Budleigh Salterton Office during the absence of the sub-postmistress. The number of eligible established officers who applied for the post was 99, 95 of whom were sorting clerks and telegraphists. Of the others, two were salaried sub-postmasters, one a salaried sub-postmistress, and another an overseer. Their service varied in length from nine to 32 years. I am of opinion that the selection made was in the best interests of the service; and I am not aware that dissatisfaction was caused by the appointment.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there is much dissatisfaction among established ex-service Post Office workers in Glasgow regarding the inferior position in which they are placed compared with temporary ex-service clerks; and whether he will consider the appointment of established clerks, who secured 50 to 60 per cent. of marks in an advanced examination, to similar posts to those given to temporary clerks who qualified in an elementary examination?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to a similar question by the hon. Member for Finchley (Mr. Cadogan) on the 24th February.

asked the Home Secretary what was the total cost to the taxpayer of sending lads from Borstal institutions into camp in the years 1923 and 1924; what funds have been voluntarily subscribed towards the expense of these camps; and what is the estimated cost for the present year?

All the expenses were met from funds subscribed voluntarily. The amounts so subscribed were £406 1s. 6d. in 1923 and £469 3s. in 1924. The Prison Commissioners tell me they hope that a sum equal to that of 1924 will be subscribed in 1925, so that the same number of Borstallers may be sent to camp this year.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the action of the Stipendiary Magistrate at the West Ham Police Court, on 12th January, in dismissing summonses against licensees of a public-house for permitting a child to be on licensed premises on the ground that the Act was not meant to apply to children in arms; and whether the law will be amended to clear up any doubts that may exist on the subject?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave on the 12th February last to the hon. Member for Stratford (Mr. Groves).

asked the Home Secretary if he can give figures showing the amount of beer and the amount of spirits consumed in 1918 and 1920, respectively; and the number of aggravated assaults, assaults on constables, and attempted suicides in the same two years?

The amounts of beer and spirits actually consumed cannot be stated. The amounts on which duty was paid for consumption in the United Kingdom were:

		Standard barrels.
Beer, 1918	…	12,790,705
Beer, 1920	…	26,919,542
		Gallons.
Spirits, 1918	…	15,115,062
Spirits, 1920	…	22,138,488

Nor can the number of assaults committed or of attempts at suicide be stated. The numbers of persons actually proceeded against for attempted suicide were:

1918	…	…	…	…	666
1920	…	…	…	…	1,499

As regards the other offences, the numbers of persons proceeded against summarily were:

Aggravated assault, 1918	253
Aggravated assault, 1920	607
Assaults on Constables, 1918	1,828
Assaults on Constables, 1920	6,625

asked the Home Secretary whether His Majesty's Government will consider a scheme of payment to those people called up on juries, particularly when they are wage-earners, in respect of their loss of pay, railway fares, or out-of-pocket expenses?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Bromley (Lieut.-Colonel James) on 19th February last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, in view of the fact that more Members occupy the Map Room than any other room in the House, he can see his way to have an indicator installed in this part of the Library?

If there is a general desire on the part of hon. Members that an indicator should be installed in the Map Room, the First Commissioner will consider the matter in consultation with Mr. Speaker.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many, and which, countries impose a tax upon British commercial travellers visiting their respective lands for the purpose of legitimate business; and whether any tax of a similar nature is imposed upon any foreign commercial travellers in this country?

I am having printed in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the countries in which taxes are imposed on British commercial travellers. Foreign commercial travellers in this country are not subject to any analogous tax. When, however, they solicit orders for exciseable articles, they or their employers are required, in the same way as British subjects, to take out a licence to cover the sale of the articles in question.List of foreign countries which impose taxes on British commercial travellers, according to the information available in the Department of Overseas Trade:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the published accounts of many trusts, combines and companies engaged in the wheat, milling, flour, tea, margarine, milk, butter and meat trades show that these companies pay dividends ranging from 12½ per cent. and 40 per cent. to 172·8 per cent., and in addition frequently distribute bonus shares to their shareholders; and whether, in view of the fact that these great profits inflict suffering, especially on the poorer section of the community, he will introduce legislation on the lines embodied in the Moneylenders' Restriction of Interest Bill now before Parliament, whereby it will become illegal for any groups of financiers or shareholders, either directly or indirectly, to obtain profits higher than a certain percentage?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on the 5th March to the hon. Member for the Hartlepools (Sir W. Sugden), of which I am sending him a copy. The Government do not intend to make proposals dealing with foodstuffs until they have received the Report of the Royal Commission. As regards the hon. Member's specific proposal, I may remind him that a high rate of dividend may correspond with a low rate of profit on turnover, and conversely an unprofitable undertaking does not necessarily provide a cheap supply.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, seeing that 75 per cent. of the applications for import licences under the Dyestuffs Act are received from dyestuffs merchants, and that it is the unanimous wish of these merchants that the names of all dyes for the import of which licences have been granted should be published, he will consider following the American practice of publishing the names at regular intervals?

The suggestion made by the hon. Member was carefully considered by the Dyestuffs Advisory Licensing Committee some time ago, when it was decided not to publish the particulars in question. I am not aware of any change of circumstances which would warrant a reversal of that decision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many gallons of oil were shipped as bunkers at British ports last year; and what was the COR: equivalent in tons of the oil so shipped?

The quantity of fuel oil shipped during 1925 as bunkers for the use of steamers and motor vessels engaged in the foreign trade amounted to 250,000,000 gallons, or approximately 1,000,000 tons. It is estimated that, if burned under boilers, two tons of fuel oil would be equivalent to three tons of coal, but I can give no such general formula for internal combustion engines; the coal equivalent would vary with different fuels and different types of engine.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what branches of industry and bow many firms have made inquiry as to the possibility of trade with the Soviet Union during the last four months and the four months preceding the last four?

I find that the following inquiries relating to trade with the Soviet have been recorded in the Department of Overseas Trade during the periods specified by the hon. Member.1. Four months ending 28th February, 1925:

Machinery	1
Iron and steel manufactured goods	2
Textile goods	2
Glassware	1
Leather belting	1
Motor-cars	1
Chemicals	2
Tea	1
	11

2. Four months ending 31st October, 1924:

Textile machinery	2
Textile goods	1
Agricultural machinery	2
Metal goods	3
Chemicals	1
Motor-cars and ships	3
Leather belting	1
	13

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the amount and value of tea exported from India to Soviet Russia during each of the years 1922, 1923, and 1924; and whether, or not, it has been paid for and in what form the payments have been made?

I have been asked to reply to this question. There were no direct shipments of tea from India to Soviet Russia during 1922 or in the first three months of 1923. No figures for later months are available, but I understand that there was a certain revival of the trade at the end of last year. My noble Friend has no information in regard to the last part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the name of the firm stated by him to be manufacturing over 1,000 of the chemicals scheduled under Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act., 1921?

The name of the firm to which reference was made is the British Drug Houses.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of applications for inquiry under the terms of the safeguarding of industries scheme received by his Department; the number of applications rejected; the grounds for rejection in each case; and whether any such rejected application has been made by a firm formerly enjoying protection under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, 1921, Part II?

I would refer to the answers which I gave to the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. T. Thomson) and others, and to the hon. Member himself, on Tuesday last, copies of which I am sending him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the value of the spirits taken out of bond in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland during the month of February for home consumption; and what Excise was collected on it?

The approximate net amount of duty collected on spirits retained for home consumption in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the month of February, 1925, was:

	£
Customs Duty on imported spirits	553,000
Excise Duty on home-made spirits	2,759,000
Total	3,312,000

No information is available as to the value of such spirits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the value of the spirits withdrawn from bond in the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland during the month of February for ex-Port; and what, if any, Excise was collected on it?

The declared value (f.o.b.) of spirits registered as exported from bonded warehouses in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the month of February, 1925, was £1,077,038. No duty was payable on such spirits.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the revenue received, and the repayments made, in respect of the Excess Profits Duty during each of the accounting periods since the imposition of the duty?

The following table shows the gross receipt, repayments and net receipt of Excess Profits Duty (including Munitions Levy) in each financial year since the imposition of the duty.

Financial Year.		Gross Receipt.	Repayments.	Net Receipt.
		Thousand	Thousand	Thousand
United Kingdom:		£.	£.	£.
1915–16	…	188	—	188
1916–17	…	142,797	1,182	141,615
1917–18	…	227,011	3,895	223,116
1918–19	…	291,550	7,573	283,977
1919–20	…	302,397	13,189	289,208
1920–21	…	236,126	18,027	218,099
1921–22	…	122,343	92,672	29,671

MINISTRY OF PENSIONS.
(a) Staff at 1st March, 1925 (exclusive of Medical and Institutional Staff).
—			Permanent.		Temporary.
			Male.	Female.	Male.	Female.
Pensions Issue Office	…	…	93	523	896	1,170
Other Branches of the Ministry	…	…	826	165	5,407	1,365

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the financial committee of the League of Nations has recently set up another committee to go into the technical difficulties of double taxation?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of posts, permanent and temporary, excluding hospital and medical staff, held by men in the Pensions Issue Office, held by women in the Pensions Issue Office, held by men elsewhere than in the Pensions Issue Office, and held by women elsewhere than in the Pensions Issue Office, respectively, and the number of posts in each of the various grades above the lower clerical and the equivalent temporary rank held, respectively, by men and women in the Pensions Issue Office and elsewhere in his Ministry, respectively?

The figures required are as follow:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of women in the Departmental grades employed on the same work as men; how many of these women ace receiving equal pay with men; how many are remunerated at a lower rate; and what would be the cost per annum of placing all these women on the men's scale?

The number of women employed in the Civil Service in the same grades as men is estimated at 40,000. The rates of remuneration of both sexes in the various grades is indicated in the Estimates; generally speaking, in the basic established grades, while the initial salary of women is the same as that of men, their rates of increment and maximum salaries are smaller. In established grades, other than the basic grades, and in the temporary classes remunerated on an inclusive basis, the pay of women is smaller than that of men in corresponding classes. The cost of placing these women on the scales now paid to men, with a moderate allowance for necessary adjustments of the pay of other women civil servants, is estimated at approximately £3,000,000 per annum for the existing numbers employed.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, seeing that one man in every four who has received a final award of under 20 per cent. disability has appealed, showing that these awards are unsatisfactory, he will consider the desirability of introducing fresh legislation on this subject or, at least, of causing an inquiry to be held into the grievances of these men?

I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that every notification of final award is accompanied by a direct intimation to the officer or man concerned of his right of appeal against the award, and that his personal expenses in connection with the appeal are defrayed by the State. In these circumstances my right hon. Friend cannot agree with the inference drawn by the hon. and gallant Member that the compensation provided for cases of less than 20 per cent., which has been in operation under the Royal Warrants approved by Parliament for many years past, is in principle unsatisfactory.

asked the Minister of Pensions in how many cases appeals have been made against final awards of over 20 per cent. disability and of under 20 per cent. disability, respectively; and the percentage of cases in each class in which the award has been altered?

In 8,000 eases appeals have been made against final awards of 20 per cent. and over, and in 104,000 cases against final awards of less than 20 per cent. In the former group of cases, 36·9 per cent. were altered so far as regards the amount of the final award, of which 35·1 per cent. were increased and 1·8 per cent, were reduced: and in 24·5 per cent. of the cases the tribunal decided that the case was not yet suitable for final award. In the case of awards of less than 20 per cent., 28 per cent. of the awards were altered (4·8 per cent. being raised to pension rate and 23·2 per cent. slightly increased, but not above 20 per cent. and 0·1 per cent. being lowered), while in 25·4 per cent. of the cases the tribunal decided that the case was not yet suitable for final award.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the appeal to the agricultural industry to increase the area of land under cultivation, he will agree to the imposition of a duty of 10s. per quarter on foreign barley imported into this country for malting purposes only; and whether he is aware that foreign barley has been imported recently in large quantities into the North of Scotland for use by the distillers with the result that local farmers are unable to secure a market for their barley?

As regards the first part of the question, I am unable to anticipate the Budget Statement. I have no information in regard to the effect of the importations referred to in the second part of the question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the effect of the regulation that pigs must be taken to official slaughter-houses to be killed and that smallholders and cottagers are practically debarred by this regulation from keeping pigs, the cost of transport for official slaughtering being more than the value of the animal; and whether some modification of the Order can be made?

I have been asked to reply, and I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answers given to the hon. Members for Devizes (Mr. Hurd) and Hexham (Major C. Brown) on the 12th and 18th ultimo. My right hon. Friend is advised that there is nothing in the Meat Regulations or the Slaughter-houses Order which has the effect of requiring smallholders and cottagers to take their pigs to official or other slaughter-houses to be killed, and he is proposing to issue a Circular to local authorities on the matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware chat the market price of English wheat is from 6s. to 7s. per quarter lower than its value in comparison with the price of foreign wheat, after taking into consideration the difference in condition; and whether, in view of the desire of the Government to increase the arable area in this country, he will institute an inquiry into the causes of this discrepancy in prices.

I am advised that the difference in price as between average English wheat and an imported variety such as No. 1 Northern Manitoba is largely due to differences in quality and condition, though it is also due in part to the relatively short supply of hard wheats. The price of English wheat of the 1924 crop bears a reasonable relation to the prices of the weaker imported kinds such as Indian, Chilian and Australian. I will consider my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion in the last part of his question, but I am not at present satisfied that such an inquiry would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the acreage of agricultural land in England and Wales and what is the acreage of such land owned by county councils and other public authorities; what is the number of owners of agricultural land in England and Wales; what is the number of persons owning 1,000 acres, or more, of such land and the acreage so held; and what is the number of persons occupying holdings of less than 50 acres, and the total acreage so held?

The area of agricultural land in England and Wales as returned on the 4th June, 1924, was 25,876,797 acres, and in addition there were 4,946,338 acres of rough grazings. I have no information as to the total acreage of agricultural land owned by county councils and public authorities, but the number of acres owned by county councils and councils of county boroughs under the Small Holdings Acts, 1908–1919 in England and Wales is 358,102. County councils also own 4,069 acres for the purposes of agricultural education. There is not, so far as I am aware, any information as to the number of owners of land later than the return made in 1873, but according to the returns made on 4th June last the number of holdings owned or mainly owned by occupiers of holdings upwards of one acre in extent was 94,236, while the numbers of holdings exceeding 300 acres owned or mainly owned by the occupiers was 3,671. As regards the last part of the question, the number of holdings in England and Wales on the 4th June last above one and not exceeding 50 acres was 268,330, and it is estimated that the total area of these holdings was about 4,100,000 acres.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men were employed in the manufacture of sugar from home-grown sugar beet in each year from 1913 onwards?

According to information supplied by the factory companies the number of men employed in the manufacture of sugar from home-grown sugar beet in each year from 1913 onwards is as follows:

			Number of men employed.
			During Campaign.	In Summer.
*1913	…	…	618	78
*1914	…	…	479	55
*1915	…	…	409	24

asked the Minister of Agriculture the average price per ton of home-grown sugar beet as supplied to the factories in each year from 1913 onwards?

According to information supplied by the factory companies the average price per ton of home-grown sugar beet as supplied to the factories in each year from 1913 onwards is as follows:

		Average price per ton.
		s.	d.
*1913	…	21	11
*1914	…	28	5
*1915	…	31	10
1916	…	Factories not in operation.
1917	…	Factories not in operation.
1918	…	Factories not in operation.
1919	…	Factories not in operation.
*1920	…	80	9
1921	…	53	6
*1922	…	35	11
1923	…	56	6
1924	…	52	3
*In these years the only factory in operation was that at Cantley.

asked the Minister of Transport whether any representations have been made to him by local authorities regarding the increased burden of rates occasioned by the increase in the cost of maintaining district roads in efficient condition to meet the continuous accumulation of motor traffic; and, seeing that in the circulars of June, 1923, it was indicated that the grants made in that year would be continued, will he Say whether they are being continued, and, if not, will he consider the matter with a view to meet the extra cost incurred in road upkeep?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave on the 3rd March to the hon. and gallant Member for the Newbury Division (Brigadier-General C. Brown), of which I am sending him a Copy.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the advisability of taking extra powers to enable the Metropolitan Police to exercise a greater control by having power to issue summonses against the owners of mechanically-propelled vehicles if they are loaded to such a weight as to involve the risk of a broken axle if, through age or ill-repair, they make such a noise as to be a nuisance to residents or unduly alarming to horses, or if the tyres on the wheels are so warn as to involve damage being done to the road surface; and, in each of these cases, what are the existing maximum permissive limits?

The axle weights of heavy motor vehicles are arrived at in accordance with the formula contained in an Order made under the Motor Car Act, 1903, the maximum being eight tons on any one axle, and registration authorities have powers conferred upon them, subject to certain restrictions, to cause the axle weight to be checked. Undue noise does not necessarily depend upon the age of a vehicle; on the general question of noise, it has up to the present been impossible to establish a standard, as there are no practicable means of measuring sound values. The question of defective tyres is under consideration in my Department.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that within the last month there have been two fatal accidents caused by motor omnibuses in Northampton, he still adheres to his decision to override the resolution, three times expressed, of the elected representatives of the town council of the borough of Northampton not to grant licences to the Birmingham Motor Omnibus Company to ply for hire in their streets?

As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, in pursuance of the statutory duties imposed on the Minister of Transport by Section 14 (3) of the Roads Act, 1920, I reached a decision in this case after causing an exhaustive inquiry to be held locally. I am unable to depart from that decision.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will circulate a White Paper, before the Report stage of the Valuation (Metropolis) Bill, giving illustrative examples of what the gross and rateable value will normally be in the valuation, after the Bill becomes law, of houses rented in 1915 at £19, £39, £79, and £104, respectively, let on annual tenancies on the usual conditions and subject to control under the Rent and Mortgage Interest Restriction Acts?

My right hon. Friend will be glad to give the right hon. Gentle man the information he desires, but perhaps it would serve the purpose if, instead of issuing a special White Paper, he were to circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL. REPORT.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the effect of the judgment in the ease of Ryall v. Kidwell and Son in. 1913; and, if so, whether he is prepared to introduce legislation to restore the landlord's liability so that any injured occupant of a house, instead of merely the actual tenant, may claim compensation for injuries which may arise out of neglect on the part of the landlord?

My right hon. Friend is aware of the case referred to by my hon. Friend, which did not, as suggested, alter the existing law, but merely applied a well-recognised principle established by the House of Lords in an earlier decision In view of the ample machinery which exists for compelling a house owner, through the intervention of the local authority, to fulfil his statutory obligations, my right hon. Friend is not satisfied that the imposition of new obligations upon the owner towards strangers, with whom he has no contractual relationship. is either desirable or necessary.

asked the Minister of Health, with regard to the Draft Rules and Orders of 17th February, 1925, for the Preservatives in Food Regulations, if he has received any representations as t-o the loose wording of Schedule 1, Part II, 1, 2, 3, which is causing confusion as to what is meant; and if he proposes to have these Rules redrafted?

I have received one representation as to the provisions referred to. I do not agree that they are loosely worded, and so far as I am aware there is no general misunderstanding as to their meaning. I will, however, consider whether it is possible by any revision of the wording to make the intention clearer.

asked the Minister of Health the names of the local authorities who have obtained powers generally similar to those in Section 4 of the Birmingham Corporation Act, 1919?

The names of the local authorities who have obtained powers generally similar to those in Section 4 of the Birmingham Corporation Act, 1919, are as follows:—

County Boroughs:
Barnsley	Liverpool
Birkenhead	Manchester
Blackpool	Northampton
Bolton	Nottingham
Coventry	Plymouth
Croydon	Portsmouth
Grimsby	Preston
Hastings	Rotherham
Kingston-upon-Hull	Sheffield
	Swansea
Leeds	Wakefield
Boroughs:
Chatham	Lytham St. Anne's
Chesterfield
Harrogate	Morecambe
Haslingden	Nelson
	Ramsgate

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that many miners in the county of Durham have been ordered by the local courts to repay money received from hoards of guardians, and that Judge Rowland at Pontypridd has given a decision that a board of guardians cannot legally reclaim similar payments; and whether he will draw the attention of boards of guardians in Durham county to this decision?

My right hon. Friend understands that an application for leave to appeal in this case has been lodged by the plaintiff guardians, and the matter must, therefore, be regarded as sub judice.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses completed in the last 12 months by private enterprise, and also by local authorities, and the number of houses now under actual construction?

The numbers of houses completed under the Housing Acts during the 12 months ended 1st March, 1925, and the numbers under construction at the end of this period were:

Local Authority Schemes:
Completed	19,544
Under construction	24,488
Private Enterprise Schemes:
Completed	43,223
Under construction	30,098

The latest particulars available in regard to houses erected by private enterprise are for the 12 months ended 30th September, 1924. During that period 73,032 houses were completed, and on the 1st October 37,218 were under construction.

asked the Secretary of State for War if it is contemplated, in view of the extension of the Territorial Army and its present position as a second line of defence, that remuneration to officers of the Territorial Army should be extended so as to include those who are unable to attend the annual training; and if it is contemplated that Territorial officers who at-tend training should be given some further rebate on their Income Tax than that represented by file £10 deducted for wear and tear of clothing?

I cannot give pay to officers who do no training. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the right hon. and learned Member for Spen Valley (Sir J. Simon) on the 24th of February last.