asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of sugar produced from beet grown in Great Britain in 1922, 1923 and 1924?

According to information supplied by the factory companies the amount of white refined sugar produced from beet grown in Great Britain was 7,011 tons in 1922, 13,281 tons in 1923 and 23,761 tons in 1924.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many stallions of each breed have been licensed by his Department for the present season, and also corresponding figures on the same dates in 1924 and 1923, respectively?

The numbers of stallions of each breed licensed up to the 25th

Breed.					1925.		1924.		1923.
Light Stallions.
Arab	…	…	…	…	15		14		19
Cleveland Bay	…	…	…	…	5		7		6
Hackney	…	…	…	…	99		111		140
Hunter	…	…	…	…	4		3		4
Thoroughbred	…	…	…	…	143		135		130
Welsh Roadster	…	…	…	…	2		1		1
Yorkshire Coach	…	…	…	…	1		1		1
						269		272		301
Pony Stallions.
Dales	…	…	…	…	9		9		13
Fell	…	…	…	…	9		12		13
Polo and Riding	…	…	…	…	18		22		18
Shetland	…	…	…	…	6		4		4
Welsh	…	…	…	…	15		21		17
Welsh Cob	…	…	…	…	55		53		55
						112		121		120
Heavy Stallions.
Clydesdale	…	…	…	…	86		100		151
Percheron	…	…	…	…	44		42		37
Shire	…	…	…	…	762		917		1,360
Suffolk	…	…	…	…	132		161		176
						1,024		1,220		1,724
Non-Pedigree Stallions.
Light	…	…	…	…	20		28		32
Pony and Cob	…	…	…	…	10		12		13
Heavy	…	…	…	…	25		40		51
						55		80		96
Totals	…	…	…	…	1,460		1,693		2,241

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many credit societies have been formed in each county of England, Scotland and Wales; how much money has been paid into the agriculture credits account; and what advances have been made to agriculture credit societies under the provisions of the Agriculture Credits Act of 1923?

Agricultural credit societies have been registered in the following counties:

	Number
Cornwall	2
Bedfordshire	2
East Sussex	1
Kent	1
Lancashire	1
Inverness and Boss (Beauly District)	1
Renfrewshire	1
Kincardineshire	1

The Paymaster-General was authorized by the Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury in March, 1924, to transfer a sum of £440,000 to the Agricul

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can make any statement as to the reintroduction of the 1d. post; and whether, in view of their importance to the rapid transaction of business, he can consider the reintroduction of the early morning delivery of halfpenny postal packets, particularly advice cards?

As regards the first part of the question, I am afraid that I cannot anticipate the Budget statement. As regards the second part, halfpenny packets are delivered by the first post, if posted on the previous afternoon before a time (generally about 4.30) which is announced locally. This restriction on the time of posting greatly facilitates the handling of the general night mails, and I do not see my way to waive it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state, for the last two years for which figures are available, the quantities and

A RETURN of the Quantities and Value of the undermentioned Articles, registered as imported into the United Kingdom* in each of the calendar years 1923 and 1924.
Article.	Unit of Quantity.	1923.		1924.
		Quantity.	Value.	Quantity.	Value.
			£		£
Sugar, Refined	Cwts.	7,721,003	11,618,549	11,979,821	16,033,863
Sugar Unrefined, Beet	Cwts.	416,779	478,954	1,941,110	1,953,293
Sugar, Unrefined Cane	Cwts.	22,941,284	29,126,532	21,296,864	26,133,992
Molasses	Cwts.	2,673,325	655,394	3,411,359	891,954
Glucose	Cwts.	809,021	656,678	1,032,457	984,295
Saccharin	Ozs.	398,460	4,037	158,852	1,390
Articles containing Sugar or other sweetening matter.	Cwts.	†3,570,496	†10,586,167	†4,441,060	†12,724,060
* As from 1st April, 1923, read Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
† These figures represent the total weight and value of the composite articles. Particulars as to the quantity and value of the sugar contained in these articles are not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Government of the Soviet Republics has placed orders for 14,000 tons of agricultural machinery in the United States, including 450 tractors; whether he has any information as to the terms of purchase; whether any extended credit was given by the manufacturers in America; and whether, in view of the unemployment existing among the workpeople engaged in producing agricultural machinery in this country, he will assist British manufacturers who are already giving extended credit to Russia and doing a limited business, by granting them assistance under the Trade Facilities Act and the export credits scheme?

I have seen statements to the effect that the Government of the Soviet Union has placed considerable orders for agricultural machinery in the United States of

As far as they are available, the figures required are contained in the following table. The differentiation in the official statistics between beet and cane sugar only extends to unrefined sugar:America. I have no information as to the terms of purchase. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley (Mr. Lansbury) on 23rd March, a copy which I am sending him.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that an advance of 4s. a week has been made to members of the tailoring trade in London, he will consider making a similar advance in the wages of the employés of the Army Clothing Factory?

I am making inquiries with the object of ascertaining to what classes of workers this advance is being applied in the trade. When they are complete, I will consider to what extent adjustments are called for in the case of those employés at the Royal Army Clothing Factory whose wages are regulated by movements in the tailoring trade.