asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what has been the expenditure on the naval hospital building at Gibraltar since it ceased to be a hospital; and to what use are the 20 flats to be put when the alterations have been carried out?

The answer to the first part of the question is approximately £9,000. After conversion into flats the accommodation will be utilised as residences for civilian and naval officers entitled to official residences of allowances in lieu.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state, in respect of the recent Supplementary Estimates giving effect to the decision of the Courts in regard to civil pay and bonus arising out of the Sutton judgment and kindred cases, how much has been paid to employés in Devonport dockyard; what were the categories of employés who have received money; and what is the average sum paid to each beneficiary?

The sum of £24,324 has been paid up to this date in Devon port dockyard. The grades concerned at the time of calling up were chiefly skilled and ordinary labourers, yard boys, apprentices and boy writers. The average amount per head is roughly £60.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the generating staff in Devonport dockyard work seven days a week and all holidays, and in an unhealthy atmosphere; and whether in these circumstances, the Admiralty could grant these men leave on full pay for at least one week in the year?

The generating station staffs at the dockyards work, as a rule, seven shifts of eight hours each per week. There is no evidence that the work is unhealthy. Having regard to the fact that the rates of pay of these men take account of the extra hours worked and of work on public holidays, it is not considered reasonable to give them in addition the privilege of leave with pay which is not enjoyed by other classes of work-people employed by the Admiralty.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been drawn to the objection held by the lower deck to the failure of the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust to employ ex-service men in the office at Chatham; and whether, before it is decided to continue the contributions to this fund from the canteen rebate after 1st July next, he will arrange for a ballot of the officers and men to decide whether or no the canteen rebate shall continue to be paid to the Royal Naval Benevolent Fund?

No expression of Service feeling with regard to the employment of women clerks by the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust has been brought officially to the notice of the Admiralty, but I am aware that statements on the subject have appeared in the Press. The matter is one for the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust and not for the Admiralty. With regard to the second part of the question, orders have already been given with a view to ascertaining the opinions of petty officers and men of the Fleet on the question of continuing the present scheme of contributions to the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust. I may say that, in issuing this Order, the Admiralty also drew attention to the importance of the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust receiving regular and adequate financial support from the Service as a whole, and expressed a doubt as to whether any more equitable way than at present can be devised of ensuring that each unit does its fair share.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the number of the Admiralty headquarters staff, and the total numbers serving under the Admiralty command in March, 1913, and the corresponding figures for the present time?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 25th March to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Southwark (Colonel Day).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will give a tabulated statement showing, for the United States of America, Japan, France, Italy, and the British Empire, respectively, the numbers of cruisers, destroyers, and submarines built, building, and projected since 11th November, 1918, and which, in the opinion of the Admiralty, are considered as of post-War design?

in the opinion of the Admiralty, ships laid down since the Armistice may generally be considered as of post-War design. Since that date, 5 cruisers have been laid down by the British Empire, 19 by Japan, 5 by France, 2 by Italy, and 10 by the United States of America, making a total of 41. 197 destroyers (including leaders) have also been laid down, made up of 4 by the British Empire, 54 by Japan, 24 by France, 21 by Italy, and 94 by America. During the same period, 2 submarines have been laid down by the British Empire, 45 by Japan, 23 by France, 4 by Italy, and 33 by the United States of America, making a total of 107. As regards vessels projected, my hon. and gallant Friend will find full particulars in Command Paper No. 2349.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he is aware that the majority of local authorities, railway companies, Government Departments, and other large bodies of employers in the country provide in their superannuation schemes for the retirement of their employés at the age of 65 years; that most of such employers, and particularly the Government Departments, insist on the automatic discharge of their unpensionable workers at the age of 65; and whether, in view of the facts, he will take steps to amend the Old Age Pensions Act, so as to enable these and other old workers to receive the old age pension at 65 years of age;(2) whether he has considered the desirability of giving further relief to old age pensioners and claimants by eliminating the present thrift disqualification Clause, or at least raising the limit to the amount of income which is assessable for Income Tax; and whether he is prepared to take steps in this direction during the present Session;(3) whether he has considered the desirability of making provision for pensioning persons who are totally incapacitated by paralysis, loss of limbs, deaf mutes, etc., apart from those causes attributable to the War, as is now provided in the case of blindness; and whether he is prepared to take steps in this direction during the present Session?

I cannot add anything to the indication of the Government's policy in regard to these questions which has already been given by the Prime Minister.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the German Republic has brought in a new Income Tax; and, if so, what it is?

A Bill amending the Income Tax law has been introduced. I regret that I cannot give details of a long and complicated Measure in answer to a Parliamentary question, but income above 900 marks (£45) is taxed at varying percentages up to a maximum of 33⅓, per cent. My hon. Friend will find useful summaries of the proposals in the "Economist" of 28th February, 1925, and in the "Deutsche Steuer-Zeitung" of mid-March, 1925.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Italy has redeemed loans from Brazil, Canada, Sweden, and the Netherlands; and, if so, to what amount?

I understand that loans from the countries named have been paid off by Italy, but from the information at my disposal I cannot give the precise amounts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the Customs receipts during the year ended 31st March, 1925, under the headings of tea, sugar, and tobacco, respectively, and the corresponding figures for the previous year;(2) the Excise receipts during the year ended 31st March, 1925, under the headings of beer and stout, spirits and Entertainments Duty, respectively, and the corresponding figures for the previous year?

I must ask the hon. Member to be good enough to defer those parts of his questions which relate to the financial year 1924–25 until after the Budget statement. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT the figures for the financial year 1923–24.The figures for 1923–24 are as follow:

Customs Receipts.
	£
Tea	10,731,000
Sugar	37,127,000
Tobacco	51,881,000
Excise Receipts.
Beer (including stout)	76,111,000
Spirits	45,144,000
Entertainments	9,285,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any change or variation has taken place during the last year regarding the assessment for purposes of Income Tax upon any sums allocated by individuals, companies, or associations for political propaganda purposes; and, if so, in what respect?

The admissibility of expenditure as a deduction in computing liability to Income Tax in respect of trade or professional profits depends upon whether it can be shown to be money wholly laid out or expended for the purpose of the trade or business. It has never been the practice of the Inland Revenue authorities to regard sums allocated for political propaganda purposes as satisfying this condition.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make arrangements to enable boarding-house keepers, when making returns for the purpose of Income Tax, to claim reduction in respect of the parts of the houses which are devoted exclusively to letting purposes?

I am advised that a deduction of the nature indicated may be claimed under the present law. If the hon. Member is aware of any case in which difficulty has been experienced, and will furnish me with the necessary information, I will gladly have the matter investigated and will communicate the result to him in due course.

asked, the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in considering any reduction of Income Tax, he will primarily apply the benefit of such abatement to undistributed profits which are put to reserve for the development of businesses, in view of the fact that the burden of Income Tax is more than industries are able to support?

I must ask my hon. and learned Friend to await my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will arrange in future to announce any decision as to fresh Government financial issues as soon as such decision is arrived at, and so obviate the danger of leakage which arises at present while the prospectus is being drawn up and printed?

I have already made some inquiries on this point, and am informed that there is considerable doubt whether procedure on the lines suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend would be regarded as convenient or whether it would work equitably. I intend, however, to give the question further consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that in certain cases interest has been claimed by the Inland Revenue Department in regard to sums due as Excess Profits Duty when the delay in payment of such duty has arisen owing to a claim by the taxpayer, subsequently upheld, as to a part of the payment due; and if, in view of the circumstances of these cases, he will instruct the Inland Revenue Department to withdraw such claims?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The charge of interest was intended to make good the loss which the Exchequer might suffer by the postponement of payment of Excess Profits Duty, whatever the reason for that postponement, and inasmuch as the charge of interest is limited to that due on the amount of duty properly payable, I can see no grounds upon which such statutory charge can be waived in the circumstances indicated by the hon. Member.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what were the receipts from the sale of photographs and from mutascope machines at the Imperial War Museums in the years 1923 and 1924; and what is the estimated appropriations-in-aid from these sources for 1925–26?

The following figures have been supplied by the Imperial War Museum:

RECEIPTS.
Year.	From Sale of Photographs.	From Mutascope Machines.
	£	£
1923–24	511	—
192–25	347	53 (from 11th Nov., 1924).
1925–26 (Estimate).	530	160

asked the Home Secretary the number of convictions for drunkenness, male and female, in the Metropolitan Police district for the calendar years 1923 and 1924?

The total for the Metropolitan Police district, of the figures given in Table VI of the Licensing Statistics for 1923, is 23,414 males and 6,610 females. The total, which it is expected the volume for 1924, now in preparation, will show, is 23,512 males and 6,536 females.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, how many dwelling-houses were erected by the Commissioners of Works on behalf of local authorities in the years 1920–21, 1921–22, 1922–23, 1923–24, and during the first nine months of 1924–25; and whether the Department is still pre pared to erect buildings for local authorities?

The numbers of houses erected by the Department on behalf of local authorities during the years in question are as follows:

1920–21	232
1921–22	1,770
1922–23	2,654
1923–24	566
From 1st April, 1924, to 31st December, 1924	92

The conditions which necessitated the introduction of His Majesty's Office of Works as a building agent no longer obtain, since local authorities are as a general rule in a position to make contracts on their own behalf on satisfactory terms.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, how many sites of temporary housing schemes were purchased, and where same are situated; whether all or any of the sites are available for building schemes for local authorities and whether the Works Department are building dwelling houses to help to meet the present national demand for more accommodation?

The number of sites purchased is 19, viz.: 11 in the Woolwich area; four situated respectively at Barrow-in-Furness, Birtley, Coventry, Scotswood (near Newcastle); three at Sheffield; and one at Alexandria in Scotland. The sites at present are fully occupied with temporary houses which it is anticipated cannot be dispensed with for some time to come. As regards the last part of the question, the answer is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health whether the employers and employés in the building industry have come to a decision as to the supply of labour for building which will enable unemployed ex-service men and trade unionists at present outside the industry who are over 20 years of age to be trained as bricklayers?

The arrangements made to augment the skilled ranks of the building industry are set out in a Circular issued to local authorities in February last, a copy of which I shall be pleased to forward to the hon. Member. The employers and operatives propose to recruit the skilled ranks of the building industry by means of apprenticeship which would be open to all youths up to the age of 20. Men over 20 with a previous knowledge of the trade can also be apprenticed and become craftsmen after a shortened period of indenture and at special rates of remuneration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts paid in the form of housing subsidies in England and

—					Men.	Women.	Children.	Total.
January, 1925	…	…	…	…	96,780	96,316	204,782	397,878
February, 1925	…	…	…	…	95,784	94,526	198,590	388,900

The returns do not show how many of these persons were over 60 years of age.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that recently the West Ham Board of Guardians

I have been asked to reply. The following are the particulars required. The amounts of housing subsidies paid by the Exchequer in England and Wales are as follow:

				£
1919–20	…	…	…	20,455
1920–21	…	…	…	3,097,301
1921–22	…	…	…	9,109,366
1922–23	…	…	…	9,649,073
1923–24	…	…	…	7,857,555
1924–25	…	…	…	8,650,000

asked the Minister of Health whether any steel-cased houses have been approved for subsidy under the Housing Act, 1923, and under the Housing Act, 1924; and, if so, the number approved under each Act, the names of the firms erecting the houses, and the cost in each case for parlour and non-parlour houses?

I will send the hon. Member a statement giving the information he desires as far as it is available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of able-bodied persons in receipt of outdoor relief on or about the 1st January, 1925; how many of these people were over 60 years of age; and what were the corresponding figures on the 1st February?

The average numbers of persons ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation who were in receipt of out-door relief in England and Wales in the months of January and February, 1925, with the dependants of those persons, were as follow:applied to the Goschen Committee for a further loan for Poor Law relief purposes, and that the Committee made it a condition that relief to parents should not be given where the sons or daughters living at home were working for wages; whether he has considered the hardship involved in the case of Mr. Warren, of 20, Heyworth Road, Forest Gate, who was refused any assistance for himself and wife because his son is employed and earns £2 3s. 4d. weekly; and whether he will consider, as this young man incurs for travelling to and from work, provision for trade union and friendly societies, etc., 7s. 6d. weekly, the alteration of such conditions?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the letters addressed to this Board of Guardians in regard to the loan to which he refers. He will see that he has not been quite correctly informed of the conditions attached to the loan. My attention has not previously been called to the ease mentioned in the latter part of the question, but I am not at present aware that it constitutes a good ground for the modification of those conditions.

asked the President of the Board of Education the composition of the Departmental Committee of the Board of Education set up in 1913 to consider the Report of the Haldane Commission upon university education in London; and whether that Committee published any evidence or issued a Report or drew up a Bill?

The composition of the Departmental Committee to which the hon. Member refers was as follows:

• The Right Hon. Sir George H. Murray, G.C.B. (Chairman);
• Sir L. Amherst Selby-Bigge, K.C.B.;
• Sir John Rose Bradford, K.C.M.G., M.D.;
• Sir William S. McCormick, LL.D.;
• George Franklin, Esq., Litt.D., J.P.
• Arthur Keith, Esq., M.D., F.R.C.S., LL.D.;
• John Kemp, Esq., Barrister-at-Law;
• Mrs. Henry Sidgwick; with H. F. Heath, Esq., C.B., as Secretary and A. L. Hetherington, Esq., as Assistant Secretary.

The answer to all the points mentioned in the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will investigate the circumstances attending the refusal of pension to Mrs. E. Bullard, 72, Pond Road, West Ham, mother of the late soldier Charles Henry Bullard, No. 51,471, Worcestershire Regiment, on the grounds that need cannot be held to exist owing to the fact that 48s. weekly is admittedly the income of the house; and whether, considering the high cost of living, he will specially consider this case?

Pensions to parents may only be granted under the terms of the Royal Warrant if the parents are wholly or partly incapable of self-support from age or infirmity and in pecuniary need. In the case referred to by the hon. Member the applicant's husband was earning the normal wage of his calling and the wife could not therefore be reasonably regarded as fulfilling the conditions of the Warrant.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether it is intended that ex-full-time medical officers on sessional medical board work shall now be given preference for such work over medical men who have not been full-time medical officers of the Ministry; and, if so, whether instructions to that effect have been given, or will now be given, to all area deputy commissioners for their future guidance?

As I informed the hon. and gallant Member in reply to a question on this subject on the 11th ultimo, it is the intention that ex-full-time salaried medical officers of the Ministry shall generally be given preference in the allocation of such part-time sessional work as may be available, and that instructions are being issued accordingly.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the messengers employed at His Majesty's Land Registry are performing duties previously performed by the clerical staff; that this work is of a more responsible character than that normally performed by messengers; and whether, in view of the dissatisfaction which at present exists, he will inquire into the matter with a view to a discussion being initiated between the men's representatives and his Department with a view to a speedy settlement of the difficulty?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to him on the 17th March. The claim is a Departmental one, and I cannot agree that the matter should be reopened in the manner suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will consider whether an ex-warrant officer, 1st class, with 27 years' service with the Colours and three subsequent years as a civilian employed by Government, possessing an Army first class certificate of education, can be put in the same position as a store-holder or foreman and granted a Civil Service certificate so that ex-warrant officers and non-commissioned officers with such a record of service, having reached an age of about 47, may feel secure without having to undergo examinations set by the Civil Service Commissioners?

I have been asked to answer this question. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on the 5th March to the hon. and gallant Member for Bromley (Lieut.-Colonel James) of which I am sending him a copy. The case of foremen and store-holders who have a normal prospect of establishment in posts in their own grade is not parallel to that of temporary clerks generally competing for posts in the clerical class.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what circumstances the taxes clerical promotions board of the Inland Revenue Department were unable to provide appeals machinery in the cases of Messrs. Mole, Padgen and Ayers; and why it was that Mr. G. W. Gordin, who was mainly responsible for these officers being passed over for promotion, was retained on the appeal board for these particular cases in spite of the strong protest of both the appellants and the Association of Officers of Taxes?

I do not accept the statement contained in the first part of this question. There is an appeal panel, of which the officer named is a member, not only for these particular cases, but for all which fall within the same class. I see no ground for objecting to the constitution of the panel because in a particular case one of its four members is conversant with the applicant's work.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the ease of the established manipulative grades of the Post Office who competed on 4th September, 1922, in a limited competition for appointment to the grade of the clerical class in the General Post Office, and who obtained over 50 per cent. but less than 60 per cent. of the marks at this examination; whether he is aware that this examination was of a higher standard than that now proposed to be set under his agreement with the ex-service civil servants; and whether, seeing that 439 ex-service men who competed in the 1922 examination have undoubtedly shown as high a standard of knowledge as will be required of the new candidates, he can see his way to admit the 439 ex-service men above referred to without further examination, particularly seeing that this would not interfere with his agreement with the ex-service civil servants or in any way prejudice the position of the latter?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for Finchlcy (Mr. Cadogan) on the 24th February, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the number of the War Office staff personnel, and the total number serving in the Army in March, 1913, and the corresponding figures for the present time?

The comparable figures are as follow:

	March, 1913.	March, 1925.
Employed at the War Office	1,580	2,385
Personnel in the Army (Vote A, exclusive of additional numbers)	182,300	155,935

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will allow the broadcasting of the proceedings of the model parliament organised at Oxford by the National Union of Students on 1st April, provided guarantees were forwarded that its general effect would be free from partisan bias?

It is at present the practice to refuse permission for the broadcasting of political speeches, and as the speeches at the Oxford Union which it was desired to broadcast would be of a political character, the application was refused.

asked the Prime Minister when it is proposed to set up the Committee of both Houses to examine into the question of broadcasting the proceedings of Parliament; and what will be the terms of reference?

Having regard to the fact that the Government intend to review the whole position of broadcasting next winter, I have, after consultation with the leaders of the other parties, decided to postpone the special question referred to until the general question is examined.

asked the Minister of Labour how many skilled craftsmen in the building trade emigrated in the 12 months ending 31st January, 1925, and to what country; and would he furnish similar figures in respect of the engineering industry?

I have been asked to reply. The numbers of British emigrants of 18 years of age and over, who were recorded as having followed skilled occupations classified in the "Building" and "Metal and Engineering" groups, during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1924, are shown in the following table:

Country of Future Permanent Residence.	Building.	Metal and Engineering.
British North America	612	3,410
Australia	460	1,836
New Zealand	194	421
British South Africa	50	388
India (including Ceylon).	7	540
Other Parts of the British Empire.	23	404
United States	195	2,425
Other Foreign Countries.	25	532
Total	1,566	9,956

Particulars for months subsequent to 30th September, 1924, are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has been approached by either side in the dispute between the Co-operative Societies and the National Union of Distributive and Allied Workers?

No request for intervention has been made to the Department in respect of this dispute.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the sums to be granted towards the cost of building an International Labour Office at Geneva by other members of the League of Nations; and whether the proposed gift of £4,000 will be the total contribution from this country?

The estimated cost of the new building for the International Labour Office is 3,000,000 Swiss francs. The building will be paid for out of the funds of the League of Nations; the proportions in which the respective members of the League contribute are fixed by the Assembly. Great Britain's proportion is about 9½ per cent. The gift which the Government are proposing to make at a cost not exceeding £4,000, is a voluntary gift distinct from the normal contributions to the expenses of the League. Other Governments are also making special gifts.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in many mining areas where unemployment is especially rife it would be possible to carry out considerable afforestation schemes on available and suitable land near by; and whether such schemes are being considered by the Government?

I have been asked to reply to this question. Grants for afforestation work in relief of unemployment are available to local authorities and others owning the land referred to. Within the funds at their disposal the Forestry Commissioners will afforest any such suitable land which they are able to acquire; they are in fact already planting certain areas in South Wales and Staffordshire.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of insured persons who have been refused benefit by the, Middlesbrough Employment Exchange owing to the alteration in regulations made by Circular No. 8,213?

Up to 16th March the number of persons who had been disallowed benefit at the Middlesbrough Employment Exchange under Circular 82/13 was 87.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons have been refused uncovenanted benefit as a result of the issue of the recent Circular by his Department; and what measures he is proposing to deal with these people?

In previous replies which I have given on this subject I have stated that the number was approximately 11,000. The exact figure up to and including 23rd March is 10,884. With regard to the latter part of the question, I must refer the hon. and gallant Member to the Debate in the House on 9th March last, when a very full discussion took place.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that a considerable number of men were sent by the authorities at the Taunton Employment Exchange to the Derby Timber Haulage Company for employment; that they were informed at the Employment Exchange that they would have to deposit sums up to £5 as fidelity money and that about 50 men were so employed by the manager of the alleged company, and having worked for nearly two weeks the manager disappeared, with the result that the deposits are apparently lost and no wages forthcoming; and, under the circumstances, will he authorise the payment of the unemployment pay for the period in question as, although the men were technically employed, they will receive no pay and, in addition, will lose the amount they deposited in order to secure work?

I am having inquiry made, and will communicate the result to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of complaints as to the omission to summon certain members of the rota committee; and whether he will circularise chairmen and secretaries of unemployment committees instructing them that all members on the rot a are to be summoned regularly in rotation, and that members on the rota should be informed what their retation will be?

The normal practice, is for members to be summoned in regular rotation, but this is subject to variation to suit the convenience of members. It is, in my view, important to leave the committees the widest possible latitude to settle their own domestic arrangements, and I think, therefore, it would be a mistake to issue formal instructions to the chairmen and secretaries as suggested.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that all the collieries and steelworks at Blaenavon have been closed down, involving the loss of employment to thousands of men; and whether he will make an investigation into the matter?

I am aware of the closing of these collieries and steelworks, and fully appreciate how serious the consequences may be. I am taking steps to get more precise information about the position, but I do not think that any formal investigation would be likely to serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary for Mines (1) how many collieries in Great Britain use steam-driven and electrically-driven winding engines, respectively;(2) how many accidents due to over-winding have occurred at collieries in Great Britain during the last 10 years; and how many of such accidents have occurred where steam-driven machinery is employed and how many where electrically-driven machinery is used?

The information asked for in these questions is not immediately available; but I am having it collected, and will tell the hon. Member when I have got it.

asked the Minister of Transport how many acres of land were acquired for the purpose of constructing the new road from Wanstead to Southend; the total amount per acre paid for such land; and what was the rateable value of the land acquired?

The transactions connected with the acquisition of the land are not yet complete. The best estimate that can at present be given for the total cost of the acquisition of the land along the whole length of 29 miles from Wanstead to the boundary of the County Borough of Southend is between £80,000 and £85,000. The total area is about 385 acres, giving an average of between £210 and £220 per acre. This figure includes all legal expenses on the approved scales, and compensation to tenants and other minor interests. I have no information as to the rateable value.

asked the Minister of Transport the numbers of motor cars, commercial motor cars, and motor bicycles registered on the 1st of January, 1924, and the 1st of January, 1925, in England and Wales?

Statements showing the numbers of licences issued under the different categories of motor vehicles are issued every quarter to the Press. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend the statements relating to the first quarter of the calendar year 1924, and to the complete calendar years 1922 and 1924. The first statement for the calendar year 1925 is in course of preparation, and I will see that my hon. Friend is supplied with a copy as soon as one is available.

asked the Minister of Transport the total amount of revenue derived from the taxation of motor vehicles in the year 1924, what amount of that revenue was devoted to the upkeep and repair of existing roads, and what amount to the construction of new roads?

The total payments into the Exchequer on account of the Motor Tax revenue during the calendar year 1924 aggregated to £15,436,000. As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, this sum is subject to certain prior statutory charges, and does not represent the amount available for grants. During the same calendar year the grants made to the upkeep, repair and improvement of existing roads aggregated approximately to £15,045,000, and to the construction of new roads and bridges approximately to £4,884,000.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Manchester City Council have given notice to all owners of kerbside petrol pumps, the erection of which had been previously sanctioned by them, to remove these pumps at an early date; and whether, seeing that this notice is due to the local authority not having the right to sanction petrol pumps on the public highway, he will, in view of the public advantage derived from the sale of petrol in bulk, consider the advisability of introducing legislation to give powers to local authorities to grant permits of this kind?

My attention had not been drawn to the action which my hon. and gallant Friend states is being taken by the Manchester City Council. On the general question my view has always been that facilities for motor vehicles to obtain supplies from petrol pumps should be, provided on private property, so that no obstruction may be caused either on the carriageway or on the footpath. I am not prepared therefore to introduce legislation of the nature suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if His Majesty's Government have made further representations to the Government of the Free State in regard to the murder and outrage perpetrated upon British officers and men at Queenstown in May, 1924; and has he any information as to what steps the Government of the Free State are taking to secure the arrest and trial of the persons who perpetrated the murder and outrages?

Inquiries have been instituted from time to time, and His Majesty's Government are satisfied that every effort has been made by the Government of the Irish Free State, both by the offer of a large reward and by the usual police methods, to trace the perpetrators of this outrage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if any attempt has been made to appraise the cause of the decrease in the coasting trade since 1913 in the different directions of dock charges, wages, etc.; if he can state the chief causes and if he can give the comparative figures, excluding Ireland, for 1913 and 1924 of the tonnage carried in the coasting trade and on the railways?

It has not, up to the present, been deemed necessary to institute a special inquiry regarding the decrease in the coasting trade since 1913, which has no doubt been due in the main to the general shrinkage in trade which has taken place since the period immediately preceding the War. I have no information as to tonnage carried in the coasting trade. Information prepared by the Ministry of Transport shows that the aggregate tonnage carried on the railways in 1913 amounted to 364,420,000 tons, and in 1924 to 335,450,000 tons.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the important part fulfilled by super-phosphates in food production and in soil fertility, he will take steps to assure farmers that no curtailment of its supply and that no imposition of duty on its importation will be sanctioned, so that full supplies of this fertiliser may be assured and the threatened rise in its price may be prevented?

The decision of the Government as to whether they will or will not make a recommendation to this House for the imposition of a duty must await the Report of the Committee of Inquiry which is now sitting, and before-which the National Farmers' Union will be giving evidence.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of money spent on the prevention and cure of foot-and-mouth disease?

As the hon. Gentleman is aware, the policy of my right hon. Friend's Department is the eradication of the disease by slaughter and the question of cure does not therefore arise. A grant of £10,000 was sanctioned during the past financial year for' the work of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease. Research Committee, and a sum of £15,000 has been approved for the expenses of that Committee in the financial year which commences to-day.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of cows and heifers in Great Britain in 1871, 1914, and the last year for which figures are available?

Year.				Cows in Milk.	Cows in Calf but not in Milk.	Heifers in Calf with first Calf.	Total Cows and Heifers in Milk or in Calf.
				No.	No.	No	No.
1871	…	…	…	*	*	*	2,091,433
1914	…	…	…	2,271,235	308,883	357,805	2,937,923
1924	…	…	…	2,366,497	327,995	417,098	3,111,590
*Not separately distinguished.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of the fact that one of the political prisoners sentenced in Northern Ireland and imprisoned in an English prison has applied for a writ of habeas corpus in order that the legality of these imprisonments may be tested, and that a rule nisi

The number of cows and heifers in milk or in calf, as returned by occupiers of agricultural holdings in Great Britain in June in each of the undermentioned years, was as follows:was granted in his case by the Lord Chief Justice's Court on Monday, the prisoners, held under similar conditions in Soot-land, will be retained as at present until the legal issue has been decided?

I do not contemplate making any change in the position of these prisoners pending a decision of the legal question at issue.