asked the President of the Board of Trade(1) the total output, in yards, of the United Kingdom of cotton fabric for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, respectively;(2) the total output, in yards, of the United Kingdom of cotton yarn for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, respectively?

I regret that it is not possible to state the quantities of cotton fabric or cotton yarn produced in the United Kingdom in any of the years specified. A census of production is being taken in respect of the year

I. Imports of States for Roofing
Country from which consigned			1913	1920	1921	1922	1923	1924
			(A)Quantities
			Tons	Tons	Tons	Tons	Tons	Tons
Belgium	…	…	91	51	506	569	479	1,379
France	…	…	11,454	3,124	3,215	1,437	1,935	1,379
Portugal	…	…	2,993	1,252	1,672	2,224	2,614	3,835
United States	…	…	2,498	219	558	461	11	—
Other Foreign Countries	…	…	595	54	165	373	83	910
Total Foreign Countries	…	…	17,631	4,680	8,116	5,064	5,122	11,615
Total British Possessions	…	…	—	2	135	—	—	5
Total Imports	…	…	17,631	4,682	6,251	5,064	5,122	11,620
			(B) Declared Values
			£	£	£	£	£	£
Belgium	…	…	462	1,031	8,262	7,159	3,513	11,821
France	…	…	39,280	32,388	38,578	15,401	16,390	47,617
Portugal	…	…	11,025	9,281	10,618	12,114	17,175	21,208
United states	…	…	9,362	2,400	7,173	5,594	48	—
Other Foreign Countries	…	…	2,523	870	1,188	2,976	536	5,624
Total Foreign Countries	…	…	62,652	45,970	65,819	43,244	37,662	86,270
Total British Possessions	…	…	—	45	1,892	—	—	65
TotalImports	…	…	62,652	46,015	67,711	43,2-14	37,662 I	88,335

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will furnish a Return showing the quantity and value of slate imported into and exported from Great Britain during each of the years 1913, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, the Return indicating in each case the country from or to which the slate was imported or exported?

The following statement shows the quantity and value of slates for roofing, imported into and exported from the United Kingdom during each of the undermentioned years, distinguishing the principal countries from and to which the slates were consigned:

asked the Presideut of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the suggestion that the Trade Facilities Act should be extended to trade between Great Britain and Russia, he can state whether any other nation accords similar facilities to Russia; and whether any of the purchases by Russia of manu factures of any sort have been made against loans or financial assistance by the countries supplying such manufactures?

I ha ye no information of such facilities being afforded by the Government of any other country

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the total output of pig-iron, in tons, of the United Kingdom for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, respectively;

(2) the total output of unfinished steel, in tons, of the United Kingdom for the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, respectively?

:According to information compiled by the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers, the quantities of pig iron and of steel ingots and castings produced in the United Kingdom during the years specified were as follow:

Year	Pig Iron	Steel Ingots and Castings
	Tons	Tons
1920	8,034,700	9,067,300
1921	2,611,400	3.625,800
1922	4,902,300	5,880,600
1923	7,440,500	8,481,800
1924	7,318,900	8,221,100

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the shipbuilding output in tons in Holland and Germany, respectively, in the years 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923 and 1924, respectively;2) the shipbuilding output, in tons, of the United Kingdom in the years 1920, 1921, 1922. 1923 and 1924, respectively?

According to statistics published by Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the gross tonnage of merchant vessels of 100 tons gross and upwards launched in Great Britain and Ireland, Holland and Germany, in each of the years 1920 to 1924 was as follows:

—	Great Britain and Ireland.*	Holland	Germany
	Tons gross.	Tons gross.	Tons gross.
1920	2,055,624	183,149	†
1921	1,538,052	232,402	509,064
1922	1,031,081	163,132	575,264
1923	645,651	65,632	358,273
1924	1,439,885	63,627	193,952
*Including the Irish Free State.
†Figures not available

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will inquire into the nature and extent of the investments of British companies in foreign industrial and commercial enterprises?

There is not material available from which it would be possible to compile such a statement as the hon. Member requests

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the salary paid to the manager of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute; and if he will furnish the names of the members of the board of management, and particulars of their experience in the catering and distributive trades?

Under the Articles of Association which govern the conduct of the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes, the remuneration paid to the general manager is a matter which rests solely with the board of management. It is not a charge against the Votes of any or either of the three Service DepartmentsThe names of the present board of management are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has reached any conclusion with regard to the reduction of fees for cadets?

I am sorry that it has not as yet been found possible to reach a conclusion upon this question

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will furnish a Return showing the number of officers in the British Army on full pay of and above the rank of Colonel-Commandant and Colonel-on-the-Staff; and what troops they are commanding or in what manner they are employed?

The information required as regards British Army officers on full pay from Army Funds is as follows:

asked the Minister of pensions if he is now prepared to reconsider the question of allowances to pensioners undergoing home treatment, who in many cases are refused treatment allowance even if the disability for which 12 they receive treatment prevents them from following their usual occupation?

I regret that I am not in a position to add anything to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on the same subject on the 9th instant, of which I am sending him a copy

asked the Minister of Pensions, seeing that pensions awarded under Article 1163 of the Royal Warrant, 1914, are based on pre-War rates, he will take action with a view to ensuring that the men pensioned under this article shall receive increase of pension in accordance with the Act of 1920 and other Acts of a more recent date?

The hon. and gallant Member has, I presume, in mind the cases in which a pension under the Article referred to has been granted since the beginning of the War. If so, I would point out that, as explained in reply to a similar question put by the hon. Member for East Bristol (Mr. Baker) on the 10th July last, an award under Article 1163 is a reserved right available to ex-soldiers of the regular forces. Men who were originally pensioned under that Article during the War and later, are, in fact, receiving compensation which is in all cases as good as or better than that available for men fulfilling the same qualifications and dealt with exclusively by Ministry Warrants and post-War Warrants. Moreover, such men who may become qualified for higher rates either under Ministry Warrants or post-War Warrants have had their pension revised to such more favourable rates. The awards made in those cases are, therefore, outside the scope of the Warrants which were drawn up to carry out the intentions of the Pensions Increase Act of 1920 and 1924

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether there are any local education authority areas in Scotland in which religious instruction is not given in provided elementary schools; and, if so, how many?

If the hon. Member refers to Section 66 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1872, he will find that the Department's opportunities for obtaining information as to religious instruction are strictly limited by Statute. So far as I am aware, however, all the education authorities in Scotland have seen fit to exercise the discretion vested in them by the Preamble to that Act and confirmed by Section 7 of the Act of 1918

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that the pre War steerage fare between Oban and the Island of Barra was 5s., and the present fare is 15s.: that the present return fare, cabin, is £2 11s.; and, in view of the subsidy provided for in the Scottish Estimates, for the Hebridean steamer services, what action does he propose taking to bring present fares nearer the pre-War figures?

I am informed that the steerage fare between Oban and Barra in 1914 was 6s., and at present is 14s. 11d.; and that the present return fare, cabin, is as stated in the question. My right hon. Friend the Postmaster-General and I are at present examining generally the question of the Hebridean steamer services, including representations which have been made as to the present charges

asked the Minister of Health the number of ex-service men and their dependants who are receiving outdoor relief, those resident in the workhouse, and those who are in mental institutions and charged to local rates, respectively; and whether, if such information is not now available. he will collect same for early presentation to this House

A Return on this subject was obtained a year ago, and I have sent the hon. and gallant Member a copy. I do not think that the value of this Return is such as to justify me in imposing upon Poor Law authorities the considerable trouble and expense which the preparation of a further Return would involve

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the Report of His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for the British West Indies and Central America to the effect that the British West Indies, which can grow the finest quality cotton in the world, could double or treble the quantity now produced; whether there is any hindrance in the way of this action being taken; and what policy the Department has followed to stimulate cotton-growing in the West Indies to the fullest possible extent?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the second that, as stated in the Report itself, the principal hindrance to increased production is the curtailment in the demand for luxury articles which has adversely affected the sole of fine cotton. In the circumstances the question is rather one of increasing demand than of stimulating supply. I trust that the cotton trade in this country will give serious attention to the problem of finding new uses and extending existing uses of this material

—	Navy	Army	Air
Total Personnel	100,500(excluding Marine Police)	157,500 (excluding Indian Troops administered by Air Ministry in Iraq)	35,000
Recruiting Services	£24,000 (Cost of Staff plus certain Expenses).	£114,200 (Complete Cost).	£15,500 (Cost of Staff plus certain Expenses).
Chiefs of Staffs' Departments. Salaries and Allowances.	£114,991	£142,889	£64,850 (excludes Works).
	(The duties included in the Departments are not identical in the three Services.)
Administrative Departments. Headquarters Establishments. Salaries and Allowances	£1,307,033	£904,100	£710,000
Pay and Allowances for Works Services	£195,614	£458,385	£361,093
Non-effective Charges	£8,067,700	£7,834,000	£133,000

The figures relating to cost of staff are not comparable owing to differences in the organisation and accounting systems. For example, the division of work between headquarters and outstations, the duties assigned to the Department of the Chief of Staff and the organisation of the Works Services are so different in the three Departments, that comparative figures cannot be given, even approximately

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a number of the messengers employed in His Majesty's Land Registry have not received the increase Joe to

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he can state in tabular form for 1924-25 the total personnel for the Air Force, the Army, and the Navy, and the cost of the recruiting service for the same; the salaries and allowances for the Departments of the Chief of the Staff, and of the whole administrative Department in each case; the cost of the staffs for Works Services in each case; and the non-effective Vote of retired pay, pensions, etc., which has to be administered by each of the three Departments

The figures are as fellowthem under the scale of pay laid down by agreement between the Treasury and the Workers' Union for the messenger grade and whether he will cause inquiries to be made into this matter with a view to al; the men receiving the full incremental value of their past service as messengers in His Majesty's Land Registry?

All unestablished messengers employed at the Land Registry have received the increase due to them under the scale of pay laid down -by the agreement dated 23rd December, 1924, between the Treasury and the Workers' Union for the messenger grade. The agreement. embodied in A. 81 of the 20th September, 1920, which the hon. Member may have in mind, did not apply to the Land Registry. The scales set out in that agreement are, however, more applicable to the Registry as part of the 1923 reorganisation scheme which was adopted after discussion and agreement with accredited representatives of the men concerned. No case is seen for modifying in the direction desired the agreement then reached

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can now give the main outlines of the recommendations of the Blanesburgh Report with regard to the civil rights of civil servants; and when he proposes to publish the document?

The Report will be laid in the course of the next few days

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue has been lost to the Exchequer in each year since the creation of the Irish Free State, specifying the estimated amounts under each head of taxation; and what is the estimated saving annually in expenditure which would otherwise have been incurred by the Imperial Government in Southern Ireland, specifying the amount under each of the heads of the expenditure?

:Figures showing the revenue actually collected by or on behalf of the Free State Government, and the expenditure actually incurred by them, during the years in question, are given in various publications of the Free State Government. I am not in a position to form any reliable conjecture as to the revenue which might have been collected, and the expenditure which might have been incurred by the Imperial Government in Southern Ireland since 1921 if the Irish Free State had not been established

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the fact that the firm of W. H. Keys, Limited, were condemned by a High Court Judge to pay excess profits amounting to £660 on a contract. for goods supplied to a firm in India., which firm has never paid the sum of £1,100 due to Messrs. Keys; that two previous Governments took this fact into consideration and did not press the claim to excess profits; and whether he is prepared to take any action for the relief of this firm?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to-day on this subject to the hon. and gallant Member for Basingstoke (Sir A. Holbrook)