asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the widespread desire for increased secondary school facilities in different parts of the country, he will favourably consider any applications he may receive from education authorities for loans for new buildings, or for additions to, or the adaptation of existing buildings, with a view to the provision of such money as may be needed on easy and favourable terms?

Applications by local authorities for sanction to raise loans are addressed to the Ministry of Health, not to my Department, but I am certainly prepared to recommend the Ministry, in suitable cases, to sanction loans for the purpose to which the hon. and gallant Member refers.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction expressed by the National Union of Women Teachers in regard to the findings of the Burnham award; and, in view of these findings penalising women teachers more than men, will he have the women teachers' cases reconsidered before adopting the Report?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I have already announced that the Government will be prepared to accept for grant purposes the salary scales laid down in the award.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether ho will introduce a Bill to amend the Education Act by raising the school age to 15, to come into force not later than December, 1927; and whether, in the meantime, he will require local education authorities to encourage parents to keep their children at school between the ages of 14 and 15 by the grant of maintenance allowance where necessary?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, I may refer the hon. and gallant Member to paragraph 9 of Circular 1340, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether pensioners receiving pensions awarded to them as single men are compelled to answer all the questions on MPIF 27; if so, why they are requested to give particulars of marriage subsequent to the award of pension and details of children, if any; and will he issue instructions, in the event of their having to answer all the questions on the form, that in future men given pensions as single men need not furnish answers to questions 5, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17?

The form referred to was instituted, following suggestions made by the Public Accounts Committee of this House, as a means of securing from time to time identification of persons to whom pensions were being paid. The information required by it is only asked for once in five years. The form is a common one. applicable to all classes of pensioner, and the details are only such as serve the purposes of identification. I see no sufficient ground, therefore, for making a distinction as regards any particular section.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of mental cases who were taken from the care of the Poor Law guardians by the late Minister, and the number of wives and children or other dependants of such men who remain under the care of the Poor Law authorities; and will he state the number of persons dependent on these men?

On the 1st April, 1924, the charge for the treatment of 553 mental patients was transferred from the Poor Law authorities to the Board of Control, the responsibility of the Ministry of Pensions having ceased in these cases, under the provisions of Article 7 (2) of the Royal Warrant, one year after the termination of the War, i.e., after the 30th September, 1922. I have no information in regard to the other parts of the question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can give the House any information as to the number of railway workers at present on strike in India; the number of troops engaged in services connected with the dispute; how many families have been evicted from their homes by the companies: how many persons, strikers and others, have been injured owing to collisions with the police; and what steps are being taken to bring the dispute to an end?

The only existing strike of railway workers in India of which I am aware is on the North-Western State Railway. It originated at Rawalpindi, but has extended to Karachi and most of the important junctions, but I have no information as to the number of men on strike. A company of Pioneers and one of Sappers and Miners have been sent to the headquarters of the railway, and in case of need, of which the Government of India will judge, will be used solely for the purpose of maintaining the essential services. No collisions with the police or evictions of families have been reported by the Government of India. The general secretary of the officially recognised union of the railway has stated in the Press that the strike was not justified, but I am not aware what measures have been taken to terminate it. My Noble Friend is awaiting further information from the Government of India.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the new rates of pay and allowances for married officers of the British Army under 30 years of age serving in India are less favourable than those granted by the British Government in 1919; that a young married officer under 30 years of age of the British Army while serving in India receives no married allowance and only single officer's quarters; and whether the Indian Government will give such young officers the option of serving with the pay and allowances they would be entitled to if serving in England?

I do not think that the Government of India intended to exclude from married rates any officer who is entitled to them under British rules. But as the Government of India's announcement of the revised rates gives rise to some doubt in the case of the small class of officers who are entitled under British rules to married rates, though still under 30 years of age, the point is being taken up with them.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what are the emigration figures for men, women, and children, respectively, since 1st January, 1924; and what percentage went to the Dominions and Colonies?

The number of British subjects recorded as leaving permanent residence in the United Kingdom to take up permanent residence in non-European countries comprised 72,076 adult males of 12 years of age and upwards, 64,514 adult females, and 29,741 children under 12 years during the 13 months ended 31st January, 1925. The numbers recorded as having left for places within the British Empire represented 87 per cent. of the adult males, 82 per cent. of the adult females, and 82 per cent. of the children. Later particulars are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what bounties, subventions, or other forms of assistance are given by the Governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa in connection with the exportation, transportation, and marketing of food com modities?

I am not in a position to furnish full particulars of such bounties, but I understand that the Imperial Economic Committee are taking steps to collect information on the subject.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that the Admiralty are now offering for disposal an ex-German floating dock lying in sections at Chatham, and that it is proposed to spend considerable sums to render Malta Dockyard capable of docking bulged battleships, he has considered, or will consider, utilising this ex-German floating dock either at Malta or at Singapore with a view to economy?

I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that four large floating clocks were handed over to this country by Germany. One was sold. Two will be utilised at Malta and Singapore respectively The fourth is surplus to present requirements, and it is therefore in the interest of economy to dispose of it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that four officers at Exeter have been removed from the acting list, in spite of the fact that they have satisfactorily performed acting duties for lengthy periods; that one officer, for example, has a record of 30 years' service, and has performed acting duties for over five years without complaint of any kind as regards his efficiency; why the officers have been re moved from the acting list; whether he is aware of the general dissatisfaction that has been created among the re mainder of the staff; and whether he will take steps to have the officers restored: to the acting list?

I am having in quiries made, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider adding to the Rent. and Mortgage Interest (Restrictions Continuation) Bill at present before the House a Clause providing that where the landlord is dissatisfied with the occupying tenant he may substitute another, provided that the rent remains the same and that the new tenant is not a member of his own family or related to him?

Apart from any question as to the merits of my hon. Friend's suggestion, his proposal is not one which would come within the scope, of the present Bill.

asked the Minister of Health what is the percentage increase in the price of materials used in the erection of houses under the housing schemes over the prices of the same materials in March, 1914?

The increase in the market price of all materials required for the construction of a workman's cottage since March, 1914, is about 85 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give the total amount of the advances of building societies towards house-buying in 1913, 1922, 1923 and 1924?

The chief registrar of friendly societies informs me that the total amounts advanced by building societies on mortgage security in the years 1913, 1922 and 1923 were 29,131,017, £22,707,799 and £32,015,720 respectively. The total for 1924 is not yet available. As far as he is aware, practically the whole of the amount advanced was advanced towards house-buying.

asked the Minister of Health if, in view of the reduction in the price of insulin, he can now say whether it is supplied free by all Poor Law authorities on the recommendation of their medical officers'?

I have no reason to suppose that Poor Law authorities are not supplying insulin in all proper eases in which application is made to them and supported by their medical officers.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the increase from 35 in 1921 to 74 in 1924 in the number of permanent principal officers of the Pensions Ministry was sanctioned by the Treasury; whether he is aware that during the same period the number of the lower grades staff was reduced from 29,937 to 16,401, while the number of beneficiaries fell from 3,004,000 to 2,080,000; and whether

asked the Minister of Labour whether, seeing that there are between 600,000 and 700,000 males and about 150,000 females over 65 years of age engaged in industry, he will offer to apply

The figures given are correct. The increase in the number of permanent officers of the rank of principal clerk and above was authorised by the Treasury as necessary for the effective organisation and supervision of the work and the proper control of the large expenditure with which the Ministry is charged. It has been accompanied by a considerable decrease in the number of temporary posts of similar standing, and has resulted in much economy in the cost of administration. A great part of the increase involved no addition to the personnel, 29 of the additional posts being due to the scheme of regrading of the Civil Service drawn up in 1921, but not applied till 1922. It may be added that the Departmental Committee in 1921 drew attention to the shortage of senior staff in certain branches. No comparison with other Departments on the lines suggested is possible.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can give the comparative provision made for debt charges in the Budgets of 1913-14 and 1924-25 of Great Britain, France, Italy, and Belgium?

Following are the figures:the unemployment benefit to them if they will consent to withdraw from their employment so as to provide work for the younger unemployed persons?

My right hon. Friend has no power to do what is suggested.

asked the Minister of Labour whether managers of Employment Exchanges have been instructed to refuse unemployment benefit to those who were recently deprived of the same through not having the requisite number of stamps on their cards, notwithstanding the fact that they have since been employed sufficiently long to have obtained eight stamps, or, if not, is any such order contemplated?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will issue instructions to Employment Exchange managers and staff that bona fide skilled men registering for employment are entitled to full rate of benefit, and that length of employment, especially in the branches of the engineering trade, shall not, in view of the long-continued depression in that industry, be regarded as an excuse to refuse benefit if the skilled man refuses work at less than the established rate?

The rate of wages for work, the refusal of which may be a reason for the disallowance of benefit, is laid down in the ease of standard benefit by Section 7 of the Act of 1920. Under that Section it is provided that the rate of wages should, speaking generally, be (1) in the district in which the applicant lived the rate which he has habitually obtained, or (2) in the case of employment in other districts, the standard rate for that district. In cases of extended benefit, in which the worker may be required in certain circumstances to accept work other than that to which he has been accustomed, such work must still be on terms and conditions which are fair for that work.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is the intention of Great Britain to ratify the protocol reached at the recent Opium Conference at Geneva; and whether he proposes to lay the document before Parliament?

As has been stated in reply to a previous question by the Noble Lady the Member for Plymouth (Viscountess Astor) on the 24th March, it is the intention of the Government as at present advised to ratify the agreements reached at the recent Conferences. I doubt whether it is necessary to incur the expense of printing the documents as a Parliamentary Paper at this stage, as they will doubtless be published very shortly by the League of Nations Office.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in giving effect to the favourable recommendations of the Departmental Committee on the employment of women police, he is proposing to issue a statutory regulation imposing on police authorities the duty of including one or more women on the strength of every police force?

No, Sir. This is a matter which I must leave to the discretion of the local police authorities, as the Committee recommended.