asked the Minister of Labour the maximum penalty under the Unemployment Insurance Acts by way of disqualification for benefit for voluntarily leaving employment without just cause; and whether his Department will consider the desirability of making such voluntary relinquishment a bar to the receipt of further benefit, whether ordinary or extended?

The maximum disqualification for voluntarily leaving employment without just cause is fixed by the Act itself at six weeks. The circumstances in which the employment is left, however, might indicate that the applicant was not genuinely seeking work. A disqualification on this latter ground is not limited to any particular period, although it is subject to review every six weeks on request by the applicant.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of applications for employment received at the Walworth Road and Camberwell Employment Exchanges, respectively, from boys and girls, and the number of vacancies for juveniles notified and filled during the six months ending 28th February last, or the latest convenient period?

The following Table gives particulars for the six months ended 6th April, 1925:

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust, Chatham, is on the King's Roll?

The answer is in the negative. I will ask the local King's Roll Committee to endeavour to secure enrolment if practicable

asked the Minister of Labour how many ex-service men are awaiting improverships in Government instructional factories; how many are being trained; and how many are awaiting training?

2,760 trainees in total are awaiting improverships, and of them 367 are still in training centres. The number of ex-service men in Great Britain and Ireland now in training is 5,504 and 1,438 are awaiting training

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total weight of hops imported front the British Empire in 1924; and in which parts of the Empire they were grown?

The total import of hops from British possessions in 1924 was 21,323 cwts. Imports were received from the following countries:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the complaints of the local authorities in the Midlands against the manner in which the control of the cleansing of the main dykes and streams in the county is administered by the Court of Sewers, a body over whom there is no supervision and from whose decision there is no appeal; and whether he will consider holding an inquiry into the whole matter?

I am not aware of complaints by local authorities generally as to the manner in which the work falling to be done by Courts of Sewers is administered, and I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by holding an inquiry. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with information regarding maladministration on the part of any particular Court of Sewers, I will consider whether I can take any useful action

asked the Postmaster General whether he is aware that no public telephone facilities are available at Bardney, Lincolnshire; and whether, in view of the size of the village and of its importance as an agricultural centre, he will endeavour to provide each facilities at an early date?

The question of establishing a public telephone call office at Bardney, Lincolnshire, was considered in 1923, when it was found that a guarantee would be necessary. Full particulars were furnished to the parish council, but they decided not to proceed with the question. Sufficient support has not been secured to justify the establishment of a telephone exchange at Bardney, but inquiries will be pursued on these lines, and if the necessary support is forthcoming, a telephone exchange will he opened and a telephone call office will be provided without guarantee

asked the Minister of Health the amount per head of population distributed in 1924-25 in Great Britain for Poor Law relief, old age pensions and health insurance benefits?

The amounts distributed per head of

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why Income Tax at full rate is charged on pay issued to officers stationed on the Rhine, and who have no residence in this country?

Under the provisions of the Income Tax Acts, the emoluments of a British officer, paid from British funds, are assessable to British Income

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total value of the alcoholic liquor exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland in 1924; and what were the figures for whisky, brandy, beer, gin, and wines, respectively?

The value of alcoholic liquors registered as exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the year ended 31st December, 1924, was as follows:Tax, wherever the officer may be stationed. An officer is, however, in common with other taxpayers, entitled to claim such personal allowances and other Income Tax reliefs as are appropriate to his case

asked the Minister of Labour how many factories there are in this country in which the manufacture of fabrics composed partly of silk and partly of other materials is carried on; and what is the number of persons which these factories employ?

I regret that the information asked for is not available

asked the Minister of Transport how many rural district councils in England and Wales have asked for a grant from the Road Fund to assist the local rates in maintaining the condition of roads, other than those, classified as Class I and Class II; and in how many cases has the reply of the Ministry of Transport been that no money can he given by the grant of a contribution from tin Road Fund unless improvements are contemplated?

I regret that I have no record of the number of rural district councils who have asked for grants towards the cost of maintaining unclassified roads. The request has, however, been a frequent one, and the reply given has been that, although funds are available and have been widely accepted for the improvement of such roads, including tar spraying and resurfacing, grants are not made towards the upkeep of unclassified roads

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in the opinion of his advisers, water-bound rolled road repair is sufficient to support modern traffic conditions; whether in rural areas where the road rates are already high it is possible for modern methods of tarmac, grouting, etc., to be employed on account of the cost per mile: and, if so, what, in the opinion of the Ministry, is the most economic policy that a rural district council placed in such a position should adopt?

Within certain limits of traffic intensity highways can be, and are being, economically maintained under waterbound macadam. In many rural areas where those limits are exceeded, other methods, involving a greater initial outlay, are being substituted, with financial assistance from the Road Fund. As my hon. and gallant Friend is aware, sums amounting to £5,000,000 have been set aside since 1923 for grants towards the improvement of important roads in rural areas. Thanks to these contributions, which have now been for the greater part allocated, it has been possible for a large number of rural district councils to undertake the improvement of their road surfaces

asked the Treasurer of the Household what is the average time taken between the lodging of an appeal to the pensions appeal tribunal and the hearing of the case?

The average time now taken between the lodging of an appeal to the pensions appeal tribunals and the hearing of the case is 10 weeks. This includes the time taken in preparing the case for hearing, which often involves protracted inquiries. The average time taken between the receipt of the case by the pensions appeal tribunals and the hearing is four weeks. The figure in both cases includes the week's statutory notice given to the applicant of the time and place of hearing