asked the Minister of Pensions whether it was with his concurrence that the East Metropolitan Advisory Council were informed that grants were made by a Conservative Government; and whether, seeing that all grants are made by authority of Parliament, he will instruct his Department that in future no reference must be made to political parties in replies to resolutions or questions submitted by advisory councils?

:A suggestion was made by this advisory council last September that more sympathetic consideration should be given to a scheme for village settlements. In reply I pointed out that I had taken a personal interest in the matter, as was evidenced by the fact that a grant was made when I was last in office.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether awards made by medical boards are subject to revision by officials of his Department?

:Under the terms of the Royal Warrant pension can only be awarded in accordance with the rate of assessment certified by a medical board or a medical officer of the Ministry. In point of fact every award made by my Department under the Royal Warrant is in accordance with the assessment given by a medical board which has actually seen and examined the man.

:May I ask for an answer to my question as to whether awards made by medical boards, are subject to alteration by the Ministry's officials?

:The officials have no power to alter assessments. The assessments can be referred to a board but in every case it is a board which has seen the man, which finally makes the assessment.

:Are they altered by the officials of the Pensions Ministry?

:It is not the case that the assessors can alter the award. The award must be made by a board which has seen the man, but the assessors may point out that in their opinion the medical board have assessed a man too high or too low as the case may be.

:If I give the right hon. Gentleman a concrete case, will he have inquiries made into it?

:I should be very much obliged to my hon. and gallant Friend if he will send me particulars of any case he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his Department possesses an electro-cardiograph; and, if not, will he consider the advisability of obtaining one in the interests of ex-service men suffering from cardiac dis-

:Arrangements have been in force for some years with local institutions whereby the Ministry obtain electro-radiograms in all cases where this is medically considered necessary. The nature of the Ministry's work whereby medical examination is carried out in the interest of pensioners at a variety of centres throughout the kingdom has not made it practicable to adopt my hon. and gallant Friend s suggestion.

:Is it not a fact that through the Department not having an electro-cardiograph many ex-service men fail to establish their claim for cardiac disability, though found to be suffering from heart trouble in private hospitals which possess an electro-cardiograph?

:I think the point raised by my hon. and gallant Friend was whether we have got one. We find it best to use instruments which are locally available.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the hardships occurring frequently through the operation of the time limit respecting appeals against final awards, he will reconsider the whole matter, particularly the effect the present system has in regard to cases where an ex-service man's condition has become materially worse, or even a second or third disability arises, and an Article 9 claim is disallowed because it is alleged that the complaints which have subsequently developed were prevised and considered in the original award; and whether he is prepared to set up a special committee of medical and other advisers on this point?

:Under the administrative arrangements for the correction of errors of final award, which I have explained to the House, both the types of case referred to are being satisfactorily dealt with in accordance with medical advice. I see no ground, therefore, for adopting the suggestion in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether Ministry of Pensions Award 122a, Notice of Final Award, is now always despatched by registered post?

:Notification is sent by registered post in all cases where the final award involves no further money payment by the Ministry. In all other cases, notification is sent by ordinary post on a form with a perforated slip atached, on which the beneficiary is required to acknowledge receipt.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider taking over authority for regulating the placing or display of electrical advertisements, illuminated sky-signs, and the like, in London and other cities?

:I cannot undertake this duty without the authority of Parliament.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these signs are at present governed by an obsolete Act which never contemplated electrical signs at all—in fact, they are not mentioned—and is he looking into the matter with a view to some Regulation of these matters?

:That was not quite the question which the hon. and gallant Member asked.

:No, it is a supplementary question.

:If it be a supplementary question, my supplementary answer is that I will consider the supplementary question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases during the last 20 years the provision in Section 6 of the Licensing Act, 1902, regarding the blacklisting of drunkards has been put into operation; and the number of cases in that period where persons have been convicted of violating the provisions of the same section with respect to the purchase or sale of intoxicating liquor?

:The available figures are published in the Annual Volume of Criminal Statistics. I will circulate a table in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the table:

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any statement to make as to when he proposes to introduce legislation to regulate or abolish the procedure of double inquiries of Magistrates' Courts and Coroners' Courts in murder and manslaughter cases?

:I hope to introduce the Coroners Bill very shortly.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that Press representatives have been excluded from children's courts at Cowbridge, Glamorgan, by order of the presiding magistrate; and will he circularise magistrates drawing their attention to the provisions of the Children Act, Sections 111 and 114?

asked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that bona-fide Press representatives are protected from exclusion from a children's court by Sections 111 and 114 of the Children Act, he will take steps to safeguard their rights by drawing the attention of magistrates to the terms of the Act?

:I would refer the hon. Members to the answer given yesterday by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for South Hackney (Captain Garro-Jones).

asked the Home Secretary if and when it is proposed to introduce legislation consolidating and making permanent the provisions of the Aliens Act?

:Section 1 of the Aliens Restriction Act, 1914, on which the present system of regulating aliens rests, will be included in the Expiring Laws (Continuance) Bill this year. I have under consideration, and hope before next year to have settled, the best way of putting the present powers on a permanent basis.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state, approximately, the number of aliens at present in this country; and what proportion are Germans, Russians, and Bulgarians?

:There were 271,631 aliens registered in the United Kingdom at the end of March last, and of these 19,543 were Germans, 88,866 Russians, and 89 Bulgarians.

:Is it proposed to keep these Russians in this country after the non-fulfilment of the Trade Agreement of the 16th March, 1921?

:I do not think these 88,000 Russians are concerned in the Trade Agreement. They are not responsible for it. They were living here —most of them—before the War.

:Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many aliens were imported in bulk in the West of Scotland?

:Is it not the fact that the majority of these Russians are White Russians, and not Reds?

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that a member of the police force who rents his house receives the full amount of rent aid, while the man who saves enough to buy a house receives only half the amount of rent aid, he will consider the desirability of removing this differentiation?

:I know of no such discrimination against a constable who owns his house. There is nothing in the Regulations limiting the rent aid in such a case to half the normal amount, and the intention is to put the man who owns his house as nearly as may be in the same position as if he rented the house.

:Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries with a view to seeing whether there is not a substantial point in this question?

:If I bring a case to the notice of the right hon. Gentleman will he look into it?

:Certainly I will do so. That is also the answer to the hon. and gallant Member opposite. Any specific cases will be inquired into.

asked the Home Secretary how many street accidents occurred in the Metropolitan Police area in the year 1924 in which motor vehicles were concerned; and in how many cases it was proved that the accident was due to the vehicle or vehicles concerned proceeding at too high a rate of speed?

:The number of such accidents was 59,122. To prepare an answer to the second part of the question would involve so much labour that I think the results would not be likely to justify it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Traffic Advisory Committee has given any further consideration to means for the prevention or diminution of street accidents; and, if so, when will he be in a position to communicate the result of such further consideration?

:I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member on the 12th February last, except that the Advisory Committee are continuing their investigations into the question of the relief of congestion, and are considering what regulations can be made which, without being unreasonable, would reduce the risk of accident. If the hon. Member has any suggestions to make in the matter, I shall be glad to consider them.

:Has the right hon. Gentleman taken notice of the report of the excessive number of accidents which have occurred during the first three months of this year; and as the right hon. Gentleman is asking for suggestions, may I suggest that there would be more peace —[HON. MEMBERS: "Order, order!"]

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any evidence to prove that the present method adopted by the Metropolitan police of timing motorists over measured distances with plain-clothed police officers is an efficient method of preventing dangerous driving, or is only a method of detecting fast driving?

:I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer which I gave to his question of the 7th May.

:May I ask if the answer referred to was any answer at all to the question. The answer was that timing was an efficient method of detect- ing excessive speed, but I asked if it was an efficient method of preventing dangerous driving?

:I have the question and answer here. My hon. and gallant Friend asked me whether I would consider any alternative method having that object in view, and in reply I said I should be happy to consider any practicable method of preventing such offences. I am looking forward to help from my hon. and gallant Friend.

:Seeing that the right hon. Gentleman has visited a night club and has seen things at first hand—[HON. MEMBERS: "Order!"]

:Sir Park Goff.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the advisability of giving the House an opportunity of considering whether Lords Lieutenant of counties, as His Majesty's representatives, should be prevented from taking part in elections for the House of Commons, other than those Lords Lieutenant who are themselves candidates?

:Up to the year 1911 it was the practice to pass an annual Resolution to the effect that it was an infringement of the liberties of the Commons for any Lords Lieutenant to avail himself of any authority derived from his commission to influence an election. In 1911 this Resolution was negatived on a Division, and, though in 1912 the old Resolution was passed, it has not been moved since. I know of no sufficient reason for raising the question at the present time.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware of the number of accidents to workers that take place in factories and mills during calendering operations; that the risk of such accidents could be totally eliminated at comparatively small cost by the adoption of safety calender guards; and if he will take steps to ensure the use of such safety guards in all factories and mills where calendering operations are carried on?

:Separate statistics for calender rolls are not available, but I am informed by the Chief Inspector of Factories that the number of accidents is not large. The danger is one which is well known and to which attention has been given by the Factory Department for years. Good guards are available in almost all cases, and the practice of the inspectors is to insist on their use.

:Is it not the case that since the Home Office decided some years ago to do away with a number of factory inspectors the accidents have been greatly on the increase?

:That is quite another question, and should be put down.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received notification of a number of phthisis cases amongst quarrymen, in particular that of Mr. Arthur Brook, of 415, Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor, Huddersfield, now in Bradley Wood sanatorium, Huddersfield, due to the inhalation of stone dust; and whether the Home Office is now prepared to schedule this disease amongst those caused by industrial employment, therefore rendering the victim eligible for payment of compensation?

:I am aware of the occurrence of cases of silicosis among men engaged in working certain kinds of stone, but this particular case had not previously been brought to my notice. This disease cannot suitably be scheduled under the Workmen's Compensation Act but would have to be dealt with by a scheme under the special Acts passed by Parliament for the purpose— the Workmen's Compensation (Silicosis) Acts, 1916 and 1924. The Home Office is proceeding with the inquiries in the industries affected which are necessary for determining the incidence of the disease before a scheme under the Acts can be framed. The potteries industry is now being investigated, and the inquiry into the stone industry is the next to be taken in hand and will be started as soon as possible.

asked the Home Secretary what are the exigencies of traffic which seem to demand the institution of a motor police control for the prosecution of drivers alleged to have exceeded the 20 miles per hour limit on the Croydon by-pass?

:It was found that vehicles were frequently being driven on this road at speeds which, having regard to the exigencies of the traffic on the road, were dangerous.

:Is it not the fact that this road is one of the widest in the country and was built specially to allow traffic to go at a higher rate of speed and to get out of London quickly?

:I cannot accept my hon. and gallant Friend's version of the reason for which the road was built. It was built for all His Majesty's subjects.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction among teachers engaged in the work of training the blind owing to the latitude granted by the Regulations of his Department that a class can exceed 15 in number; if, in the opinion of these teachers, such numbers lead to inefficiency; and whether he will be prepared to meet a small but representative deputation of these teachers on the matter?

:I am not aware of the dissatisfaction to which the hon. Member refers, but I will gladly investigate any specific case or cases in which it is alleged that the size of a class is militating against its efficiency.

:Will the right hon. Gentleman be willing to receive a strong deputation from the National Institute of the Blind? I mean by that, people who are connected with the teaching profession, teaching blind children?

:I think it would be better that I should have the facts before giving a deputation the trouble of coming to see me.

asked the President of the Board of Education what steps, if any, have been taken by the West Riding (Yorks) Education Committee towards providing elementary school accommodation at Armthorpe, Dunscroft, and Thorne, near Doncaster, for the children who are receiving no education?

:At Armthorpe the authority have, with the approval of my Department, acquired a, site to which an existing temporary school building is being removed. At Dunscroft an option upon a site has been secured, and all the children who are awaiting admission to school from this and the neighbouring village of Stainforth can, for the time being, be accommodated in a new school in the latter village, which is expected to be completed at the end of this month. At Thorne the final plans are in course of preparation for a new school for 350, a site for which is in the possession of the authority; in addition, the authority have published notices of their intention to provide a second new school for 1,000 children in the Moorends district, and are negotiating for a site.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the disabilities under which provincial museums suffer, he will advise the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the working of museums throughout Great Britain with the view of giving financial encouragement to the educative work which is being carried on in them?

:If my hon. Friend will kindly give me particulars of the disabilities which he has in mind, I shall be glad to consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to the success of the methods of village school instruction in mechanics for the farm as reported upon by the education committee of the Shropshire County Council; and whether he will himself take means to bring these methods to the notice of the public, and especially of the educational authorities in all rural areas, and give Members of Parliament the material to enable them also to make these methods widely known?

:I am aware of what is being done in the case mentioned by my hon. Friend. A good deal of work is being done in rural schools in various parts of the country in giving courses of instruction specially suited to agricultural conditions, and I shall do everything in my power to encourage experiments in this direction.

:Will the Noble Lord answer the last part of my question as to whether he will give Members of Parliament the material to enable them also to make these methods widely known? Will he obtain a report of what is going on in Shropshire?

:I shall be glad to make any information fully available to hon. Members, but it is a matter of the collection of reports from individual schools throughout the country, and not a question of drawing up a general report for the country as a whole. It is rather difficult, therefore, to make the information available in a very easy form, but I shall be glad to do all I can in the matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, following the Sutton award to postal workers, the Manchester City Corporation have agreed to make retrospective payment of allowances to employés who volunteered for service in the armed forces of the Crown during the War; how much these allowances will cost approximately; will he state the amount of legal costs incurred by the above authority in meeting the claim; whether any other local authority have made similar payments; and, if so, the names of such bodies?

:I have communicated with the Manchester City Council in regard to the first part of this question, and I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a copy of a letter which I have received from the Town Clerk on the subject. As regards the concluding part of the question, I believe that payments of this nature have been made by some other local authorities, but I have no definite information in the matter.

:Will the right hon. Gentleman recommend to the other authorities who gave this promise during the War that they should follow the example set by the Manchester City Council?

:I have no reason to suppose that all local authorities will not fulfil any promises which they made during the War.

Following is a copy of the letter mentioned:

"Town Hall,

Manchester.

18th May, 1925.

SIR,

In reply to your letter of the 15th instant, enclosing copy of a question which is to be asked in the House of Commons on the 21st instant, the Manchester City Council have made certain arrangements with their ex-service employés arising out of the promises which were made to such persons at or about the time such persons joined His Majesty's Forces. The promises were dissimilar to those which engaged the consideration of the House of Lords in the Sutton case.

I am not in a position to state how much such allowances will ultimately cost the city as the settlement is on the basis of a formula, the financial results of which have yet to be ascertained by a separate calculation applicable to each employé, nor am I in a position to say what the amount of the legal costs incurred is for the reason that the accounts relative thereto have not as yet been prepared.

I am, Sir,

Your obedient servant,

(Sgd.) P. M. HEATH,

Town Clerk."

The Secretary,

Ministry of Health,

Whitehall, S.W.1.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that the Aldershot Borough Council have decided to build 100 working-class houses by direct labour, he will state the approximate cost of the houses to be built; whether private contracors were given the opportunity of contracting for these houses; if so, what were the prices of the tenders made by private builders; and what was the saving, if any, on the direct labour scheme?

:The council are proposing to build 100 further houses by direct labour at the same estimated cost per house as in the case of the present instalment of 52 houses which they are erecting, namely, £500 inclusive of land. They anticipate as the result of the experience so far gained that the final cost will come out at less than this figure. So far as I am aware, tenders for these houses were not invited from private contractors.

:As there seems to be such a great saving by the employment of direct labour, will the right hon. Gentleman consider recommending to the other councils to adopt the same principle?

:The hon. Member is assuming that there was a great saving, although I told him that no tenders were received from private contractors.

:But the right hon. Gentleman is surely aware that there are municipalities which have proved the position with regard to the saving on direct labour?

asked the Minister of Health how many steel houses for demonstration purposes have been completed; how many are in course of erection; whether he has received reports on any types of steel house other than the Weir house; and, if so, on which types?

:There are four types of house to be erected under the scheme of demonstration houses, namely, the Weir, Braithwaite, Atholl and Wild. These types were recommended for that purpose by the Committee on New Methods of House Construction. According to the latest information, the work of construction on the demonstration houses has been started in the case of 10 local authorities, and four houses have been completed.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with the insurance scheme, he will consider making provision for wives whose husbands are complete and permanent invalids and unable to contribute in any way towards the upkeep of his home or children?

:I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on the 18th instant to a similar question raised by the hon. Member for the Rotherhithe Division (Mr. B. Smith).

asked the Minister of Health whether under Clause 18 of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Pensions Bill, any soldier, sailor, or airman killed in the Great War will be considered to have been an insured person in spite of the fact that before he joined up he was not in any insured employment?

:The answer is in the affirmative, except in those cases where the soldier, sailor or airman exercised his option not to become insured.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that a. probationer nurse has recently been dismissed, without her certificate, from the West Middlesex Hospital, Isleworth, by the board of guardians, after two years and eight months' service, because she complained to the matron of being bullied by a sister in whose ward she was working; that there has been unrest among the nursing staff in this hospital for some past; and that a nurse won an action in the High Court of Justice for wrongful dismissal against the Brentford Board of Guardians in April, 1923; and whether he will have an inquiry held as to the recent dismissal at which the nurse will be permitted to state her case?

:I am aware that the guardians of the Brentford Union have recently had occasion to dismiss a probationer nurse, though not on the grounds suggested in the ques- tion, and of the case referred to in the third part of the question. I am not aware of any general unrest among the nursing staff of this hospital. The action taken by the guardians does not require any sanction or approval on my part, and I do not think this is a case for an inquiry such as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Voluntary Hospital Commission has furnished a Report on the provision of additional accommodation; and whether he can give figures showing the total number of beds required, and the principal centres in England, Scotland and Wales where there is inadequate hospital accommodation, with the number of additional beds required in each centre?

:I understand that the Report of the Voluntary Hospitals Commission is in course of preparation, and I hope to receive it before the end of June.

asked the Minister of Health how many approved societies and branches have agreed to devote a portion of their surpluses to payments in respect of hospital treatment of their members to the funds of voluntary hospitals; and what was the sum given to voluntary hospitals under agreements with approved societies during the 12 months ending 31st March, 1925?

:The number of societies and branches in England whose existing schemes of additional benefits include payments to hospitals or convalescent homes is 963, with a membership of about five million insured persons. The sum spent under this additional benefit during the year ended 31st December, 1924, was about £210,000. It is not possible to state how much of this sum was paid to hospitals as distinct from convalescent homes, but it is believed that by far the greater part was paid in respect of the treatment of members in hospitals.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the amendment of the Medical Act, 1858, in order to give a right of appeal to medical practitioners struck off the register by decisions of the General Medical Council holding them guilty of infamous conduct?

:I am not aware that there is any general demand among the medical profession for the amendment of the Medical Acts in the direction suggested by my hon. Friend, and in the absence of general agreement I am not prepared to introduce legislation.

:Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the absolutely autocratic power over the lives and careers of the whole of the medical profession given to the General Medical Council by the Medical Act of 1858 requires some revision?

:Is it not the experience of the right hon. Gentleman s Department that the action of the General Medical Council has been highly expedient in the interests of health and of the community generally?

:If there were any general feeling among the members of the profession that the powers of the General Medical Council were excessive,. I should have no difficulty in ascertaining it. They have not generally been backward in putting forward any grievance they might have.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the interest of public health, he will consider legislative action to insure that persons qualified to give practical instruction in manipulative surgery shall have the opportunity of giving it and also of obtaining degrees in this branch of surgery?

:Under the revised medical curriculum adopted by the General Medical Council in 1922, practical instruction in manipulative surgery can be and is given by persons holding registrable medical qualifications. As at present advised, I am not prepared to recommend legislation for the purpose of establishing degrees or diplomas for persons who have not satisfied the statutory requirements of the General Medical Council.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government accepts the rule that Ministers of the Crown, during their tenure of office, should refrain from contributing articles to the newspaper Press upon public affairs; whether he is aware that the Secretary of State for India is a contributor to the newspaper Press upon matters affecting public policy; and what steps, if any, he proposes to take?

:The laying down of hard-and-fast rules restricting the action of Ministers in this respect is a matter of considerable complexity, which seems to me to require more detailed consideration than I have been able to give to it since receiving notice of the question.

:Has the right hon. Gentleman studied the OFFICIAL REPORT for 29th April last year, wherein his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the present Undersecretary of State for the Colonies put repeated questions and supplementary questions to the then Government in an attempt, and a successful attempt, to induce that Government to adhere strictly to that rule, and can he say how he can justify a departure from that principle now, a principle which they apparently held so strongly when out of office?

:I am not justifying anything. I remember the Debate to which allusion has been made, and I am having got out for me every allusion to the subject which has been made in this House for some years back. I am having the whole subject brought before me.

:Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether statements of policy which are made in newspaper articles by Members of the Cabinet are subject to the usual rule of joint Cabinet responsibility?

:I have not noticed any articles of that kind. Of course, it is obvious in all contributions that some are less objectionable, and some more.

asked the Minister of Health when it is expected that the Report of the Royal Commission on Local Government will be published?

:I have been asked to reply. I am not in a position to add anything to the replies given on the 5th March and the 8th April to similar questions by the hon. and gallant Member for West Birkenhead (Mr. Nuttall) and the hon. and gallant Member for West Walthamstow (Major Crawfurd).

:When will the right hon. Gentleman be able to give an answer to this particular question?

:When the Report is ready.

:When will that be?

:I cannot say.

:As this matter is a very vital one to certain localities and public officials, cannot we get something a little bit more definite from the right hon. Gentleman, seeing that this Commission has been sitting for a long time?

:I would point out that a Minister does not control a Royal Commission, and has no authority over it.

asked the Prime Minister whether action to ensure adequate co-ordination in respect of the whole of the expenditure exceeding £4,000,000 provided in this year's Estimate for scientific research, is being taken by the Lord President of the Council?

:My Noble Friend the Lord President of the Council has no responsibility for ensuring adequate co-ordination in respect of the whole of the expenditure for scientific research, which is estimated for 1925–26 to exceed £4,000,000, but the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Medical Research Council, for whose activities the Lord President is responsible, is, so far as the first-named Department is concerned, provided with machin- ery for the co-ordination of the research work of the technical establishments of the Fighting Services which has a civilian interest, and of certain other Government Departments. The Department has no control over the work of the research establishments maintained by other Government Departments, and has no responsibility in connection with research undertaken purely for defence purposes. Conferences between representatives of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Medical Research Council, and the Development Commission, are held periodically for the consideration of matters of common interest to these Departments.

asked the Prime Minister what action he proposes to take upon the Report of the Committee which has been considering credit insurance?

:If my hon. and gallant Friend is referring to the Report of a Committee set up by the Federation of British Industries, it is being considered by the Departments concerned.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware of the diversity in custom with regard to the opening of cathedrals and churches in England both on weekdays and Sundays; that a great number of these are closed either wholly or in part excepting during divine service; and whether he will consider setting up a committee of representative clergy and laymen to investigate the reasons which prevent the cathedrals and churches of the Established Church being open free of charge to the public during all the hours of daylight, and to suggest the means of remedying the present state of affairs?

:The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative; the answer to the third part is in the negative. The matter is one which would more properly be raised, in the first instance, in the Church Assembly, or by making direct inquiries from the Archbishops.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the statements in the Report of the Royal Commission on Food Prices concerning the operations of trusts, combines, and trade associations, the Government proposes to introduce legislation to deal with the matter or, alternatively, will facilities be given to the Bill on trusts and combines introduced by the hon. Member for Hills-borough?

:The Government have undertaken to present to the House a large programme of important and urgent legislation, and it would be impracticable to enlarge that programme substantially at the present time.

:Can anything be more urgent than to see that profiteering is stopped in bread and the other necessaries of life?

:Does the Prime Minister's answer mean that the Cabinet have decided not to deal with the trusts before coming to the House for their opinion on the setting up of a Food Council?

:It means what I have said.

( ( for Mr. B. SMITH)asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether, seeing that the Royal Commission on Food Prices report that there is in the baking and bread trade a considerable waste of energy and expenditure due to uneconomic organisation and to overlapping of services, he proposes to take any action or introduce legislation to render the bread trade efficient and to effect a reduction in the price of bread;

(2) whether, seeing that the Royal Commission or Food Prices report that butchers have doubled their money incomes since before the War, and that the price of meat is excessive, while the Ministry of Pensions purchasing in bulk is able to issue prime joints of beef at 7¾d. and of mutton at 10½d. per lb. to the hospitals, he will consider the desirability of opening in the poorer districts Government shops for the retail of meat at reasonable prices?

:The Government are carefully considering the whole of the Royal Commission's Report, and an announcement will be made as soon as a decision is reached.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government has considered the Report of the Blanesburgh Committee on the candidature of Crown servants for Parliament, etc.; and, if so, whether it is proposed to take any action thereon?

:The Report is now under consideration.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that certain sanitary authorities are, in anticipation of the coming into operation of the Milk and Dairies (Consolidation) Act, 1915, now enforcing alterations to buildings under their existing powers; whether any instructions have been issued by his Department dealing with this matter; and whether, in the absence of information as to the standards which he may demand in Orders to be made under the 1915 Act, and in order to obviate wasteful expenditure being enforced upon property owners by local sanitary authorities taking such action at the present juncture, he will notify the local authorities of the desirability of deferring action until such Orders are issued?

:I shall be glad to be informed of the cases which my hon. Friend has in mind and will then consider whether any action can appropriately be taken.

:Are we to understand that anything which helps towards clean milk is wasteful extravagance?

:Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the great inconvenience that is being caused to farmers and traders because of the slowness of the issue of these draft regulations?

:No, sir.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give the total number of public vaccinators in England and Wales, distinguishing those paid by salary and those paid by fees; the number of vaccinations performed by fee-paid vaccinators and the cost thereof during the latest year for which the figures are available; the number of medical officers of Poor Law institutions who also act as public vaccinators for such institutions, distinguishing those who perform vaccinations as part of their duties as salaried medical officers and those who are paid vaccination fees; and the total amount of the latter fees during the latest year for which figures are available?

:The total number of public vaccinators in England and Wales is approximately 3,514, of whom 15 only are paid by salary and the remainder by fees. I regret that separate information is not available as to the number of vaccinations performed by fee-paid vaccinators, or as to the cost of these vaccinations. The number of medical officers of Poor Law institutions who are also public vaccinators for such institutions is approximately 692, of whom 11 are remunerated for this work by salary. I am unable to give the amount of the fees paid to the remainder.

asked the Minister of Health what was the average cost per case of appeals against decisions under the National Health Insurance Acts during the year 1923; and what was the average amount involved in such appeals in the same year?

:I assume that the hon. Member has in mind appeals under Section 90 of the National Health Insurance Act, 1924, against the decisions on disputes between approved societies and their members. During the year 1923, 34 such appeals were heard by referees in England and the average cost per case (exclusive of the costs of the parties) was £19 15s. 9d. The amount, if any, involved in a case is not ordinarily stated in the referee's award, but 30 of the appeals heard in 1923 were concerned with benefit claims and the average period of benefit in dispute was about 40 weeks.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed to levy the Silk Duty upon articles consisting partly of silk but already dutiable under Part I of the Safeguarding of Industries Act?

:I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for Batley and Morley on the 19th May.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that under the Safeguarding of Industries Act, when it says that other duties shall not be leviable, it is not possible that the framers had in mind the Artificial Silk Duties, which were not then in existence?

:The provision referred to in my answer is not limited to duties in force at the time when it was passed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in making the preferential rebate on the Silk Duty, he will require proof that the articles are of Empire manufacture, or whether it will be sufficient that they should have been consigned from some part of the Empire?

:I assume the hon. Member to refer to the preferential rates of Customs Duty on import. Section 8 of the Finance Act, 1919, which governs the admission of imported articles at preferential rates of duty, requires, as a condition of such admission, that the articles shall be shown to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of (Customs and Excise to have been both consigned from, and grown, produced or manufactured in, the British Empire.

also asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the new duty on artificial silk will be imposed only on products at present bearing that description, or whether products of a similar character, but manufactured by different processes and of different constituents, will also be liable to the duty?

:I would refer the hon. Member to the statement on this subject which the Chancellor of the Exchequer made in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Leith (Captain Benn) on the 11th May on Report from the Committee of Ways and Means.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that that statement was no statement at all, and that it really does not deal in the least with the matters raised in the question; in the interests of of trade will he answer the question?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue he estimates to lose through silk and artificial-silk articles being imported into this country free of duty on the persons or in the luggage of passengers entering the ports of this country?

:As it was never intended to tax articles bona fide worn by passengers arriving in this country, or reasonable quantities contained in personal luggage, I cannot agree that the estimates of yield will be affected.

:Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that every pound that the Exchequer loses owing to these articles being imported free of duty means at least £3 loss to the retail trade of this country, owing to people purchasing abroad instead of at home?

:Is it not the fact that nearly every other country takes this risk, and are we not, as a whole, a fairly honest people?

:The question on the Paper asks what we estimate we shall lose. The estimates were compiled on Board of Trade information, which necessarily had no means of taking into account articles worn on the person.

:But is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that when I put the question to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on Tuesday he stated that the Treasury had taken into full account all the loss that was contemplated in this way? I put this question to know what was the estimated loss.

:It is impossible for us to know the exact amount involved, because from the necessities of the case there are no returns available.

:Will it not be an incentive to people to buy their clothes abroad instead of buying them in London?

:Not more than in the case of other articles.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the estimated amounts of Income Tax and Super-tax, respectively, due by 31st March 1925, but not collected by that date, and what were the similar totals for 31st March 1924?

:I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Reading (Mr. H. Williams) on the 11th May. I am sending him a copy of that reply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is prepared to give such information, as is consistent with the public interest, of the source from which £1,600,000 in gold bare has recently entered this country?

:I have no special information on this matter.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the necessity of legislation to amend the Forged Transfers Acts, 1891 and 1892, making it compulsory for all limited companies to adopt them?

:I have been asked to reply. If my hon. and gallant Friend cares to let me have a statement of the grounds on which he bases his suggestion, I shall be glad to convey it to the Departmental Committee which is now considering the Companies Acts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, for the better protection of registered stockholders, he will consider making compulsory the adoption of the provisions of the Forged Transfers Acts, 1891 and 1892, in respect of Government stocks registered at the Bank of England?

:These Acts apply only to companies', local authorities' and Colonial stock, not to British Government stocks, and they are in any case permissive. I do not, however, think that the course suggested by the hon. and gallant Member, even if it were practicable, would confer any advantage upon the holders of Government stock, as quite special precautions are, in fact, taken against the registration of a forged transfer of Government stock.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of registered holders of War 5 per cent. Loan, 1929–47, and 3½ per cent. Conversion Loan, 1961, respectively, and the average amount of each holding?

:The number of accounts of registered 5 per cent. War stock is 2,885,707, and the total held is £1,706,992,709. There are 174,096 accounts of registered 3½ per cent. Conversion Loan, the total held is £669,260,139. In view of the size of particular holdings, e.g., by Government Funds, an average derived from these figures would be misleading: and it must be borne in mind that the number of accounts, which alone is available, is no safe guide to the number of individual holders.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total number and the total published prices of such of the non-Parliamentary publications published by His Majesty's Stationery Office in the year 1924 as would have been designated and issued as Parliamentary publications in the year 1914?

:A statement on these lines would be so largely a matter of opinion as, in my judgment, not to be worth the considerable clerical labour involved in preparing it. The main change since 1914 in the practice of classifying Government publications is that referred to in the Report of the Select Committee of Publications for 1923 and Appendix I of that Report contains a detailed statement on the subject which will, I hope, give the hon. Member substantially the information he desires.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to receive a deputation on this matter?

:I will consider any representations made.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has now received an intimation from the Middlesbrough Corporation that, having regard to the heavy capital liabilities already incurred by them on unemployment relief work and in view of the high local rates which are crippling industry, they cannot undertake any further schemes without an increase in the Government grant; and, seeing that there are nearly 9,000 unemployed in Middlesbrough out of a total population of 130,000, and the number is rapidly increasing, will he state what steps the Government propose to take in this matter?

:I have been asked to reply. The letter from the Middlesbrough Corporation to which the hon. Member refers, dealing with their financial position, has now been received. While I regret the degree of unemployment at Middlesbrough, I should add that during the present year the number of men on the Unemployed Register has not been rapidly increasing but has been practically stationary. I am afraid I cannot hold out any hope that it will be possible to offer more favourable rates of grant than those generally in operation.

:In coming to their decision had the Departments in mind that 40 per cent. of certain of the trades in the district were unemployed, and that the numbers of the unemployed this year must be thousands more than last year?

:At the time that the Minister of Health and I came to the decision we found that the figures of unemployment in Middlesbrough were very much the same as now.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the managers of Employment Exchanges have been instructed to pay the train or omnibus fares of those who live miles away from the Exchange and are in receipt of unemployment benefit; and, if not, will he reconsider his stated reason for not opening an Exchange on the ground that there are good transport facilities for those who live five or six miles away?

:No such instructions have been issued, and I have no authority to pay the travelling expenses of claimants for benefit living at a distance from a local office, except in certain cases where they are summoned to attend a court of referees or a local employment committee. Applicants living more than four miles from the nearest local office are not required to attend more frequently than once a week, and in these circumstances I do not think the existing arrangements can fairly be regarded as unreasonable.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that five and a-half miles from an Exchange is too far to expect people to walk there and back, and in many cases they are unable to do it, and does he not think even if transport facilities are available it is a very serious matter to put a tax of this kind on the small amount which they are getting in unemployment pay in order to pay their fares there and back?

:Of course it is always a balance between justice to the individual and expense to the State, but when it occurs only once a week I think on the whole the balance is in favour of the present system. In any case I have not the power to deal with it without legislation.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in Argyllshire some of those who are entitled to un-employment benefit have to travel over twenty miles, and the expense of transport there is so great that if they were to travel in order to "lift" the benefit, the expense would exceed the whole sum, and so they have to do without it in many cases where they are fully entitled to it?

:Perhaps my hon. and learned Friend will furnish me with details of those cases.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that exchange rates with Australia at present stand at a premium of 2°7 per cent. in favour of Australia as compared with 1°2 per cent. in April, 1924, and 'I per cent. in 1923; and whether the Government are taking any steps to correct this handicap to British traders dealing with Australia?

:The hon. Member is under a misapprehension. The exchange on Australia was brought within a fraction of parity a few days after this country returned to the gold standard, and the premium on Australian pounds is now only ¼ to ¾ per cent. for cable transfers.

asked the Financial Secretary of the Treasury whether in next year's Estimates the salaries proposed to be paid to each civil servant, or group of civil servants, can be shown in actual amounts instead of in basic amounts with the amount of bonus being shown in a lump sum?

:In view of the somewhat complicated nature of the bonus scale and its liability to variation with the cost of living figure, I see some difficulty in this proposal, but the suggestion has been noted and will be carefully considered before next year's Estimates are compiled.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that before the War examinations in open competition for inspectorships of taxes were held at various centres, including Glasgow and Edinburgh; that all candidates are now examined in London, thus involving-Scottish candidates in considerable travelling and lodging expenses; and that these examinations are held at the same time as the university graduation ceremonies, thus preventing Scottish university candidates from being capped: and if he will see that the pre-War examination arrangements are restored?

:The conditions of the examination for Assistant Inspectors of Taxes have been altered considerably since the War. Its duration is longer, and it involves interview before a board as well as oral tests. In these circumstances, it is now impracticable to conduct it at more than one centre. The present date has been selected as being the one most generally suitable for eligible candidates. It comes at the end of the academic year and avoids University examinations and the open competitive examination for administrative posts in the home and Indian Civil Service.

:Would it not be possible to set up a satisfactory interviewing board in Edinburgh on the lines previously adopted?

:I will inquire into that.

:Is the right hon. Gentleman quite satisfied that this practice will not play into the hands of pupils of the Universities? Is he quite satisfied that it is fair that candidates who may have to come long distances from all over the country should be so heavily penalised against candidates who reside in the neighbourhood of London?

:In answer to the first part of the question, it is obviously impossible to hold these examinations all over the country.

:They did it before the War.