asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the lack of post office facilities at Wands-worth, as illustrated by an instance last week when a, telegram addressed Wands-worth Borough Council, Wandsworth, S.W.18, received by the General Poet Office, King Edward Street, E.G., at 8.8. p.m. on Thursday, 18th June, was not delivered at the Wandsworth Council's offices until after midday on Saturday, 20th June, nearly 48 hours after its arrival in the City; and if he will take action with a view to improving the existing facilities in that district?

I am not aware that the post office facilities at Wands-worth are insufficient for public requirements, but in any case this question can possess no bearing upon the incident referred to by the hon. Member. If any telegram were delayed as stated there must have been some accident or irregularity in treatment, and I shall be glad to investigate the matter if the hon. Member will let me have the delivered copy and envelope.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether, seeing that co-operative societies do not pay Income Tax on their annual profits, he will initiate legislation to the effect that they shall be brought into the ambit of taxation in view of the fact that a large percentage of the customers of such cooperative societies are not shareholders?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply which I gave on this subject to my hon. Friend, the Member for Brighton (Mr. Rawson) on the 26th March last. I am sending him a copy of that reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what charge, if any, is made against the Governments of India or Iraq for training costs and gratuity liability in respect of short-service commissioned flying officers employed in those countries; and what is the estimated average cost of such training and gratuity expenditure?

The cost of the Royal Air Force in Iraq is chargeable to Imperial Funds and no recovery is effected, therefore, from the Iraq Government in respect of the cost of the items referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend. As regards India, the per capita contribution towards the cost of training, etc., of the Royal Air Force supplied for the Indian Establishment and for non-effective services has not yet been fixed, and is at present under investigation. Advances on account are being made in the mean- while. It is not possible at present, therefore, to state the amount which the Indian Government will eventually contribute in respect of these services.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, how many short-service commissions in the Royal Air Force have been granted; how many officers holding such commissions have been granted permanent commissions; how many, in addition, are still serving on the active list, and how many are on the Reserve of Air Force Officers and qualified and fit for pilot duties?

The answer to the first part of the question is 2098; to the second, 408; and to the third part 1191. These figures include commissions granted in all branches of the Service. As regards the last part, the number of officers in the Reserve who previously held short-service commissions and are qualified and fit for pilot duties is 127, of whom 82 are in regular flying practice and immediately available.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether it is still intended to undertake a flight from the Sudan to

Name of Local Authority. Number of houses built during year ended 31st March, 1923. 31st March, 1924. 31st March, 1925. County Boroughs: Darlington … … 125 35 334 Gateshead … … 70 30 71 South Shields … … 319 217 256 Sunderland … … 18 56 258 West Hartlepool … … 125 27 93 Boroughs and Urban Districts: Annfield Plain … … 81 — 17 Barnard Castle … … — — 5 Benfieldside … … 54 — 3 Billingham … … — — 8 Bishop Auckland … … — — 3 Blaydon … … 35 142 67 Brandon and Byshottles … … 225 40 — Chester-le-Street … … 108 10 119 Consett … … 51 — 30 Crook … … 180 — 9 Durham Borough … … 58 — 2 Felling … … 37 36 28 Hartlepool Borough … … 45 6 6 Hebburn … … 178 42 11

Lake Chad; what is the estimated cost of the flight; and if it is intended to maintain permanent flight facilities along the route?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, it is not possible as yet to give a close estimate of the cost of the flight. As regards the last part, the only permanent flight facilities which will be maintained are those already in existence in the Sudan.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built by each local authority in the county of Durham during the last three years, and on how many the subsidy has been paid each year?

The following statement shows the numbers of houses built by each local authority or by private enterprise, with the aid of subsidy, from the local authority, in the county of Durham during the three years ended 31st March, 1923, 1924 and 1925, in respect of which annual payments of subsidy have been or will be made under the terms of the respective Housing Acts under which houses were approved:

Name of Local Authority. Number of houses built during year ended 31st March, 1923. 31st March, 1924. 31st March, 1925. Boroughs and Urban Districts: —cont. Hetton … … 39 1 53 Houghton-le-Spring … … 24 14 51 Jarrow Borough … … 134 2 38 Leadgate … … 32 1 136 Ryton … … 14 36 32 Seaham Harbour … … 3 2 108 Shildon … … 110 — 8 Southwick-on-Wear … … 48 — 1 Spennymoor … … — — — Stanhope … … — — — Stanley … … 71 30 44 Stockton-on-Tees Borough … … 21 110 98 Tanfield … … — 8 8 Tow Law … … — — — Whickham … … 60 4 107 Willington … … 30 — 30 Washington (formerly a parish in Chester-le-Street Rural District). — 1 90 Rural Districts : Auckland … … 64 — 65 Barnard Castle … … — — 4 Chester-le-Street … … 420 38 119 Darlington … … — — 28 Durham … … 186 2 79 Easington … … 252 156 678 Hartlepool … … — — — Houghton-le-Spring … … 38 11 95 Lanchester … … 50 47 216 Sedgefield … … 4 10 88 South Shields … … 50 56 91 Stockton … … — — — Sunderland … … 162 2 39 Weardale … … — — — 3,521 1,172 3,626

asked the Minister of Health the number of mothers who obtained the assistance of a doctor or trained midwife in the borough of Southwark in their confinements from the guardians or local authorities in the years 1923 and 1924; the number of expectant and nursing mothers to whom the above bodies gave milk or other suitable food in the same years, and what quantities were given in each case; the number of cases in which applications were wholly or partially refused; if there are any women relieving officers and, if so, how many, in this borough to receive applications from mothers and expectant mothers?

As regards the first part of the question, I am in- formed that the guardians dealt with 167 confinements at their Newington institution and 14 at their Southwark hospital in 1923. In 1924 the figures were 150 and 18, respectively. The borough council do not provide the assistance of doctors or midwives for confinements, but the London County Council received notice that the aid of doctors was sought by midwives under Section 14 of the Midwives Act, 1918, in 363 cases in Southwark during 1923, and in 398 cases during 1924. As regards the second part, I am informed that the guardians have no separate statistics or records available to show the number of expectant and nursing mothers who received outdoor relief, or whose applications were otherwise dealt with, in the years mentioned. The borough council supplied milk or other food in 984 cases during 1923, and in 961 cases during 1924. The quantities supplied varied according to necessity, the minimum being one pint of milk per day or a dinner each day. Applications were refused in three cases during 1923 and in two cases during 1924, the ground for refusal being that the income of the family was in excess of that laid down in the council's scale for necessitous persons. There is one woman general relieving officer in Southwark, who is principally concerned with the parents of chargeable children. All applications for relief are in the first instance made to the relieving officers in the several districts.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared to consider the advisability of making provision under the National Health Insurance Act so that general practitioners attending cases of childbirth may have consultation with, or assistance from, a brother practitioner when necessity arises, in order that every endeavour may be made for the safety of both the mother and child?

Under the existing Acts attendance at confinements is not included within the scope of medical benefit. The question of providing a maternity service under the National Insurance Acts has been brought to the notice of the Royal Commission, and pending their Report I am not prepared to take any steps in the direction suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health what percentage of cattle and sheep are found to be tuberculous when slaughtered for food, giving the percentage separately for bullocks, cows, and, heifers?

I regret that I cannot give the figures for the whole of the country. The figures supplied by the Medical Officer of Health for the City of London as regards the Aldgate slaughterhouses (figures which are probably somewhat below the average for the whole country) are as follow: 1923. 1924. Number of bovine animals slaughtered 38,817 40,058

Percentage found to be tuberculous: 1923. 1924. All bovines 0.34 0.45 Bulls 2.40 4.40 Calves 0.04 0.04 Cows 25.45 28.00 Heifers 11.11 3.10 Oxen 1.20 2.00

Tuberculosis is scarcely ever found in sheep slaughtered for food.

asked the Minister of Health, whether he is aware that Edward Griffiths, an Erith boy, was recently drowned in 3 feet 6 inches of water at the local public baths; will he state whether the local authority in question had made provision for a bathing attendant to be stationed at the baths in order to prevent such accidents; and, if not, will he make representations to the local authority concerned, pointing out the advisability of such action being taken?

My attention has been drawn to this sad occurrence. On inquiry, I am informed that the whole of the staff was on duty at the baths on the occasion, and the coroner's jury expressed their view that no blame attached to them.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of any increase in the number of deaths from ptomaine poisoning, following the eating of tinned foods; and whether the recommendations contained in the Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Impure Foods are to be carried into effect?

The number of deaths reported as due to ptomaine poisoning during the five years 1920 to 1924 was 32, 48, 22, 21 and 16, respectively. It is not possible to state in how many of these cases the poisoning was due to the eating of tinned foods, but the numbers can only be a small fraction of the totals already given. A draft of Regulations to give effect to the principal recommendations of the Departmental Committee on Preservatives and Colour- ing Matters in Foods has been published, and I am now considering the form in which the Regulations shall be finally made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the price of beef, mutton, bacon, flour, milk and butter for

Commodity. Quality. Average price March, 1925. Average price week ending 24th June, 1995 Beef — s. d. s. d. English per lb. 1 10⅛ 10⅝ English per lb. 2 9⅛ 9½ Argentine— Chilled Hind quarters per lb. 1 7⅝ 6¾ Chilled Fore quarters per lb. 1 5⅝ 3¼ Frozen Hind quarters per lb. 1 6⅛ 5⅜ Frozen Fore quarters per lb. 1 5⅛ 3¼ Australian— Frozen Hind quarters per lb. 1 6 5⅛ Frozen Fore quarters per lb. 1 4⅞ 3⅛ Mutton — English per lb. 1 1 3¼ 1 2⅞ English per lb. 2 1 1¾ 1 0⅝ New Zealand Frozen per lb. 1 8⅝ 8¾ Bacon — Wiltshire Green per cwt. 1 138 0 135 0 Wiltshire Green per cwt. 2 130 0 129 0 Irish Green per cwt. 1 134 0 136 0 Irish Green per cwt. 2 127 0 129 0 American Green Sides per cwt. 1 97 0 104 0 American Green Sides per cwt. 2 90 0 100 0 Danish Green Sides per cwt. 1 118 0 122 6 Danish Green Sides per cwt. 2 113 6 119 6 Flour per 280 lbs — 55 0 49 0* Milk — (Average contract price of milk de-per gall. livered London, Birmingham and Manchester.) — 1 6¼ 11⅝ Butter — British per 12 lbs. 1 24 9 19 9 British Per 12 lbs. 2 22 6 18 6 Danish per cwt. 1 232 6 198 6 Danish per cwt. 2 228 0 196 0 New Zealand per cwt. 1 183 0 186 6 New Zealand per cwt. 2 176 0 177 6 * Price on 25th June.

It will be seen that in most cases prices are now lower than during March last. The only appreciable increases are those for English beef and imported bacon. English beef is usually dearer about midsummer than at any other time of the year, as fat cattle are then comparatively

the month of March and the present price; and if there is an increase, if he can state any economic reason for the advance in the price?

I have been asked to reply. The wholesale prices of the commodities specified in the hon. and gallant Member's question in March, 1925, and in the week ending 24th June, 1925, respectively, were as follow:

scarce owing to the fact that stall fed animals are becoming very scarce and that few grass fed beasts are ready for the market. The increase in prices of Danish and American bacon appears to be due to smaller imports.