asked the Minister of Labour if he will give a detailed analysis of the total of 7,827 unemployed attributed to lack of work in respect of entertainment and sports?

I regret that, without making a special inquiry at all Employment Exchanges in the country, I could not provide a detailed analysis of this figure.

asked the Minister of Labour in what industries unemployment is at present increasing; and to what he attributes these increases?

The principal industries in which there have been marked increases of unemployment in the last few months are coal-mining, woollen and worsted, and canal, river, dock and harbour service. The reasons for these increases cannot be adequately discussed within the limits of a Parliamentary answer.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the sum expended on training ex-service men under Government schemes?

The sum expended on training ex-service men under Government schemes was approximately £38,700,000 to 31st March, 1925, excluding the cost of concurrent treatment-training provided by the Ministry of Pensions.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that serving soldiers are being employed as supers at Covent Garden at sums varying from 3s. 6d. to 5s. a day; is he aware of the large number of ex-service men who are both able and willing to fill these posts; and will he cause inquiries to be made so as to give as much employment as possible to ex-service men?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer given by the Secretary of State for War on the 15th June, 1925, to a question on the same subject by the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Colonel Day).

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, seeing that the terms of service of records clerks have been subject to an award to take effect from 1st April, 1924, he can give an assurance that this scheme will be put into active operation forthwith at all stations, including the Royal Air Force record and pay office, Royal Dockyard, Woolwich?

Before the scheme of reorganisation can be put into operation, it is necessary to decide the permanent establishment of each office, and this is now being done. Any arrears of pay due to those who are absorbed in the new organisation will be paid as from the 1st April, 1924. There is no Royal Air Force Pay and Record Office at Woolwich, and I presume the hon. and gallant Member refers to the Royal Artillery Pay and Record Office, the permanent establishment of which is being considered with that of the other Pay and Record Offices.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that in the first week of May, 1921, the Imperial War Graves Commission obtained a clue to the identity of the body of Lieutenant A. R., of the 7th Durham Light Infantry, killed near Ypres on 24th May, 1915, in the shape of an inscribed matchbox found in his tunic; that the Commission made no inquiry as to the inscription until the end of April, 1925; that the father of this officer was consequently kept in ignorance of these facts until 16th May, 1925 (reference YP /50,427); that the only excuse given has been pressure of work in connection with identifications; and if he will take steps to avoid such delay in future cases by seeing that this Commission is adequately and efficiently staffed?

I have made careful inquiry into this matter. The inscribed matchbox was received at the Headquarters of the Imperial War Graves Commission in London in May, 1921, but the number of articles received from the battlefields at that time was so great that only those articles of which the ownership had already been established could be transmitted immediately to the next of kin. The system adopted by the Commission for dealing with the remainder has been to investigate first those connected with cemeteries in which headstones are shortly to be erected. The examination of effects connected with the cemetery in which this officer was buried did not commence till April last, and the identification of the former owner of the matchbox was taken up shortly after the commencement of the examination. I sympathise with the feelings of the relatives of fallen officers and soldiers, at having to wait so long before the task of examining all the unidentified effects recovered from the battlefields is completed; but it must be remembered that, although in this particular case it proved a simple matter to trace the ownership of the article, in a great number of the cases the investigations are very difficult, and I am advised that the addition of untrained staff would delay, instead of expediting, progress of the work at this stage. I would emphasise the fact that the delay in this case was not due to any want of care or consideration on the part of any officer of the Imperial War Graves Commission, but arose entirely from the necessity for dealing systematically with the mass of effects received from the battlefields.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of German warships salvaged; the tonnage sold as scrap and manufactured for sale; and the average price per ton received by the Government and to whom was it sold?

I have been asked to reply. The answer to the first part of the question is 17 destroyers. With regard to the remaining parts of the question, these ships were sold as they lie for an inclusive price, and we have no information as to the quantity and value of the scrap sold by the firms who bought the ships.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will cause an inquiry to be made into the differential charges made for the transport of British produce, as compared with Continental produce imported into this country, as illustrated by the following comparisons of charges for the transport of bacon: from Copenhagen, via Hull or Goole, to Manchester, 54s. 11d. per ton; from Esbjerg, via Grimsby, to Manchester, 48s. 11d. per ton; from Elms-well, St. Edmondsbury, to Manchester, 50s. 6d. per ton; and from Tralee to Manchester, 72s. per ton?

I would remind the hon. Member that the Railway and Canal Commissioners have jurisdiction in regard to complaints as to undue preference by railway companies. Section 27 of the Railway and Canal Traffic Act, 1888, provides that no railway company shall make, nor shall the Commissioners sanction, any difference in the charges for or in the treatment of home and foreign merchandise in respect of the same or similar services. I am informed that, so far as the British railways are concerned, there are no through rates in force from Copenhagen or Esbjerg to Manchester, and that any through rates quoted for the steamship companies via the Humber ports would be made up of their charges plus the railway rate from the port.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position to furnish the following desired particulars as to old age pensions, namely, particulars as to the year ended 31st March, 1925: total amount paid in pensions; the total cost of administration; the total number of pensions actually payable on the first Friday in March, 1925, stating those for men and those for women separately in both cases; the number of pensions paid at the varying rates of 10s., 9s., 8s., 7s., 6s., 5s., 4s., 3s., 2s., and 1s.; the number of applications for pensions; the number of applications rejected, giving various causes of rejection, age, poor relief, means, and other causes; the number of pensioners of whose deaths notifications have reached the office of the pension officers during the year ended as above; the number of paupers over 70 years of age in England, Scotland, and Wales, and the institutions, stating the average cost per head per annum; the number of paupers over 70 years of age in receipt of outdoor relief, stating the average cost per head per annum of men and women separately in both cases; the average weekly cost of a convict in penal servitude and a prisoner in ordinary prisons for the year ended as above; and the number of persons over 70 years of age in prisons and penal servitude during the year ended as above?

The particulars desired by the hon. Member, as far as they are available, are as follow: Old Age Pensions. (The figures are for Great Britain and for the year ended 31st March, 1925.) £ (1) Total amount paid in pensions: Approximately 24,904,000 (2) Total cost of administration: Expenses of Pension Committees, approximately 66,200 Expenses of administration by Government Departments concerned, estimated at 756,642

(See Note to Estimates, Civil Service, Class VI, Vote 3, 1924–25.)

Total number of pensions actually payable on the last Friday in March, 1925: Men 370,809 Women 639,875 Total 1,010,684

(4) Number of pensions payable at the various rates on last Friday in March, 1925: s. d. 986,843 at 10 0 rate. 7,190 at 8 0 rate. 6,395 at 6 0 rate. 71 at 5 0 rate. 5,759 at 4 0 rate. 7 at 3 0 rate. 3,508 at 1 0 rate. 911 at 1 0 rate. 1,010,684

(5) Number of applications for pensions, 246,759.

(6) Number of applications rejected. The only figures available are the combined figures of claims rejected and pensions revoked, which are as follows: Age 8,055 Poor Relief 13,215 Means 19,272 Other causes 2,043

— Institutional Relief. Domiciliary Relief. Totals. (i) Total number of persons (all ages) 224,128 886,825 1,110,953 (ii) Number of persons over 70 years of age (included in (i) above). 44,475 45,064 89,539 (iii) Number of old age pensioners (included in (ii) above) 3,535 42,852 46,387

Average weekly cost of Poor Law relief in England and Wales in the financial year 1923–24: (i) Average cost of institutional relief (other than relief to lunatics in asylums) per person in receipt of such relief 25s. 6¼d. (ii) Average cost of domiciliary relief per person in receipt of such relief 5s. 11¼d.

These averages cover the same items and are subject to the same qualifications as those previously furnished for the year 1918–19 and earlier years, and set out on page 148 of Part III of the First Annual Report of the Minister of Health (Command Paper 932) except that, in view of the wide fluctuations of pauperism, the figures have been calculated on the average weekly numbers in receipt of relief instead of on a mean of the number on two dates (1st July and 1st January). It has not been found practicable to state

— Males. Females. Dependants. Total. Sane Poor — In Poorhouses— Ordinary 6,952 4,139 529 11,620 Destitute Able-bodied Unemployed 199 27 113 339 Outdoor— Ordinary 14,371 31,885 51,745 98,001 Destitute Able-bodied Unemployed 26,224 3,572 71,777 101,573 Other than Sane Poor— In Licensed Wards of Poorhouses and Greenock Parochial Asylum. 653 573 — 1,226 In Asylums 6,823 6,780 — 13,603 In Private Dwellings 1,202 1,455 — 2,657

The average weekly cost of all sane paupers and dependants for 1923–24 on the basis of the number chargeable (other than destitute able-bodied) at 16th May, 1924, was:

(7) Number of pensioners of whose death information reached the pension officers, 97,956.

(8) and (9) Paupers in Institutions and in Receipt of Outdoor Relief.

(a) England and Wales.

Number of persons (other than lunatics in asylums) in receipt of Poor Law relief in England and Wales on the 1st January, 1925:

the average cost per head for men and women separately.

(b) Scotland.

No figures are available for Scotland as to the number of persons admitted to poorhouses who were in receipt of Old-Age Pensions whilst inmates thereof, nor of those who were in receipt of Old Age Pensions up to the date of admission.

The number of paupers and dependants of all classes in Scotland at 15th May, 1924 (the latest date for which figures are available) was:—

£ s. d. Indoor 1 0 6 Outdoor 0 6 9

These average costs are exclusive of general administrative charges. Indoor cost includes cost of maintenance, management, debt charges, etc., of poor-house. Outdoor cost includes aliment, additional aliment (namely, clothing,

— Males. Females. Dependants. Total. 15th September, 1924— In Poorhouses … … … … 1,290 1,104 8 2,402 Outdoor … … … … 1,668 3,703 375 5,746 15th January, 1925— In Poorhouses … … … … 1,272 1,072 11 2,355 Outdoor … … … … 1,783 3,781 398 5,962

The outdoor poor include Old Age Pensioners as follows:— — Males. Females. Dependants. Total. At 15th September, 1924 … … … 1,256 2,770 272 4,298 At 15th January, 1925 … … … 1,388 2,898 287 4,573

There were also lunatic poor of 70 years of age and upwards who cannot be allocated between indoor and outdoor.

— Males. Females. Total. At 15th September, 1924. 456 781 1,237 At 15th January, 1925. 449 756 1,205

(10) Cost of Maintenance of Convicts and Local Prisoners.

(a) England and Wales

The latest available figures are for the year 1923–24 and are as follows: Convicts: £ s. d. Gross cost 1 19 8 Net cost after deducting value of labour and incidental receipts 1 6 2 Local prisoners: Gross cost 1 9 7 Net cost after deducting value of labour and incidental receipts 1 0 1

(b) Scotland

The latest available figures are for the year ended 31st December, 1924, and are as follows:

boots, fuel, etc.), removals, interments and medical charges.

The number of sane paupers and dependants in Scotland over 70 at 15th September, 1924, and 15th January, 1925, was:

£ s. d. Per Week. Convicts: 1 11 7 Local prisoners 1 5 7

(11) Persons Over 70 Tears of Age in Prison.

(a) England and Wales

The total number of convicted persons received into prisons during the year ended 31st March, 1924 (including Those sentenced to penal servitude) who were 70 years of age and over was 267 men and 73 women. There is no information readily available showing how many of these were sentenced to penal servitude.

(b) Scotland

During the year ended 31st March, 1925, 57 persons (48 males and nine females) over 70 years of age were confined to prisons, of whom 41 males and nine females were convicted; six males were untried, and one male was in penal servitude.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of credits the Government has advanced to the Government of Portugal since 1914; and if any interest is being paid on the debt?

The total amount of credits advanced by the British Government to the Portuguese Government between the outbreak of War and 30th June, 1919 (since when no fresh advances have been made), is £15,010,000. Interest as it accrues has up to the present been added to the capital of the debt, and the total amount of the debt as on 30th June, 1925, is £22,678,000. No payment is being made in cash.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give any particulars of a German Budget proposal to compensate those who have lost property as a consequence of the recent currency inflationist period in Germany; and if he has received a Report on the subject from the Reparations Commission?

No provision is made in the German Budget, so far as I am aware, for compensation for losses due to the depreciation of German currency generally, but provision is made in the Budget for 1925–26 for the payment of 40 million marks to necessitous holders of German War Loans who were original subscribers to the loans. I understand that the Reparation Commission is following the question closely, but it has not issued any special Report on the matter to the Governments represented on it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reduction in importation of the commodities affected he anticipates during the first 12 months of the operation of the import duties imposed in the Finance Bill?

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already stated in Debate, a reduction in consumption of 10 per cent. as compared with the year 1924 was assumed in the case of the Silk Duties in framing the estimates of Revenue for the first full year of opera- tion. As regards the McKenna Duties, the estimated yield for the first full year was based upon the experience of the most recent years during which they were in force. The corresponding estimate of the Lace Duty allowed for practically no reduction as compared with the recorded imports for 1924, which were known to be incomplete. As importations pf hops in recent years have been controlled, they had no bearing upon the estimates of the Hop Duty.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in valuing small holdings for Estate Duty, the valuation is based upon the agricultural value of each holding as a small holding or on what each field might be expected to fetch if sold separately as accommodation land or building sites?

In cases where the net value of the estate does not exceed £1,000 the principal value of agricultural property, where no part of the principal value is due to the expectation of an increased income from such property is limited to 25 times the net Schedule A assessment. In other cases the principal value for Estate Duty is based on the market value of the property which may or may not exceed its agricultural value.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many gallons of petrol were consumed in this country in 1924; and what was the actual sum received for motor taxation during the same year?

I have been asked to reply. There is is no reliable information as to the actual consumption of motor spirit in this country. The Board of Trade Returns show that the imports of motor spirit for the calendar year 1924 were 422,310,541 gallons and the re-exports 43,104,491 gallons. In these figures no account is taken of the production of home refineries. The gross Revenue from motor taxation during the same calendar year was £15,388,476. As the hon. Member is aware, this sum is subject to certain prior statutory charges and does not represent the amount available for grants.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the fact that motorists passing through large towns in the provinces have great difficulty in finding their way through the same to the main roads owing to lack of signposts, and will he take this matter up with the various highway authorities for ihe purpose of getting them to erect suitable signposts directing traffic along the main roads through the principal towns?

I share the hon. and gallant Member's anxiety that all important routes should be adequately sign-posted, and, thanks very largely to the financial assistance given by my Department, considerable progress has already been made in this direction. I shall continue, as in the past, to encourage local authorities to improve and extend the sign-posting in their areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any personnel of the British delegation of the Inter-Allied Military Commission of Control in Austria and Hungary is still employed in those countries; and, if so, how long is such employment likely to continue?

The total British personnel employed on (1) the Organ of Liquidation in Austria is four, including one officer, and on (2) the Commission of Control in Hungary is four, including two officers. As regards the second part of the question, the Report of the Organ of Liquidation on the recent general inspection in Austria is shortly to be considered by the Ambassadors' Conference. While I shall not attempt to anticipate the decisions that may be taken after a full consideration of this Report, I am given to understand that there are only a few outstanding matters requiring settlement and that, given good will on the part of the Austrian Government, the early withdrawal of inter-Allied control can be contemplated. I regret that owing largely to the lack of co-operation on the part of the Hungarian authorities similar progress has not been made as regards the execution of the military clauses of the Treaty of Trianon, and that it is not possible at the present juncture to estimate how long Allied control will have to be maintained. Obviously the date of its withdrawal is dependent on the future attitude of the Hungarian Government itself.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities which have built or are now building houses under the 1924 Housing Act; the number of houses sanctioned under that Act; and the weekly rents charged, exclusive of local rates, for such houses?

459 local authorities in England and Wales have so far received approval to schemes under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, the number of houses authorised being 61,484 —59,947 to be erected by the local authorities and 1,537 by private enterprise. Of these 4,428 had been completed by local authorities and 33 by private enterprise on the 1st June; and 15,855 and 184 respectively were under construction at that date. I am advised that in general the rents charged approximate to the rents of houses erected under the Housing, Etc., Act, 1923.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether, before he sold 200 houses on the Wragby Road Estate, Lincoln, for an average price of £312 10s. per house to Provincial Garden Cities, Limited, any opportunity was given to the Lincoln City Council or to the tenants to purchase these houses at £312 10s. or any price under £400; and whether he is aware that these houses are now being re-sold to the tenants at approximately £500?

As regards the first part of the question, the price at which the Wragby Road Estate was sold is practically correct. It was understood from previous negotiations that the Lincoln City Council did not wish to purchase the property; and as regards the sale price of individual houses, the Department is fully aware that for such occasional sales of houses with possession a much higher average price can be obtained than for the sale of a whole estate, with the attendant risks and costs of management.

asked the Minister of Health whether the recommendations of the ambulance committee of King Edward's Hospital Fund have received his consideration; and whether he proposes to give effect to them?

So far as these recommendations can be dealt with by administrative action, they have been put into operation. So far as they require legislation, I fear that they must await the general measure of Poor Law reform which I have in contemplation.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied as to the effect in practice of the recommendations of the sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence published in 1923 on the relations between the Navy and the Air Force; and, if not, whether he will call for a review of the organisation of the co-ordination of the three defence services with a view to obtaining a definite measure of improvement in economy and efficiency?

The answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The second part therefore does not arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department how many trained nurses or trained staff, either men or women, are employed at the ambulance stations of the British Empire Exhibition, and what their remuneration is, respectively; who is responsible for engaging them; how many voluntary or semi-trained men and women are employed in this ambulance or first-aid work; what is their remuneration or out-of-pocket expenses, and by whom are these amounts paid; and how many hours each respective class is expected to be on duty?

I am informed by the British Empire Exhibition authorities that the following trained staff are employed at the ambulance stations of the Exhibition at the rate indicated: Per week. £ s. d. I wardmaster and dispenser at 5 5 0 I assistant and dispenser at 4 4 0 I matron at 4 4 0 I sister at 3 3 0

I understand that the wardmaster and the assistant were engaged by the Exhibition authorities, and the matron and sister by the joint committee of St. John's Ambulance and the British Red Cross Society, and that they work eight hours a day. The following semi-trained voluntary workers are also employed: 12 nurses, 45 orderlies, who are provided by the above-mentioned societies alternately, a month at a time. I am informed that they work on five hour shifts, and receive an allowance of 2s. 6d. each per shift for expenses, which is paid by the Exhibition authorities. In addition to the above-mentioned staff, there are three qualified medical practitioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether progress is being made with the preparations for a flight from North Africa to Cape Town; how many, and which, of the landing grounds employed on previous nights on the route are to be reconditioned for this flight; what is the estimated cost of such reconditioning; and what was the estimated annual cost to the Treasury of maintaining those landing grounds at the time of the last flight made?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second and third parts the arrangements are not sufficiently advanced to state how many and which of the previous landing grounds will De used, but it is anticipated that the cost of clearing away scrub and the like will be small. The last part of the question cannot be answered until it is known which landing grounds are concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give the cost incurred in reconditioning the R 33 prior to April last; for these experimental purposes, what was the cost of one charge of hydrogen gas; the cost, including fittings, of the scientific instruments on the airship; the cost of civilian labour employed in getting the airship out of her base at Cardington on 2nd April last and finally into the hangar at Pulham on 17th April; and the cost of repairing the mast at Pulham?

The answer to the first part of the question is £28,800; to the second, approximately, £1,000; and to the third, £521. As regards the fourth part of the question, the cost of the civilian labour for the two operations referred to was £66 and £193 respectively, the latter sum including payment of a party which stood by for part of the night. As regards the last part of the question, as the repairs have not yet been carried out and as they may embody various improvements which are under consideration, it is not possible to state the cost involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what service is being performed by the existing British airship fleet (excluding the R 33 now under repair); what voyages have been undertaken since 1921 by the R 37, R 80, L 64, and L 71; what was the original cost of the R vessels, R 33, R 34, R 35, R 36, R 37, and R 38; by whom were these airships constructed; and what is the total mileage of the flights of each airship?

As regards the first part of the question, the only airships in existence are the R 33 and R 36: these two airships are being reconditioned for aerodynamic and semi-tropical trials in connection with the airship programme. As regards the second part, no voyages have been undertaken by the airships referred to since 1921, flying operations by airships having been suspended in that year. As regards the third part, the approximate cost of the R 33, R 34, and R 36 was £350,000 each. The R 35 and R 37 were not completed, and the approximate expenditure upon them was £75,000 and £325,000 respectively. The cost of the R 38 was chargeable in part to the American Government, and exchange fluctuations make it difficult to give a figure, but the cost may be taken as approximately £500,000. As regards the fourth part of the question, the R 33 and R 35 were constructed by Messrs. Armstrong, the R 34 and R 36 by Messrs. Beardmore, the R 37 by Messrs. Short Bros, and the Royal Airship Works, Cardington, and the R 38 by the Royal Airship Works, Cardington. As regards the last part, the hours flown by R 33, R 34, R 36, and R 38 were 800, 500, 97, and 70 respectively. No flying was done by the R 35 and R 37.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the reason for the Greenock magistrates forbidding a street procession under the auspices of the Young Communist Pioneers, although permission has been granted to other organisations to demonstrate?

I am informed that permission to hold a street procession was refused by the magistrates to the Young Communist Pioneers because they considered as a result of previous experience that it was not desirable in the public interest to grant such permission. The matter is one entirely in the discretion of the magistrates.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he will cause inquiries to be made as to the method in which the police dispersed the procession of the Greenock Young Pioneers on 14th June, and as to the circumstances under which Messrs. Murphy and Springhall were arrested?

I have received a report from the Chief Constable regarding the incidents referred to by the hon. Member. As legal proceedings are at present pending in connection with the arrests made on the 14th instant, I do not consider that I would be justified in making any statement on the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Education the approximate numbers of boys and girls who are attending elementary, secondary, and other schools, respectively, in the constituency of Penistone; and what is the number of boys and girls who are in their fourteenth year of age?

The number of pupils attending grant-aided elementary, secondary and technical schools situated in the constituency of Penistone, in 1924, was as follows: Elementary schools (on 31st March, 1924). Total numbers: Boys 5,772 Girls 5,659 Total 11,431

Total aged 13 and under 14: Boys 538 Girls 557 Total 1,095

Secondary school — The Penistone Grammar School (on 31st March, 1924).

Total numbers: Boys 152 Girls 139 Total 291

Total aged 13 and under 14: Boys 32 Girls 27 Total 59

Technical, etc., schools (pupils up to the age of 18): Total numbers: Boys 411 Girls 218 Total 629

Total aged 13 and under 14; Boys 1 Girls 3 Total 4

The above figures for technical, etc., schools include all students who attended at any time during the school year, 1923–24.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he can provide a comparative table for last year of the size of classes, arranged in numbers of, say, under 30, 40, 50, 60, and over, in elementary schools of France, Germany, and Great Britain, and also a list of the subjects taught?

England and Wales. —The latest complete figures available are those for the year 1922–23, which are as follow: Number of classes classified according to size. (Number on registers.) Under 20 11,088 20 and under 30 26,159 30 and under 40 39,181 40 and under 50 41,064 50 and under 60 27,166 60 and over 4,022 Total 148,680

As regards the subjects taught, I would refer the hon. Member to Chapter I of the Code of Regulations for Public Elementary Schools.

Scotland. —For similar information with regard to Scotland, I must refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland.

Germany. —The latest information at my disposal relates to Prussia and Bavaria, and is as follows: Prussia (1921). Total number of classes in public elementary schools=123,210. 30 and under 16,481 31–40 29,721 41–50 40,011 51–60 24,332 61–70 9,461 Over 70 3,204

Bavaria (1922). Total number of classes in public elementary schools=20,999. 30 and under 1,755 31–40 4,047 41–50 5,934 51–60 4,380 61–70 2,539 Over 70 2,344

The curriculum of the Prussian elementary schools includes: Religion, the mother tongue; reading and writing; arithmetic, geometry and drawing; history and geography; needlework for girls; a variety of other subjects is taught in some schools. The curricula of Bavarian elementary schools are generally similar.

France. —Corresponding statistics for France do not appear to be published by the French Ministry of Public Instruction.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received memorials from the Institution of Electrical Engineers, the Institution of Chemical Engineers, and the Institute of Chemistry praying that the decision shortly to close the Finsbury Technical College may be reconsidered; and whether he can see his way to have the whole question reopened?

My right hon. Friend has received letters from the bodies mentioned, but he has nothing to add to the answer he gave the hon. Member on the 7th April last.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many claims for compensation under Section 3 of the School Teachers' Superanuation Act, 1922, have been received by his Department; whether any awards have yet been made; and, if not, when it will be possible to give a decision?

Two hundred and eighty-nine claims have been received, all from teachers serving under the same authority; seven of these claims have been withdrawn. No awards of compensation have yet been made. As regards the last part of the question, my right hon. Friend is unable to say when the Government Actuary's reports, on which the Board is directed by statute to act, will be ready, but he hopes that they will be available shortly.

asked the Under-secretary of State for India whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction existing among the Parsis of one 11th and 12th battalions, 2nd Bombay Pioneers, Indian Territorial Force, owing chiefly to their deprivation of the full British status enjoyed by them since their formation in 1920 until their recent absorption in the Indian Territorial Force; whether his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Auxiliary and Territorial Forces Committee, dated 23rd January, 1925, in this connection; and whether it is proposed to take any action?

My Noble Friend has seen the Report referred to, but does not propose to take any action on the question raised by the hon. Member until he has received the views of the Government of India thereon.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he will now, in view of the recent concessions, state the differences of treatment of the Berkshires at Rasmak, in Waziristan, and the regiment which preceded them there; whether he is aware that the military position of the two regiments was, despite any variation in respect of nomenclature of zones, precisely the same for both; and why the Berkshires, though suffering equal casualties with their predecessors, have been refused the usual medal?

The Government of India, considering that the British troops in Waziristan were properly housed by the end of March, 1924, withdrew active service concessions from 1st April, 1924. The Berkshire Regiment joined the force in March, 1924, and this decision involved the withdrawal of free rations for British officers and their private followers and the reduction of the rations of British troops from field service scale to normal scale, except when out with a movable column. In addition, the normal scale of issues of clothing to British troops was reverted to. But from 1st April, 1925, the Government of India sanctioned certain measures to compensate officers and men for extra expenditure incurred in Waziristan, and some of these measures had retrospective effect to 1st April, 1924. I have supplied details to the hon. Member. I am not aware that the Berkshires have been refused the medal for which they appear to qualify under Army Order 177 of 1925.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the present position of the North-Western and Bengal Railway strike; and what efforts have been made to bring about a settlement?

The strike has collapsed and the establishment is now, practically, up to full strength.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing that the Crown Agents for the Colonies act as consulting engineers for the Nigerian Government in the construction of the Nigerian railways, he will state the name of the official who tenders advice and his experience as a railway engineer?

As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Wardlaw-Milne) on the 22nd of June construction is in charge of the chief construction engineer who is responsible to the Nigerian Government. The Crown Agents for the Colonies act as consulting engineers in giving advice on matters submitted to them (mainly bridges, buildings and rolling stock) and producing designs, but are not responsible for the construction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what corre- spondence has taken place between His Majesty's Government and the self-governing Dominions on the subject of the Pact of Security; and whether such correspondence will be published?

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs explained the position as regards the Dominions in the course of the Debate on 24th June. His Majesty's Government had not contemplated publishing any correspondence at this stage beyond that contained in the White Paper, the purport of which had previously been communicated to the Dominions by telegraph. The White Paper is, I understand, to be republished in extenso in Canada as soon as copies arrive, and in the meantime the German Note and the French reply have been laid before the Canadian Parliament. I have not yet learned what view other Dominions take regarding publication of any of the correspondence.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware of the practice in official papers of including Post Office expenditure with the expenditure of non-revenue Civil Services, frequently without any reference to the fact that the Post Office is a revenue Department with a revenue greater than its expenditure; and whether, to avoid misleading the public as to the cost of the Post Office, he will take steps to secure that, whenever Post Office expenditure is given, a reference will also be made to Post Office revenue?

I am not sure what official papers the hon. Member has in mind, but where particulars of expenditure are needed, naturally Post Office expenditure is shown as such. I do not think anyone is thereby led to forget that the Post Office is a revenue producing Department.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that telephone operators in the town of Newark work seven days in the week and are granted no yearly holiday; and whether he will see his way either to give them one day off per week or 12 days' holiday per year?

My Noble Friend would appear to have been misinformed. The telephone operators at Newark work six days a week, and have the usual holidays proper to their class. There is in addition a night and Sunday attendant, who is provided with accommodation and paid an allowance for attending to any calls during the night and on Sundays. Persons so employed are not eligible for paid annual leave.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many co-operating marketing associations have taken advantage of the Agricultural Credits Act; the total sum borrowed prior to July, 1924; and the total sum borrowed since that date?

Year Above one and not exceeding 100 acres. Above 100 acres Total. Owned or mainly owned Total. Owned or mainly owned. 1913 … … … 351,733 40,912 83,944 7,848 1924 … … … 329,111 73,867 80,272 20,369

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will briefly state on what grounds the Ministry acquiesces in the principle of the commutation of large pensions but declines to consider the commutation of pensions under 14s.?

The regulations governing commutation of pension, which are common to my own Department and to the Service Departments, are designed to secure to the pensioner a permanent minimum of pension with the object of ensuring that the pensioner should not be left entirely destitute in the event of failure involving loss of the capital sum obtained by commutation. Experience has shown that this rule is in the best interests of pensioners generally, and I am satisfied that it should be maintained.

I have been asked to reply. Loans to co-operative marketing societies are not made under the Agricultural Credits Act, 1923, but from a fund provided by Parliament for the purpose. No loans were made prior to July, 1924. Since that date, six societies have received loans totalling £25,120. Other loans have been approved amounting to £10,550 to five other societies.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of agricultural holdings in England and Wales of under 100 acres, and of over 100 acres, in the years 1913 and 1924, respectively; and the number of these holdings which were farmed by their owners in these two years?

The number of agricultural holdings in England and Wales in 1913 and 1924, together with the number stated by the occupiers to be owned or mainly owned by them, was as follows:

asked the Home Secretary whether instructions have been issued to the police authorities that in the case of draws, sweepstakes, and lotteries where it is shown that their promotion is bona fide and in no degree for private profit or advantage no proceedings shall be taken?

No such instructions have been issued. The Lottery Acts do not discriminate between lotteries promoted wholly or partly for the benefit of charities and other lotteries, and it is the duty of the police to enforce the law.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the serious fire which occurred at Balham early on 23rd June originated in a timber yard; that other serious fires, also originating in timber yards, have occurred since the Royal Commission on fire prevention reported in 1923; and whether, under these circumstances, he is prepared to introduce legislation to carry out the Royal Commission's recommendations in regard to the storage of timber?

I am aware that there have been a number of fires which originated in timber yards. There is no immediate possibility of legislation, but the matter is not being overlooked.