asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total number of civil servants of the administrative class in the Foreign Office and in the Diplomatic Service; and the total number who have either a father or a mother who was not of British birth?

The reply to the first part of the question is 195. This includes all members of the service at home and abroad from the rank of third secretary to that of Ambassador. Under existing regulations, candidates for the Foreign Office and Diplomatic Service must be natural-born British subjects, and born within the United Kingdom or in one of the self-governing Dominions of parents also born within those territories, except when the circumstances are such as to justify a departure from the general rule, in which case they can be allowed to compete by special permission of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, provided they fulfil the conditions of the rule in respect of nationality prescribed for candidates for admission to His Majesty's Civil Service as a whole. But many members of the Service entered it before these regulations were in existence, and with regard to them I do not possess the information that would enable me to answer the last part of the question.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, the annual rental of Adastral House, Kingsway, occupied by the Ministry of Air, and the length of its lease; and if he will consider the removal of the Ministry to less expensive but equally suitable premises at an early date?

The rent of Adastral House is £40,000 per annum. The lease is one of 21 years from the 25th March, 1919. There is no building available in a suitable position in which sufficient accommodation for the Air Ministry would be afforded.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the average number of police on duty in the Metropolis during the daytime for 30th June; what proportion of that number were engaged in regulating the traffic?

The average number of men on duty of all kinds (including supervision, station duty, etc.) was approximately 4,500, and of these about one-eighth were engaged in the regulation of traffic.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that medical officers of health in different parts of the country have suggested that all meat exhibited for sale should, in the interests of public health, be displayed under glass windows; and will he consider the advisability of taking steps towards this end?

I am aware that this suggestion has been made. I am advised that in many cases meat exposed for sale may be effectively protected by other means than glass windows. In these circumstances, I am not prepared to make the provision of glass windows compulsory in all cases.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were last year's imports into this country of mechanical and chemical wood-pulp, respectively, and also the exports of both from this country?

The following statement shows the quantity and value of wood-pulp imported into and exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the year 1924:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why the Interim Report of the Balfour Committee is not obtainable at the Vote Office; and will he take steps to see for the future that Parliamentary documents issued by the Stationery Office are obtainable concurrently at the Vote Office?

Following the general practice in regard to the issue of Government publications, the Survey of Overseas Markets prepared by the Committee on Industry and Trade was published as a non-Parliamentary document. The Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office has authority to supply Members of

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what are the local and Imperial taxation charges per ton of steel produced in the United Kingdom., and the relative charges in Germany, Italy, France and Belgium?

I regret that it is not possible to furnish the information desired.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether the production of pig-iron and crude steel in Great Britain has kept pace with the growth of the population

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now give a Return of the applications for the export of machine guns during the last eight months, together with the reply in each case and the destination in the case of applications granted?

The following statement gives particulars of the applications in question which have been disposed of. In addition, two applications are still under consideration:during the last two decades; and how this production compares with that of Germany and the United States, taking into consideration the growth of the population?

Figures for the war years are so abnormal that I would propose to give my hon. and gallant Friend figures for the five years ended 1908, 1913 and 1924 and for the year 1924.I. The following statement shows the growth of the population and the fluctuations in the output of pig iron and crude steel in Great Britain during the periods specified:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why, seeing that American carbon electrodes are permitted to be imported into this country after payment of 33¾ per cent. key industries duty without any additional deposit, an additional 20 per cent. is added to the 33¾ per cent. key industries duty charged on carbon electrodes imported into this country from Austria?

I am informed that the values declared for the purposes of the assessment of key industry duty on carbon electrodes imported from Austria are considerably below those declared for similar carbons imported from America. The question whether the declared values of the Austrian carbons can be accepted is at present under consideration by the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, and pending a decision delivery of the carbons is being allowed on deposit of a

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the maximum estimated increase in the cost of the silk tax upon a pair of lady's silk stockings, taking into account the different qualities of silk and the average normal weights of a pair of such stockings?

I regret that it is not possible to name any particular figure as to the maximum effect of the silk duties upon the retail price of a particular class of wearing apparel, having regard to the very wide range of quality and weight of the silk used and to the fact that the actual duty borne by a particular article varies according to the stage of manufacture at which the duty on the silk becomes payable.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the mistakes which frequently occur from the practice of telephoning the contents of telegrams and forwarding them by the next morning's post, instead of delivering them when received; and will he give instructions that all telegrams must be forwarded by messenger from the receiving office at the earliest possible moment?

I am not aware that mistakes in the delivery of telegrams by telephone are frequent. The acceptance of this mode of delivery is optional on the part of the addressee, and I see no sufficient reason for modifying the present practice. The system has been in force for many years and renders it practicable to deliver promptly many messages which would otherwise suffer inevitable delay. A confirmatory copy is sent in each case by post.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether the secretary of a constable's branch board, with the consent of the chairman, has the right, under the Police Regulations, to report any matter involving the well-being of the police force to the Joint Central Board?

There is no specific provision on this matter, but the secretary of a branch board is at liberty to communicate with the Joint Central Committee provided that if he purports to convey a representation of the branch board he has their authority for so doing.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that in Scotland the watching and lighting committee in police burghs have no power to revise a decision of the chief constable in matters of discipline, but the chief constable has full power; and whether he will introduce legislation this year to give watching and lighting committees in Scotland the same powers as similar committees in England?

There is no statutory watching and lighting committee in Scottish burghs. Disciplinary powers are vested solely in the chief constable, and I am not satisfied that it would be expedient to give effect to the suggestion of the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether he is aware that, according to Police Regulations, local authorities have to provide stationery and other requisites for carrying on the work of the constables branch board; that Chief Constable Roy, Kilmarnock, threatened to charge a constable with theft for using police stationery for branch board business and asked him to resign from the police force in his own interest, and, saying he could no longer be trusted with the internal affairs of the police office, immediately put him out of the office on street duty, and that this matter was reported to the Joint Central Board; whether he has had this case submitted to him; and whether he can state what action he has taken or intends to take?

I am not aware of any provision in the Police (Scotland) Regulations regarding the provision of stationery, etc., for the use of the branch boards of the Scottish Police Federation, but I understand that the Kilmarnock Police Authority have always made suitable provision under this head. I am informed that the chief constable has at no time threatened to charge a constable with theft for using police stationery for branch board business nor asked the constable in question to resign from the force in his own interests, nor said that he could no longer be trusted with the internal affairs of the police office. The constable referred to was not regularly employed on office duty, but was doing temporary duty in the office for another constable when the question as to using official police stationery for branch board work arose. The case was brought to my notice by the Joint Central Committee, and I have received a report on the incident, on con side ration of which I see no reason to intervene.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he can give the number of closed mines and quarries, with their positions, in the County of Durham?

Ninety-nine coal mines and five metalliferous mines in Durham have been closed and reopened since 1st January, 1924. I will have a list of them prepared, and sent to the hon. Member. Similar information is not available in regard to quarries.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the inconvenience caused to passengers at the Chancery Lane Undergraund Station, duo to the narrow lift exit, which results in very heavy congestion during peak hours; and will he make representation to the company concerned with a view to an escalator being installed at this station?

My attention has not previously been called to this matter, but I will make inquiries and let the hon. and gallant Member know the result.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the dissatisfaction being expressed regarding the proposed erection of a modern ferro-concrete bridge adjoining Clopton Bridge, Stratford-on-Avon; and, in view of the plans drawn up by the conference of the Stratford Town Council and the Warwickshire County Council, which would provide for a bridge retaining the antique appearance of this historic spot, will he withdraw the order for the erection of the modern bridge so as to avoid disfiguring the upstream face of the existing bridge?

At the request of public bodies interested in Clopton Bridge, I convened a conference of those concerned and put forward suggestions which met with general favour, for the construction of a ferro-concrete bridge adjoining the old structure—leaving the latter intact. I hope that the project will be accepted by the responsible highway authorities to whom I have offered a substantial grant. No order has been or can be made by my Department for the erection of any bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the fact that the grant of £60,000,000 to the railway companies at the conclusion of the period of control was intended to contribute among other things towards superannuation schemes, and that in the Irish Free State Railways Act, 1924, provision is made for a superannuation fund for the railway employés on a contributory basis, he can say if any similar provision is contemplated on the railways of Northern Ireland; and, if not, will he take steps to bring about the establishment of a similar superannuation scheme in Northern Ireland, seeing that one of the Irish railways operates both in Northern Ireland and in the Irish Free State?

For the purposes to which the lump sum of £60,000,000 paid to the railway companies in Great Britain and the corresponding sum of £3,000,000 paid to the railway companies in Ireland may be applied, I must refer the hon. Member to the terms of the Railways Act, 1921, and the Irish Railways (Settlement of Claims) Act, 1921. I would draw his special attention to the fact that the application is in each case left to the discretion of the directors, and the answer to the last part of his question is that I cannot intervene in the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many British soldiers are at present on the strength of the various sections of the Army at home and abroad who did not consent to vaccination on attestation or enrolment; whether, if no statistics are available, he will arrange for them to be obtained and recorded each year in the Annual Army Health Reports; and whether it is the practice at present to accept recruits for the British Army who refuse to be vaccinated?

I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available, and I do not think that the value of the information would be sufficient to justify the large amount of labour involved in preparing it. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.