asked the President of the Board of Trade the total weight of cotton yarns imported into this country from abroad during 1923, and from which countries these importations came?

The following statement shows the quantity of cotton yarns imported into the United Kingdom during the year 1923, distinguishing the principal sources of supply so far as the particulars are available:

Country whence consigned.		Quantity. Lbs.
Germany	…	270,507
Netherlands	…	910,344.
Belgium	…	5,376,485
France	…	10,093
Switzerland	…	12,323
Czechoslovakia	…	305,605
Other foreign countries	…	130,006
Total foreign countries	…	7,015,363
British India	…	504,520
Other British countries	…	6,157
Total British countries	…	510,677
Total imports	…	7,526,040

From 1st April, 1923, the foregoing particulars include imports from the Irish Free State, but exclude the direct imports, if any, into the Irish Free State from countries outside the British Isles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the imports wholly and mainly manufactured for the 12 months to the end of June, 1925?

The value of articles classed as wholly or mainly manufactured, imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the 12 months ended 30th June, 1925, was £334,298,000, and re-exports of such imported goods during the same period were valued at £33,688,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will take immediate steps to remove the restriction which has been imposed in consequence of the Stevenson Report, upon the export of rubber front British Colonies in order that the present demand for rubber may be satisfied more from British and less from foreign sources?

The answer is in the negative. My hon. Friend will, of course, realise that any sudden interference with the Stevenson scheme would involve an injustice to large numbers of individuals who have entered upon contracts upon the assumption of its continuance. I have no reason to believe that British producers of rubber in territories in which the scheme is in force by law, or those who have voluntarily adhered to it elsewhere are dissatisfied with it. I may add that, if, as I anticipate, the conditions will warrant the progressive increase in the amount exportable at the minimum duty on 1st August next and at succeeding quarterly intervals, British sources will soon be exporting at their full capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that when the output of robber from British Colonies was restricted, the Netherlands Government was invited to impose a similar restriction upon the output of rubber from Dutch Colonies, and refused to do so; and will he state whether, in the result, the area under cultivation, the planting of trees, and the output of rubber has materially increased in Dutch, and decreased in British, Colonies?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Although accurate statistics of the cultivated area and the production of rubber in the Dutch East Indies are not available, I understand that both the producing area and the amount produced, especially from native sources, has increased. In British territories the area cultivated for rubber has slightly increased during the last three years. The net exports in 1924 were below the 1922 figures, but exceeded those of years previous to 1922.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the public control committee of the London County Council have satisfied themselves that coal of inferior quality is sometimes sold as coal of a higher quality; whether he will bear in mind that an admission of this practice was made by a large coal merchant before the Secretary of Mines last year; and whether he can see his way to introduce legislation to make it unlawful to sell coal from wagons containing a proportion of slate or slack in excess of a prescribed amount for each grade?

I have seen in the Press a reference to the recommendation referred to. If the council adopt it, I shall no doubt be approached, and shall be glad to consider any suggestions that may be laid before me.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been called to the report of his Department's inspector, B. S. Cornish, upon his visit to the Bridge Road girl's school, in the County Borough of West Ham. dated 4th May, 1925, and issued under the authority of the Board of Education on 25th May, wherein it is stated that the children attending this school are not of high mental ability; whether he is aware that night of the girls in attendance at this school have during this term succeeded in winning scholarships, thus indicating their mental ability to be of high standard; and what steps are taken by his Department to check the accuracy of his inspectors' reports?

My attention has been called to the report in question, but I am afraid I cannot accept the hon. Member's suggestion that the particular attainments of eight individual children in a department of nearly 400 affords any ground for doubting the accuracy of His Majesty's inspector's estimate of the general level of ability among the children in the department.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the number and annual cost of the inspectorate and their staffs attached to the Board of Education and attached to the local education authorities, respectively?

The number of inspectors of all grades on the Board's staff is 373, and their annual cost (namely, salary and bonus at the present rate) is £288,555. Similar particulars for in- spectors employed by local education authorities are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the estimated cost to this country during the present financial year of the military services provided for the defence of the self-governing Dominions, the Colonies, Protectorates, and mandated territories, respectively?

The hon. Member will find the information he requires on pages 34–41 of the Army Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he will consider the possibility of deleting paragraphs 1,013 and 1,014 from the Royal Warrant for the Pay, Appointment, Promotion, etc., of the Army, 1922, and of defining more clearly the provisions of paragraph 978?

I am afraid I cannot entertain the hon. and gallant Member's suggestion as to Articles 1,013 and 1,014. The purpose of Article 97s is to enable the Army Council, if the need arises, to offer a bounty to induce soldiers to re-engage or extend their service. Normally there is no need to offer a bounty, and, when the need arises, the amount of the bounty depends on the particular circumstauces. It is not, therefore, possible to make the provisions of the Article more precise.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that men of the Royal Air Force are being asked to join the organisation of the British Fascisti; and whether activities of this character are permitted under the Regulations of the Royal Air Force?

I understand that invitations to join the organisation referred to have been received in a few cases by Royal Air Force personnel. It is considered undesirable that officers and airmen should belong to this or any similar organisation, and instructions in this sense are about to be issued.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the same facilities for leave and recreation. exist in the Atlantic Fleet as now exist in the Mediterranean Fleet; whether he is aware that the leave allowed per year to the petty officers and men of the Atlantic Fleet is two-thirds smaller than that allowed in the Mediterranean Fleet; and if he will remedy this?

The statement that leave of the Atlantic Fleet is two-thirds smaller than that allowed in the Mediterranean Fleet is not in accordance with fact or with the statement which my hon. and gallant Friend himself made in his question of the 17th June (OFFICIAL REPORT, 17th June, Columns 529-30). The last part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty at what date His Majesty's Ship "Coventry," which left Portsmouth last September on a short cruise, is due back again?

His Majesty's Ship "Coventry" is permanently attached to the Mediterranean Fleet, and is not expected to return to England until April, 1926, when she is due to recommission.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, with regard to the "Bacchus" disaster, if he can now say whether any arrangements have been made with regard to compensation claims on behalf of Mrs. Riddell and Mrs. Edwards, both dependants of seamen killed in this disaster?

The maximum sums due under the Workmen's Compensation Acts on account of the deaths of Edward J. Riddle and Albert J. Edwards have been duly paid into the Plymouth County Court as compensation for the benefit of their dependants.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the estimated cost to this country during the present financial year of the naval services provided for the defence of the Dominions, the Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandated Territories, respectively?

The services of the Navy can only he estimated in relation to the British Empire as a whole, and it is not practicable to make calculations of cost on the basis suggested.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India how many smallpox hospitals have been opened in India and where they are situated; what steps are taken, if any, in municipal towns in regard to the notification and isolation of cases of small-pox; and if he will suggest to the Government of India the desirability of including information on these points in the annual health reports, and particulars of the number of patients treated in hospitals annually, and their vaccinal condition?

I am unable to give the information desired by the hon. Member. With regard to the second part of his question, I would remind him that health administration is a subject for which the Governors of Indian provinces acting with Ministers are responsible. I will ask my Noble Friend to convey to the Government of India the suggestion contained in the latter part of the question.

asked the Attorney-General if he will state if any and, if so, how many prosecutions have taken place at the instance of the Director of Public Prosecutions against persons charging extortionate rentals for furnished or unfurnished apartments or rooms; whether any convictions have been secured: if so, what were the decisions of the Courts; and is it contemplated taking more stringent action with a view to preventing extortionate rent charges being made by tenants who sub-let?

:The Director of Public Prosecutions, owing to the limitations of the Rent Restrictions Acts, 1920 and 1923, has not yet been able to institute a prosecution, save in one case in London, in which the magistrate ordered the occupying tenant to repay the difference between the rent charged and the fair rent, and costs. The Director has received 53 complaints since the 1st January, 1925, and inquiry is proceeding in respect of five of such cases. The great majority of complaints have referred to lettings outside the penal provisions of the Statutes.

asked the Minister of Health what is the number of one- and two-room homes in the Borough of South-wark; how many houses in the borough have been condemned as insanitary and unfit for habitation; how many men and women in Southwark are unemployed; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

:At the time of the; last Census there were in the Borough of Southwark 8,769 private families (comprising a population of 15,743) occupying a single room and 13,393 private families (comprising a population of 44,257) occupying two-room tenements. In both cases "private families'' include one person families. As stated in a previous reply to the hon. and gallant Member, I have not complete information to enable me to reply to the second part of the question. As regards the third part of the question, I am informed that on the 13th July the number unemployed in the borough was 5,756 men and 1,622 women. With regard to the last part of the question the London County Council have adopted a scheme to provide for the erection of 20,000 houses, and a large number of houses are already under construction.

asked the Minister of Health whether those genuinely unemployed who failed to pay 80 contributions during the two years ending July, 1920, and have been unemployed since that time, and have therefore been struck off the books of their approved society, will be entitled to benefits under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Bill?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Amendment made on Clause 30 of the Bill yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Chinese Consular Service has reported to His Majesty's Government any infringements of the Chinese Arms Embargo Treaty, 1919; and, if so, whether any representations have been made to the Governments of the offending nationals?

Reports have been received from time to time of arms reaching China notwithstanding the Arms Embargo. The substance of these reports has been communicated to the other Governments concerned in the maintenance of the embargo for their information and such action as might be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the question of arranging a naval demonstration to take place in Chinese waters was discussed at his recent meeting at the Foreign Office with the French, Japanese, and United States Ambassadors; whether it is proposed that all the Powers interested shall participate in the demonstration; and whether the ships are to carry a landing force?

No suggestion of any naval demonstration was made at the Foreign Office meeting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that until recently owners of fruit orchards on the Clyde Valley were assessed for Income Tax purposes in the same way as a farmer, i.e., on their rental, but that the revenue authorities are now insisting that fruit growers should be assessed as market gardeners, on their profits; and whether he will take steps to revert to the farmer and fruit grower being placed on an equal footing?

I am not aware that there has been any general change of practice in regard to the assessment to Income Tax of the fruit-growers referred to by my hon. Friend, and I have no information which would lead me to suppose that the assessments which have been made on the basis of actual profits by reference to Rule 8 of Schedule B of the Income Tax Act, 1918, have been incorrectly made. If in any particular instance the taxpayer concerned considers that the facts of his case are such that the Rule referred to is not applicable, it is, of course, open to him to appeal to the General Commissioners of Income Tax in accordance with the statutory procedure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the negotiations which are now in progress with a private firm for the sale, lease, or exchange of Crown lands near Kensington High Street, he will consider, as a necessary part of such negotiations, the protection of the historical association and amenities of this residential district before coming to any decision as to the disposal of these Crown lands; and whether he will make it one of the conditions of the exchange of such property that the said firm shall make proper provision for the parking of the cars of their customers and for the loading and unloading of the company's vans, etc., on the company's own premises and not in the public thoroughfares?

Throughout the negotiations now in progress, the Commissioners of Crown Lands have had in view the interesting and historical associations of Kensington Square, and the desirability of protecting the amenities of the square as a residential district. This protection will, it is hoped, be secured. The regulation of the parking of customers' cars is not a matter within the Commissioners' jurisdiction; but in any exchange with the firm referred to, it is intended to stipulate for the provision of accommodation on the firm's premises for the loading and unloading of their vans, etc., with a view to avoiding the use of the public thoroughfares for those purposes.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can make a statement as to payments by the hop control for money owing to hop growers for 1923 and 1924 crops?

No money is owing to growers in respect of the 1923 crop. With regard to the 1924 crop, it is impossible to give a general figure owing to the precedence that has been accorded to small growers, but, approximately, 80 per cent. of the valuation has been paid to growers, and further payments will be made as the sale of the balance of the crop proceeds.

asked the Minister of Labour the amount of lost time through sickness of the members of the staffs of the Employment Exchanges during the past three months and the corresponding three months in the preceding three years?

I regret that the figures for which the hon. Member asks are not available. I am, however, in a position to inform him that the Department made an inquiry last year, with a view to ascertaining whether the incidence of sick leave was heavier in the Ministry of Labour than in other Departments of State. For the purposes of the inquiry, information as to the sick leave of staff for the period covering, approximately, the two years ended January, 1924, was obtained for the Ministry of Labour and for 10 other Departments, and it was found that the sick leave record in the Ministry of Labour did not compare unfavourably with that of those Departments. So far, indeed, as the Employment Exchanges were concerned, it was found that the percentages of sick leave during the two years were 5·2 and 8·7, respectively, as against 8·7 and 9·2 for all the other Departments.

asked the Minister of Labour whether overtime is being worked in any Employment Exchanges to the detriment of the efficiency of the work done; and whether he is taking any steps to reduce the amount of overtime?

The working of overtime at the Exchanges is carefully watched, and is kept down to the lowest practicable point. Additional temporary staff is engaged where necessary, and I am not aware that any avoidable overtime is worked to the detriment of efficiency.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest numbers of boys and girls, respectively, between the ages of 14 and 16, registered as unemployed in the Manchester area; and the numbers of the same on the corresponding date in 1924?

It is not possible from the statistics regularly collected by the Department to state the number of juveniles between the ages of 14 and 16 registered as unemployed in the Manchester area, but at 23rd June there were in this area 370 boys and 311 girls between the ages of 14 and 18 registered as compared with 1,159 boys and 848 girls registered at 23rd June, 1924.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed within the urban council areas of Aspull, Blackrod, Horwich, Hindley and Westhoughton, respectively?

The numbers on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at 13th July were 445 at Horwich and 1,208 at Westhoughton. The figures for Aspull, Blackrod and Hindley are included with Wigan, for which the total at that date was 11,470.

asked the Home Secretary if he can supply a list of factories and workshops in Durham county which have been closed since 1919?

I regret I am unable to comply with this request. The information could only be obtained by a laborious search through factory registers, which, in view of the time it would take up, would not be justified.

asked the Postmaster-General where is the nearest telegraph office from which a resident of Tottenham, Edmonton, or Wood Green can send a telegram on Sundays?

The post office at 218, High Road, Wood Green, which is open for telegraph business from 9 to 10.30 a.m. on Sundays, is the nearest telegraph office for Wood Green and Tottenham residents. Enfield Post Office, open during the same hours, is the nearest for Edmonton. There is a public call office at the Tottenham Telephone Exchange from which telegrams can be dictated to the central telegraph office at all hours; and similar facilities will be available at the Enfield Exchange, which is being opened to the public this week.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that three registered letters addressed to the Speaker of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland, and containing voting papers for the election of senators, were not delivered at Parliament Buildings, Belfast, until 11.45 a.m. on Tuesday, 14th July, although posted in Belfast at midday on Saturday, 11th July, and that the explanation of the postmaster of Belfast for such extraordinary delay is that it is not customary to deliver registered letters to official or business addresses until the second delivery on any day; whether such a custom prevails generally or applies only in Belfast; whether there was any postal delivery in Belfast on the Saturday afternoon, Monday morning, and Tuesday morning at which these letters might have been delivered; whether he is aware that the police are always on duty at the Parliament Buildings and that there is also a caretaker there; can he say on whose responsibility these letters were retained by the Post Office authorities: and will he take steps to ensure that in future registered letters addressed to the Parliament Buildings will be delivered as expeditiously as unregistered letters?

It is the practice not to deliver registered letters unless there is a responsible person in attendance to accept them, and for this reason, both in Belfast and elsewhere, registered letters are in many instances regularly held over for the second delivery, with the concurrence of the Government Departments and firms concerned. As the Speaker's office was closed from the afternoon of Saturday the 11th to the morning of the 14th July, and it was known from inquiry that no responsible official would be on duty during this period, there was no alternative but to retain the registered packets until the second delivery on the 14th July. If the hon. Member will designate a responsible official, who will be in attendance to accept and sign for registered letters, they can be delivered at the House Commons about 8 a.m. without difficulty.