asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is prepared to remove the age limit for those temporary typists and shorthand typists who. are anxious to compete in any forthcoming examinations for established posts as typists and shorthand typists; whether he is aware that there are many hundreds of temporary typists and shorthand typists performing efficient work in the Civil Service who are now above the age limits; and what proposals he intends to make to allow these women some chance of security?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on the 15th March to the hon. Member for Stratford. I am not aware that the number of temporary typists and shorthand typists who are above the age limits amounts to many hundreds.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of administrative staff employed in the Surplus Stores, etc., Liquidation Department; and when it is anticipated that this Department will be filially wound up?

The total non industrial staff employed by the Surplus Stores Liquidation Department at present number 112, and will, it is hoped, be reduced to 91 by the 1st of next month. Every effort is being made to complete the work, including the disposal of unsold factories, etc., but it is not possible at present to give a definite date for the winding up of the Department.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will place in the Library a note of his recent interview with the film industry?

Yes, Sir. This has been done.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total assessed profits of cinematograph film importers?

I regret that I am not in a position to furnish this information.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the imports and exports between the United Kingdom and Turkey for 1925, in sterling and tonnage, respectively?

The following statement shows the declared value of merchandise imported into, and exported and re-exported, from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, which was registered as consigned from or to Turkey during the year 1925:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the suggestion of the Joint Industrial Council for the boot and shoe industry urging that all footwear should bear the registered brand of the manufacturer, or an approved stamp indicating the component parts of the boots, has yet been considered?

The suggestion was fully discussed recently with my Department by representatives of the Joint Industrial Council, who are, I understand, now considering the matter further.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of potatoes has been imported into Great Britain from foreign countries since 1st August, 1925; and what is the value of such imports?

The total quantity of potatoes imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the period 1st August, 1925, to 28th February, 1926, amounted to 1,299,467 cwts., valued at £370,684. These imports include 2,030 cwts., valued at £3,201, consigned front the Channel Islands, and 184,214 cwts., valued at £30,593, consigned from the Irish Free State.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the estimated 800 Class 2 ships are of 1,600 to 3,000 tons, how many of 3,001 to 6,000 tons, how many of 6,001 to 10,000 tons, how many of 10,001 to 15,000, how many of 15,001 to 21,000 tons, and how many over 21,000 tons; and, if these statistics are not available, will he take steps to secure them?

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many of the estimated 2,000 Class 3 ships are of 1,600 to 3,000 tons; how many of 3,001 to 6,000 tons; how many of 6,001 to 10,000 tons; how many of 10,001 to 15,000 tons; how many of 15,001 to 21,000 tons; how many over 21,000 tons; and, if these statistics are not available, will he take steps to secure them?

The information required is not at the moment available, but I am having it prepared, and will forward it to the hon. Members as soon as it is ready.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that a number of small investors are subjected to considerable financial loss owing to the activities of brokers outside the Stock Exchange and persons conducting share-selling agencies and bogus financial papers, and considering that the only redress now available is the invoking of the criminal law after the investor has lost his money, he will consider the introduction of legislation whereby all persons dealing in stocks and shares, not members of authorised stock exchanges or bankers affiliated to the Banker's Clearing House, shall be compelled before starting business' to deposit a substantial sum with the Government as a guarantee of good faith?

I will bring the hon. Member's suggestion to the attention of the Departmental Committee which is now considering what amendments are desirable in the Companies Acts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the price of flour has fallen three times during the last week; that the price of bread has remained stationary in the London district; and whether the attention of the Food Council will be devoted to this matter?

Since the date of the three reductions referred to, the price of flour in London has been raised twice, and now stands at 45s. 6d. per sack of 280 lbs. of standard grade flour. At this price the price of bread fixed by the Associations of London Bakers is not in excess of the Food Council's maximum price.

asked the Secretary for Mines the conditions governing the grants for educational purposes from the Miners' Welfare Fund?

I am sending the hon. Member copies of the Regulations issued by the Miners' Welfare Committee in regard to grants for the higher technical education of miners in England and Wales, and Scotland respectively. These Regulations apply to allocations from the General Fund. Allocations for educational purposes from the district funds are made after consultation with the district welfare committees concerned. They are somewhat wider in scope than the General Fund allocations, and are not governed by any formal Regulations; but the total number of recommendations of this kind received from the district welfare committees is hitherto comparatively small. The schemes in question are briefly described in the Central Committee's Report for 1925.

asked the Minister of Transport how much would be required on a 75 per cent. basis to reconstruct the unclassified district roads now used for semi-national purposes, and urgently requiring reconstruction; and how much would he required to provide adequate approaches to the new industrial centres of the country?

I am in doubt as to what roads could be classed as carrying semi-national traffic, and in any case a comprehensive and detailed survey such as the. hon. Member's question suggests, would involve an expenditure which does not seem to me to be justified. As regards the second part of the question, I am glad to say that my Department is in close touch with the town planning authorities, who in many parts of the country are studying the problem of access by road to industrial centres. In many instances grants are being made from the Road Fund towards the necessary improvements.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health if he is aware that orphans' pensions are not paid on behalf of children admitted to a children's home under the control of a parish council in Scotland, and are paid on behalf of orphan children admitted to privately-owned institutions; and if he can give any reason for this distinction?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Third Schedule of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, in terms of which a person is disqualified, except under certain conditions, from receiving or continuing to receive a pension under the Act while he is an inmate of a Poor Law institution.

asked the Under-Secretary to the Scottish Board of Health whether his attention has been called to the suicide at Overhailes, East Lothian, of an old age pensioner, John Campbell, and his granddaughter; is he aware that this old man and his granddaughter were refused admittance to the combination poorhouse at East Linton, on the ground that he was an old age pensioner and could not produce a voucher for the parish in which he resided; and whether he has taken steps to see that occurrences of this kind will not occur again?

I am having detailed inquiries made into the case, and will communicate with the hon. Member when the inquiries are completed.

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that in some parts of Scotland much moorland grazing suffers from the lack of systematic burning; and, in order to increase the quantity of livestock and game in the interest of food production, does he propose to reform the laws as to heather burning?

I am aware that much moorland grazing in Scotland suffers from lack of systematic burning. I would refer the hon. Member to the Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Central Aberdeenshire (Mr. R. W. Smith) which received a Second Reading on the 12th instant.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, referring to the appeal of James Bradley, of 4, Brierley Hill Road, Wordsley, Stourbridge, against the award of an appeal tribunal given in February, 1924, disallowing his claim for pension for tuberculosis contracted on active service before his discharge in February, 1919, he is aware that three medical practitioners, one since deceased, certified the man to be suffering from tuberculosis in 1919 and 1921, and gave the definite opinion that the disease was contracted during military service; whether he is aware that the local area tuberculosis officer certified claimant to be suffering from an old disease of lung in 1923; that the medical boards, upon whose decision presumably the man's claim was disallowed, certified his lungs as normal as late as 1923, when examining for neurasthenia, and immediately afterwards found him suffering from advanced tuberculosis; and whether, in view of the conflict of medical evidence, apparently occasioned by the failure of the medical board to examine claimant thoroughly other than for neurasthenia, he will have, the ease reopened?

As I have already informed the hon. Member, the representations made since the hearing of Mr. Bradley's appeal have been carefully considered. They do not, however, throw any fresh light on the case, of which all the facts were before the independent appeal tribunal at the time of the hearing. In these circumstances there are no grounds on which any further action can be taken.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his atention has been drawn to the case of H. W. Manning, of the Leicester Regiment, who was severely wounded during the War and who still has a piece of shrapnel in his head; whether he is aware that this man was sentenced to 11 months' hard labour, on he 19th January, by the Recorder of London, for forgery, despite the fact that expert evidence Was given to the effect that the war wound might have been sufficient to account for the crime, and that both the Recorder and the medical authorities agreed that what Manning really required was restraint and suggestive treatment; and whether he has discussed with the Secretary of State for the Home Department the possibility of providing treatment in some institution where disabled men who break the law through the effect of their war experiences, but who are not insane, can be treated, in order that Manning may get the expert treatment which is not provided in prison?

:My attention has already been directed to this case, which has also been considered by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Home Affairs. I have no authority to provide treatment except for a condition which can be accepted as attributable to or aggravated by service, and I am advised that Mr. Manning does not require treatment for his pensionable disability. The facts of the particular case mentioned do not appear to me to warrant the wide extension of my powers suggested in the last part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is intended that the East African Conference will in future meet Formally in one of the various dependencies?

I am glad to observe that at the recent Conference of East African Governors it was unanimously agreed that future Conferences should be held. I cannot say yet whether circumstances will necessarily call for an annual Conference.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give the names of the towns whose postal services have been amalgamated in 27 cases during the last three years; and the names of those towns in which the postal designation has been altered?

The information desired by my hon. Friend could not be compiled without a considerable expenditure of time and labour, which I do not feel justified in incurring.