asked the President of the Board of Trade the percentage of our whole trade for 1925 of imports from Europe, the United States of America, South America, Asia, the Dominions, Colonies and India; and the exports to the same countries, respectively?

I am sending my hon. Friend a reprint of an article dealing with the geographical distribution of the overseas trade of the United Kingdom during 1925, which appeared in the Board of Trade Journal for 11th February last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the sales in the United Kingdom of methylated spirits and the prices for November last, and the sales and prices for January or February this year?

I have no information as to the sales of methylated spirits, but in November 750,000 proof gallons of spirits were delivered for methylation in the United Kingdom, in January 723,000 proof gallons, and in February 726,000 proof gallons. The wholesale price of industrial methylated spirit, 64 per cent. over proof, was at the rate of 2s. 5d. per gallon, and that of mineralised methylated spirit of the same strength 3s. 8d. per gallon, throughout this period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to recent casualties to grain ships from shifting cargoes; and what precautions are taken by the Board of Trade to keep up to date the Regulations for loading such ships?

My attention has been called to the casualties which have occurred to grain-laden ships during the past few months. Of 33 casualties reported, 28 were primarily due to causes not connected with the stowage of the cargo, and even where it is clear that a casualty was caused, or contributed to, by the shifting of the grain, it is necessary to consider whether the regulations were complied with before concluding that the regulations themselves are at fault. Further inquiries are being made on this point. The regulations, which are in many cases made by Boards of Underwriters and other bodies in the United States and in Canada, with the approval of the Board of Trade, are revised from time to time as occasion requires. The regulations of the New York Board of Underwriters were revised in April, 1925, and new rules were made for certain Canadian ports in March, 1924. The operation of the grain-loading regulations is very closely watched by the Board of Trade, and steps would at once be taken to secure an amendment of the regulations if there were reason to think this necessary.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will give for each of the districts mentioned in the first column of table 42 on page 293 of the Report of the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry, and for Great Britain as a whole, the figures showing, in shillings and decimals thereof, the profit and loss at the present rates of wages if the existing royalties were extinguished without compensation; and the figures showing, in shillings and decimals thereof, the profit and loss if the existing royalties were extinguished without compensation, and if wages were reduced 10 per centum?

The figures in columns 5 and 7 of the table referred to, if payments for royalties and wayleaves had been excluded, would have been as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for War why, in applying the clerical reorganisation scheme to ordnance depots in the Southern Command and the country generally, the majority of the graded posts have been allotted to military personnel; and whether, in view of the fact that warrant officers and non-commissioned officers of the Ordnance Corps are being constantly transferred from one station to another, he will, in order to secure a greater measure of continuity of control and responsibility and consequent improved efficiency in administration, issue instructions for the filling of the graded posts by men selected from the civilian employés in the depots affected?

The military establishment of the Ordnance Services, i.e., the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, is based on actual requirements for the performance of military duties at home and abroad in peace and war. A certain number of warrant officer and non-commissioned officer clerks are required now as in the past for the performance of these duties. The balance of clerical personnel required by the Ordnance Services is supplied by civilians. No new principle is involved in the recent clerical reorganisation. The transfer of warrant officers and non-commissioned officers performing clerical duties is carried out as rarely as possible and such transfers do not affect the number of posts to be occupied by civilians.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will investigate the circumstances attending the refusal of pension to William Perowne, late private, No, 3,848,525, Loyal Regiment; whether he is aware that this man considers his present disability of synovitis to have been contracted whilst training in China; and whether he will give special consideration to this case?

I am having inquiries made regarding this case, and will communicate further with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Mr. T. Kelleher, of 28, Steedman Street, Southwark, S.E.17, Ministry reference No. 11/M/248,569, certified for home treatment in respect of the disability myalgia, is unable to secure treatment from his panel doctor, who certifies Kelleher as unable to follow his employment in consequence of the degree of his disability; and will he take such action as will result in adequate treatment and allowance being afforded in this case?

I find that Mr. T. Kelleher has been quite recently examined on more than one occasion by medical officers of the Ministry, but I am advised that no course of treatment which would incapacitate the man from work is called for. I do not know what evidence the hon. Member has for the statement that Mr. Kelleher is unable to secure treatment from his panel doctor, who is, on the contrary, as I am informed, prepared to give any treatment that is necessary; but I would point out that in any case this is a matter for the insurance committee.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will investigate the circumstances leading to the non-recognition of the invaliding disability of Edward Phillips, late Royal Navy, K59,688, for pension purposes; and whether he is aware that this man has been offered the sum of £18 in final settlement?

I have looked into the case and I find that it has been carefully considered by the naval medical authorities, who state that the man's disability is constitutional and not attributable to the service, i.e., it cannot be regarded as due to any abnormal condition of the service. In these circumstances, and as the man had service of only six years and a few months, I regret that the gratuity of £18 granted to him is the maximum allowable.

asked the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the difficulty and expense occasioned to seamen in the enforcement of claims for workmen's compensation where the injured seaman has been engaged and discharged at a port whereat the owners and managers, not having themselves a domicile, act through agents domiciled there; and whether, particularly having in view the exemption afforded to seamen relative lo notice of accident, he can arrange for cases for compensation being pursued in the Court of domicile of the claimant where that is likewise the Court of domicile of the owner's agent, thus avoiding to the seaman claimant the inconvenience and cost at present occasioned to him by his being compelled to sue in the Court of the owner's domicile?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The answer to the first part is in the negative. The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension in supposing that a seaman in the case referred to is compelled to sue in the Court of the owner's domicile. If the accident happens in port, the Sheriff of the district in which that port is situated has jurisdiction. If the accident happens at sea there is jurisdiction in (a) the Sheriff Court of the district in which the ship is at the time when intimation or service of the application for arbitration is made, provided that intimation or service of the application is made to or on the master of the vessel within that district, or (b) the Sheriff Court of the district in which any managing owner or the manager of the ship resides or has a place of business, or (c) the Sheriff Court of the district in which the ship is registered. I would remind the hon. Member that the matter is regulated by Act of Sederunt made by the Court of Session under the statutes relating to Workmen's Compensation, and that I am riot vested with any powers in the matter.

asked the Secretary for Scotland whether, in view of the decision of the Central Midwives Board to extend the period of training of pupils experienced in nursing from four months to six and of those without such experience from six months to 12, and having regard to the decline in the last four years both in the number of four-months and six-months pupils, respectively, and to the financial burden likely to be thrown upon charitable institutions by these proposals, and to the fact that grants are given by the Ministry of Health to institutions which are recog nised by the Ministry for the purpose, ho will recommend to Parliament that coresponding grants should be given to approved Scottish hospitals?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on 23rd ultimo to a question on the same subject by the hon. Member for East Edinburgh (Dr. Shiels). I am forwarding to the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the explanatory memorandum to which I referred in that answer.

asked the Secretary for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to carry out the second recommendation of the Scottish National Conference on Agriculture with regard to liming, and whether he now proposes to develop the lime kilns at Loch Eriboll?

As I stated in the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Galloway (Captain Streatfeild) on the 15th February, the question of assistance in the provision of lime is under consideration, but no decision has yet been reached. Looking to the condition of the lime kilns at Eriboll, and the high cost of restarting them, and to the fact that it has been decided to offer the Eriboll property for sale, I do not propose in present circumstances to take any action with the object of developing these kilns.

asked the Secretary for Scotland the number of houses in Scotland approved for subsidy to 31t January, 1926, under the Housing, etc, Act, 1923, and the estimated capital value of the subsidies for these houses; and the number of houses approved for subsidy to 31st January, 1926, under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, and the estimated capital value of the subsidies for these houses?

The number of houses in Scotland approved for subsidy to 31st January, 1926, under the Housing, etc., Act, 1923, was 15,641. Taking the rate of interest at 4¾ per cent. the capital value of the annual Exchequer subsidies payable on these houses is estimated at approximately £1,202,950. The number of houses in Scotland approved for subsidy to the same date under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, was 13,749. The capital value of the annual Exchequer subsidies payable on these houses is estimated at approximately £2,213,100. Information is not available as to the capital values of the additional subsidies granted by local authorities in respect of these houses.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of applications fur extended benefit at the Walworth Road, Borough, Employment Exchange during the last three months; and the number granted and refused, together with the figures for the corresponding period last year?

The following table shows the number of applications for extended benefit considered, admitted and disallowed respectively, by the local Employment Committee at the Borough Employment Exchange during the periods mentioned:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of money paid in respect of overtime worked in the north-western region for the period of June to October, 1925; and what is the amount paid in respect of overtime worked in all other Departments for the same period?

I regret that as centralised statistics of overtime worked are not kept on a territorial basis, I am unable to furnish the information requested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that civil servants in Newcastle-on-Tyne are setting up a shopping association and that an appeal is being made to local traders, written upon the letter paper of the inspector of taxes (5th district) for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, asking traders to consider granting a discount to civil servants; and whether it is in accordance with Treasury rules that official letter paper shall be used for the purpose of setting up an organisation of civil servants to enter into competition with the local traders?

I am informed that the communication in question was not written upon official paper. The attention of the officer concerned has been directed to the undesirability of issuing a letter of this nature from an official address.

asked the Attorney-General if he will state the number of writing assistants and members of the typing grades, respectively, who have been classified A or above average in the office of the Public Trustee, London?

The annual report forms containing the classifications alluded to in the question were considered unsuitable for use for members of the typing grade in the Department and, after consultation with the Departmental Whitley Council, it has been decided not to make use of them. The forms will be used for the writing assistant grade, but they are in the course of preparation and have not yet been 'completed. I am therefore unable to give the information asked for in the question.

asked the Postmaster-General how many telephone operators he anticipates will be discharged by the introduction of the automatic telephone in 1926?

It is not intended to discharge any regular telephonists on account of automatic telephones, the introduction of which will be gradual.

asked the Postmaster-General how many clerks he anticipates will be engaged to operate the cash-on-delivery branch of the parcel post service in the event of the new proposals reaching his estimate of new business?

I do not anticipate that it will be necessary to engage any additional staff to deal with cash-on-delivery traffic, unless and until this traffic attains considerable dimensions.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is his intention to set up a Parliamentary Committee to consider the whole question of broadcasting part of the proceedings of Parliament?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given by the Prime Minister to questions on this subject.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Regulations which he proposes to make under Section 7 of the London Traffic Act, as affecting the tramway route between Shepherd's Bush and Uxbridge, will mean that of the 73 vehicles controlled by the London General Omnibus Company only 18 are to be withdrawn, while of the 24 independent vehicles four are to be entirely withdrawn and the remaining 20 to operate only to the extent of one-third of their capacity, thus in effect reducing the independent vehicles from 24 to six; and whether he will reconsider this matter, in view of the fact that 80 of those employed in the operation of the independent vehicles are ex-service men?

The number of omnibuses which will be affected by the restrictions to be placed on omnibus services running over the tramway route between Shepherd's Bush and Uxbridge will depend upon the manner in which the omnibus proprietors concerned decide to operate the journeys permitted under the Regulations. This will not be known until fresh schedules for the services affected have been deposited by the proprietors with the Commissioner of Police.The proprietors, owning four vehicles, who will not be allowed to operate any journeys over the route, did not come into the business until early in 1925, several months after the London Traffic Act came into force, and when it was known that omnibus services would be restricted under the powers conferred by that Act.With reference to the last part of the question, while I should regret if, as a remit of these restrictions, any ex-service men were thrown out of employment, I must point out to my hon. Friend that if as a result of continued unrestricted competition any tramway undertaking wore compelled to cease operating, a far lager number of ex-service men would be thrown out of employment.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to announce what steps are being taken to provide suitable accommodation for the workmen employed on the Perth-Inverness road?

The answer must necessarily be of considerable length, and with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, I will communicate with him by letter on the subject.

asked the Minister of Transport what are the names of the members of the Traffic Advisory Committee for London; what bodies or interests they represent; and the number of meetings held in 1925?

The following gentlemen have been appointed to the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee for a period of three years as from 1st December, 1925:

asked the Minister of Transport whether the question of compelling motorists to insure against accidents has now been considered, and when the legislation contemplated in his answer on the 17th December, 1924, to deal with this point, will be introduced?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 3rd March to the hon. Member for the Wirral Division (Mr. Grace), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Health if his Department has received representations from the Surbiton District Council with regard to fruit exposed for sale and found to contain arsenic, and what action is being taken in this regard?

Yes, Sir, I have received representations from the district council. The present Imported Food Regulations enable port and riparian sanitary authorities to seize and destroy any imported food which is unfit for human consumption, and I do not think that it would be practicable to strengthen these Regulations in any way short of imposing an absolute prohibition on the importation of apples—a measure which would not, in my view, be justified in the present circumstances.I take the opportunity of adding that I am not aware of any case in which an excessive quantity of arsenic has been found on home, or Empire-grown apples.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in cases where he receives applications from local education authorities in rural areas for approval of proposed purchases of land for recreation purposes, he will inquire whether common lands would be available for such purposes; and, failing such, whether he will confer with the President of the Board of Agriculture with a view to the latter Minister endeavouring to obtain from local landowners the use, free of charge, of waste land?

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to the provision of school playing fields. In the consideration of proposals of this kind, the possibility of making use of any existing open spaces, which are suitable and reasonably accessible to the schools, is not overlooked. As regards the second part of the question. I think the matter is one for adjustment locally.