asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that in a recent storm encountered by the "Manchester Producer," a cattle-boat now in Manchester Dock, it was found necessary to use pitchforks to throw live injured animals overboard to drown; and if he is prepared to take any steps or impose any new Regulations to prevent such occurrences."

An Order was issued on the 29th instant which requires shipping companies bringing live cattle to Great Britain to carry some form of humane killer suitable for use on board ship. I am glad to say the shipping companies have shown every desire to fall in with our Regulations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of ships in the mercantile marine on 30th April, 1921, fitted with direction-finding: apparatus; and the number of ships now fitted with direction-finding apparatus?

The number of British ships fitted with direction-finding apparatus on 31st December, 1925, was 263. Complete figures for April, 1921, are not available.

asked the Undersecretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he will consider utilising automatic recording machines, such as dictaphones or ediphones, for recording the Parliamentary Debates?

I have discussed this question with the authorities con cerned, bearing in mind that my Noble Friend intended that the Reports produced by the automatic recorders should be duly edited before publication. In view, however, of the expense involved, and doubt as to whether the use of automatic recorders would result in any considerable reduction of the present staff of reporters, it is not thought desirable to adopt my Noble Friend's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been called to the case of the orphan child of the late Gunner John Taylor, No. 121495, Royal Garrison Artillery; whether he is aware that this lad had an apprenticeship pension of 8s. per week under the Royal Warrant 2 (2), and that his wages were 8s. 10d. per week; and if he will state why, on his wages being raised to 10s. 10d. per week, the whole apprenticeship pension has been stopped?

As my right hon. Friend explained to the hon. Member, who has communicated with him regarding this case, he has no power to continue an allowance where the wages earned over the age of 16 are more than merely nominal. It is not possible under the terms of the Warrant, nor on general grounds would it be desirable, to institute a system of paying reduced allowances concurrently with wages. I would add, however, that the difficulty which arises in some of these cases will, I hope, be met by an arrangement that my; right hon. Friend has under consideration for reserving a portion of the maintenance allowance payable under the Warrant where wages are concurrently being drawn, so that when the allowance ceases, there may be a fund available from which any necessary expenses required by the boy or girl can be met.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that E. Conroy, 5, Pickering Street, Carbrook, Sheffield, who was discharged from the Army on the 21st January, 1920, consulted his panel doctor on the day of his discharge and obtained his certificate fer gastritis, clearly indicating that at that date there was stomach trouble; that on the 16th December, 1924., he, underwent an operation and a duodenal ulcer was proved to exist; that his symptoms persisted and were described, on 6th August, 1925, as neurosis, and he was granted 50 per cent, disability for gastric neurosis; that on the 30th November, 1925, he under went a further operation, when it was discovered that an ulcer was present, and not healed, and that hence the diagnosis of neurosis was wrong; and whether, under the circumstances, which strongly suggest that the disease was due to Army service, the case can be reopened.

Mr. Conroy first made a claim on the Ministry in respect of gastric trouble in 1925, but after full consideration, it was decided by the Ministry that his condition was neither attributable to nor aggravated by his war service. This decision was confirmed in November last by the Independent Appeal Tribunal to which he appealed. The certificate from the man's panel doctor to which the hon. Member refers was given nearly a year after the termination of Mi. Conroy's active service, as he had returned to civil life in February, 1979, although temporarily retained in the -Reserve. This certificate, together with all other evidence regarding the case, was before the Tribunal at the time of the herring. I have had the case carefully reviewed in consequence of representations made to me by the hon. Member; but I would point out that the medical report which he forwarded to me from a doctor definitely stated that the conditions of military service had no material effect in producing Mr. Conroy's present disability. After full consideration I can find no grounds for taking any further action in this case.

asked the Secretary for Scotland how many acres of land have been purchased up to the present time on which steel houses are to be built by the Scottish National Housing Company; what is the total price of the land; whether all the capital necessary for the operations of the company has been supplied by the Exchequer; and if the one share held by each member of the executive committee is paid for by the holder?

To date approximately 109 acres have been purchased and. 34 acres feued by the Second Scottish National Housing Company (Housing Trust), Limited. I am unable to state the total price of the land purchased, as the price of some of the sites is to be fixed by the Chief Valuer for Scotland, who has not yet made his award. The capital of the company is being supplied partly by loans on mortgage from the Public. Works Loan Commissioners, partly by-borrowing on debentures or other security from the Scottish Board of Health, and partly by shares paid for by that Board. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the admitted existence of combines for dealing in building materials, he will advise his Department, local authorities, and architects interested in building schemes involving a Government subsidy, to avoid specifying materials supplied only by combined firms, and thus give to the manufacturers who are outside such combines the opportunity of supplying materials to serve the needs of the. community?

My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that local authorities and their architects are not fully aware of the importance of framing their specifications to provide for the widest practicable choice of materials with a view to securing the most advantageous price and he does not think that any special action on his part is called for.

asked the Minister of Health what is the percentage of total family population living in Swansea at a density of more than two persons per room?

According to the 1921 Census the percentage of the total private family population in Swansea County Borough living at a density of more than two persons per room was 11·8.

asked the Minister of Health if he is yet in a position to state the approximate amount likely to be saved during the current year by boards of guardians following the operation of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act?

No, Sir. I hope that the results of the return. which I mentioned in a previous reply to the hon. Member, will be available before the end of April.

asked the Minister of Health if he will have prepared and circulated a summary of Orders, Regulations, and decisions in special cases under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925?

As the operation of the Act is still in its initial stages and the arrangements are in some respects incomplete, I regret that it is not possible at present to meet the suggestion of the hon. Member. I will, however, bear the point in mind.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated number of old age pension claims which will be decided by him. during the quarter ending 30th September, 1926, under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925; the estimated number of such claims which will be decided by the old age pensions committees and sub-committees during that quarter under the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1924; the number of such claims which were decided by those committees and sub—committees during the year 1925; whether any legislation will be introduced in the current Session, or is in contemplation, which would further reduce the number of such claims to be decided by those committees and sub-committees; and, if so, will he give the fullest available information as to the nature of the legislation, and the extent of such further reduction in the work of those bodies?

With regard to the first part of the question, Section 20 of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age `Contributory Pensions Act comes into operation on the 2nd July next, and as applicants are being invited to submit their applications as early as possible, beginning next month, the best forecast I can give is that it is estimated that about 100,000 claims under Section 20 will fall to be dealt with between April and the end of September next. As regards the second and third parts of the question, it is estimated that from 20,000 to 25,000 claims will be dealt with by local pension committees during the quarter ended 30th September next. 213,518 claims were dealt with by such committees during the year 1925. The answer to the fourth part of the question is in the negative, and the last part does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons who were in receipt of Poor Law relief for each month from 1st July, 1924, to March, 1925, and July, 1925, to March, 1926?

The following statement gives the information desired:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether Income Tax inspectors and/or collectors receive a commission based on the amounts of assessments and/or collections?

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that no interest is charged on Super-tax in arrear, how long credit is given before steps are taken to enforce payment; and whether he can give a rough estimate of the amount of interest lost to the Treasury each year through Super-tax payers delaying payment?

Super-tax becomes payable on or before the 1st January in the year of assessment or, where the assessment has not been made by that date, on the day following the making of the assessment. If it is not paid at the due date, suitable steps are taken, according to the circumstances of each case, to obtain payment within a reasonable period. I am unable to furnish the estimate asked for in the second part of the question, and I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the question asked by him on the 23rd March.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communication has been made to the Duke of Bedford with regard to the reversion to the vendor of the Bloomsbury site, which has been declined by the University of London because of the impossibility of fulfilling

Notice has been served on the solicitors to the Bedford Estate, offering the re-sale of the Blooms-bury site to the Duke of Bedford pursuant to the provisions of Clause 7 of the Conveyance of the 23rd March, 1921.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much gold has been paid out of the gold reserves of the United Kingdom against the order of the Greek Refugee Settlement Commission; and to whom have such payments, if any, been made?

I am not aware of any such payments, nor do I see how they could arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of public credit, loans, and liabilities granted since the Armistice, stating the names of the schemes, with the respective amounts of each section.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st March, 1925, col. 1032, Vol. 192], supplied the following information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any estimate was formed in advance as to the total cost of the sugar-beet subsidy to the State over the full period of 10 years; and, if so, whether he will give this figure on which his advisers have been working?

I have been asked to reply. No definite estimate of the total cost of the subsidy over the full period of 10 years could he made, as it was impossible to foresee how many factories would be erected during that period.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, taking the number of men supplied to the different sugar-beet factories by the Employment Exchanges during the past season of sugar manufacture, he can give the average length of employment of such men, and state how many are in receipt of or have applied for unemployment benefit after ceasing this work?

As stated on 24th March in reply to the hon. Member for Blackpool (Sir W. de Frece), the number of workers supplied to the factories in 1925 by the Employment Exchanges was 1,275. I regret that the information asked for in the latter parts of the question is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is proposed to reintroduce the proposal for a duty on wrapping paper?

I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend regrets that he is not at present in a position to indicate a precise date.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications by industries for safeguarding were considered not to have a prima facie case for inquiry by a committee, and how many industries have been considered not to have established their case to be safeguarded after inquiry by a, committee set up by the Board of Trade?

Up to the present 16 applications have been rejected by the Board of Trade as not disclosing a prima facie case for reference to a Committee, and three applications have been rejected after such reference.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that the German Government has recently agreed to guarantee the credit to the extent of 60 per cent. of the total amount of approved schemes for the supply of German manufactured goods to Russia and that, as a result, £15,000,000 worth of orders have recently been placed by Russia with German manufacturers in -connection with this credit scheme; and, in view of this development, is he prepared to consider if some similar scheme can be made available to British manufacturers for trade with Russia?

I understand that the terms of the credit referred to by the hon. Member have not yet been finally settled, and I have no information in regard to the alleged placing of £15,000,000 of orders. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my speech during the Committee stage of the Debate on the Trade Facilities Bill on 10th March, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Postmaster General if he is aware that amateur wireless experimenters were able to listen to the official two-way telephony tests recently carried out between the Rugby high-power post office station and America; and will he state what steps are being taken by his Department to safeguard the secrecy of this trans-Atlantic conversation?

I am aware of the fact to which the hon. Member draws attention. The steps to be taken to secure secrecy for trans-Atlantic telephone conversations are at present being investigated.

asked the Postmaster-General whether telephone call offices will be installed at Finstown and Dounby and other important rural centres on the mainland of Orkney; and whether he is aware that when the Post Office was asking for subscribers a promise was given that call offices would be installed at all post offices on the mainland?

Telephone call offices at the places to which the hon. Member refers are not expected to pay their way, and can only be provided under a guarantee to defray any loss incurred by the Post Office. Negotiations are proceeding with the respective local authorities, and I hope that the necessary guarantees will be forthcoming in several of the places concerned. I am definitely assured that the officials, who canvassed for subscribers in the Orkneys, gave no such promise as that suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will include in the Appendix to the Navy List the conditions of pay, service, and regulations governing selection and promotion to the rank of mate and officers promoted from that rank, observing that at present there is no publication in which this information can be found?

All the information in question is to be found either in the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions or in the Appendix to the Navy List. I see no reason for includ ing, further matter in the latter publication which, for reasons of economy, it is

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any application has been made at any time for permission of the landing of British seaplanes in French ports as part of a regular service; and whether Imperial Airways would be prepared to carry out such a service?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Some informal discussions with the French authorities in regard to a possible seaplane service between England and France took place in 1922, but they did not reach the stage of concrete proposals or formal application to the French Government. As regards the second part of the question, I cannot answer for Imperial Airways, but I have no doubt that they constantly review the possibility of developments such as this.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Paris Municipal Council has made it desirable to keep within as small limits as possible.compulsory upon the owners of motor vehicles to have anti-splash guards fixed to their motor cars; and, whether, in view of the fact that there are anti-splash devices patented in this country by British patentees which have been tested and proved satisfactory in every way, he will, in the interests of the public, consider introducing legislation to make the adoption of anti-splash devices compulsory?

I understand that anti-splash guards are required to be fixed to public service motor vehicles in Paris, but I have no knowledge of their having been made compulsory for all motor vehicles. With regard to the second part of the question, no anti-splash device has been brought to my notice which has been found sufficiently satisfactory to justify the introduction of legislation, or the issue of regulations, making the use of such devices compulsory.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the protests in regard to the matter of public motorcar parking places in the London area, he will have the whole subject reviewed by the London Traffic Advisory Committee?

The London Traffic Advisory Committee are at present reviewing both the list of parking places f Dr motor vehicles scheduled to the London Traffic (Parking Places) Regulations, 1925, and the Regulations themselves, in the light of experience gained. This review must necessarily, however, take some time as each parking place has to be considered separately.

asked the Minister of Transport how long the new western avenue from Shepherd's Bush to Denham has been under construction; and when he anticipates that it will be completed?

The first section in Hammersmith was begun by the London County Council in 1920. The Middlesex County Council have since completed several sections and are proceeding with others. As there are outstanding sections of the scheme which involve the collaboration of various local authorities with my Department, and for which no financial provision has yet been made, I am not at, present in a position to forecast the date of completion.