asked the Minister of Labour the names and addresses of the workpeople representatives serving upon the Ilford (Essex) employment committee and rota committee, together with the names of the organisations thus represented?

The following is a list of the workpeople's representatives on this local employment committee and of the organisations they represent. It is not the practice to publish the addresses of members:

Persons nominated and nominating body.

Mrs. Bing, Ilford Trades and Labour Council, 18, Raymond Road, Ilford.

Mr. C. King, Workers' Union, "High-field," Golder's Green Road, N.W. 4.

Mr. G. T. Hasler, National Union of Railwaymen, 118, Green Lane, Ilford.

Mr. F. J. Haskell, Electrical Trades Union, 65, Wellington Road, East Ham, E. 6.

Mr. F. J. Baker, National Union of General and Municipal Workers, 31, Selborne Avenue, Manor Park, E 12.

Mr. O. J. Frost, National Amalgamated Union of Shop Assistants, Warehousemen and Clerks, 271, Thorold Road, Ilford.

Mr. T. Lawton and Mr. W. A. Smith, National Federation of Building Trades Operatives, 9, Rugby Chambers, Chapel Street, W.C. 1.

Vacancy, Amalgamated Engineering Union, 46, Northbrook Road, Ilford.

The members of rota committees, so far as they are not also members of the local employment committee, are selected by that committee. In accordance with the usual practice, I am consulting the committee as to whether they have any objection to the names being given.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons refused benefit at the Borough, Walworth Road, Employment Exchange, during the period of the general strike, on the ground that they refused employment in industries or places where employés were on strike?

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour how many permits were issued to aliens to take up employment in this country between 1st July, 1925, and 1st January, 1926; to what nationality they belonged and for what trades they were required; does a permit granted to an employer cover several employés; does a permit holder need a passport; and who were the employers who asked to have permission to import foreign labour?

From 1st July to 31st December, 1925, 2,722 permits were issued to employers to enable them to obtain the services of aliens from abroad for employment in the United Kingdom. The following tables show the number of aliens in respect of whom permits were granted and refused, analysed—(1) according to the nationality of the aliens, and (2) according to the principal occupations concerned. A separate permit is issued in respect of each alien, but the possession of a Ministry of Labour permit does not entitle the alien to travel without a passport. It is not the practice to publish the names of the employers obtaining permits under the Aliens Order; the nature of the trades or businesses carried on by these employers can in a number of oases be inferred from the details in the second table attached.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can arrange to obtain statistics from a representative number of manufacturers showing the numbers employed and the aggregate wages paid during a selected week in each month in the following industries: Lace, silk, artificial silk, motor car, leather gloves, fabric gloves, and gas mantle industries?

It would be a matter of some difficulty and expense to obtain these figures, but I am considering whether any action is feasible on these lines, or, alternatively, by obtaining more detailed statistics of unemployment, as suggested by the hon. Member for Barn-staple (Mr. B. Peto) on 5th May.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many men are enlisted in His Majesty's Army on an average during each month, and how many at each of the recruiting stations?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statistics contained in Table 1 of the General Annual Report for the year ending 30th September, 1925 (Cmd. 2582), which shows the numbers of recruits-approved annually for the recruiting years 1912, 1913 and 1920–25 by recruiting zones. The headquarters of the zone, as shown in the table referred to, is the recruiting station of the area covered by the zone.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of officers and other ranks employed in assisting the civil powers during the general strike?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply that I gave him on the 18th May, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Home Secretary the number of horses requisitioned for the use of special constables employed on mounted duty within the Metropolitan Police area between 1st and 14th May, together with the cost incurred for the hire and feeding of such animals during this period?

No horses were requisitioned for this purpose. Twenty-six were hired at an inclusive rate of 7s. 6d. each per day.

asked the Home Secretary the number of motor-cars or other conveyances that were used by special constables in the Metropolitan Police district between the dates 1st May and 12th May; and whether petrol and oil were supplied free to same and, if so, what quantities were used?

It would take some time to obtain this information, but I may say that all the motor-cars at the disposal of the special constabulary were lent for the purpose and only a small proportion of the petrol used was supplied at the cost of the Police Fund.

asked the Home Secretary the number of special constables that were enrolled in Great Britain between 1st and 13th May, and the number that were engaged during this time in the carrying on essential services, and in what service they were so engaged?

The figures at present available are not quite complete, but the number enrolled from 1st to 11th May was, approximately, 142,000, including 17,000 members of the Civil Constabulary Reserve. Special constables serving as such are employed exclusively on police duties.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the baton assault on a police constable at Hornsey Road, Holloway, by a special constable; and will he cause to be withdrawn from the possession of special constables truncheons issued to them during the general strike?

I have obtained a report on this incident, and find that the assault was committed by a disbanded member of the Civil Constabulary Reserve, who on disbandment stated that he had lost his truncheon. Special constables and members of the Civil Constabulary Reserve are required on disbandment to give up their truncheons or to pay for them if unable to produce them.

asked the Home Secretary the total number of arrests made in the Metropolitan police district during the general strike arising out of street disturbances, and the number injured and taken to hospital for treatment following police action?

The number of arrests arising out of street disturbances was 453. The number of persons taken to hospital by police was 77.

asked the Home Secretary the total number of casualties suffered by members of the Metropolitan Police and Special Constables during the progress of the general strike, together with the number so injured as to require hospital treatment?

The total number of members of the Metropolitan and Police Force and the Metropolitan Special Constabulary Reserve who were injured during the recent emergency was 210. Of these, 68 required hospital treatment.

asked the Home Secretary the number of arrests without warrants that have been made under the Emergency Powers Act between 3rd and 12th May in the Metropolitan area; the names of the persons so proceeded against; the Section of the Act under which they were prosecuted; and the sentences pronounced in each of the prosecutions?

Between 3rd and 12th May, there were 604 arrests without warrant in connection with the emergency. It would not be right to give the names of the persons arrested. Proceedings were taken under various enactments, including the Emergency Regulations, 1926, the Prevention of Crimes Amendment Act, 1885, the Metropolitan Police Act, 1839, the Army Act, the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act, 1875, the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861, the Larceny Act, 1916, and the Malicious Damage Act, 1861.

The proceedings resulted as follows: One person was reported ill; three others did not appear; 70 were discharged; 104 were bound over; three were bound over and sentenced to fine or imprisonment; 201 were fined; 179 were sentenced to imprisonment for terms from one week to six months; 18 were fined in addition, or as an alternative, to imprisonment; 23 were remanded; and two were committed for trial.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India, whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that an Indian railway officer on Rs. 600 gets less leave than a European or an Anglo-Indian on Rs. 60; and whether he can inform the House of the reason for this discrepancy?

The criterion of eligibility for the more favourable leave rules is the possession of a non-Asiatic domicile (a qualification not ordinarily possessed by Anglo-Indians), and, with certain reservations in regard to officers formerly subject to different criteria, the rate of pay is irrelevant. Public servants employed in the country of their home do not require so liberal an allowance of leave as those serving many thousands of miles away from their homes in a climate to which they are not accustomed, and which is trying to their health.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Swami Satyadev who, although in possession of two doctors' certificates recommending that he be permitted to proceed to Europe as soon as possible to undergo special eye treatment, and although he has expressed his willingness to give any undertaking to satisfy the authorities of his bona fides, has been repeatedly refused the necessary passport?

I have seen a reference to the matter in the Press My Noble Friend has no reason to suppose that the matter is not being dealt with suitably by the authorities in India.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether his attention has been drawn to the objections raised by the Imperial Citizenship Association of Bombay, in a letter to the Government of India, to the re-opening of Indian emigration to British Guiana; and whether he will give an assurance that the grounds on which the objections are taken will be carefully considered before steps are taken to put the scheme into operation?

I have seen a telegram from the Imperial Indian Citizenship Association on the subject. The Government of India decided on 23rd March last, after careful consideration, and with the approval of the Indian Legislature, to take the steps necessary to legalise emigration to British Guiana on certain terms and conditions as stated in the reply to a question asked on 26th April by the hon. Member for the Mile End Division of Stepney (Mr. Scurr).

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether he has received the report of the conference held between the Government of India, the Controller of Labour to the Ceylon Government, and the emigration agent to the Government of India in Ceylon, with reference to labour conditions in Ceylon; and, if so, what are the recommendations contained in the report?

The Government of India are in correspondence with the Government of Ceylon regarding the results of the conference.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of blast furnaces in blast at the end of April, and the number out of blast, together with the estimated monthly productive capacity of those out of blast; and the amount of pig iron imported during April, together with the pig iron equivalent of all the iron and steel manufactures therefor imported during the month of April?

Statistics published by the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers show that there were 147 furnaces in blast at the end of April. I am unable to state the number of furnaces out of blast at that date, but at the end of December, 1924, the number in existence was 475, and seven were in course of erection. The monthly productive capacity of those which could normally be in blast at any one time is estimated to be about 1,000,000 tons, while the output in April was 539,100 tons. The imports of pig iron in April amounted to 32,365 tons, and the imports of iron and steel and manufactures thereof (including pig iron) amounted to 261,787 tons. In view of the diversity of the products included in this latter total, it is not possible to give a precise estimate of the quantity of pig iron required for their manufacture.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the exports to and the imports from the British

asked the President of the Board of Trade the net national earnings of shipping of the United Kingdom for the years 1923, 1924 and 1925, respectively; the amount of tonnage entering the United Kingdom for the same periods; and the net income from overseas investments?

With regard to the net national earnings of shipping and the net income from overseas investments, I would refer the hon. Member to an article on "The Balance of Trade" in the "Board of Trade

Dominions, India, and the Crown Colonies, including mandated territories, for the first quarter of 1926 and also, for comparison, the corresponding quarterly averages for 1913?

The figures are as follow:

Journal" for 21st January, 1926, of which I am sending him a copy. I presume that the particulars desired as to tonnage entering the United Kingdom are those relating to vessels with cargoes. These are given on page 2 of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for December, 1925.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to make a statement as a result of his inquiries as to whether he considers it necessary to cause regulations to be made with a view to all electric cables being insulated?

I presume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to the circumstance of the unfortunate accident to which he called attention in the question he asked on the 17th May. I have directed a formal investigation to be held into this accident and its causes and circumstances, and I expect to receive the report of this investigation in a few weeks.