asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed at the present time, and the corresponding figures for a year ago?

At 24th May, 1926, there were 1,597,700 persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, exclusive of persons who ceased work in the coal-mining industry because of the dispute, as compared with 1,186,522 at 25th May, 1925.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, men, women and young persons, respectively, registered as unemployed at the Borough (Walworth Road) Employment Exchange on Friday, 14th May last, as compared with the number registered on the corresponding date last year?

Figures in respect of Friday, 14th May, are not available. On Monday, 17th May, there were on the registers of the Borough Employment Exchange 6,495 men, 2,521 women and 579 juveniles, making a total of 9,595 persons, as compared with 6,385 men, 1,823 women and 542 juveniles, or a total of 8,750 persons, on 18th May, 1925.

asked the Minister of Labour what numbers of officers, designated employment officers, were employed by the Ministry of Labour on 1st January, 1st March, and 1st May this year, and corresponding dates last year?

The following; numbers of employment officers (including those holding acting rank) were employed by the Ministry of Labour on the dates specified:

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received any representations urging the appointment of a Commission for the purpose of working out and introducing a new system of Post Office administration, including the separation of the postal services from the telegraphs and telephones, and possibly the vesting of the latter services in a semi-independent body, which should include non-official representation; and whether he will state the Government's attitude towards this matter?

Suggestions for the separation of the postal services from the telegraphs and telephones have from time to time been made. A reorganisation on these lines would entail, inter alia, the establishment of separate staffs and the appointment of a large number of additional officers to discharge the duties for which the existing amalgamated staff is sufficient. I am satisfied that the advantages, if there be any, accruing from separate administrations would not be commensurate with the additional expenditure involved.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of parcels delivered on the cash on delivery system to the last convenient date?

The number of parcels delivered under the Inland cash-on-delivery system, from the inception of the service on the 29th of March up to and including the 22nd of May, is just over 90,000. The service was suspended during the general strike.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of naval ratings employed in power and other stations during the progress of the general strike; and the approximate cost of such service?

572 naval officers and ratings were employed in operating power stations. The information as to the cost is not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of petrol issued to volunteer drivers from the Hyde Park depot during the strike, and whether accounts were kept of the amount issued, the mileage covered, and the type of motor used?

I have been asked to answer this question. About 26,500 gallons of motor spirit were used in Hyde Park during the emergency. It is not possible to distinguish between the issues to vehicles driven by volunteer drivers and those driven by regular employés of the firms to whom the vehicles belonged. Accounts were kept of the amounts issued to individual vehicles.

asked the Home Secretary the total number of highway accidents in the Metropolitan Police district during the 11 days ending 14th May last, and the number of accidents for the corresponding period last year?

The figures for the period of the emergency are not available, and to obtain them specially would involve considerable labour. They would, in any case, not be comparable with last year's figures, as the number of vehicles on the streets in the two periods was very different.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many men are enlisted in the Royal Navy on an average during each month, and how many at each of the recruiting stations?

The average number of men and boys entered in the Royal Navy and Royal Marines per month during 1925–26 was 603. The average number entered from each recruiting station per month during 1925–26 was as follows: