asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been called to the fact that the Danish Government has been asked to nominate two Danish officers to assist in delimiting the new frontier between Turkey and Iraq; what investigation this is; and how many experts, and of what nationality, are taking part in it?

No Danish or other officers have been nominated to assist in delimiting the Turco-Iraq frontier. The House may remember that the League of Nations sent certain neutral officers to the frontier last year in the capacity of observers. Two of these officers remained when the head of the Mission returned to make his report to the council, and at the request of the Council subsequently prolonged their stay. But it was impossible to ask them to prolong their stay indefinitely, and after they left, the League of Nations, at the request of His Majesty's Government, appointed two Danish officers to take their place. The request was made before the present negotiations with the Turkish Government had taken definite shape. The officers have not yet started for Iraq, and if the negotiations are satisfactorily concluded at an early date their mission may become unnecessary. In the meantime I should wish to express on behalf of His Majesty's Government their appreciation of the action, first, of the Council in acceding to the request which we made in the interests of peace, and, secondly, to the Danish Government for permitting Danish officers to undertake the duty.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the intensified need for economy owing to the coal dispute, he will cancel the remaining interchanges of military stations within the United Kingdom planned for this year; and, if not, why it is essential that these changes should not be postponed?

The interchange of military stations in the United Kingdom is a matter of considerable complexity, and is intimately connected not only with necessary reductions in some garrisons and additions to others but also with the foreign trooping programme, which cannot be postponed. Any partial alteration of the movement programme planned for the current year would not only disorganise the pro- gramme but would necessitate additional moves in subsequent years and corresponding additional expense. In these circumstances, I do not consider that the cancellation of moves as suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend would be in the public interest.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of civilian technical posts to be created at the Motor Transport Stores Depot, Feltham; the nature and character of the work to be performed; the rate of pay proposed; the method of procedure to be adopted in the selecting of individuals to occupy the posts; and whether individuals appointed will be given established status?

This question is under discussion, but I hope a decision will be reached very shortly, when I will communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the reasons for which the committee of inquiry set up by the Government of India to inquire into the affairs of the Indian Army Canteen Board has recommended its dissolution?

The reasons will be found in the Report recently published by the Government of India, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy and placing another in the Library.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the financial results of the working of the Indian Army Canteen Board since its inception and its effect on the finances of the Government of India?

The latest available figures show that there was a debit balance of nearly eight lakhs of rupees as at 31st July last on the profit and loss account. The only charge which has so far fallen upon Indian revenues is a sum of Rs. 1,84,000 on account of the investigation preliminary to the creation of the board. There is, of course, a liability upon public funds in connection with the overdraft with the Imperial Bank which has been guaranteed by the Government of India.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that seven members of the European staff of the Indian Army Canteen Board have been convicted of various offences under Indian laws; whether he will give the details of each conviction; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that more efficient methods for the selection of the staff shall be adopted in future?

I am aware of these convictions, but am not in a position to supply detailed information about them. The question of securing an improvement of personnel would, of course, be considered in the event of its being decided that the Board shall continue to operate.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of people who were killed and the number injured in the riots that occurred in Calcutta on Friday, 2nd April; if there have been any arrests and with what results; and if the trouble spread to any other centres?

The day mentioned by the hon. Member was the first of several days on which rioting occurred at Calcutta during the first half of April. The number of persons reported as killed on that particular day was four, and the number injured, mostly slightly, about 100. I have not figures as to the arrests effected on the same day or the results that followed from them. The Communal trouble at Calcutta did not spread to outside districts of Bengal during the first half of April, though there was much anxiety in them.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the number of ex-service men who have emigrated since 1919 under the Empire Settlement Act or any other scheme?

Under the Government free passage scheme for ex-service men and women and their dependants, which came into operation on 8th April, 1919, and was closed on 31st December, 1922, 39,419 ex-service men (or 86,027 persons including dependants, etc.) were granted free passages to enable them to settle in other parts of the Empire. The schemes of assisted migration now in operation under the terms of the Empire Settlement Act, 1922, are applicable to all suitable persons in the United Kingdom, including ex-service men, and separate figures are not available to show the numbers of ex-service men who have proceeded overseas under those schemes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the volume and value of

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Lords of the Admiralty have decided that all woodwork in His Majesty's ships is, in the future, to be fireproofed?

No decision of the nature indicated by my hon. and learned Friend has been arrived at.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, what his Department pays a gallon for paint; and what is the price which is paid in the open market for the same quality?

The great bulk of the painting work carried out by the Office of Works is done by contract, and only a comparatively small amount of paint is purchased direct. Twelve different grades of paint are used, the cost ranging from 11s. to 26s. per gallon, covering metal priming paints, undercoat paints and finishing paints. I am not in a position to state the prices paid by other purchasers.

the imports in Britain of iron and steel from France, Germany and Belgium respectively for the first quarter of 1926 and 1925?

The following statement shows the quantities and declared values of iron and steel and manufactures thereof imported into the United Kingdom, and registered as consigned from France, Germany and Belgium respectively during the period specified:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of individuals, respectively, with total incomes above the Income Tax exemption limit, entirely relieved from the tax by abatements and allowances and chargeable with tax for the years 1924–25 and 1925–26?

Final figures of the numbers of taxpayers for these years are not yet available, but the following provisional estimates have been made:

The smaller numbers in 1925–26 are due to the increase of the exemption limit in respect of earned incomes from £150 to £162, in consequence of which those persons whose income consisted of earned income falling between £150 and £162 were not brought into charge. It is estimated that about 500,000 persons in receipt of earned income falling between £150 and £162 with no other income dropped out of charge following this raising of the exemption limit.

asked the Minister of Health under what Act boards of guardians claim the right to refuse out relief, except on loan, to indigent persons; how many boards of guardians at the present time grant relief only on loan; and how many grant relief without requiring promissory notes?

The grant of Poor Law relief on loan is governed by Section 58 of the Poor Law Amendment Act, 1834, and Article XIII of the Relief Regulation Order, 1911. It is a common practice of boards of guardians only to grant on loan relief to able-bodied persons. Relief in other than able-bodied cases is comparatively rarely given on loan, but I am afraid the information sought in the last part of the question is not in my possession.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the area of arable land in England and Wales that was under cultivation on the 4th June, 1926, or the last convenient date?

Figures for the current year are not yet available. The area of arable land in England and Wales as returned by occupiers on 4th June, 1925, was 10,682,000 acres.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the total number of free places available in secondary schools; and what proportion such number bears to the total number of places in such schools?

The total number of free-place pupils in grant-aided secondary schools in England and Wales on 1st October, 1925, was 134,348, which represents 36½6 per cent. of the total number of registered pupils in those schools on that date.

asked the President of the Board of Education in how many areas free secondary education is being provided; and how many free places in secondary schools per thousand of its population are provided in each of those areas?

On the assumption that the first part of the question refers to areas in which some of the secondary schools are entirely free, the information asked for is as follows:

It should be noted that in the above table are included all free-place pupils, whether or not the particular school which they attended was free, and whether or not they resided within the area of the local authority concerned.