asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the percentage of British exports to the various countries of the world during 1918 to 1925 inclusive?

Figures are given on pages 244–45 of the Board of Trade Journal, dated 21st February, 1924, pages 216–17 of the Board of Trade Journal for 19th February, 1925, and pages 166–68 of the Journal for 11th February, 1926, showing the percentage distribution of our trade with the various countries of the world in the years 1913, 1920, 1922, 1923, 1924 and 1925. Similar calculations have not been made for the other years specified, but the January issues of the monthly Trade Accounts (Table TX) show the actual values of our exports to individual countries for the three preceding years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal of the Mercantile Marine Department to recognise the West Ham electricity supply as an urgent and essential service; whether he is aware that a ship named" Louis Rose" was detained by this Department and permission to unload the coal refused; and whether he is aware that demurrage charges are being demanded from the consignee, the local authority, who were not responsible for the vessel's detention?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in thinking that there can be any question of the West Ham Electricity Supply being treated otherwise than as an essential service, but I understand that at the moment they are not in urgent need of coal. The "Louis Rose" is held in accordance with the policy, which the President of the Board of Trade explained yesterday in reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy), which seeks to form a, mobile reserve of coal to meet urgent national needs in the event of the stoppage being prolonged. All boats held up are reviewed from time to time in order that a decision may be taken whether they must still be held for this purpose or can be released. I do not know what negotiations if any have taken place between the owners of the" Louis Rose" and the borough, but the Mercantile Marine Department, in accordance with, their usual policy, approached the Borough of West Ham to ascertain whether, if and when the cargo could be released, they would indemnify the Department against any claims which the shipowner might have for the extra cost of keeping a crew on board the vessel during the period of detention.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that many collieries in Lancashire are charging prices of 5s. to 7s. a ton increase on present contract prices, notwithstanding that the subsidy has been paid on all coal at the pit heads; and whether, in view of the expenditure of public money, he will make inquiries on the subject?

I do not follow the hon. Member's suggestion that the payment of subsidy has a bearing on this question, but I am always ready to investigate any allegation that advantage is being taken of the present emergency to make an excessive profit if I am given the necessary particulars. I have had only one complaint from Lancashire, which is now being investigated.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give the latest available figures of trade unions in Great Britain; and whether the figures show an increase or decrease?

The latest available figures relating to the membership of all trade unions having their headquarters in Great Britain and Northern Ireland are those for the end of 1924, when the total membership (excluding that in Irish Free State and other overseas branches), was approximately 5,470,000, as compared with approximately 5,316,000 at the end of 1923.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any workers in the sugar beet industry are regarded as skilled; and, if so, the number of men employed permanently in the different sugar beet factories of the country on the one hand and on the other in the refineries of the country;

I have been asked to reply, and would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 20th May last to my hon. Friend the Member for Kirkdale (Sir J. Pennefather), a copy of which I am sending to him.

asked the Minister of Labour the average period of employment of the workers in the sugar beet factories, and the class of work they usually undertake when not so engaged.

I have been asked to reply. The manufacturing season of the beet sugar factories extends approximately over three and a half to four months, but about 18 per cent. of the total workers employed remain in work in the factory during the remainder of the year. As regards the second part of the question; I am informed that when the manufacturing season ends the men engaged in the factories resume, or register at the Employment Exchanges for their normal occupations, which are as a rule those of builders' labourers, engineering and foundry labourers and general labourers. As regards builders' labourers it will no doubt be borne in mind that the men in question, like the other classes mentioned, are unskilled and that their normal work is of an intermittent character. I understand that the skilled workmen, such as fitters, electricians and carpenters, who are employed in the factories during the season, return afterwards to their normal occupations.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, men, women, and young people, respectively, registered as unemployed at the Borough, Walworth Road, Employment Exchange, on the last convenient date, together with the number similarly registered on the corresponding date last year?

The following table shows the number of men, women and juveniles on the registers of the Borough Employment Exchange at 31st May, 1926, and 1st June, 1925, respectively:

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Wolverhampton Juvenile Unemployment Centre has been in operation without break since 1921, and that the Parliamentary Secretary and the principal officers to the Ministry have from time to time testified to the success of the centre and its beneficial effect upon unemployed young persons; and whether he will reconsider his decision to turn at least 100 young people, aged 14 to 18, out of this useful institution because Wolverhampton did not, within the 12 months ended November last, fall within a juvenile unemployment formula prescribed by the Ministry?

The Unemployment Juvenile Centres in Wolverhampton, which I understand are still open, have been in operation since 1921 and have been successful. The grant in respect of such centres is an emergency provision, and owing to the need for economy it has been necessary to restrict it during the present year. The relatively low unemployment among juveniles in Wolverhampton, though a fortunate thing in itself, makes it impossible for a grant to be allowed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why the policy of importing indentured labour into Kenya Colony has been adopted, in view of the fact that the principle of non-importation of indentured labour was laid down by the then Secretary of State for the Colonies on 6th April, 1920?

I am not aware that any policy of importing indentured labour has been adopted by the Government of Kenya. When the question was previously raised in this House, the Governor was asked to furnish me with full information as to what was proposed in regard to the importation of labour, but I have not yet received a reply. The Governor was at the same time requested not to take any action until I had been able to consider the matter further.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether in view of the widespread dissatisfaction existing among ex-service men resident within the Irish Free State by reason of the failure of the Irish Land Trust to provide houses for ex-service men and on account of other causes, he will at once cause a full and impartial inquiry to be made into the administration and work of the Irish Land Trust since its inception?

I cannot accept as accurate the general description of the situation on which the hon. Member bases his inquiry, and the answer to it is in the negative. But I may add that His Majesty's Government are expecting to receive from the Trust shortly a full report on its administration and work, and I anticipate that this report will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the body known as the Irish Land Trust together with its staffs in London and Dublin, is registered as being on the King's National Roll; and, if not, what steps he proposes to take to ensure that it may be so registered?

I understand that no steps have been taken by the Trust to be registered on the roll, and I am inquiring whether they are in fact qualified for such registration. I am informed that over 80 per cent. of their total staff are ex-service men, but I have at present no information as to how many of these are disabled.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that, although the Accounts Branch has admitted that Mr. A. H. Langford, ex-stoker of His Majesty's Ship" Tomahawk," contracted tuberculosis during active service, a disability pension has been refused him on the grounds that this disease may have arisen even if he had not entered the Navy; and whether he will grant this man the right to appeal to an independent medical tribunal?

The facts of the case are as stated in the question. All disabilities necessitating the invaliding of men from the Navy naturally appear during their service, but before they can be regarded as attributable to the service they must be found to be due to abnormal conditions. Langford's case has been carefully considered by the naval medical authorities, who state that abnormal conditions were not present, and the tuberculosis cannot therefore be accepted as attributable. As regards an appeal to an independent medical tribunal, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply of the 18th May (OFFICIAL REPORT, cols. 123–4) to the hon. and gallant Member for North Portsmouth (Sir B. Falle).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the age at which mates and mates E were confirmed in these ranks between the years 1912 and 1922, he will consider an amendment to the scale of retired pay shown on page 42 of the Appendix to the Navy List, April, 1926, to permit of officers promoted from the lower deck through the mate system having the advantage of the time served as a rating and warrant officer?

The present rules for counting service towards retired pay, under the scale shown on page 42, have always been in force for officers promoted from mate and mate (E) and having regard to the fact that, when the present rates of retired pay were fixed in 1919, it was with full knowledge of the ages at which promotions to mates and mates (E) were taking place, I see no sufficient reason for altering them.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the quantity of coal consumed by His Majesty's ships in the years 1918 and 1925?

It would not be possible without a great deal of clerical labour to state the amount of coal consumed by His Majesty's ships in the year of 1918, which included 11 months of war, but the total quantity supplied to His Majesty's ships and the numerous commissioned auxiliaries employed during that year all over the world approximated to 5,000,000 tons. The quantity of coal consumed by His Majesty's ships in 1925 was 309,000 tons.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of German warships at Scapa Flow still to be salvaged and the number already salvaged?

I assume the hon. and gallant Member refers to contracts already let or completed. The answer to the first part of the question is five, and to the second, 29.

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he is aware that there is a proposal to use the site of Chatham market as a parking ground for motor omnibuses; whether he is aware that this site, at present occupied by ex-service men and their stalls, was sold by his Department to the Chatham Council on condition that it should be retained for the use of these ex-service men; and whether he will give an undertaking that this condition will not be waived?

I am not aware of the proposal referred to by the hon. Member. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative; the third part does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the Royal Air Force are going to utilise the new Evans parachute, or have they something better in their possession at present?

I am advised that the Irving parachute, which has already been adopted, is a more suitable type for Royal Air Force use than the French parachute recently demonstrated in combination with Major Evans's life-saving suit, and the answer to the first part of my Noble Friend's question is therefore in the negative, and to the second part in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many nations are now members of the League of Nations; and how many have signed and how many ratified the Protocol on Arbitration and the Conventions on Customs, Ports and Railways?

There are 55 members of the League. The number who have signed and have ratified the Protocol on Arbitration Clauses, the Convention relating to the Simplification of Customs Formalities, the Convention on Maritime Ports and the Convention on Railways are 26 and nine, 35 and 17, 25 and five, 32 and six, respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that a number of typewriters at present in use in the Civil Service have been in continuous use for more than 12 years; that these machines cost a considerable amount for annual repair and cannot turn out satisfactory work; and whether he will consider replacing these out-of-date machines by new British machines?

The number of typewriters over 12 years old which are at present in use in the Public Service is approximately 1,500. 661 of these machines were repaired during the 12 months ended 31st May, 1926, at an average cost of 9s. 6d. per machine. When machines are no longer capable of turning out satisfactory work, and their repair is not an economical proposition, they are replaced from the large stocks of reconditioned machines held by the Stationery Office. With reference to the last part of the question, when replacement becomes necessary, preference will be given to British machines under the conditions which I explained in Committee of Supply on the 15th February, 1926.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his Department has any statistics showing the total tonnage of meat arriving at Smithfield Market for the year 1925; whether the Order prohibiting the import of fresh meat applies to poultry and game and to the furs of wild animals; and whether he will supply the information?

The total quantity of meat, excluding poultry, game and rabbits, entering Smithfield Market during the year 1925 was 434,419 tons. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Home Secretary why the practice at the detention camp at Camphill, Isle of Wight, of reviewing the sentences of prisoners after they have completed a period of two years is not now being pursued?

The system of licensing these convicts after only a short period of sentence had been served afforded very disappointing results. The large majority of convicts so released almost immediately reverted to crime. The minimum period normally spent in preventive detention before release on license has therefore been increased.