asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of butter imported into this country from Russia during the years 1924 and 1925 and the amount re-exported, giving figures for each month?

The imports of butter from Russia (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) and the re-exports of such butter, monthly during 1924 and 1925, were as follow:

goods are embodied in the Merchandise Marks (Imported Goods) Bill, which is now before Parliament.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, in view of the free market afforded in this country to motor tyres sent from the protected markets of France and Italy, whether he can state the comparative sterling prices of cord covers of the same make in the three countries at present rates of exchange?

The following information as to current prices of two sizes of cord covers has been furnished by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders:

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of cotton-piece goods manufactured in the United Kingdom for the 12 months ending 31st December, 1925, which were sent to India and China during that period?

The total quantity and declared value of cotton-piece goods of all kinds, manufactured in the United Kingdom, registered as exported to British India and to China (including Hong Kong) during the year 1925 were as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour if he can give recent figures for the unemployment in Norwich and

asked the Minister of Labour what is the approximate cost to the State a year of keeping an unemployed man who is entitled to unemployment insurance, allowing for the time that the average benefit would be suspended?

The total amount of unemployment benefit paid during the year ending 3rd March, 1926, was approximately £44,000,000 and the number of separate individuals who drew benefit during that period is estimated at between 3,000,000 and 3,500,000. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the benefit is paid out of the unemployment fund, to the revenue of which the Exchequer contributes about one-fourth. If these details do not give the hon. Member the information desired, I shall be glad if he will let me know more precisely what he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, specifying men, women, boys, and girls, on the Devonport Employment Exchange during the month of May?

The following Table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of the Devon-port Employment Exchange during May, 1926:

also the last figure prior to the general strike?

The following table shows the number of persons on the registers of the Norwich Employ- ment Exchange at 3rd May, 1926, and 7th June, respectively:

asked the Secretary for Scotland the total number of holdings under the Small Landholders Act, and the total area dealt with under the Act?

I presume that the hon. Member's question refers to the operations of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, under the Small Landholders (Scotland) Act, 1911, and subsequent Acts, From the 1st April, 1912, to the 31st March, 1926, the Board have formed under these Acts, 2,703 new holdings and 1,595 enlargements of existing holdings on a total area of 519,317 acres.

asked the Undersecretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware that hitherto the staff employed in the Middlesbrough third and fifth tax offices have been allowed to store their cycles, which are their only reasonable means of conveyance to and from their work, in the hall entrance of the ground floor of the building in which they are engaged; whether this storage has been carried out without apparent complaint and without the least inconvenience to anyone; and whether, seeing that the Office of Works, under representations of the landlord, has now issued instructions that cycles must not be so stored, and of the hardship which will thereby be entailed by the staff, who will have to walk to and from their work, he will make representations in favour of the withdrawal of the order complained of?

The First Commissioner is having the circumstances of this case investigated, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what branches of the League of Nations are housed or are about to be housed in Paris and London, respectively?

The Secretariat-General of the League maintains a liaison office in London and in Paris.

asked the Minister of Health the aggregate number of cases in which a subsidy for houses has been granted to any of the beet-sugar companies which are also receiving a State subsidy, and, in addition, give the figures by which each company concerned has benefited individually.

The administration of the present subsidy schemes under the Housing Acts in respect of houses erected by private enterprise is in the hands of local authorities, and detailed information in regard to the grant of subsidy in individual cases is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the overcrowded state of the Borough of Southwark, he will consider calling a special conference of the metropolitan borough councils and urging upon them the necessity of taking full advantage of the facilities provided by the Housing Acts, with a view of something being done to make provision, by the erection of houses, to meet the overcrowded need not only in Southwark, but in London generally?

I do not think that a conference, such as is suggested, would serve a useful purpose at the present time. The powers of a metropolitan borough council are limited to building to meet the needs of its own area, and it is, of course, necessary that there should be co-ordination between their works and that of the London County Council who are carrying out an extensive building programme to meet the needs of the county generally. The London County Council is in close touch with the borough councils in this matter, both as regards the provision required to be made and the allocation of houses as they are provided.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the suggestion that casuals who were offered definite work in a neighbourhood, but could not accept it because there was no lodging accommodation available in the vicinity, might be allowed to use the casual ward for lodging for a short time at a small charge?

I doubt whether the course proposed would be within the statutory powers of guardians, nor, in view of the accommodation available, do I think that any arrangement of this kind would be practicable.

asked the Minister of Health if he can now state what further steps he proposes to take for the protection of the public against the adulteration and selling of impure foods?

I propose shortly to make a Milk and Dairies Order which, I hope, will secure a further improvement in the condition of the milk supply. As the hon. Member is aware, Regulations restricting the use of preservatives in food have recently been made and will come into operation next year. I am not contemplating any immediate enlargement of the powers of the local authorities responsible for the administration of the existing law as to the sale of food and drugs.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in connection with the sale of certified milk, Be will consider the desirability of authorising the use of tin caps instead of paper caps and seals, in view of the cost of the latter method, which debars many producers from applying for the Ministry's licence?

There is no objection to the use of suitable metal caps for the sealing of bottles containing certified milk, and a number of producers are at present using such caps. Officers of the Department are prepared to advise as to the suitability of any particular cap.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of foreign trunk-line messages that were passed over the Post Office telephones either to or from the Continent for the 12 months ending the last convenient date?

Expressed as units of three-minutes duration, 902,571 trunk calls passed over the Anglo-Continental routes during the 12 months ending 30th April, 1926.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of old age pensioners on 1st April, 1924 and 1925?

The numbers of old age pensioners in Great Britain on 1st April, 1924 and 1925, were:

These totals include respectively 12,408 and 14,007 blind pensioners under 70 years of age.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that Mr. T. Ferguson, Chester Park, Fishponds, Bristol, whose claim for a revision of a final award was heard before a special board on 3rd February, 1926, has so far had no intimation of the result of his claim, and that Mr. Ferguson is seriously ill and has lost his employment owing to his disability; and whether he can now state what decision has been arrived at in this case?

In the course of consideration of this case in connection with medical treatment, a serious error of diagnosis was discovered of a kind which involved special investigation into the connection of the disease with War service. This has, however, been completed, and an appropriate grant has already been made.