asked the Postmaster-General the grounds upon which his Department has recently recruited a large number of girls straight from school for clerical class posts in the London area, thus blocking the promotion of the several hundred writing assistants and members of the typing grades who have been classified by his Department as suitable for early promotion to the clerical class; whether he is aware that among these open recruits are a certain number of very junior writing assistants who, by reason of their length of service or low standard of efficiency, have not been classified as suitable for direction promotion; and whether he will consider the grant of preference of appointment to the clerical class to those writing assistants and typists who, as stated, are fitted to perform the work?

Writing assistants and typists with the necessary qualifications are given a substantial avenue of promotion to the clerical class; but the existence of this avenue cannot be allowed to interfere with the recruitment of the bulk of the clerical class by the normal method of open competition. The fact that certain writing assistants and typists have been successful in the competition does not, in my opinion, give any cause for complaint to their senior colleagues who have not been successful.

asked the Postmaster-General the reason or reasons for the discharge of one of the Post Office servants, Councillor Percy Shurmur, from the Fordrough Lane Depot, Birmingham?

Mr. Shurmer was dismissed from the Post Office service in, consequence of his conviction by the Birmingham Stinendiary for having used language likely to cause disaffection among the civil population during the recent general strike.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that telegrams are not delivered on Sundays after 10.30 a.m. except in London and the large towns; and whether he will consider the possibility of making arrangements for the communication by telephone of the contents of Sunday telegrams in cases where the addressee is a subscriber?

The facts are as stated in the first part of the question. Instructions are already in force under which, when the normal delivery office of a telegram is closed, steps are taken at the nearest office which is open to ascertain whether the addressee is a telephone subscriber, and if he is, the telegram is to be dictated to him by telephone, on his undertaking to pay the appropriate trunk fee (if any). I may add that it would facilitate the work of the Post Office if the public would make greater use of telephonic addresses for telegrams. Particulars of this service are to be found on page 89 of the Post Office Guide. A recommendation to this effect is also prominently displayed on page 1 of the London Telephone Directory.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of gallons of petrol used by aeroplanes for the Air Force display on Saturday, 3rd July, at Hendon?

The answer is approximately 13,500 gallons.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount of stamp duties paid in connection with the transfer of real property in Great Britain during the past year?

The amount of Stamp Duty paid in Great Britain during the year 1925–26 in respect of the conveyance of land and houses is approximately £3,450,000.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider an inquiry into manipulative surgery, with a view to the recognition and registration of manipulative practitioners?

No, Sir. This question was fully discussed in the Debate on the 9th February, on the Motion of the hon. Member for London University (Mr. Little), and I have nothing to add to the statement which I then made.