asked the Secretary of State for Air what action has been taken by His Majesty's Government to establish an Imperial service of wireless communications on the lines laid down by a resolution of the Imperial Economic Conference, 1923?

I have been asked to answer this question. I propose to make a statement on this subject to-day.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that much of the official wireless news which is sent from Rugby is received in such a mutilated form at Penaga (Federated Malay States) that no one can understand what it refers to; and whether he is taking any and, if so, what steps to improve the service?

I understand that the reception of the British official news messages broadcast from Rugby is subject to serious interference at Penaga, not only from atmospherics, but also from neighbouring high-power stations at Saigon in French Indo-China and Malabar in Java. I am advised that this interference could be much reduced by the use of receiving apparatus of a different type, particulars of which have already been sent to the Postmaster-General of the Straits Settlements. Arrangements have recently been made to increase the power of the transmissions from Rugby, and this increase, coupled with the use of more suitable receiving apparatus, will, it is hoped, enable the official news messages to be received satisfactorily at Penaga.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the average rate at which letters are sorted by Post Office sorters of the regular establishment in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Glasgow, and Edinburgh; and what were the corresponding figures for the years 1925, 1920, and 1913?

I regret that I am not in a position to supply the particulars for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many officials are now employed in the British Clearing House for ex-enemy property; what is the annual cost to the Exchequer of maintaining this Department; and whether he considers it necessary to maintain it?

I have been asked to reply. The staff of the Clearing Office, which includes the Departments for the administration of German, Austrian, Bulgarian and Hungarian property, numbers 880. The Department will be terminated as soon as its work in dealing with claims and property under the Economic Clauses of the Treaties of Peace is completed. The Department does not involve any cost to the Exchequer.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is satisfied that the conditions of labour prevailing in the firm of Messrs. Dickinson and Company, Limited, of Apsley Mills, Apsley, paper makers, bring them within the terms of the Fair Wages Clause in Government contracts?

In the absence of any complaints, I assume that the firm of Dickinson and Company, Limited, of Apsley Mills, is observing the terms of the Fair Wages Clause in Government contracts.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Dominion-born war inventors have won their claims before the Royal Commission; and how many have lost?

I regret that I am unable to answer this question. Neither His Majesty's Treasury nor the Royal Commission on Awards to Inventors have any information as to the place of birth of British subjects applying for awards.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total sum paid British war inventors in the shape of royalties, payments, or secret awards, but not mentioned in the Royal Commission Reports?

Information could not, without a large expenditure of time and labour, be made available to answer this question, which appears to cover all payments sanctioned by the Treasury before the appointment of the Royal Commission in March, 1919, and also all minor payments made by Departments in the exercise of the discretion delegated to them. I do not understand what is meant by "secret awards."

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if a claim has been made by any British officer for the invention of the electric U-boat net; if so, when and by whom?

So far as I am aware, no such claim has been made.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many unsuccessful claimants of awards to inventors besides Mr. de Mole, the Australian, were paid expenses by the Treasury?

Travelling expenses were allowed in two cases and in a third a sum was paid in respect of costs.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds it has been decided to close the branch of the Stationery Office in Abingdon Street; and whether, in view of the inconvenience to Members and others connected with the work of the House of having to send to Kingsway for official publications, he will reconsider the decision?

The branch referred to has been closed on the ground of economy, and. I see no reason for reconsidering the decision.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of gun licences taken out for the 12 months to the last convenient date?

The number of gun licences taken out in Great Britain during the 12 months ended the 31st March, 1926, was 242,660.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to document 33 in the Blue Book on Communist papers, wherein it it is stated that there are 19 known members of the Communist factory group employed in Woolwich Arsenal; and what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, in the matter?

Yes, Sir; my attention has been drawn to the document in question. The matter is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the Civil Service Clerical Association sent to his Department on 4th March, 1926, for consideration the draft terms of remit to the industrial courts on the question of the remuneration of second-class bookkeepers proposed to be submitted to arbitration; whether he is aware that since then five reminders have been sent, but have not elicited a reply other than acknowledgments; and whether, in view of the fact that this matter is now more, than four months old, he will cause a reply to be sent without further delay?

I am aware of the facts as stated in the first and second parts of the question. The procedure to be adopted involves an important question of principle which has entailed lengthy consideration, but I hope that it will be possible to send a definite reply shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the approximate cost of the tea provided in the Parliamentary enclosure on the occasion of the Royal Air Force display at Hendon; and to what fund will such expenses be charged?

The answer to the first part of the question is approximately; £40; to the second, that the charge is one against the receipts of the display, public funds not being affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of flying officers, flight lieutenants and squadron leaders employed on duties of a purely clerical nature requiring no special qualifications, at the Air Ministry; if they are in receipt of Royal Air Force pay and allowances comparable with officers of the same ranks on the effective strength of the Royal Air Force; and whether this represents additional cost to the Department?

The answer to the first part of the question is none, and the other parts therefore do not arise. The Air Force officers at the Air Ministry are employed solely in posts in which service experience is demanded.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the average cost of training men and boys of the seamen, signalmen, telegraphist and stoker branches from the time of joining the Royal Navy until they are accepted as efficient ratings from the naval point of view?

The average cost of training boys until they are fit to be drafted to His Majesty's ships at sea based on the cost of the Shotley training establishment is £58 for the seaman class and £98 for the signal and telegraphist classes, exclusive of the pay, clothing and victualling of the boys. The training is continued after the boys join the ships, but the boys are available as part of the complement and to make a satisfactory division between the additional cost due to the training and the ordinary running expenses of the ships would be practically impossible. The training of recruits for the stoker branch is carried out at Royal Naval barracks, and it is not possible to ascertain the proportion of the cost of those establishments attributable to training this particular class except at an expenditure of time and labour, altogether disproportionate to the value of the results obtainable.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether it is intended to apply any regulation to Royal Parks under the control of his Department similar to those passed by the London County Council, imposing a ban upon all propaganda leaflets in the London parks under its control?

The rules of the Royal Parks already prohibit the distribution of handbills, advertisements and other papers.

asked the Minister of Health the number of cases under the Industrial Assurance Act, 1923, that have been submitted to the Industrial Assurance Commissioner in the 12 months preceding the last convenient date; how many of these were submitted by one party to the assurance and how many by both parties; and whether it is proposed to introduce legislation enabling all persons holding insurance or assurance policies to submit any cases of dispute to the Assurance Commissioner so that they may be settled without reference to the Courts?

The number of cases under the Industrial Assurance Act, 1923, submitted to the Industrial Assurance Commissioner dining the 12 months ended 6th July, 1924, was 2,632. The second part of the question presumably distinguishes between those cases which can be submitted by one party only and those which must be submitted by or with the consent of both parties in order that the Commissioner may have jurisdiction. It often happens that a case is submitted by both parties, where it could have been submitted by one only, and on the other hand a case is frequently submitted by one party only where it should have been submitted by both but in fact the other party raises no objection to the jurisdiction. No separate account therefore has been or could be usefully kept of the two classes of cases. The answer to the third part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has obtained from the Danish Government any Report explaining the provisions of the recent Act giving effect to land value taxation for local purposes in both town and country; and, if so, whether such Report will be issued as a Parliamentary Paper and will be available to the public?

In accordance with a promise given to the hon. Member for Newton (Mr. R. Young) on the 22nd of April, I obtained the Danish Law, together with a brief commentary by His Majesty's Minister at Copenhagen, and placed it in the Library of the House on the 23rd of June. I hardly think that it is of sufficient general importance to justify laying it before the House and printing it as a Parliamentary Paper, but if the hon. Member wishes to arrange for it to be printed in any journal interested in the subject, I have no objection whatever.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government proposes the eventual calling of a third Passport Conference, with the object of carrying out the instructions of the Sixth Assembly of the Council of the League of Nations for the abolition of passports and the restoration of pre-War conditions in the matter of passports?

the two previous Passport Conferences have been held under the auspices of the League of Nations. Should the League convene a further Conference, His Majesty's Government will be prepared to send representatives. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the Conference which took place in May reported in favour of the maintenance of the passport system. The hon. Member's question does not represent quite accurately the resolution of the Sixth Assembly. This resolution did not, and, of course, could not, issue instructions to any Government, nor did the Assembly commit itself to the total abolition of passports.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it i3 proposed to make any road alterations at Hyde Park Corner to the west of the Constitution Hill arch; and whether the wooden pole barriers are to remain blocking the central road as long as the existing system of traffic working continues?

Arrangements are at present under discussion for easing the turnings round the refuge and the Artillery Memorial. Under the present system of traffic control at Hyde Park Corner it is important that the central roadway should not be used by vehicles, and the best means of securing this is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the state of the roads in various parts of the country, including the outskirts of London; and whether further encouragement can be given to the authorities concerned to put in hand more extensive repair work, with the double object of improving the country's roads and of increasing the volume of available employment?

The state of the roads in all parts of the country is kept under close observation by my Department. I see no reason for supposing that the repair works which highway authorities generally propose to put in hand, with assistance from the Road Fund, will fall short of the requirements of traffic.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the increasing number of heavy motor lorries with a trailer attached that use the roads and keep on the crown of the road, especially in wet weather, the drivers being unprovided with a looking-glass fixed in a proper position to enable the driver to see what overtaking traffic there may be behind him; and whether, in view of the congestion that this frequently causes, he can frame Regulations to compel firms owning such lorries to equip them with mirrors?

I realise the difficulties that sometimes arise owing to the fact that drivers of heavy motor vehicles are not aware of overtaking traffic, and I am giving consideration to the question of the use of mirrors in connection with the general legislation which I hope to introduce with regard to motor vehicles so soon as Parliamentary time is available.