asked the Minister of Health the numbers in receipt of poor relief for each month since the present Government came into office?

The total number of persons in receipt of Poor Law relief in England and Wales on the 1st November, 1924, and on the last Saturday in each month since that date is shown below:

Lunatics in, asylums, casuals and persons in, receipt of domiciliary medical relief only are excluded.

Date. Total number in receipt of Poor Law relief. 1st November, 1924 … 1,047,280 29th November, 1924 … 1,068,102 27th December, 1924 … 1,071,945 31st January, 1925 … 1,107,733 28th February, 1925 … 1,113,857 28th March, 1925 … 1,105,119 25th April, 1925 … 1,115,971 30th May, 1925 … 1,093,643 27th June, 1925 … 1,105,970 25th July, 1925 … 1,125,994 29th August, 1925 … 1,200,599 26th September, 1925 … 1,220,499 31st October, 1925 … 1,270,179 28th November, 1925 … 1,297,564 26th December, 1925 … 1,324,314 30th January, 1926 … 1,288,838 27th February, 1926 … 1,266,312 27th March, 1926 … 1,240,090 24th April, 1926 … 1,228,649 29th May, 1926 … 2,311,454 26th June, 1926 … 2,338,100 (approximate figure).

asked the Secretary of State for War what was the illness which prevented 3,660 members of the junior division of the Officers' Training Corps from attending camp last year; and whether it was the same cause which kept away large numbers in the preceding year?

I would refer the hon. Member to the first part of the reply given by me on 9th July. Such information as is available goes to show that the epidemics in question were principally mumps and German measles, and that the same diseases were responsible for preventing a large number of members of the junior division of the Officers' Training Corps from attending camp in the previous year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the exports from Britain to France and the imports from France to Britain from 1st January to 30th June, 1926, respectively?

The figures are not yet available, but I expect to receive them in a few days. I will then send them to my hon. Friend.

asked the Home Secretary how many motor and horse vans, respectively, are in use in the Metropolitan police area for the conveyance of prisoners?

Twenty motor vans are so used. The last horsed van was withdrawn from use in 1924.

asked the Home Secretary whether foreign Governments are in .a position to refuse repatriation of their subjects for reasons that have arisen since admission has been obtained into this country, such as grounds of ill-health or want of acceptable proof of identity; and, if so, will he take steps to obtain, by fresh legislation or otherwise, power to enforce a pecuniary guarantee in all eases where repatriation of undesirable aliens is frustrated?

As I explained in the reply to a question by my hon. Friend on the 15th instant, it is the accepted practice that a Government cannot refuse to re-admit a person whom it recognises as one of its nationals. It is only where proof of identity and nationality is lacking that any difficulty arises, and in such eases it is necessary to ask the Government concerned to investigate the individual's claim to he one of their nationals. I do not think that any further powers are required.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the difference in the rent per acre of the land let direct by the Crown or Crown agents and the same kind of land let by the county council to smallholders in the Kesteven part of Lincolnshire?

The rent of Crown land let to smallholders in Kesteven varies between 30s. and 50s. per acre, according to the quality of the land and the equipment provided. The average rent of small holdings let by the county council is rather less than 45s. per acre, but it is impossible, without a detailed inspection and survey, to make any useful comparison between these figures.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how much Dutch meat has ever been found to have passed the Dutch inspection which could be a source of infection; if he is aware that Holland closed her frontiers against the transit trade of meat so that in future it will not be possible for meat to be imported from Rotterdam which has not stood the test of the Dutch inspection; and if he will remove the embargo on Dutch meat?

It is impossible to say how much Dutch meat imported into this country might have been the source of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, because carcases of animals slaughtered in the incubative stages of the disease would not show lesions which could be recognised by veterinary inspectors either in Holland or in this country. As I have already stated, I am not prepared to withdraw the prohibition on the importation of Dutch meat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the latest figures for the number of live stock per 100 acres of crops and grass, excluding rough grazing, in the following countries: France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Great Britain, England and Wales, and Scotland, in order to bring up to date the

Country. Year. Cattle. Sheep. Pigs. Stock Units.* France … … 1923 15.3 11.1 5.4 18.0 Germany§ … … 1925 24.4 6.8 23.0 30.0 Belgium … … 1925 37.3 † 26.0 42.5† Denmark‡ … … 1925 36.7 3.6 33.5 43.9 Great Britain … … 1925 24.2 75.8 9.2 36.9 England … … 1925 23.3 52.6 10.6 32.9 Scotland … … 192525.7 151.3 3.2 47.9 Wales … … 1925 29.3 139.5 7.3 50.7 * These units are cattle units, seven sheep and five pigs being taken as equivalent each to one cattle unit. † Figures for Belgium do not include sheep as to which no information has been published since 1910. ‡ The figures for Denmark are based on the area under crops and grass in 1919, no later information being available. The relative totals for Southern Jutland have been excluded. § Present boundaries. No figures subsequent to 1922 are available for Holland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the British claim to receive pari passu treatment with the United States of America in respect of the settlement of foreign debts owing to both countries, he has arrived at an agreement with the Government of the United States of America that, if the Anglo-French debt settlement is modified as a result of a diminution in French receipts from Germany, a corresponding modification will be made in the debt due by France to the United States of America?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount paid in 1925–26 as interest on the National Debt, together with the total amount of the coal subsidy?

The amount paid for interest on the National Debt in information contained in page 30 of the Report of the Agricultural Tribunal of Investigation?

The numbers of live stock per 100 acres of crops and grass, excluding rough grazing, in the following countries in the years stated were as follow:

1925–26 was £306,994,847. The total amount of the coal subsidy is estimated at £23,350,000, £19,000,000 in 1925–26 and £4,350,000 in 1926–27.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, simultaneously with the publication of the Report of the Currency Commission, be will announce what features of the Report the Government are prepared to recommend; and, in particular, to avoid further speculation and uncertainty, if he will then make an announcement on that part of the Report dealing with the stabilisation of the rupee and the figure at which the Government proposes to stabilise if the policy is recommended and adopted?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to my reply to a similar question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Sir F. Nelson) last Wednesday.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the amounts contributed annually for the last three years by India towards the upkeep of the secretariat of the League of Nations and of the International Labour Office at Geneva; and whether these amounts include contributions from Indian native States?

The approximate amounts contributed by India to the League in the last three years are as follow:

£ 1924 … … … 70,500 1925 … … … 56,000 1926 … … … 54,500

No contribution is made by the Indian States.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the repeal by the Government of India of the Workman's Breach of Contract Act, the Government of Madras will take steps to repeal the sections of the Madras Planters' Labour Act which sanction the penal enforcement of labour contracts?

My Noble Friend will address an inquiry to the Government of India on the subject of the Act referred to.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether representatives of the workers in the textile mills will be given an opportunity to place their views before the Tariff Board appointed by the Government of India to inquire into the Indian cotton-textile industry?

Persons interested in the inquiry have already been invited, in the Government of India's resolution appointing the Board, to address their representations to it.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Indian States are members of the International Labour Organisation set up under the terms of the Versailles Treaty?

No, Sir. The Indian States cannot be separate members of an international organisation.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is yet in a position to state the results of the inquiry into the dispute between the Palitana Durbar and the Jain community?

I have at present only seen newspaper reports of the proceedings referred to, and have no information as to the result.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of deaths from cholera during the 12 months preceding the last convenient date at Calcutta, Rangoon, Madras, Karachi, and Bombay?

The following table shows the number of deaths from cholera registered during the calendar year 1924 in each of the towns mentioned:

Calcutta … … 1,250 Rangoon … … 132 Madras … … 96 Karachi … … nil Bombay City … … 34

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is in a position to give the names of the Indian delegates to the forthcoming Imperial Conference?

India will be represented by my Noble Friend the Secretary of State, the Maharaja of Burdwan, and Mr. D., T. Chadwick.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his decision on the memorial of the British Honduras Civil Service Association has been conveyed to that body; and, if not, whether, in view of the anxiety among the civil servants in the Colony, he will give the reasons for the delay?

My decision on the matter raised in the memorial submitted by the British Honduras Civil Service Association was conveyed to the Governor of the Colony on the 4th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the allocation of the 10 million guaranteed loan to the East African Colonies, evidence is being taken on the prospective advantage of roads over railways, more particularly in connection with the million-pound Zambesi bridge and the communications with Nyassaland?

The Committee, which my right hon. Friend appointed to advise him on the allocation of the proposed guaranteed loan, has given careful consideration to the matters referred to by the right hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government have taken, or are prepared to take, any steps to obtain compensation for British merchants who have sustained losses through purchasing B-grade flour on Australian Government certificate as to quality, in view of the fact that this flour was unfit for bread making, and that the Australian authorities have compensated African and Japanese merchants in similar cases?

The certificate was, I understand, given by an officer of the Victorian Government. His Majesty's Government have already been in communication with the Australian authorities, but neither the Commonwealth Government nor the Government of Victoria have seen their way to recognise any claim in respect of the flour in question.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if his Department is in possession of Reports showing the annual individual salaries of Ministers and Members of Parliament in British Dominion countries?

The information desired is given in the published Estimates of the Dominion Governments or other public documents, which I shall be glad to arrange for the hon. Member to see in the Library of the Dominions Office.