asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the invention of the Schermuly pistol rocket apparatus; whether the apparatus has been submitted to any tests by the experts of his Department; and whether it is proposed to adopt the same as part of the lifesaving equipment for the Royal Navy?

The Schermuly pistol rocket apparatus has been under trial with very satisfactory results. It has been approved in the first instance

tinguished in this respect from what are now termed two-year training colleges. Further, it should be noted that certain colleges now classified as university training departments fall to be included in the two-year group of training colleges for 1903:

to supply this apparatus to some of His Majesty's ships to replace the present equipment and a further number will shortly be tried out at sea in ships of the Atlantic Fleet.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of money received by His Majesty's Treasury, under the agreement of 13th August, 1925, in regard to the Latvian Debt for British assistance in the War for Latvia's independence, together with the amount now outstanding?

The first payment of £37,500 has been duly received from the Latvian Government under the agreement of 13th August, 1925. Nineteen further half-yearly payments of £37,500, and 40 half-yearly payments of £38,750 have still to be made under the agreement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the salary, including allowances, authorised for persons holding the positions of Secretary of the Privy Council, Secretary of the Committee of Imperial Defence, and Secretary to the Cabinet, respectively; and what statutory pension do these offices carry with them?

The duties of the three posts in question are discharged by one officer. His inclusive salary is £3,000 per annum, and he is pensionable under the Superannuation Acts, 1834 to 1914.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer haw many persons paid Income Tax last year on incomes of £10,000 and over?

I regret that under the present system of charging the Income Tax it is impossible to classify the Income Tax payers by ranges of total income. The only information available as to the numbers of persons in receipt of high incomes is that published regarding the Super-tax, and the hon. and gallant Member will find the latest particulars in Table 74 on page 109 of the 68th Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue (Command Paper 2547).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if his attention has been drawn to the disappointment expressed by the Indian members of the Indian Medical Service at the concession of free passages to Europe and back lately granted to European members of the Indian Medical Service, which has not been extended to include Indian members; and, with a view to establishing and maintaining the standard of prevailing knowledge and efficiency, will he consider recommending the extension of travelling facilities being afforded Indian members?

My Noble Friend has received and considered memorials from Indian members of the Indian Medical Service on this subject, but he has found it necessary to maintain the principle on which the leave passage concessions are confined to officers of non-Asiatic domicile. The claims of the Indian members of the service, so far as, they relate to facilities for study, are receiving further consideration.

asked the Under Secretary of State for India the number of proceedings instituted under the Indian Penal Code during the six months preceding the last convenient date, the number of convictions obtained, together with the minimum and maximum amount of sentences inflicted?

Statistics of trials in the Courts of Justice in India are not prepared for periods of less than one year. The latest year for which figures are available is 1924, and the following statement gives the number of cases brought to trial under the Indian Penal Code in that year and the number of persons convicted in these trials. The sentences range from the lowest possible fine or imprisonment up to the penalty of death:

— Cases brought to trial. Persons convicted. Madras 75,169 39,088 Bombay 44,881 21,740 Bengal 83,458 37,324 United Provinces Agra 67,971 34,205 United Provinces Oudh 22,764 9,328 Punjab 69,604 31,087 Bihar 35,223 18,717 Burma 55,306 37,995 Central Provinces 20,009 11,659 Assam 16,928 7,855 Northern-West Frontier Province. 9,230 4,644 500,543 253,642

asked the Minister of Health the number of dwellings to be proceeded with by the London County Council on the Tabard Street, Southwark, clearance and rebuilding scheme; the number of such dwellings that have been completed; and when may it be expected that the remainder will be completed?

The Order confirming the scheme, to which the hon. Member refers, required the provision of rehousing accommodation for 2,580 persons, and accommodation has already been provided for 2,388 persons in 424 tenement dwellings erected on the area. By an amending Order dated the 10th July last the number of persons to be rehoused was increased by 1,000, and I think that the hon. Member may be assured that no time will be lost by the London County Council in completing the amended scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of casualties, and of what nature, which were incurred by officers and men of the Royal Air Force, during 12 months, to the last convenient date, together with those for the corresponding period of the previous year?

If the hon. and gallant Member is referring to injuries sustained by Air Force personnel, whether in flying accidents or otherwise, he will find some classified statistics for the year 1924 in Table VII, page 10, in the Report on the Health of the Royal Air Force (Air Publication 1184) for that year. Similar statistics will be published shortly for the year 1925.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of motor cars that paid for admission to the grounds at the Air Force display on 3rd July, together with the number of cars which had free passes for admission?

The answer is, that approximately 3,820 motor cars and chars-á-banc paid for admission and 390 received free passes.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in the case of a widow whose husband served in the Great War, and who has applied for and/or received in the first instance a pension under the Widows' and Orphans' Pensions Act, an application will be entertained for a pension from the Ministry of Pensions in respect that her husband's death was due to the nature or condition of the disability for which he was receiving a pension at the time of his death?

The answer is in the affirmative. If, however, a pension is awarded by my Department in respect of the man's death as being attributable to or connected with his service in the War, the pension granted under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act will cease to be payable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the shortage of cattle caused by frequent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in this country, he can see his way to make arrangements for the admission of live Canadian cattle so that this shortage may be overcome?

The importation of Canadian store cattle is permitted under the Importation of Animals Act, 1922. During 1925, 82,540 cattle were imported under this Act.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the proportion of milk-producing cows to the population in Great Britain, with comparative figures in other countries for which statistics are available?

The number of dairy cattle per 100 of the population in the undermentioned countries, subject to differences of definition and classification, is as follows:

Country. Population. Year Number of Dairy Cattle Year Number of Dairy Cattle per 100 of Population. Great Britian … 43,783,000 1925 3,163,523 1925 7.2 Irish Free State … 3,163,000 1925 1,264,368 1925 40.0 France … 39,310,000 1922 7,303,940 1923 18.6 Germany … 62,642,000 1924 9,723,238 1924 15.5 Holland … 6,977,445 1921 1,085,713 1921 15.6 Belgium … 7,744,259 1924 839,076 1924 10.8 Denmark … 3,377,000 1924 1,368,548 1924 40.5 Rumania … 16,750,000 1923 2,426,233 1923 14.5 United States of America … 112,078,611 1924 22,255,000 1924 19.9 Canada … 9,226,740 1924 3,726,985 1924 40.4 Australia … 5,873,503 1924 2,304,644 1923–24 39.2 New Zealand … 1,384,130 1924 1,292,286 1924 93.4 NOTE.—The figures for foreign countries have been taken from the latest Year Book of the International Agricultural Institute and from the official publications of the countries concerned.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state in figures the head of livestock cattle in this country at a recent date, separating them into categories so far as possible?

The number of cattle in England and Wales on 4th June, 1925, was as follows:

Cows and heifers in milk … 2,035,061 Cows in calf but not in milk … 299,657 Heifers in calf … 378,454 Bulls being used for service … 86,042 Other cattle: … Two years and above … 974,844 One year and under two … 1,177,687 Under one year … 1,211,585 Total of cattle … 6,163,330 The corresponding figures for the current year will be available in about three weeks.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has now received the Report of the official investigation into the dams in the neighbourhood of Dolgarrog; and, if so, when it will be published?

I have not yet received the Report, but am assured that it will be completed and forwarded to me by the end of this month.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, under the Regulations recently issued by the Prison Commissioners regarding the treatment of prisoners on remand, such prisoners are being forbidden the use of tobacco at Brixton Prison, and are only allowed to receive visits from lawyers and relatives; and whether, in view of the fact that these Regulations only apply at Courts of trial, he will take steps to ensure that remand prisoners, while at Brixton and other remand prisons, are treated according to the principle that a man is to be presumed innocent until he is found guilty?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer I gave him on the 22nd April last on this subject. The Regulations to which he refers do not deal with treatment in prisons, but with the treatment of prisoners while actually at the Court of Justice awaiting trial. They have been found necessary to ensure proper behaviour and prevent abuses. No change has been made in the treatment of persons on remand or waiting trial in prisons, which is regulated by Statutory Rules; and no change is proposed.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in consequence of the added strain to loaded horses, both in standing and restarting involved by traffic being held up on a slope at the moment when a loaded horse-drawn vehicle to pass he will give instructions that the police give preference in allowing a Horse-drawn vehicle to pass whenever possible before up traffic on an incline?

Instructions are already given to the Metropolitan police Police to this effect.