asked the Secretary for Mines whether the Government have received copies of Resolutions passed by boards of guardians protesting against excessive coal prices and whether the Government will institute an inquiry into actual prices, and reasons for any excess found being charged to the public, especially having regard. to lower production costs?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the latter part, a comprehensive inquiry into production costs and prices would take considerable time to complete: And, at the present moment, in view of the changing and improving conditions, would not be of any practical value.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the withdrawal of the restrictions on the supply of coal to householders wilt be extended, so as to permit shopkeepers adequately to light their business premises?

The lighting restrictions were withdrawn on Thursday of last week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any part of the expenses incurred by the local authorities in administering the coal emergency directions will be borne by the Treasury?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Secretary for Mines to the hon. Member for Poplar (Mr. March) on the 23rd November.

asked the Postmaster-General the total number of telephone kiosks now completed in the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark, together with the average weekly takings at such kiosks?

There are eight public telephone kiosks now working in the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark, and the weekly takings so far average £1 3s. per kiosk. A ninth kiosk is on the point of being put into service.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of prosecutions instituted against persons for failing to renew wireless licences?

Since the passage of the Wireless Telegraph (Explanation) Act, 1925, legal proceedings have been instituted against 487 persons for installing or working wireless apparatus without a licence. I am unable to say in how many of these cases licences had previously been held.

asked the Secretary of State for War when it is proposed to make a reduction in the number of British troops stationed in Egypt?

It is not proposed to make any reduction at present.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can furnish the number of men invalided out of the Army during the 12 months ending 30th September, 1926, for tuberculosis, bronchitis, and other diseases of the chest; and the number of these men that were granted pensions, the disability having been accepted as due to service?

As. regards the first part of the question, figures cannot be given for the exact period referred to, but the following information is available;

	1925.	1926. (including all cases reported up to 25t.h November).
Tuberculosis (pulmonary)	227	146
Bronchitis	71	49
Other respiratory diseases	26	33

As regards the second part of the question, I regret that the statistics are not available; they could only be obtained by an investigation of every pension award during the period.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that boards of guardians for districts in the vicinity of Poole are complaining that the guardians of the latter place, by refusing to comply with the order of the Ministry to detain casual vagrants for two nights, throw undue strain upon their resources; and what steps he pro-noses to take in the matter?

Yes, Sir. The complaints referred to by the hon. Member have been made to my right hon. Friend's Department by the Dorset Vagrancy Committee; my right hon. Friend has already made representations to the Poole Guardians on the subject and has been informed that the matter has been referred to a committee of the hoard. He will continue to press the guardians to take the measures necessary to comply with the Regulations, and hopes it will not be necessary to take legal action to enforce the Regulations.

asked the Minister of Health whether there is any way in which an insured person, being a member of an approved society, about to settle permanently in one of the Dominions, can obtain a refund of any portion of the sums already contributed; whether such a person would be treated as entitled, when permanently settled abroad, to such a partial refund if he had, whilst in this country, left his approved society and become a deposit contributor; how such a person, before leaving this country, can obtain the necessary transfer form to become a deposit contributor; and what steps should be taken by him to ensure his eventually obtaining any refund to which he may be entitled under the Health Insurance Acts?

An insured member of an approved society is not entitled to a refund of any portion of his contributions on emigration, but by remaining in the society he can safeguard his position as to health insurance and pensions benefits in the event of his returning to this country before his insurance rights terminate. A deposit contributor, who becomes permanently resident outside the United Kingdom, may, on cessation of his insurance, be paid one-half of the amount standing to his credit in the Deposit Contributors' Fund.A member of an approved society who desires to terminate his membership and become a deposit contributor, should apply to the Central Department for the necessary form of notice, which he should then forward to his society with the transfer fee. Any application by a deposit contributor for the refund on emigration, should similarly be addressed to the Central Department.It may be pointed out that the Royal Commission on National Health Insurance have recommended the discontinuance of the payment of a sum to a deposit contributor on emigration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, when it is anticipated that the negotiations for new premises for the Grimsby First Tax Office, which have been in progress for over 17 months, are likely to be completed and the reasons which are holding up the consequent alleviation in the present overcrowded condition of the premises, which was promised in reply to a question on 21st December, 1925?

The negotiations were completed some time ago, but, owing to various difficulties, it has only recently been possible to complete the lease of the alternative premises. They will be occupied as soon as the necessary redecoration, etc., of the premises, which it is anticipated will be started shortly, can be completed.

asked the Home Secretary if he w ill give the names of the persons on the Advisory Committee to the Department on wild birds' protection, and, in these cases in which Members of the Committee hold official positions in organisations concerned, the names of the organisations?

The particulars asked fur are as follow:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of works, whether his attention has been called to the Volumes of black smoke issuing from the smoke-stack of the Palace of Westminster between the hours of 10 and 11 a.m.; whether any complaints have been received from St. Thomas's Hospital; and whether any summons from the local authority has been received for the abatement of the nuisance caused?

As regards the first part of the question, the attention of my right hon. Friend has been called to this nuisance, which is due to the use of foreign coal, and it is hoped that an improvement will be effected when we are able to revert to the use of Welsh coal. The answer to the second and third parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any inquiry is made from applicants for bookmakers' certificates whether such applicant carries on his or her business legally or illegally?

Under Section 15 (1) (b) of the Finance Act a bookmaker's certificate must be taken out, annually by a person carrying on the business of a bookmaker and the definition of bookmaker (Section 18 (1)) makes no discrimination as between a legal or illegal bookmaker. The certificate, which is issued to any person who completes the prescribed form of application and pays the licence duty of £10, hears the words "No Government Guarantee" and bookmakers have been warned by Public Notice that "the issue of a certificate to a bookmaker involves no change in his legal standing and affords no defence in any prosecution taken under the general law of the country relating to betting."

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) if his attention has been drawn to the case of Richard and Alice Maud Dixon, brought from Adelaide, Australia, on a charge of unlawful conversion; and whether, in view of the fact that the Old Bailey jury stopped the case, following the defending counsel's statement, he will state whether any and, if so, what compensation is to be afforded Mr. and Miss Dixon for the financial losses incurred by their deportation from Australia;(2) what costs were incurred by the authorities in bringing front Australia Richard and Alice Maud Dixon, who were discharged at the Old Bailey on the 23rd November, 1926, together with the total costs to be met from public funds in respect of the prosecution?

I have been asked to reply to these questions. This was a private prosecution, and the expenses in connection with the return from Australia and the prosecution will be defrayed by the private prosecutor except in so far as may be otherwise ordered by the Court. The Court has ordered £35 6s. 2d. in respect of allowances to witnesses to be borne in the usual manner by local funds. No compensation is payable from public or local funds to the defendants, and their remedy (if any) is by action in the Courts against the private person or persons who instituted the proceedings.

asked the Minister of Transport when the Reports of the London Traffic Advisory Committee 'on traffic conditions in North and North-East London, in East London, and in South-East London, will be avaliable; and what, if any, action he proposes to take in connection with these Reports?

The Reports on travelling facilities in North-East London and in East London were placed on sale yesterday. The Report on South-East London has not yet reached me. After consideration of the recommendations in the two first-mentioned Reports, I have asked the London Traffic Advisory Committee to explore further the possibility of the institution of a common fund, or of working agreements, in connection with the operation of passenger traffic undertakings in the London area.

asked the Minister of Transport if the whole amount promised for the maintenance of unclassified roads for the current year has been allocated; and what proportion this will bear to the total estimated expenditure for maintenance on these roads?

The total amount of grants made and indicated to local authorities in England and Wales out of the £1,300,000 set aside for maintenance grants to unclassified roads is already £824,385. In accordance with the scheme of grant announced, the grants represent 20 per cent. of the approved expenditure on these scheduled unclassified roads. I

NUMBER OF ACCIDENTS involving Personal Injuries at Railway Level Crossings in Great Britain during the Twelve Months ended 30th September, 1926, and the Number of Persons Killed and Injured therein.
Public Road Crossings.			Private and Footpath Crossings.			Total.
Number of Accidents.	Number of Casualties		Number of Accidents.	Number of Casualties		Number of Accidents.	Number of Casualties
	Killed.	Injured.		Killed.	Injured.		Killed.	Injured.
30	31*	33*	40	35	8	70	66*	41*
* Includes nine persons killed and six injured in an accident to a motor coach at Fenny Stratford, and nine persons killed and six injured in a similar accident at Naworth.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Spanish negotiations in regard to the decree of the 9th July, which adversely affected British manufactured exports, have yet been brought to a satisfactory conclusion?

I have been asked to reply. No, Sir. There is no change in the position indicated in the replies which I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Ramsden) on 27th September, and the hon. Member for Nottingham, Central (Mr. Bennett), on 25th October. The negotiations for the revision of the Anglo-Spanish Commercial Treaty have not yet taken place.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the exports of British manufactures during the 12 months

asked the Minister of Transport the number of accidents which have taken place at railway level crossings in Great Britain during the 12 months preceding the last convenient date, together with the number of persons killed and injured, respectively, by such accidents?

The following statement gives the information desired:ended 30th September, 1926, to foreign countries, India, the self-governing Do minions, and Crown Colonies, Protectorates, and mandated territories respectively?

Owing to the cost involved, it is possible to compile figures of our total exports of manufactured goods to individual countries only in respect of calendar years. The following statement shows the value of the exports of all descriptions of merchandise, the produce and manufacture of the United Kingdom, consigned to the areas specified in the 12 months ended 30th September, 1926:

Consigned to.	Thousand £.
Foreign countries	368,095
British India	83,459
Self-governing Dominions (including Irish Free State)	175,715
Colonies, Protectorates, etc.	62,504
Total British Exports	£689,773

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his Department collects information with regard to trade associations which exercise a control over prices; and whether he will give what information he has to the House or state from what public sources the figures can he obtained?

A memorandum is being prepared for the Committee on Industry and Trade summarising such information as is in the possession of the Board of Trade, and I understand that the Committee propose to include this in their next published Volume.