asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the grounds on which "The Negro World" and "The Workers' Herald" are prohibited in Nyasaland?

If it be the case that the introduction of these publications is prohibited in Nyasaland, such prohibition has been enforced by the exercise by the Governor in Council of the powers given him by the Seditious Publications (Prohibition) Ordinance. It is a matter for the Governor in Council to decide whether any publication should be prohibited, and he is not required to report the grounds on which he finds it necessary to take such action.

Will the right hon. Gentleman inquire as to the grounds for prohibition, seeing that the second paper appears to circulate freely in the Union of South Africa?

I will consider that.

Is it not the case that anyone who knows these particular papers thinks their prohibition shows excellent judgment on the part of Nyasaland?

When was the Ordinance published?

I think, in 1917.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that his Department has instructed the Government of the Straits Settlements to set aside 10 per cent. annually from revenues for the purposes of the opium revenue reserve fund; that opinion both in Malaya and here is strongly opposed to any allocation of money to this fund; that the Government of the Straits Settlements, having carried the proposal by the use of its official majority, still proposes to give effect to it; and that the Colony has raised no objection to the eventual loss of its opium revenue and is quite ready to face new taxation to replace it; and for what reason his Department has taken the action referred to?

The Straits Settlements Opium Revenue Replacement Fund was set up by the Straits Settlements Government with my approval with a view to ensuring that the finances of the Colony should be placed on such a basis that they will not be disorganised by the shrinkage in the revenue derived from opium which is bound to occur when circumstances (at present outside the control of the Colonial Government) render it possible to give full effect to the obligations undertaken in the Hague Opium Convention, 1912, and the Protocol to the Geneva Opium Agreement of 1925. The Straits Settlements Government was also influenced by the desire of His Majsty's Government that it should be made clear to the world that the Colonial Government was not being deterred by financial considerations from taking such steps as were possible to give effect to its' international obligations. The scheme for the creation of the fund was drawn up by a committee of unofficial members of the Legislative Council presided over by the Colonial Treasurer, and their recommendations, both as to the lump sum with which the fund was inaugurated and as to the annual contributions' to be made to the fund were adopted by the Straits Settlements Government. These recommendations were based on a full review of the Colony's financial commitments and of the prospects of increasing taxation to make good the deficiency which may be expected to occur.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, as a result of the Government of India's decision to reduce by 10 per cent. per annum the export of opium except for medical and scientific purposes, the imports into British Dependencies in the Far East will be proportionately reduced; and whether he can give an assurance that opium for purposes of smoking will not, be imported from other sources to compensate for the reduction in the imports from India?

No, Sir. No such reduction would, in my opinion, be practicable in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can give a reliable estimate of the world's consumption of lubber during the current year, and how much of this commodity is supplied by the British Empire?

The most reliable estimate that I can give of the purchase of rubber by manufacturers for the current year is approximately 550,000 tons. Empire territories produce 60 to 65 per cent. of the estimated world's production of rubber for the same period.

also asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the official Report received from the Straits Settlements that the recent regulation regarding unused coupons was the result of a compromise reached between the Malayan assessment committees and the advisory board in Great Britain, the former showing a majority in favour of cancellation; and if he can state whether the advisory board have reconsidered the matter?

I have seen no such official Report. The recent decision with regard to export permits already issued, as distinct from permits to he issued after 1st of February next, was taken after consideration of the views of the Malayan committee, but was not a com promise on that question. I see no reason for re-consideration of the matter.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this decision has given great dissatisfaction, and caused great uncertainty in the market?

I am afraid there is no decision that would not give some dissatisfaction.

Has the right hon. Gentleman yet received figures as to the amount of rubber stored against these unused coupons?

I promise my hon. Friend to let him have them as soon as I have got them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware of the resentment felt in the Malay States at the refusal to allow a military parade and church service to be held at Kuala Lumpur on Armistice Day similar to that permitted in Singapore; and whether he will see that permission is granted in future to the Malay States to give public expression to the memory of those who gave their lives for the Empire in the Great War in a similar manner to that given in Singapore?

I have no information, but will ask the High Commissioner for a report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount hitherto spent by the Empire Marketing Board in advertising; the total sum allocated, for this purpose during the present financial year; and what results have been obtained to date?

A sum of £120,000 has provisionally been allocated in the present financial year for Press and poster advertising, and the charges actually incurred to date under these two headings are, approximately, £20,000. The poster advertising will not begin until the New Year. The newspaper advertising has been in progress for a few weeks only, and I am sure that my hon. Friend will recognise that it would be too early to attempt any confident judgment of its results.

Can, the right hon. Gentleman say what proportion is devoted to the Press and what to posters?

If my hon. Friend will put a question on the Paper, I will try to get the figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if there are any parts of the British Empire which encourage the immigration of settlers untrained in agricultural work; and, if so, they are and the types of opening available?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the Report of the Oversea Settlement Sub-Committee of the Imperial Conference, especially paragraphs 10, 75 and 76. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the Report for his perusal.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has considered the Report of the Inter-Departmental Committee appointed to consider the effect on migration of schemes of social insurance; and whether it is proposed to give effect to any of these recommendations?

The position is as follows: In accordance with the first recommendation of the Inter-Departmental Committee the general question of the standardisation of schemes of social insurance throughout the Empire was considered by the Imperial Conference, and the result of its deliberations is contained in Section VI of the Report of the Oversea Settlement Sub-Committee of the Conference which has already been published in the Press. The recommendations in regard to Contributory Pensions and National Health Insurance will involve legislation, and I understand that my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health will deal with the matter when amending legislation is next introduced. The recommendation as to publicity is being acted upon. The question of extended facilities for training juveniles in rural occupations is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if the British Government is bearing any share in the cost of the recent reduction from £3 to £2 of the special fares for emigrants to Canada?

Yes, Sir. One half of the cost of this reduction is being borne by His Majesty's Government under the Empire Settlement Act.

What is the total cost?

I must ask my hon. Friend to put that question on the Paper.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the overcrowded condition of casual wards, he is prepared to recommend the creation of labour colonies in selected parts of England?

This matter will continue to receive my right hon. Friend's careful consideration, but he can see no prospect of being able to formulate proposals until some measure of Poor Law reform has been secured.

asked the Minister of Health if there have been any further outbreaks of infantile paralysis in the county of Rutland; if so, what is the date of the latest recorded case; and if he can say the length of

No further cases of this disease have been notified in Rutland since the occurrence of two cases at Uppingham School during the week ended the 13th November. As regards the last part of the question, in the present state of knowledge of this disease it is the practice of my right hon. Friend's Department to recommend the Isolation of patients who have been attacked by it for a period of six weeks from the date of onset of the disease.

Can the hon. Gentleman say what is the period during which eases or suspected cases should be isolated?

I should prefer my right hon. Friend to put that question on the Paper.

asked the right hon. Member for Cheltenham, as Chairman of the Kitchen and Refreshment Rooms Committee, the amount of the receipts in sales of food and drink in the Strangers' Smoking Room during each of the months of 1926 to date?

In reply to the question of the hon. Member, as the details are too numerous for me to read to the House, I will, with his permission, send them to him, and I imagine that they will also appear in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in the teaching of foreign languages in the State-aided schools, a proportion of the time is devoted to the study of the spoken as against the written language; and whether a conversation test is part of the first schools examination pass?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 30th November last. As regards the second part, a conversational test is always provided, though it is not always a compulsory part of the examination in the subject.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the question on the Order Paper, which is not answered in the question to which he refers, as to the proportion of time devoted to the study of the spoken against the written language?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will realise that the proportion of time given to reading and speaking varies with every teacher in every School.

May I ask for something like a rough estimate?

The only estimate I could give would be so rough as to be of no service.

Is it not absolutely necessary that freedom should be left to the teachers?

asked the Minister of Health how many applications for an orphan pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act., 1925, have been received; how many have been granted; how many have been rejected; and how many applications are still undecided?

On the lastest figures available, the total number of applications for orphans' pensions received in England, Scotland and Wales is 16,239, but this figure includes 718 claims which were withdrawn or were duplicate claims. The number of claims for examination was, therefore, 15,521, of which 11,611 have been awarded, 3,518 rejected and 392 are still undecided. My right hon. Friend would point out that an application may include more than one child.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that some of these cases after six months have not yet been decided, and can he explain the delay?

If the hon. Member will give me particulars, as I have often said to him, I will make inquiries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the price per pound of imported meat supplied to the Army during 1924–25; and the price paid during the current year?

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the price per pound of chilled meat and the price of frozen meat supplied to the troops in the year 1924–25 and the current year?

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL, REPORT.

asked the Prime Minister which member of the Government is in charge of the business of the Foreign Office, and particularly as regards affairs in China, during the absence of the Foreign Secretary; and when the latter is expected to return to this country?

During the absence of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, who is in attendance at the Council meeting of the League of Nations at Geneva, I am in charge of the Foreign Office. I expect my right hon. Friend will return to this country as soon as he has discharged his mission to Geneva.

asked the Secretary of State For the Home Department how many Russians are now employed by Arcos and its subsidiary companies in England?

I am informed that 184 Soviet citizens are employed by Arcos and 216 by other companies in the United Kingdom.

Cannot a few unemployed Englishmen be imported, as well as Russians?

Can the hon. Gentleman give us the number of English people employed by Arcos?

Not without notice.

Is it not the fact that they outnumber considerably the alien employés?

I cannot say without notice.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how many of the 184 consist of Russians who have come to this country since the revolution, and how many represent Russians resident here before?

The Minister has already intimated that he must have notice of these supplementary questions.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how long these 184 aliens are going to be here?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the majority of the people of this country think it is 184 too many?

You must have people to speak the language; you have gat to bring them over.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many bookmakers' licences have been issued to date, and how the number compares with the Treasury estimate?

The number of bookmakers' certificates issued up to 30th November inclusive was 10,479. No official estimate was formed of the number of bookmakers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is aware that many bookmakers are levying the Betting Duty against winnings as well as against the amount staked as a bet by backers of horses; and will he con- sider the introduction of legislation to prohibit bookmakers exploiting the Act against backers in this manner?

Under Section 15 of the Finance Act, 1926, Betting Duty is charged on every bet made with a bookmaker and is payable to the Revenue authorities by the bookmaker with whom the bet is made. I am not aware that the practice mentioned in the question is being adopted, but the Exchequer is not concerned with the methods by which the bookmaker passes on the tax to the hacker, and my right hon. Friend is not prepared to initiate legislation as suggested.

If I forward proof that the bookmakers are charging not only on the amount staked but on the winnings, will the right hon. Gentleman make investigations?

No, Sir: I have pointed out that it is no concern of ours at all.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that bookmakers ought to exploit the public in this way?

That is a matter of opinion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can state the unpaid arrears of Corporation Profits Tax now outstanding?

The approximate amount of Corporation Profits Tax in assessment but unpaid at 30th November, 1926, was £10,500,000. These arrears are in many cases subject to reduction on appeal or otherwise, and represent, therefore, a higher figure than will ultimately be collected.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what amount of this £10,500,000 the Treasury anticipate they will get?

No, Sir; I cannot say that.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total receipts and the repayments of Excess Profits Duty and munitions saving since 31st March, 1926, and the estimated gross and net arrears now outstanding?

The approximate gross receipt of Excess Profits Duty (including Munitions Levy) for the period from 1st April, 1926, to 30th November, 1926, was £4,544,000, and repayments during the same period amounted to 23,540,0.10, leaving a net receipt of £1,004,000. It is estimated that the total amount of duty in assessment but not paid is in the neighbourhood of £100,000,000; of this amount, however, very large sums are subject to adjustment on appeal or otherwise, and the duty to be ultimately received by the Exchequer will therefore fall far short of the nominal amount in assessment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rent of the temporary assembly buildings of the Parliament building, etc., for the Government of Northern Ireland?

The rents of the buildings referred to, including the Supreme Court, amount to about £28,000 a year.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what I he tenancy is—for how many years?

I could not say without notice.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to the number of persons who change their names and to the number of persons who object to the appropriation of their surnames by other people; and whether he will consider taxation both ways, so that anyone registering his name on payment of a fixed fee can prevent another person, during his lifetime, taking that name by deed poll without his permission, and anyone wishing to appropriate a new name other than a registered one should pay a substantial sum for the privilege?

I have been asked to reply. The object which my hon. and gallant Friend has in view could only be attained by legislation which would involve a radical change in the law relating to surnames. Even if such a change were desirable, I do not think it could be effected on the lines suggested in the Question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been drawn to the letter addressed to the Treasury Solicitor's Department by Captain John Ball; whether he is aware that a valuable exhibit belonging to Captain Ball, and on loan to a museum without charge, has been seized by agents of the Official Receiver; and whether, in view of Captain Ball's service in the loyal Naval Air Service and the Royal Air Force, he will accede to the request of this ex-officer that the matter of dispute be settled by compromise?

I have been asked to reply. I am aware of the circumstances referred to in the first two parts of the question, but I regret that I am unable to accede to the request contained in the last part.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any steps are being taken to reorganise the attendance staff at Somerset House; and, if so, what steps are being taken to preserve the status and conditions of the present holders of attendant posts in that Department?

The question is under consideration whether the duties of protection of Somerset House at night, which are performed by staff of the Inland Revenue, should be undertaken in future by His Majesty's Office of Works. The Inland Revenue staff concerned are unestablished men, recruited normally from police pensioners upon a weekly engagement. In the event of the transfer being made, it is proposed to offer employment under the Office of Works so far as possible to men becoming redundant.

Has this matter had any consideration from the General Industrial Council?

I could not say without notice.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of Light Dues received in 1924, 1925, and for the year 1926 up to the end of October?

I have been asked to reply. The answer contains a number of figures, and the hon. Member will perhaps agree to it being circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT?