asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any and, if so, what decision has been reached in regard to the compensation to be paid to shipowners for the ships with coal cargoes which were detained in the ports of this country during the coal dispute of last year?

It is not proposed to pay compensation to ship-

FATAL AND NON-FATAL ACCIDENTS at Mines and Sinking Shafts under the Coal Mines Acts in Great Britain.
			Fatal Accidents.		Non-fatal Accidents.
Period.			No. of Separate Accidents.	No. of Persons Killed.	No. of Separate Accidents.	No. of Persons Injured.*
1st January to 30th April, 1926	…	…	409	420	1,559	1,644
1st November, 1926, to 1st March, 1927		…	306	388	1,365	1,445
* Including persons injured by accidents which proved fatal to others.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that a certain manufacturers' association is declining to supply merchants with additional material on the ground that the goods already supplied to them were sold below the association's retail rates, with the result that orders which would have been placed at home are being sent abroad; and if he will take steps to make it illegal for such associations to refuse to supply retail traders on these grounds?

I am not aware of the particular case to which the hon. Member refers. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal accidents and non-fatal accidents in mines and sinking shafts in Great Britain from 1st January to 30th April, 1926; and the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in mines and sinking shafts from 1st November, 1926, to 1st March, 1927?

I will circulate the figures with the OFFICIAL REPORT. But I must point out to the hon. Member that the periods he has chosen are not comparable, because, during a substantial part of the second, work had not been generally resumed.

asked, the President of the Board of Trade what action the Government have taken with reference to the Food Commission's Report; and if he is aware that, notwithstanding the fact that the wholesale price of butter has been reduced 6s a cwt. many retailers have increased the price 2d. a pound?

The principal recommendation made in the Report of the Royal Commission on Food Prices was that a Food Council should be established, and this recommendation was carried out by the appointment of the present Food Council in July, 1925. For about four months up to the middle of February last there had been substantial advances in the wholesale prices of butter. Reductions then took place, which happened to coincide with increases in the retail price at some shops. The information in my possession, however, shows that during the past six months retail prices have, generally speaking, moved in sympathy with wholesale prices, allowing a reasonable lag between the two.

asked the Home Secretary the number of police officers employed during the last three months in trapping motorists in the 10-mile limits that have been instituted in the London area; the number of police traps that have been in operation in the London area during the last three months; the number of police officers engaged on this work; and the number of summonses issued, the number of convictions recorded, and the amount of fines imposed?

I regret I cannot give the desired information. Part of it I do not think it would be in the public interest to give, and the rest could only be obtained by a laborious examination of the records, which I do not feel justified in asking the Police to undertake.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the total sum received from all motor-vehicles' licences during January and February, 1926; and what was the total sum received from all motor-vehicles' licences during January and February, 1927?

The returns for February, 1927, are not quite complete, but the comparative receipts (including duties on horse-drawn vehicles and fees for driver's licences) are approximately as follows:—

8th December to end of February, 1926	£11,807,000
8th December to end of February, 1927	£14,174,000

Receipts in the latter half of December are almost entirely in respect of the following year's licences.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware of the practice of marching prisoners through the public streets from Clerkenwell Police Station; and whether he will give instructions to the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis that proper conveyance should he provided for this purpose, in order that unnecessary humiliation and degradation to prisoners may be avoided?

This matter has already been under the consideration of a committee with a view to the rearrangement of the Prison Van Service. In the meantime directions have been given that prisoners shall be conveyed by cab.

asked the Home Secretary what number of prosecutions have taken place under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1906, within the last five years; and in how many of such cases there have been convictions?

I am informed that there have been proceedings in 156 cases and convictions in 124.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether a bell or some other signal for Divisions can be installed for the convenience of Members in Westminster Underground Station; and what would be the cost?

The First Commissioner of Works sees no reason for a departure from the practice not to instal Division bells on public property. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that several yards of pavement in the Lambeth Road were recently shattered by an electrical distributing box exploding; and if he can state when this box was last examined and whether an inquiry is being held into the cause of this explosion?

I understand that the Electricity Commissioners are making certain inquiries with regard to this accident and that they have been informed by the Electricity Supply Company concerned that the damage to the pavement was confined to the breakage of a manhole cover.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to an explosion, causing loss of life, which occurred at Beaconsfield Road, Acton; and whether he will have full inquiry made into the cause of the accident?

I have been asked to reply. I understand from the Electricity Commissioners that they have been informed by the Electricity Supply Company concerned that a gas explosion was the cause of the damage to their cables, and that the damaged cable where the accident took place was in no way connected to the adjacent mains encased in bitumen, which are situated on the opposite side of the street at a distance of 30 feet from the premises in which the explosion took place.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in some industries a large amount of overtime is being worked by the operatives without regard to the fact that many persons are vainly seeking employment; and whether he will consider the advisability of issuing a public appeal to employers in general in favour of limiting overtime in order to absorb as many workmen as possible?

I agree that it is desirable in the general interests that wherever economically practicable additional workpeople should be engaged rather than that a smaller number should work overtime. I have no evidence that overtime is being worked to any large extent in cases where it might reasonably be avoided, and there is, I think, no sufficient occasion for a public appeal; but this question and answer will perhaps serve to call attention to the point.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is possible greatly to increase the number of vacancies at Sandhurst and Woolwich, which can be offered to non-commissioned officers?

As I informed the hon. Member on 17th February, the scheme is already being extended by the offer, as from February, 1928, of three vacancies each halt-year at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. There has not yet peen sufficient experience to justify a further extension of the scheme nor would the number of applicants, who have come forward, warrant it.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been drawn to the case of six Officers appointed as lieutenants, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, who were appointed as ordnance mechanical engineers, five receiving their commissions on 11th November, 1925, and one on 9th January, 1926; whether he is aware that these officers were informed that their pay would be 19s. 10d. per diem, and that they have since been reduced to 17s. per diem; and if he will consider the possibility of antedating their appointments to date prior to the issue of Army Order 366 of 1925, which states that officers commissioned in this rank after the 26th October, 1925, shall only receive 17s. per diem?

These officers haw, appealed to His Majesty under Section 42 of the Army Act, and, pending the result of that appeal, I can make no statement on the case.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has considered the effect the abolition of the training and musketry bounties will have upon future recruiting for the Territorial Army; and the present strength of the Territorial Army and the number of officers and men at the beginning of 1914?

Territorial Army.
			Officers.	Other Ranks.	Total.
Establishment 1913–14 Estimates (a)	…	…	11,233	301,167	312,400
Strength on 1st January, 1914	…	…	9,366	239,819	249,185
Establishment 1926–27 Estimates (b)	…	…	8,130	174,405	182,535
Strength on 1st January, 1927	…	…	6,760	139,762	146,522
(a) During the course of the year the Establishment was reduced by 20 officers and 434 other ranks.
(b) During the course of the year the Establishment was reduced by 42 officers and 1,666 other ranks.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the estimated annual saving which it is expected will result from the abolition of the bounty for recruits and re-engagements in the Territorial Army?

As I stated yesterday, the saving is estimated at £64,000 in 1927, rising ultimately to £332,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the names of the eight casualty clearing stations, two veterinary evacuating stations, and two veterinary hospitals of the Territorial Army which it has been decided to disband?

The decision covers all Territorial Army units of the categories mentioned. Their names are as follow:

I dealt with the first part of the question during the Debate on Army Estimates yesterday. As regards the last part, the figures are as follow:

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he has received any complaints about the Ministry of Pensions' Hospital, Harrowby Camp, Grantham; if he is aware that the patients allege that the rain comes through the roof on to the beds; that there is no hot water for washing or for the bath; that the food is insufficient; and if he will have inquiries made into the administration of this hospital?

One complaint only has been received and this not from a patient. I have caused inquiry to be made into the facts and I am satisfied that the allegations referred to in the question are without foundation.

asked the Minister of Health if his notice has been drawn to the fatherhood class instituted by the authorities of the St. Thomas's Hospital infant welfare centre, which is held one evening each week for the purpose of fathers meeting the doctors of the hospital and discussing various problems connected with babies and fatherhood; if he is aware that mothers and fathers also attend lectures together at this centre; and, in view of the great advantage derived by the public, will he consider recommending the inauguration of these classes by other hospitals and institutions under his control?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I am informed that the fathers do not attend lectures with the mothers, but come for informal talks with the medical officer. The procedure at St. Thomas's Hospital has obtained wide publicity, and I do not consider that there is any necessity for action on my part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the amount and value of the coffee grown by natives in Tanganyika during the last year for which completed figures are available?

The total amount and value of coffee exported from the territory during 1925 are as follows:

	cwts.	£
Bukoba area	83,023	320,746
North-Eastern area (Tanga and Moshi districts)	37,136	160,160
Other districts	27	139

It is not possible to state the exact proportion of native-grown coffee included in the above. In the Bukoba district the coffee is almost entirely native-grown. In the North-Eastern area, on the other hand, native-grown coffee amounted to between 6 per cent. or 7 per cent. of the total production of the area in the year 1924–25. I have no more recent figures for this area.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) what is the present unsatisfied demand for allotments in England and Wales;(2) how many authorities have acquired land under the provisions of the Allotments Act, 1926; how much land has been acquired; how many allotments have been created; and what was the price paid for the land?

I will answer this and the next question together. In formation with regard to the land acquired and number of allotments provided, as well as the outstanding demand for allotments, appears in the Ministry's Report for the year 1925 on the Proceedings under the Allotments Acts, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member. The returns for the year 1926 are being tabulated at the present time, but the results will not be available for another six weeks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of animals slaughtered on the instructions of local authorities under the provisions of Article 5 of the Tuberculosis Order of 1925, from 1st September, 1925, until 31st January, 1927?

According to the latest available information, the total number of animals slaughtered under Article 5 of the Tuberculosis Order of 1925 from the 1st of September, 1925, to the 31st January, 1927, was 26,153.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, taking the last three issues of prospectuses for the new sugar-beet companies in respect of which the State has guaranteed interest on any capital, he will state the proportion of the share capital which was subscribed by the general public and the amount left to the underwriters?

I have been asked to reply. I have no information on this point.

asked the Postmaster-General how many private branch exchanges there are in Great Britain, giving the number separately for England, Scotland, and Wales, where there are three or more exchange lines used?

On 31st January, 1927, private branch exchange installations in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland numbered 53,635, 6,064 and 728 respectively. It is not possible from the figures available to state how many of these 60,427 installations comprise three or more exchange lines, or to give separate figures for England and Wales.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the number of women

				Promotion.		Competitions.
Year.				Writing Assistants.	Typing Grades.	Limited.	Open.	Special (amongst temporary clerks).	Transfers.	Reinstatements.	Total.
1920	…	…	…	1	—	—	11	59	5	—	76
1921	…	…	…	2	3	—	—	30	—	2	37
1922	…	…	…	8	—	—	—	18	12	—	38
1923	…	…	…	8	—	—	—	—	7	—	15
1924	…	…	…	3	—	6	—	—	18	—	27
1925	…	…	…	6	—	—	—	—	1	—	7
192G	…	…	…	3	—	—	12	—	2	1	18
1927 to date			…	—	2	—	—	—	1	—	3

As regards the last part of the question, prior to 1924 the conditions of eligibility varied, and I regret I am not in a position to furnish the information asked for. Since 1924 consideration has been restricted to those officers who are classified as above the average of their grade, and in this connection I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on the 28th February to questions on the same subject.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the rental charges for telephones in rural areas in Great Britain and in any British Dominions and foreign countries for which the information is available?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th March, 1927, col. 847, Vol. 203] supplied the following statement:

The reply to the first part of the question is as follows:—charged for them are given on pages 110–111 of the Post Office Guide.The following is the latest information available about a few British Dominions and foreign countries:I shall be glad to give any further information the hon. Member may desire.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephones in use per 1,000 of the population in Great Britain and in any British Dominions and foreign countries for which the information is available?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 7th March, 1927; col. 847, Vol. 203] supplied the following statement:The approximate figures for 31st December, 1925, are as follows:

Great Britain (including Northern Ireland)	31
United States of America	150