asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of manufactured goods exported from China to this country for each year since 1920?

The value of the imports into the United Kingdom of articles wholly or mainly manufactured, consigned from China, was as follows:

Year.		Imports.	Retained Imports. (Imports less Re-Exports).
		£	£
1920	…	4,238,000	2,786,000
1921	…	1,374,000	419,000
1922	…	1,910,000	1,157,000
1923	…	2,133,000	1,380,000
1924	…	2,052,000	1,154,000
1925	…	2,253,000	1,497,000

Similar particulars for 1926 are not yet available.Prior to 1st April, 1923, the particulars relate to imports into Great Britain and Ireland. From that date they relate to imports into Great Britain and Northern Ireland only.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the output of cigarettes in Great Britain for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, both in hundredweights and, if possible, in numbers of cigarettes; how many of these were for use in Great Britain, and how many for export; and will he give comparable figures for the year 1924?

The only recent period for which information regarding the output of cigarettes in Great Britain has been collected is the year 1924. The information obtained related to the weight and value of the cigarettes but not to their number. As stated in the "Board of Trade Journal" for 10th March, in the Preliminary Report on the Census of Production in the Tobacco Trade, the weight of the cigarettes manufactured in Great Britain in the Census Year, 1924, was 823,200 cwts., and the weight of exported cigarettes which were manufactured in Great Britain and Northern Ireland was 132,300 cwts. in 1924. Separate figures of the exports from Great Britain of cigarettes made in Great Britain are not available. The figure given relating to the quantity made is not inclusive of cigarettes made on a small scale by retail tobacconists as a subsidiary part of their business.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that Robert Murphy, a member of the telegraph side of the staff at the General Post Office, Belfast, while in charge of a Baudot installation, saw opportunities of materially improving the instrument; that he sent his suggestions, in conformity with the Regulations, to the head of his Department; that he did not receive even an acknowledgment of his communication: that the attention of the postmaster-surveyor was called to the matter, and the explanation of the head of the department was that the papers had been misplaced; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with the matter?

In the course of his duties Mr. Murphy suggested certain improvements in the arrangement of the Baudot installation at Belfast and these were earned out. The officer has been thanked for the interest which he has shown in his duties and I much regret that the papers were mislaid, but I do not think it necessary to take any further action.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of Transatlantic radio telephone calls that have been passed between England and America to the last convenient date?

Up to the end of last month the totals were 257 westward and 398 eastward calls.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received any complaints with regard to the existing arrangements with the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company concerning the delivery at Bombay of the English mails; whether he is aware of the frequent late arrivals of the English mail steamers at Bombay; and what penalties are provided for in the contract with the steamship company respecting late arrival of the mail?

I understand that there has been some complaint in India regarding recent late arrivals of the Indian mail at Bombay. These late arrivals have been due to causes beyond the control of the steamship company, such at the late running of the Indian mail train in France, labour troubles which have delayed loading at Marseilles and rough weather. The con-tract provides that the company shall pay a sum of £100 for every complete 12 hours of delay in arrival at Bombay when such delay is wholly within their control.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of men who have been discharged from the Army on the ground that on enlistment they stated they were single and who would not have been enlisted had it been known that they were married?

The number of men discharged for this reason during the last recruiting year was 76.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of barrels of cured herring on hand in Scotland at the end of March and the number on hand at the same date in the previous three years?

1,585 barrels of cured herrings were on hand in Scotland at the end of March, 1927. The corresponding figures for the same date in the three previous years were, in 1926, 1,494 barrels; in 1925, 1,864 barrels, and in 1924, 51,275 barrels.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that in the court of the first-class magistrate, Diburgarh, a man named Rasih Nandi was sentenced to receive 15 stripes, and that the warder who was asked to execute the order inflicted the stripes on another prisoner, Ghana Mahut, the case against whom was still pending; whether he will order a full inquiry as to how such a mistake was possible; and what steps the Government of India propose to take in the matter?

This is the first I have heard of the matter. If the hon. Member will be good enough to let me know on what his question is based, my Noble Friend will have inquiry made.

also asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the promises of the Government of India, with regard to the appointment of Indians to the higher positions on the railways, have not been carried out; that this is the reason given for the throwing out of the railway budget in the Indian Legislative Assembly; and whether steps can be taken to expedite Indianisation on the railways?

I am aware that the allegation to which the hon. Member refers in the first part of his question was made in the course of the Debate in which a vote for the reduction of the grant under the head "Railway Board" was carried by a majority of seven. The representative of the Government of India made it clear in his reply that the allegation was unfounded. I would refer the hon. Member to the report of the discussion in the Legislative Assembly, of which there is a copy in the Library, from which he will appreciate the nature of the action that has been taken regarding the appointment of Indians to higher posts in the Railway Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing that the Governors Pension Act of 1865 was passed to obviate the neces- sity for former Governors of dependency territories to seek positions on commercial boards engaged in enterprises in the dependencies, he is satisfied that the working of the Act in this respect has been satisfactory?

Under a Rule laid down in 1913, retired Colonial Governors are precluded from accepting, without the permission of the Secretary of State, directorships of companies operating in territories in which they have recently held office. I do not accept the view of the hon. and gallant Member as to the object of the Governors Pension Act, 1865, which, I may add, was repealed in 1911 and replaced by the Act of that year, but I see no reason to regard the present position with regard to acceptances of directorships by retired Governors as unsatisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether any persons of Afghan nationality are at present receiving instruction in the Royal Air Force?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can inform the House who was responsible for the expenditure of over £2,000 on a motor boat acquired by the Greenock torpedo factory for long-range running of torpedoes, but not used for that purpose, and finally transferred to the Rosyth dockyard for sale; whether the motor boat has yet been sold; and what was the price received?

This was one of the very fast coastal motor boats built for service against the enemy during the War and placed upon the Sale List, as surplus to peace requirements, after the War. Subsequently the need arose for such a vessel to be attached to the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory to enable torpedoes under trial to be run at greater ranges than the length of the torpedo range at Loch Long permitted. The expenditure of £2,000 was therefore approved by the Board of Admiralty to fit the boat for this service, and was an economical alternative to the employment of a torpedo-boat destroyer for the purpose. After the expense had been incurred, a novel and still more economical system of running torpedoes at long range was evolved, making it possible to dispense with the use of a fast vessel for following up the torpedoes. The hon. Member must be aware that in every progressive business new systems, tending to more economical working, are evolved from time to time, but that this fact by no means justifies the suggestion that expenditure thus rendered unfruitful was not necessary when it took place.In reply to the latter part of the question—since this vessel was originally placed on the Sale List, experience has shown that there is little market for these coastal motor boats which were built for war service, and from their design and other features are unsuitable for industrial or pleasure purposes. It has therefore been decided to sell the machinery of the boat separately, and to use the hull as a towed target for gunnery practices.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners registered as unemployed according to the latest figures available?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed miners on 30th April, 1926, and the number on 31st March, 1927?

At 26th April, 1926, the number of persons classified as belonging to the coal-mining industry, recorded as unemployed in Great Britain was 97,797, as compared with 197,739 at 21st February, 1927, the latest date for which figures are available.

asked the Minister of labour the number of workpeople registered as unemployed from the cotton trade in February, 1925, 1926, and 1927?

The numbers of workpeople in the cotton industry re- corded as unemployed at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain were 38,337 at 23rd February, 1925; 53,695 at 22nd February, 1926; and 47,718 at 21st February, 1927.

asked the Minister of Labour how many training centres for women are at present working under his control; how many women have received training during the 12 months ending 1st March: the nature of such training, and the emoluments in addition to unemployment pay women receive during their period of training; how many trainees have been placed in regular work; how many have emigrated; and will he inform the House how many women have been struck off or been refused unemployment benefit, and the causes of such refusal during the 12 months mentioned above?

The number of home training centres at present in operation is 25, providing accommodation for 1,060 women. These centres are administered by the Central Committee on Women's Training.3,987 women completed training in home training centres during the 12 months ended lst March, 1927, in addition to 158 who received training under the individual vocational training scheme.In home training centres instruction is given in domestic subjects, needlework, health subjects and general knowledge. Individual courses have been given in certain approved occupations, namely, shorthand, typewriting, cookery, institutional housekeeping, midwifery, nursery nursing, comptometer operating and hair-dressing. During training women are not eligible for unemployment insurance benefit, but receive maintenance not exceeding £1 per week, or in the case of girls from 16–18, 10s. per week.Of the women who completed training during the above period 2,745 were known to have obtained work, immediately on the termination of training. Of the 187 individual vocational students, 141 obtained posts.The Committee have no information as to the number of women who have gone overseas after training.In the 12 months ended 14th March, 1927, out of 533,398 applications by females for extended unemployment benefit con-

sidered by local committees in Great Britain, 167,740 were recommended for disallowance. In the 12 months ended 28th February, 1927, 174,693 claims by females, including claims for standard benefit were disallowed on statutory grounds by the insurance officer. The following table gives an analysis of the grounds of disallowance in these cases:

Recommendations by Local Committees for the disallowance of claims to extended benefit.
Grounds of disallowance.	Number of claims disallowed.
Not normally insurable and not seeking to obtain a livelihood by means of insurable employment	12,917
Insurable employment not likely to be available	4,348
Not a reasonable period of insurable employment during the preceding two years	25,476
Not making every reasonable effort to obtain suitable employment or not willing to accept suitable employment	41,827
Single persons residing with relatives to whom they can look for support:—
(a) Age under 25 years	28,249
(b) 25 years and over	1,953
Married women living with husbands to whom they can look for support	29,938
Short-time workers earning sufficient for maintenance	16,111
Aliens	20
Postponed for a definite period	6,901
Total	167,740

Disallowances by Insurance Officer.
Grounds of disallowance.	Number of claims* disallowed.
Claim not made in prescribed manner	146
Not unemployed	1,687
Not capable of work	2,791
Not available for work	2,262
Refusal of suitable employment	16,679
Not genuinely seeking work	89,586
Failure to attend courses of instruction	153
Trade disputes	989
Employment lost through misconduct	20,115
Employment left voluntarily without just cause	35,346
Inmates of prison, workhouse, etc.	17
In receipt of old age pension	135
In receipt of wages or payment	4,581
Other reasons	206
Total	174,693
* The decisions in a proportion of these cases were reversed on appeal.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of cases in which short-time workers working more than half the usual week are not granted extended benefit; whether this is due to instructions issued to rota committees; whether he is aware that there are many short-time workers in Darlington whose average earnings do not reach 10s. per head per week; and, if such instruction has been issued, whether he will arrange for it to become inoperative in cases of proved hardship.

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the memorandum L.E.C. 82/17 issued in August, 1925, which explains the general position. I shall be happy to inquire into alleged cases of hardship on receiving particulars.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, since the imposition of the paper duty in 1928, the percentage of unemployment in the paper and paper board trade has increased or decreased?

At 26th April, 1926, the percentage of insured persons classified as belonging to the paper and paper-board industry recorded as unemployed in Great Britain was 4·5 as compared with 7·0 per cent. at 21st March, 1927. There are no figures relating separately to the branch of the trade affected by the duty.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that there is a sum of £52,500 in the Senghenydd explosion fund, and that the recipients through death and other causes are so diminished that the above fund is being added to year by year through accumulating interest; and, seeing that the widows only receive 13s. 6d. per week, will he take steps to make the fund available for the payment of increased benefits?

I have been asked to reply. I am aware that the accumulated funds of this trust amounted to £52,500 odd on the 31st December last, but I am informed that the hon. Member is under a misapprehension in thinking that they are being added to year by year through accumulating interest; on the contrary,, they are diminishing year by year, since the benefits paid exceed the income. The trust deed under which the fund is administered provides for an actuarial valuation every five years to see if the benefits can be increased, and there would be no need for me to take the action suggested even if I had the power, which I have not.

asked the Prime Minister when the Government will be in a position to, ratify the Eight Hours Convention?

I have been asked to reply. I cannot add anything to the statements which I made in the House last night and on Thursday last.

asked the Home Secretary the number of aliens now in this country awaiting transportation overseas; how many have been refused entry to the United States or other country and have not been repatriated; at whose expense are these people being maintained; and where and how are they accommodated?

The number of alien passengers who pass through this country under the name, generally speaking, of transmigrants, varies from day to day. The shipping companies concerned are responsible for the maintenance of these aliens while they are en route and for seeing that they do not remain here unnecessarily, and they accommodate the bulk of them in the hostel at Eastleigh. If the hon. and gallant Member is referring in the latter part of his question to the accumulation there prior to last year, I would draw his attention to the answer which was given to the hon. Member for South Kensington on the 15th November last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any information as to whether the French Government proposes to ratify the debt-funding agreement with this country; and whether, in view of the fact that the continued postponement of this ratification deprives Great Britain of that benefit of definiteness which was the consideration for such a large remission of debt, he will notify the French Government that any failure on their part to meet the instalments agreed upon would entitle this country to reconsider the remission granted to them.

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply I gave on the 17th February to the right hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Snowden). Pending ratification, His Majesty's Government continue to hold French Sterling Treasury Bills for the full amount of the French Debt, so that the rights of this country are fully reserved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many prosecutions have been initiated by the Treasury during the past financial year in respect of unstamped receipts?

The Commissioners of Inland Revenue take steps in a considerable number of cases where receipts liable to duty have been given without being stamped for recovery of the penalty of £10 or such mitigated penalty as they deem sufficient after considering the circumstances. Such cases are usually disposed of under the powers vested in the Commissioners by Section 35 of the Inland Revenue Regulations Act, 1890, and seldom form the subject of actual prosecution in Court.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the efforts being made to popularise British air routes for the transport of urgently required goods are being largely negatived by the formali- ties and time spent in the Customs examination; and whether he will take all possible steps to simplify and expedite this matter at the home aerodrome?

I am informed that the arrangements for the examination and clearance by the Customs authorities of air-borne merchandise compare favourably with those operating in the case of that class of seaborne traffic with which the air-borne traffic is in direct competition, and on the evidence available these arrangements do not appear to involve unnecessary delay or to be unduly complicated.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Departments employing mixed staffs which have considered the question of compiling a common seniority list, in accordance with the recommendations of the Treasury Committee appointed in June, 1922, to examine and report on the application of the principle of common seniority lists for men and women; in which Departments has such a list been made operative; and in which Departments has an adverse decision been reached?

In accordance with the recommendations of the Majority Report of the Committee appointed to examine and report on the application of the principle of common seniority lists for men and women, consideration has been given to this question by Departments. Detailed and complete information as to the conclusions arrived at by them on this matter is not immediately available, but I understand that in a number of cases a decision has been deferred for the present.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Yorkshire (West Riding) Electric Tramways Company, which supply electric light and power in the Ponte-fract area, are still charging the increase of 15 per cent. which was imposed in November last; and whether, seeing that the price of coal has been in process of reduction since that period, and in view of the lower comparative charges in towns neighbouring on Pontefract, he will refer the matter for inquiry to the Electricity Commissioners?

The question of electricity charges in Pontefract has already been the subject of correspondence between the Electricity Commissioners and the company, who have intimated that the 15 per cent. increase will be withdrawn on the 30th April. The Commissioners are still in communication with the company on the question of comparative charges in the neighbouring towns.

asked the Minister of Transport how he is proposing to ascertain the opinion of the country on the Road Traffic Bill; and whether he is confining himself to the receipt of representations from local authorities, or whether he is also inviting expressions of opinion from all bodies connected in any way with the use of the road?

I have invited observations and representations on the draft Road Traffic Bill from representative bodies not only of local authorities but of every class of users of the road. Expressions of opinion in the Press and in technical publications are also being carefully noted.

asked the Minister of Transport the salary that will be paid to the recently appointed secretary to the Electricity Board?

I am not concerned with the appointment and remuneration of the staff of the Board, which by the terms of the Act, are left to the Board itself.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the shortage of trucks and the delay in transport of coal wagons on the London and North Eastern Railway is partly due to the long train haulage system operating over the old Great Northern and North Eastern portions of the line; and will he cause inquiry to be made into the working of this system?

I have no reason to think that any shortage of trucks or delay in the transport of coal wagons could rightly be attributed to the long train haulage system. I have, however, forwarded a copy of the hon. and gallant Member's question to the railway company.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the status of the officer commanding the Shanghai Defence Force, in relation to the municipal council of the international settlement, has been defined; and in what relation General Duncan stands to the municipal council?

The General Officer Commanding the Shanghai Defence Force is entirely independent of the Shanghai Municipal Council, but has been instructed to keep in close touch with them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government has, in view of the protests made against the Hankow terms of settlement, decided that solutions on such lines cannot be accepted in other treaty ports; and, if so, will His Majesty's Government take steps to determine, in agreement with America and Japan, what other definite solution may be pressed for, regard being had to the circumstances of each case?

I would refer the right hon. and gallant Gentleman to the replies returned to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Lieut.-Colonel Howard-Bury) on the 21st of March and to my Noble Friend the Member for Weston-super-Mare (Lord Erskine) on the 28th of March, together with the replies to supplementary questions raised on the latter occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will arrange for any official accounts which may be available with regard to the outrages committed against British and other foreign nationals at Nanking to be circulated as a White Paper to the House?

My right lion. Friend has already given to the House the substance of such official reports as he has received about the Nanking incident, and the sworn statements of Mrs. Giles and Mr. Brown have already been published in the Press. I do not think, therefore, that there is any need for a White Paper at this moment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will take steps to secure, in agreement with the Abyssinian Government, that an impartial Commission of Control shall be set up, under the auspices of the League of Nations, to deal with any work that may be carried out in connection with the water supply from Lake Tsana to the Sudan, and that any dispute in connection therewith shall be referred to arbitration on the lines laid down in the Conventions for similar cases drawn up by the Transit Conference of of the League of Nations?

A proposal for arbitration by the League has been under consideration, but until negotiations have advanced further, I am unable to say whether it is likely to commend itself to the Abyssinian Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can arrange for the publication of the Report of the League of Nations on the Traffic in Women and Children as a Command Paper?

The Report, which is a document of considerable length, has been published by the League of Nations and is on sale in this country. In the circumstances I do not think that the expense of publishing it again as a Command Paper would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government discussed with any other Government, before despatch, the contents of the Note sent to the Russian Government on 23rd February, 1927, or whether His Majesty's Government intimated in any way to any other Government that the Note would be sent?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative.