asked the Secretary of State for Air what steps the negotiations have reached between the Air Ministry and the French authorities for a seaplane service between Southampton, Le Havre, Le Touquet, Deauville, and other French ports and resorts?

The only communications which have passed between the Air Ministry and the French authorities on this subject have been those relating to Cherbourg, in regard to which I would refer my Noble Friend to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Southwark (Colonel Day) on 24th November last. The question of a seaplane service to the other French ports and resorts mentioned is one primarily for the consideration of Imperial Airways, Limited, who, I have no doubt, bear constantly in mind such possible extensions of their services as those referred to in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the proposed imperial air service on the Basra-Karachi section of the new Empire air route between Egypt and India has been postponed from 6th April, and if he can state the reason for this postponement; and whether any official action has been taken to facilitate the service?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hallam (Sir F. Sykes) and my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston-upon-Hull, East (Mr. Lumley), on 30th March and 6th April, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the numbers of persons of foreign nationality and Asiatic race who are receiving training in the Royal Air Force?

The answer is none.

asked the Home Secretary whether the privilege of obtaining educational works from the central library for students in Bloomsbury, through the Isle of Wight county library at Newport, has been granted to prisoners in the convict prison at Parkhurst by arrangement with the Isle of Wight county education authority; whether the arrangement is still operative and, if not, for what reason it has been discontinued; and whether he will direct its resumption?

There was such an arrangement, but it depended upon the voluntary and kindly co-operation of a private individual, and unfortunately has lapsed. I have no power to direct its resumption.

asked the Home Secretary the number of articles that have been found and handed in to the Lost Property Office at Scotland Yard, or at any police station throughout the Metropolitan area, the number of articles claimed by the persons having lost them, and the articles unclaimed, for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

During the year 1926, 170,257 articles found in public carriages were deposited with the police. Of these, 68,765 were restored to the losers and 101,492 were unclaimed. I am not in a position to give corresponding figures with regard to articles found in the streets, which could only be obtained with great labour and research.

asked the Home Secretary the number of boys and youths who during the last two years have on leaving industrial schools, reformatories, and Borstal institutions, respectively, joined either the Army or the Navy?

The number of boys from reformatory and industrial schools who joined the Navy, Army or Air Force during the last two years was 162 and 166, respectively. There were none from Borstal institutions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of ex-temporary technical officers employed as surveyors, architects, and draughts-men who have been established since 1920, showing the number who have been given a starting salary, inclusive of cost-of-living bonus, equivalent to the late temporary scale of pay; and the number who have been given a starting salary, inclusive of cost-of-living bonus, which was an immediate increase over their old temporary rates of pay?

Approximately 500 persons have been appointed to established posts as surveyors, architects, and draughtsmen since 1920. Detailed particulars as to their previous employment and as to their starting pay on establishment could not be made available without special inquiry, which would not, I think, be justified.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of qualified Southborough candidates who have been appointed to established posts to 31st January, 1927; and whether he can indicate the numbers appointed to the various departments in the Civil Service to the same date?

The number of qualified Southborough candidates appointed to established posts up to and including the 31st January, 1927, is 5,774; the corresponding figure up to and including the 31st March, 1927, is 7,173. I regret that the information asked for in the second part of the question is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether a person employed in an established capacity in the permanent Civil Service of the State who, on the abolition of his office and on appointment to another office in a public Department, suffers direct pecuniary loss of a permanent and pensionable allowance paid for duty in the office abolished in addition to the usual salary of his grade, subject to the general provisions of the Superannuation Acts, will be granted, either under Section 7 of the Superannuation Act, 1859, or under Section 6 of the Superannuation Act, 1909, a compensation allowance based on the length of his service and the total emoluments of the office abolished, and will be paid under Section 20 of the Superannuation Act, 1834, that compensation allowance, or so much thereof as, together with the emoluments of the second office, does not exceed in amount the total emoluments of the office abolished?

I am unable to answer a hypothetical question of this character. Whether an award of compensation would be made in the contingency referred to would depend upon all the circumstances of the particular case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Income Tax-payers have an unearned income of more than £500 per annum?

It is regretted that this information is not available.

asked the Prime Minister what is the constitution of the Civil Research Committee; who are its officials; how many meetings it has held; and what subjects it has investigated during the last 12 months?

The terms of reference and constitution of the Committee of Civil Research were set out in a Treasury Minute of the 13th June, 1925, which has been presented to Parliament (Cmd. 2440). It would be contrary to established practice to furnish any additional information.

asked the Minister of Health whether a War widow who has been deprived of her pension under the Orders in Council or Royal Warrants owing to the birth of an illegitimate child, is eligible to receive a widow's pension under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act if she is not cohabiting with a man and has children under the age of 14 by her husband, who at his death was an insured person?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Health whether the widow of a man who before the appointed day was aged 65 or over, and had paid 39 contributions in each of the two contribution years immediately prior to the 2nd January, 1927, will be eligible for an old age pension on 2nd January, 1927, if she be 65 years of age?

No, Sir, but, subject to the fulfilment of the statutory conditions, the widow will already have become entitled before 2nd January, 1928, to a widow's pension, which will continue to be payable, provided she does not remarry, until she reaches the age of 70, when an old age pension will become payable.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that more than 1,000 cellar dwellings still exist within the city of Liverpool; and the reasons why legislation passed in 1908 for the abolition of these cellar dwellings has not been put into operation?

If the hon. Member is referring to cellar still in occupation as dwellings, the information before my right hon. Friend does not confirm the suggestion made in the first part of the question. It is understood that the Corporation take the necessary steps to deal with any cellars found to be occupied as dwellings.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the opposition by the representative of the British Government on the executive committee of the International Labour Office at the session held at Geneva at the end of January last to the discussion of the question of limitation of hours worked by officers and men of the mercantile marine represents the official policy of the Government;(2) whether he is aware that over 500 vessels, from 2,000 to 5,000 tons, owned by over 100 different shipowning firms, carry only two navigating officers, and are therefore worked on the two-watch system; and whether, under these circumstances, the opposition of the Government to the discussion of hours of labour at sea at Geneva will be withdrawn?

The attitude taken up by the representative of His Majesty's Government on the governing body of the International Labour Office on the question of hours of labour at sea was in accordance with the instructions of the Government, which is of opinion that such part of that question as requires to be dealt with should be settled nationally by agreement between employers and employed before commencing an international discussion. I am aware that a certain number of ships are worked on the two-watch system, but I have no official figures showing the exact number.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the most recent estimates of the balance of trade from the year 1922 to the latest year for which figures are available?

The balances of income and expenditure in the transactions (other than lending and repayment of capital) between the United Kingdom and all other countries have been estimated as follow:

				Million £
1922	Credit Balance	…	…	154
1923	do.	…	…	153
1924	do.	…	…	86
1925	do.	…	…	54
1926	Debit Balance	…	…	12

These figures should only be regarded as approximations and as subject to the considerations set forth in the article in the Board of Trade Journal for 27th January, 1927, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he will give the figures of Egyptian trade on the same basis as given in the Department of Overseas Trade Report on Egypt, 1926, that is, total exports, including re-exports, and

Year				Imports.		Exports (Including Re-exports).		Imports of—
				Total.	Of which from the British Empire.	Total.	Of which to the British Empire.	Iron and Steel Manufactures.	Machinery and Loco-motives.
				£1,000.	£1,000.	£1,000.	£1.000.	£1,000.	£1,000.
1898	…	…	…	11,320	4,684	12,639	5,835	647	381
1899	…	…	…	11,740	5,157	16,306	8,650	647	469
1900	…	…	…	14,479	6,301	17,805	9,718	942	514
1901	…	…	…	15,642	6,753	16,828	8,557	772	546
1902	…	…	…	15,201	6,512	18,791	9,786	858	472
1903	…	…	…	17,189	7,053	20,328	10,747	1,026	610
1904	…	…	…	21,095	8,411	21,636	11,531	1,204	915
1905	…	…	…	22,126	8,251	21,216	11,220	1,210	878
1906	…	…	…	24,636	9,262	25,976	13,932	1,821	1,237
1907	…	…	…	26,801	10,048	29,198	15,821	2,021	1,097
1908	…	…	…	25,754	9,789	22,259	11,661	1,296	818
1909	…	…	…	22,809	8,100	27,183	13,658	984	546
1910	…	…	…	24,166	8,669	30,157	14,897	1,280	532
1911	…	…	…	27,936	10,169	29,736	14,528	1,485	782
1912	…	…	…	26,583	9,813	35,935	16,682	1,447	891
1913	…	…	…	28,591	10,765	33,080	14,263	1,674	1,088
1914	…	…	…	22,291	8,770	25,178	11,072	1,290	934
1915	…	…	…	19,869	11,215	28,292	15,015	561	261
1916	…	…	…	31,948	19,776	39,015	21,177	918	395
1917	…	…	…	34,039	20,224	42,673	26,159	1,086	329
1918	…	…	…	52,487	35,871	47,966	32,360	2,130	442
1919	…	…	…	48,645	28,326	82,284	42,613	1,916	746
1920	…	…	…	104,534	50,038	90,311	38,868	5,114	3,266
1921	…	…	…	56,953	23,298	43,590	18,944	2,433	3,280

The exports and re-exports of iron and steel and manufactures thereof and of machinery from Egypt are of comparatively little importance.The value of these exports in 1898, 1913 and 1921 was as follows:

			Iron and Steel and Manufactures thereof.	Machinery.
			£	£
1898	…	…	1,000	Nil.
1913	…	…	22,000	20,000
1921	…	…	101,000	114,000

The following statement shows the total value of the Import and Export trade of Egypt, distinguishing the value of (a) the trade with the British Empire and (b) the imports of iron and steel manufactures and of machinery and locomotives respectively, in each of the years 1898 to 1921:

asked the President of the Board of Trade what applications for the export of machine guns have been made since 19th June, 1925, together with the names of the applicants; the reply in each case; and the destination in the case of applications granted.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 5th April, 1927; col. 1853, Vol. 204] supplied the following particulars:

asked the Minister of labour whether he will call for a Return of the number of men and women over 70 years of age who are contributing towards the Unemployment Insurance Fund, giving the number of such persons who have been refused benefit on the ground that they are not likely to secure further employment, and that they are in receipt of old age pensions?

No, Sir; the expense of obtaining such a Return would be prohibitive.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners unemployed on 31st March, 1927?

At 21st March, 1927, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of insured persons classified as belonging to the coal mining industry recorded as unemployed in Great Britain was 205,751, of whom 121,385 were wholly unemployed and 84,366 were temporarily stopped.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons employed upon unemployment schemes undertaken with Government assistance for the years 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, and 1926, respectively?

The returns of persons employed on State-aided

Hosiery Industry—Great Britain.
Date.		Estimated numbers insured.	Percentages of insured persons recorded as unemployed.
			Wholly unemployed.	Temporary stoppages.	Total.
27th July, 1925	…	96,960	*	*	9·8
25th July, 1926	…	97,220	4·2	11·4	15·6
21st March, 1927	…	*	2·7	4·8	7·5
*Figures not available.

The percentages for 21st March, 1927, are calculated on the basis of the numbers insured at 25th July, 1926.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) whether he can state in regard to the trainees at Claydon and Brandon, respectively, whose training was terminated for unsatisfactory conduct, the ages, the numbers of ex-service men, the number of married men, and the periods for which they had been unemployed; and whether there is any explanation of the fact that whilst at Brandon the number whose conduct was unsatisfactory was 4·8 per cent, of the relief schemes are received monthly, and relate in the main to the last Saturday in each month Statistics on a comparable basis are not available prior to October, 1923. The average number of persons so employed during the last three months of 1923 was 71,473, and for the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 the monthly average was 89,088, 104,214 and 87,968. The figures include persons employed on schemes assisted by the Unemployment Grants Committee, the Ministry of Transport and on schemes guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Acts, etc., but take no account of the employment provided indirectly, e.g., in the preparation and transport of materials.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons employed in the hosiery trade in July, 1925, and July, 1926, and give the percentage of workers unemployed and partially employed, respectively, in that industry at those dates and at this date?

The following table gives the information desired:total, at Claydon it amounted to 10·8 per cent.;(2) whether he can explain why, seeing that all trainees must before entering be passed as medically fit, the number whose training was terminated at Brandon for ill-health was 9·2 per cent., whilst at Claydon it was only 5·1 per cent,; whether he can state for each farm the nature of the ill-health, the ages, the number of ex-service men, the number of married men, the periods for which they had been unemployed, and in how many cases unemployment benefit had been refused on the ground that it was not in the public interest that it should be received?

I regret that the information as to age and other particulars of the men discharged on grounds of health or conduct is not available, but there is no reason to think that they differed in these respects from the general run of the men, who are single men on admission and are between the ages of 18 and 25, except for the very few ex-service men, who are admitted up to the age of 29. The differences in percentages to which the hon. Member refers are largely due to the fact that there is a greater proportion of overseas men at Brandon than at Claydon. The standard of physical fitness required of them is higher and unsatisfactory conduct has been found to be less frequent among them than among the handymen.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British women and children have been ordered to leave Canton City; and how many have proceeded to Hong Kong or other places in China?

I have no information on the subject, except that the Consul-General is doing his best to reduce the numbers at Canton.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any Report from our diplomatic representatives in China to the effect that the Cantonese Government has expressed its disapproval of the dismissal by the Peking Government of Sir Francis Aglen from his post as inspector general of maritime customs; and whether he will discuss with the Cantonese Government the reinstatement of Sir Francis Aglen in the areas controlled by it?

I have not received any report to this effect I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served by discussing this matter with the Cantonese Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action has been taken with regard to the Shantung troops who took refuge in the international settlement at Shanghai; whether they are still in the settlement; and, if not, where have they been conveyed?

Northern troops approaching the defensive lines around the International Settlement and surrendering to the foreign forces were disarmed, and, I understand, handed over to the municipal authorities, I have no information as to their subsequent movements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he took any action on the Report received regarding the treatment of the British trawler "Quercia" by Norwegian patrol boats outside territorial waters; and whether there has been any satisfactory outcome of his action, including definite assurances that Norwegian patrol boats will not in future molest British ships in the exercise of their fishing rights?

It has been necessary to make further investigations into the case, and action has had to be deferred in consequence. I hope to be in a position to make considered representations very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to a declaration of the Government of the Union of Soviet Republics indicating its willingness to renounce preparation of poison gases provided other countries are prepared to do likewise; and whether His Majesty's Government has decided to take such steps as may lead to this subject being discussed at the forthcoming disarmament conference?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. If the hon. Member will refer to the answer given on the 15th ultimo by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for War to the hon. and gallant Member for Wycombe (Sir A. Knox), he will see that, according to the information in the possession of His Majesty's Government, much greater preparations for gas warfare were being made in Russia than anywhere else in the world.