asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give the total number of civil servants engaged in his Department on the work of retired pay and pensions of the Royal Air Force, including the framing of regulations, the payment of pensions, administration, etc.; and if he will state the total cost annually of the work involved as apart from the annual cost of the retired pay and pensions?

The number of staff in the Air Ministry engaged on the work in question is 12, and the annual salary cost is, approximately, £5,000.

asked the First, Lord of the Admiralty whether any Departmental Committee has been set up since 1924 to consider the question of the possibility of reduction in the numbers employed at the Admiralty; whether such Committee has reported; and, if so, whether he is prepared to publish such Report for the information of Parliament?

No Departmental Committee has been specially set up for the purpose to which my hon and gallant Friend refers, but during the period in question the Board of Admiralty have had the matter under close examination and have been able to make a substantial reduction in staff. The matter continues to engage the close attention of the Board.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of casualties that have taken place to date on warships employed on the Yangtze; and whether any of these have been fatal?

The casualties have been:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, prior to the guard being placed at the entrance to the Soviet Consulate in Shanghai, the Shanghai Volunteers, under the command of Colonel Gordon, had been transferred from their control by the Shanghai Municipal Council to that of General Duncan?

The guard posted at the Soviet Consulate at Shanghai consisted entirely of municipal police, under the sole control of the Shanghai Municipal Council.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the date has been fixed for the Conference to be held on the limitation of naval armaments at Geneva; if so, if it has definitely been decided who is to lead the delegation of the Conference; and on what date this will take place?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's reply of the 17th May to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (OFFICIAL REPORT, Column 983).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when the official record of the Battle of Jutland, which was compiled by Rear-Admiral Harper and other officers, will be published?

The material has been sent to the printers, and I hope publication will take place within a fortnight.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of men discharged from Admiralty establishments during the past 12 months; on what grounds have they been discharged; what is the basis of pension or gratuity paid to such men; and whether in any cases steps have been taken to assist them to obtain unemployment benefit?

To obtain the particulars asked for in the first and second parts of the question would involve a considerable amount of detailed investigation at the various establishments for which there has not been time pensions or gratuities are awarded in accordance with the provisions of the Superannuation Acts; the answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the interest on the debt on the Unemployment Fund is chargeable against the Fund or against the Exchequer?

The interest on this debt is charged against the Unemployment Fund.

asked the Minister of Labour if, in view of the various recent discussions on the subject of unemployment, he can state what percentage of male unemployed are suitable for employment on public works; and if he can publish a system of grading according to previous occupation?

No, Sir. So much would depend on the exact nature of the work, and the degree of allowance to be made for lack of specialised experience, that I am afraid any attempt to give a percentage of suitable men or to grade occupations according to suitability would be misleading.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware of the following facts concerning a short-time worker registered at the Darlington Employment Exchange: total days employed during four weeks ending 19th March, 1927, 15; daily earnings, 8s.; total earnings for period, £6; average weekly earnings (less rent at 5s.) £1 5s.; number in family, five (the youngest a newly-born baby); income per head per week, 5s.; decision of rota committee when this short-time worker appealed for benefit, not expedient in the public interest because applicant is a short-time worker; whether he is aware that this is only one of many similar cases; and whether such cases fall under the categories of hardship or exceptional hardship, as laid down in paragraph 9 of his Circular L.E.C. 82/17?

I assume that the hon. Member has in mind the case of Mr. W. Foster. This case has recently been reviewed by the Local Employment Committee, who have recommended the grant of benefit, and I am prepared to accept this recommendation.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Indian Trade Union Act has been passed by the central legislature, if so, when the Act will be brought into force; and whether a copy of the Act will be available for the Members of the House?

The Act was passed on 25th March, 1926. A copy of it was placed in the Library of the House at the time. It was necessary that certain steps, including the publishing of draft Regulations, should be taken before it could be brought into effective operation. It will be brought into force on 1st June, 1927.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that the existing type of taximeter cabis, owing to its size and carrying capacity, uneconomical, at any ratefor single passengers, for short distances, he will return to the consideration of the proposed smaller type of two-seater taxi-meter cab?

There is nothing to prevent two-seater taximeter cabs from being presented for licensing, provided they comply in other respects with the Commissioner's requirements as to fitness.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will state in detail the items of the commitments of the Road Fund which are mentioned in paragraph 3 of the last Road Fund Report under the several sums of £9,980,000, £10,945,000, £1,852,000, and £2,453,000; what amounts had been paid on account of each of such items in the year ending 31st March, 1927; and what amount he estimates will be spent on each item in the year ending 31st March, 1928?

The answer to the hon. Member's question requires some time for preparation, and involves a number of figures. I will, with his permission, circulate it as soon as possible in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of children who entered secondary schools in 1924, 1925 and 1926 from each of the areas covered by the Aspull, Blackrod, Horwich, Hindley, and Westhoughton urban districts?

The information asked for is as follows:

asked the Minister of Health the names of the local authorities who notified the Ministry of small-pox in their respective areas during the year ending 2nd April, 1927?

The information asked for by my hon. Friend is contained in the Registrar-General's Weekly Returns, and is summarised, so far as related to the period ended the 1st January, 1927, in the Registrar-General's Quarterly Returns.