asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has reason to believe that there was a substantial increase in the importation of pottery, tyres and matches during the weeks immediately prior to the introduction of the Budget?

I have been asked to reply. The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the goods imported liable to Key Industry Duties during the first four months of the present and the previous year, respectively?

The answer is in tabular form, and, with the concurrence of my hon. Friend, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is prepared to arrange for a revision of the classification of the trade and navigation Returns so as to show in the monthly Returns the imports of the goods liable to Key Industry Duties:

I will consider, in consultation with the Treasury, whether it would be possible to publish in the Trade Returns figures showing for each quarter the value of the imports on which Key Industry Duty has been paid.

Will my right hon. Friend consider the importance, from the point of view of the industries of this country, of having figures of that kind issued?

I have said that I shall consult with the Treasury. It is a question of expense.

Will my right hon. Friend consider whether he cannot include in this suggested Return the whole range of articles subject to duty, instead of confining it to key industries:

I think all the other articles subject to duty are dealt with in a sufficiently complete manner in the Returns. This is a question of a particular selection out of a general class of articles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the rates of duty on woollen and worsted goods in Australia, Holland and Denmark, respectively?

As the answer takes the form of a tabular statement, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is it not a fact that, thanks to Imperial Preference, Australia, with a population of 6,500,000, actually bought from us in the first four months of this year twice the value of woollen and worsted manufactures compared with the combined purchases of Denmark and the Netherlands, with a population of over 10,500,000?

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any information on the increase in the production of packing and wrapping paper in this country since the imposition of the safeguarding duty on this commodity?

According to returns I have received from the Union of Wrapping Paper Makers, which cover approximately 60 per cent. of the industry, the production of packing and wrapping paper this year has been slightly greater than during the corresponding period of last year.

Has the production of kraft paper increased proportionately?

I should like notice of that question, but I have had indications that new machinery has been ordered and will be brought into operation.

Is it not the fact that at least £180,000 has been spent on new machinery in this country?

I am not sure of the figure, but I know that very large orders have been placed for machinery.

Is it not a fact that there has been at different periods an increase in unemployment in the industry?

Owing to a certain general falling off in trades using paper, there has been a falling off from what would otherwise have been ordered; but in spite of that orders have been placed for new machinery to equip existing or new factories, and it is undoubtedly the case that the duty has had a stimulating effect.

How does the right hon. Gentleman know what would otherwise have been ordered? How can he tell what is in people's minds?

Because I have been informed by the people who gave the orders.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give the figures of the imports of gas mantles for the year previous to the imposition of the safeguard duty and for the last financial year, respectively, or the most convenient comparative periods?

The safeguarding duty came into force at the end of December, 1925. The imports of gas mantles during 1925 amounted to 208,902 gross. In 1926 the imports were 47,708 gross.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the reason for the falling-off of imports is the fact that the largest English manufacturer of these mantles has paid a bonus to the German manufacturers not to send them into this country?

I am aware that there is an agreement with regard to markets. I am also aware that, but for the duty, the imports would be quite enormous and we should not be able to find a market for our own products.

Is it not the case that prices have gone up 80 per cent.?

Hon. Members are making speeches and giving their own views.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the figures of the value of the imports of articles subject to duties under the Safeguarding of Industries Act given by the Board of Trade are given before the duties have been paid or after they have been paid?

As stated in the introductory notes to the Monthly Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation and the Annual Statement of Trade of the United Kingdom, the value of imports given in official returns represents the cost, insurance and freight. It excludes any duty which may be leviable.

Are we to understand that on the top of that has to be added the 33 per cent., of whatever duty there is, in order to get the value of the imports to the consumer or the user or the importer?

That entirely depends on the question of who pays the duty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the agreement sanctioned by his Department, under which British ships are given permission to discharge oil into the sea outside a 50-mile zone from our coast, he is aware that such a stipulation of 50 miles distance only delays the arrival of the oil on our beaches, driven there by the prevailing wind; and whether he will take steps to withdraw the permission to discharge oil into the sea at all?

There is no power apart from international agreement to control discharge outside the three-mile limit. The proposal now being considered by the various Governments is to restrict by international action the discharge of oil within limits within which it is at present perfectly legal. This Measure may or may not be completely successful, but it is the utmost for which international agreement can be secured at the present moment, and it is a Measure involving greatly increased restriction.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the only solution of this grievance is to forbid altogether the discharge of oil into the sea, and to insist upon the installation of separators, as in the case of the "Majestic"? Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that this might be done even in this country?

Does not the right hon. Gentleman know that superfluous oil from ships has to be discharged somewhere and, if it is not to be discharged in the sea, where is it to be discharged?

Why not separate it?

Is it not a fact that the most modern engineering practice saves this oil from going to waste by separating it?

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep in mind the very heavy mortality among sea birds due to this cause?

In answer to all these supplementary questions, I think that separators are, in fact, a more complete protection than a large prohibited zone, even if it be 50 miles. Hon. Members must bear in mind that while we can order separators to be fitted to English ships, unless they are also fitted to the ships of all the world, the only result of compelling separators to be fitted on English ships would be that English ships would not discharge oil, whereas all other ships would be free to do so. We therefore proposed in the first instance at Washington that separators should be installed generally. We found we could not get any international agreement upon that proposal, but we found we could come to an agreement that there should be an international limit varying from 50 miles to 150 miles. We thought it much more important to get international agreement on what was perhaps a second best proposal, rather than to get no sort of agreement on the best proposal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the total exports of coal during the month of April last and the corresponding figures in the month of April, 1914?

Exports of coal to all destinations registered during the month of April, 1927, amounted to 4,117,515 tons, of which 179,505 tons were consigned to the Irish Free State. In April, 1914, the export of coal from the British Isles amounted to 5,214,018 tons.

In the case of which country has there been a falling off in the export of coal?

I might possibly be able to tell that if I got notice and if the returns show it, but I could not reply out of my head.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell us the price per ton for April, 1914, and last April?

Again, if the hon. Member will give me notice, I may possibly be able to tell him.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the growing desire of employers and workmen engaged in the mining industry for the establishment of a pension scheme for miners, he will convene a conference of the representatives of both sides to consider the establishment of such a scheme?

If my help were asked for by both sides in the industry I should of course be glad to do anything I could, but it is not a matter in which it would be proper for me to take the initiative, and if the desire for such a scheme is general on both sides I do not think that they are likely to find any difficulty in making the necessary arrangements themselves.

asked the Secretary for Mines what number of persons over the age of 65 years are employed in the coal-mining industry and in the South Wales coalfield, respectively?

The latest information is that obtained from the Decennial Census of Population of 1921 when 2·7 per cent. of the persons employed in the coal mining industry were 65 years of age or over. The figure for South Wales was 2·3 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) what are the conditions existing in Westphalia which make low-temperature carbonisation of even low-grade coal a commercial success which are said not to be at present applicable to this country; and, if there are none, what still hinders the commercial adoption of this process in the United Kingdom;

(2) what countries are at present utilising processes of low-temperature carbonisation on a commercial basis and to what extent in each case?

With my hon. Friend's permission I will answer these two questions together. I am not aware of any low-temperature carbonisation process being worked successfully on a large commercial scale and using the type of coal available in this country. Such plants as exist are either experimental or working under special conditions on a comparatively small scale.

If my hon. Friend will give further particulars of the process or processes to which he refers as being a commercial success in Westphalia, I will endeavour to give him the information for which he asks.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has seen the communication recently addressed by the War Office to the Warwickshire Territorial Army Association relating to the loss incurred in the organisation of the torchlight tattoo in Birmingham in May of last year; if he is aware that the loss of £5,000 incurred by the promoters of the tattoo was wholly due to the general strike; that the arrangements for the tattoo were in every way efficient and entailed much loss of time and energy voluntarily given by Territorial officers and men, and that in the event of the tattoo having succeeded the surplus funds would have gone to military charities; and whether, in view of the terms in which it was couched, the rebuke given by the War Office to the association was sent with his approval?

I have no doubt that the General Strike was the cause of the loss on the Birmingham Tattoo; it has never been suggested that the loss was due to any want of assiduity, energy or efficiency by the Territorial officers or men. The decision is a generous one intended to mitigate any hardship arising from the loss. Steps must, however, be taken to avoid any future losses from whatever cause. The decision was my decision and communicated to the association on my instructions.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman if he was responsible for the text, of the letter which was sent to the Warwickshire Territorial Association; and does he approve of the terms in which the letter was couched?

The decision was my decision. As to what I said to my hon. Friend, it seems to be quite unnecessary to press the matter any further.

Is it not of great importance to the. War Office that they should keep on the most friendly terms with the Territorial Associations?

Of course it is, and if I myself had been drafting the letter I might possibly have used slightly different phraseology-but there it is.

Can the right hon. Gentleman inform the House as a matter of interest to a substantial section of the community, what was the economic result of the tattoo and how was it affected by the general strike?

That question does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many pre-war Army pensioners served under the Admiralty during the War; and how many of these obtained temporary commissions?

I regret that to give this information would involve disproportionate labour.

asked the Secretary of State for War the value of any foreign products or manufactures purchased for or on behalf of his Department during the last financial year; and what percentage this bears to the total purchases?

The value of foreign products or manufactures purchased at headquarters during the last financial year was £235,594 or 3·68 per cent. of the total purchases. Included in this figure are foodstuffs to the value of £126,245 and copper and timber to the value of £93,159, representing 1·97 per cent. and 1·45 per cent. of the total purchases respectively, leaving the value of manufactured goods at ·26 per cent. The figure does not, however, include petrol and oils which are to a great extent refined in this country or coal and coke purchased from abroad on account of the coal stoppage.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman go into the matter and see if he could not get more products from the British Empire?

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of troops of the Shanghai Defence Force who had been admitted to hospital as a result of sickness up to the time of the latest report received by his Department?

I am unable to state the total number of admissions to hospital, but the average weekly number of officers and men of the Shanghai Defence Force and the permanent garrison at Hong Kong, including Indian troops, who were in hospital during the four weeks ending 20th May was 15 and 860 respectively.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think he will be able to withdraw all this Defence Force between now and the next General Election?

That I could not possibly say.

Would it be possible to get the numbers of these men if we put down another question?

I think this answer gives the information. It gives the average figure of those in hospital per week.

May I ask how the ratio compares with that of the same number of troops at home?

It is higher, but there is nothing extraordinary in the figures. Of course we are watching them very carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that, according to the latest official Returns (1925) of the Chinese Government at Peking, out of a total importation of arms of the value of 7,199,438 haekwan taels, during 1925, more than half were supplied by Germany, or five times more than in 1924; whether he is aware that under Part V, Section 1, Article 170, of the Versailles Peace Treaty, Germany is prohibited from exporting arms or manufacturing arms for export; whether His Majesty's Government has brought this breach of the treaty to the notice of the Council of the League; and whether Germany is still exporting arms to China?

The figures quoted in the reply returned to the hon. Member for Lincoln on 9th March last show that arms to the value of Taels 3,813,644 were imported into China in 1925 from German ports; there is, however, nothing to show that the arms in question were not only exported from but also manufactured in Germany, contrary to the terms of Article 170 of the Treaty of Versailles. There has therefore been no occasion to refer the matter to the Council of the League of Nations. Shipments of arms from the port of Hamburg to China are, I understand, still taking place, but their real origin remains uncertain.

asked the Secretary of State for War when the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute paid the ground rent charged by the War Office for the use of the theatres at the various military centres; and can he state the total amount at present due for rent?

All these outstanding claims up to 31st December last were paid on 19th May. The only amounts due therefore are the portions of the annual rentals which have accrued since that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total acreage of State-owned land in Scotland and the acreage owned by the separate Departments, respectively, including the Board of Agriculture, the Forestry Commissioners, the Crown Land Commissioners, and the Commissioners of Works?

As the reply involves a statement containing a number of figures I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the Aberdeen County Council are experiencing difficulty in carrying out their statutory duty to print the valuation roll for the county by reason of the fact that only one firm of printers tendered for the contract at a prohibitive price; and whether he can take any action to enable the county council to carry out their duty by having the valuation roll printed by His Majesty's Stationery Office?

I have communicated with the county clerk on the matter referred to in the question and am informed that the county council did receive only one tender which they regarded as too high. There is no statutory obligation on the county council to print the roll and they have resolved to have it type written for the current year. The last part of the question does not therefore arise.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the offer made in this case was £700 above the contract price of last year and, in view of that fact does he not think that the suggestion of collusion among printers is one which should engage his attention?

No, Sir. I have no knowledge of that, and I think action taken by the local authority is the best way to deal with the matter.

Could not he arrange to meet this point by the inclusion of an Amendment in the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Bill?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to state the number of classes in the elementary schools in the Camlachie Parliamentary Division of Glasgow with an attendance roll of over 50 and 60, respectively, and similar figures for the Cathcart and Partick Parliamentary Divisions?

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of men and women in receipt of able-bodied relief in Scotland during the first three months of 1927?

I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount of subsidy spent in Glasgow and Scotland, respectively, on account of housing schemes under the various Housing Acts since 1918?

The amounts of Exchequer subsidy paid in Glasgow and Scotland, respectively, under the various Housing Acts since 1918 to March last are £894,463 and £5,654,464.

Does that include the total cost of steel houses and the money advanced to the Scottish Housing Company?

It includes all Exchequer subsidies.

How much of that sum was expended upon housing in the rural areas in Scotland?

I could not answer without notice.

Could the right hon. Gentleman give us the figures separately under each of the Acts?

If the hon. Member puts down another question I may be able to get that information.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state how many of the new traffic beacons, known as the wire suspension cross-street type, with the word caution prominently displayed, have been erected in the county of London; whether his Department have suggested the use of these beacons to various councils in the London area; and, if so, how many councils are erecting the same?

No signs of the type indicated in the question have yet been erected in the London traffic area. I think it is desirable, however, that experiments with this kind of sign should be tried, and at my suggestion two will be erected experimentally by the authorities concerned.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the Ministry are accepting the whole cost of maintenance?

That is another question. If the hon. Member will put it down I will give him an answer.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what is the maintenance cost of these signs?

Oh, no, I could not possibly say that without notice.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been drawn to the accidents that have occurred lately through chars-a-banc fitted with faulty brakes having failed to act in cases of emergency; and, in view of the injury to the public and loss of life, will he consider the introduction of legislation snaking it compulsory for all chars-a-bane used as public conveyances to have their braking system periodically examined by experts appointed by his Department?

:The draft Road Traffic Bill which I have recently circulated contains provisions for securing that motor omnibuses and chars-a-banc are properly designed and constructed and are adequately maintained.

Could not provision be made so that a vehicle has to be examined before the licence is renewed each year?

If the hon. Member will read the draft Road Traffic Bill he will see that provision is made for the appointment of officers whose duty it will be to secure that these vehicles are maintained in a proper state.

In view of the urgency of this matter, can the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea of when this Bill will be introduced?

The hon. Member is as well able to form a judgment as I am as to the state of Government business in the House.

Will the officers referred to by the right hon. Gentleman be servants of his Department or of the local authorities?

The local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the high charges levied upon vehicles crossing the Menai suspension bridge and having regard to the fact that the national Eisteddfod of Wales is to be held at Holy Isle this year, he will consider ordering the suspension of the bridge tolls upon vehicles during the period of the Eisteddfod, namely, for the first week in August?

I regret that I am unable to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think he is doing a grave injustice to Wales?

Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake as early as possible the abolition of all tolls on bridges?

It is my duty to maintain the Menai bridge, and unless I impose tolls, and especially when the traffic is heaviest, I shall not have any money to maintain it.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that he gave me a reply the other day showing that he was making a fabulous profit on the bridge?

No, I never said anything of the sort. I said I was trying to build up a reserve fund, so that if and when the bridge requires rebuilding there shall be money for the rebuilding.

But does not the right hon. Gentleman regard £8,000 a year net profit a fabulous profit on one bridge?

That is a, matter of opinion.

Has the right hon. Gentleman made any application to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for a subsidy from the Road Fund towards the expenses of the bridge?

The hon. and gallant Member is mistaken. This bridge has nothing to do with the Road Fund. It is not maintained by the Road Fund——

It ought to be.

—it is maintained by tolls which are imposed on the users of the bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, having regard to the increasing importance of the traffic between the Midlands and West Wales, he is prepared to devote fresh consideration to the proposal to build a connecting railway from New Radnor to Crosswood with a view to improving railway communication with Mid-Wales?

It does not appear that the cost of constructing a railway between the places which the hon. Member mentions would be commercially justified, and I am not in a position to provide funds for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport the amount expected to be expended out of the Road Fund during the present financial year and, for comparison, the amount actually expended during each of the five previous years?

As the reply involves a number of figures I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received complaints as to cases of nervous shock caused by the unnecessary use of strident motor horns; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I have been asked to reply. I am aware that unnecessary noise is sometimes made by motor horns. The point has been under consideration in connection with the Draft Road Traffic Bill, but it seems to me more a question of education in the courtesies of the road than a matter for legislation, as it would obviously be extremely difficult to lay down a definite and enforceable standard of noise.

The question I asked originally was whether the Home Office have power, through the police, to take action?

That is rather a matter of law, but speaking without notice, it seems to me it is rather a matter for the individual who is aggrieved to bring an action against the person who makes the noise.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the large number of complaints that motorists do not blow their horns or that they do not blow them loud enough?

Is it not a fact that a few years ago, the cries of news-vendors were suppressed, and this matter is comparable. Surely some action could be taken.

I will go into the matter.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware also that there have been several cases of cyclists who have been proceeded against for making too much noise with their bells, and why cannot motorists be proceeded against?

is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in France electric horns are forbidden in the large towns but not in the country?

All these important points can be discussed when the Road Traffic Bill comes before the House.

asked the Postmaster-General whether mails from England are now sent to Belfast via Holyhead and via Stranraer; and whether he can state the times when the letters from these two services are sent out for delivery in Belfast?

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Northern Ireland mail service has now been transferred from the Stranraer-Larne route to the Holyhead-Kingstown route; whether any improvement in the service has resulted; and whether his Department has experienced any reduction in the working costs?

I will answer these questions together. The principal mails between England and Northern Ireland other than the Belfast district have always been conveyed by the Holyhead route. The bulk of the mails to and from Belfast and the surrounding district, which have in recent years been forwarded by the Stranraer route, are now also sent via Holyhead. Those from certain parts of the North of England are still sent via Stranraer. Letters from England by whichever route received are now delivered in Belfast approximately 25 minutes earlier—the delivery commencing about 10.50 a.m. In the reverse direction the delivery in London by the Holyhead route is about two hours earlier. There has been no material alteration in Post Office expenditure.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a letter which was sent to me in Ulster about a month ago by the Holyhead route has not yet come to hand?

Notice ought to be given of that question.

But I wish to ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, whether he does not think it desirable that the mails of Great Britain and Northern Ireland should be kept under the control of the British Post Office, so that these unfortunate occurrences may not arise?

My hon. Friend is aware, no doubt, that the diversion of the route via Holyhead, or, rather, the reversion to that route, was made at the request of the Government of Northern Ireland.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that in very many cases, usually on four or five days a week, mails coming from Ulster are not delivered with the first delivery in London?

No, I am not aware of that.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is not the fault of the Holyhead route at all, and that the reason for non-delivery in this case was because the hon. Member was away from home?

asked the Postmaster-General whether British mails are still to be sent via Siberia; whether he has information with regard to the British telegraph cables which pass through Russian territory; and whether they will be allowed to continue in operation?

The despatch of British mails via Siberia and the transmission of telegrams from this country to Russia and countries beyond are governed by the terms of the International Conventions of the Postal and Telegraph Unions to which both His Majesty's Government and the Soviet Government are parties. The obligations of the two Governments under these Conventions are not affected by the action taken by His Majesty's Government.

One British Telegraph Company has a line across Russia which is worked under an agreement with the Soviet Government. I have no reason to believe that this agreement will be affected.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can inform the House if steps are being taken to carry out the recommendations of the Committee which he appointed to consider the setting up of the wireless telephone service between Britain and the United States of America for the purpose of achieving complete secrecy in the use of the service?

Yes, Sir. The problem of ensuring complete secrecy in the trans-Atlantic wireless telephone service is engaging the attention of the Post Office engineering staff in consultation with the technical staff of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that one should have to pay £5 a minute for a service which can be heard by other people?

There are plenty of people who do pay it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the new Anglo-Belgian telephone service is working satisfactorily; and whether the use being made of it conies up to his expectations?

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

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that much business is lost to British traders through inattention to, and carelessness over, foreign postal requirements, he can take steps to bring to the notice of commercial houses throughout the country the fact that the foreign letter rate is 2frac12;d., and not 1½d.?

:I am obliged to my hon. Friend for calling attention to this matter. Every effort is made to give publicity to the correct rates of foreign postage, but I fear that in most cases short-payment is due more to oversight than to ignorance of the rates. I am considering whether any further steps can be taken with advantage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Palestinian Government is prepared to help the township of Tel Aviv with part of the cost of the housing scheme needed in the northern extension?

Considerable financial assistance has recently been given by the Palestine Government to the local council of Tel Aviv. The question of giving further assistance is under consideration, but I cannot say what precise form such assistance, if given, would take.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the urgent need for housing accommodation there?

Yes.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that there is considerable overcrowding in the local schools at Cranwell, as a result of the insufficient accommodation provided for the children from the aerodrome; whether he has received any representations on this subject; and, if so, what action he has taken, or proposes to take, in this connection?

I have not received any representations, but I understand that the local authority are already in communication with the aerodrome authorities on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware of the hardship caused in Essex and elsewhere, especially in the winter months, to children who have to walk as far as three miles each way to and from school; and will he consider taking steps to require local authorities to provide suitable conveyances where the distance between the home and the school exceeds two miles?

If the hon. Member has any particular cases in mind and will send me details I will make inquiries. Under the existing law the provision of conveyances is a matter which rests within the discretion of the authorities, who are familiar with the local conditions, and I have no reason to think that any intervention on my part is called for.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many inspectors were at work under his Department in 1913, 1925, and 1926, respectively, and at what cost in salaries and expenses?

As the reply to this question consists of figures I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the Noble Lord tell me if the number of inspectors has increased, and, if so, why?

The number of inspectors has diminished.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received a copy of a resolution passed at a, conference of extra Metropolitan education authorities objecting to general limiting standards for any part of the cost of education as proposed in Circular 1388; and whether he will indicate the nature of his reply?

I cannot trace the receipt of the resolution referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give the number of naval and marine pre-War pensioners who served as temporary officers in the Air Force during the War; and if they received retired pay at naval rates on demobilisation?

The information asked for in the first part of the question is not available. As regards the last part, so far as I am aware no such officers received retired pay at naval rates on demobilisation unless they were eligible by virtue of service as warrant officer or commissioned warrant officer, Royal Navy, before attachment to the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give the number of pre-War naval and marine pensioners who served as other ranks in the Royal Air Force during the War; and if they counted their war service for pension and received the rates of pension appropriate to the ranks they held on demobilization?

As regards the first part of the question, the information requested could only be obtained from the scrutiny of a very large number of official records and in the circumstances I do not think that the labour involved would be justified. As regards the last part, the pensions, if any, would have been regulated on the men's final discharge according to Navy rules and would have been assessed by the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary of State for Air to state the total tonnage of the 48 surplus vessels sold in Iraq to Lord Inchcape for £10,000, and how many of them were fitted with steam or other motive power; whether these vessels were operated by the Inland Water Transport Service; and for what purpose were they used?

As regards the first part of the question, the exact tonnage of the vessels is not known, but I am having the information obtained and will communicate it to the hon. and gallant Member. As regards the second part, three small steamers, four tugs, four motor boats and a fire float are fitted with power. The answer to the third part is in the affirmative. As regards the fourth part, the vessels Were maintained primarily for use in a military emergency, but were utilised as required for transport of petrol, oil and general stores and the local conveyance of personnel by water.

asked the Prime Minister how many Chambers of Commerce have communicated with him regarding the proposed abolition of the Department of Overseas Trade; and how many of such communications express the view that the Department should be continued as hitherto?

I have received representations from the Association of British Chambers of Commerce in favour of the retention of the Department. The association informed me that they were expressing the views of their constituent Chambers. I have also received representations from several individual Chambers.

asked the Prime Minister whether it is his intention that His Majesty's Government shall be represented at the forthcoming conference of the International Labour Organisation only by civil servants and not by any Minister or Ministers?