asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that, owing to the prolonged depression in the shipbuilding industry, the town council of the Burgh of Clydebank has experienced great difficulty in raising loans for housing schemes, and of the overcrowding in Clydebank, and the necessity of expediting a building programme; that the local council has applied to the Board of Health to recommend the Public Works Loan Board to facilitate a loan; and what steps, if any, he has taken in the matter?

I am aware that the local authority of the Burgh of Clydebank have experienced difficulty in raising loans for their housing schemes. The Scottish Board of Health have been in communication with the Treasury on the subject and the decision of that Department has now been communicated to the local authority.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Town Council of Clydebank, through municipal banks and otherwise, have done their best, and that it is by the policy adopted by the Government in further flooding the market with ships that Clydebank is in such a state at present? I want to know, owing to these special circumstances, if the Secretary of State would not facilitate a loan?

A communication has been made to the burgh, and advice has been tendered to them on the subject. I think it advisable to await the result of this.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that instead of prolonged depression in Clydebank, as suggested in the question, shipbuilding is very much better than it has been for many years past?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the inquiries of the Board of Agriculture for Scotland with regard to the Young Farmers' Club movement have been completed; and whether the question of official recognition and supervision of such clubs has yet been decided?

The information obtained by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland shows that the Young Farmer Club movement is progressing, though slowly. The staffs of the agricultural colleges are assisting wherever possible in the formation and the work of such clubs, and the Board will do what they can to support the movement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how soon the 74 holders who are in occupation of small holdings created since the present Government came into power, but who have not yet been registered with the Land Court, will obtain registration; and the average rent of the 43 holders who have been registered since the winter of 1924?

Forty-eight of the 74 holders referred to have been registered by the Scottish Land Court since my reply to the hon. Member's question of 22nd February last. Applications for the registration of the remaining 26 holders are being prepared and are expected to be lodged with the Court next month. The answer to the last part of the question is £7 11s. 6d.

Are we to take it that that figure is correct, that in the last three years only 74 smallholders have been established?

Oh, no, Sir. Only for this particular season.

Does not this figure apply to all smallholdings established in the last three years, according to an answer which the right hon. Gentleman gave me a week or two ago?

I am not quite clear on the point. I will look into it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total amount of imports of gas mantles in the first four months of 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively?

The imports of gas mantles in the first four months of 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively, were 67,656 gross, 14,958 gross, and 11,203 gross.

Is that, higher or lower than the last period of the year?

I could not say without notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information as to the wholesale and retail prices of gas mantles before and after the imposition of the safeguarding duty?

I am informed that the average price realised by the members of the trade association on the sale by them of all their mantles during the year ended on 31st March last shows an increase of 1s. a gross on the average price realised by them during the preceding year. These sales are estimated to cover 85 per cent. of all the mantles sold in this country. Against this there have been increases in the cost of certain materials. The retail prices of the classes of mantles most commonly used have, so far as I can ascertain, remained substantially unchanged.

May I take it that the statement recently made in the House that there has been a large increase in the price of mantles to the public is in fact inaccurate?

I think so. I have collected the information as carefully as I can in my Department and have passed on the information in the answer.

Who meets the extra cost of a shilling in the wholesale price?

It is a shilling a gross. If the price of an article goes up owing to the cost of the material having gone up, those who buy pay the extra cost.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the continued depression in the woollen textile industry and the iron and steel industry, and the increased importation of these commodities, he will consider modifying the necessary procedure so as to facilitate and simplify the working of the Safeguarding of Industries Act?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the hon. Member for the Cleveland Division (Sir Park Goff) on 12th April, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the percentage production of power produced in this country from coal, oil, gas, and water-power for the years 1910 to 1914 and 1922 to 1926, respectively?

I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the prices at which the products of industry which are protected by tariffs are being exported have fallen or risen since the duties were imposed?

From inquiries which have been made it appears that in the trades protected by Safeguarding Duties there has, generally speaking, been either no change in export prices since the duty was imposed, or a slight reduction in those prices; and that in trades covered by the McKenna Duties a fall in export prices is still continuing.

Did the prices in the home market remain in the same condition?

I should like notice of that question, but my recollection is that the answers I have previously given have shown that prices either remained stationary or have fallen.

Is there not a general reduction in price in all commodities whether protected or not?

I thought the hon. and gallant Gentleman's contention was that if you put on a duty of a third you raised the price.

Has not the policy of safeguarding actually helped the export trade?

In many cases the export trade has increased, as would lie expected if you have a larger output.

The import prices quoted by the Board of Trade are without the duties on, are they not?

I understood the hon. Member's suggestion was that if you put on a duty it raised prices all round and enabled the home manufacturer to raise prices.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware of the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer that where prices were not raised the duty probably anticipated a fall to the consumer?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give figures showing the world production of crude natural oil for the years 1910, 1915, 1920, and 1926?

The world production of crude petroleum is estimated to have been about 47 million tons in 1910, 62 million tons in 1915, 98 million tons in 1920, and 150 million tons in 1926.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can inform the House as to the present position of the new tariff proposals of the French Government?

The position remains as stated in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. Taylor) on 14th June. The Tariff Bill still awaits consideration by the Chamber of Deputies and is not, I understand, likely to be passed into law before the Summer Recess.

asked the Secretary for Mines how the output of coal per man-shift during the March quarter of this year compares with that during the corresponding period last year?

From the information at present available it appears that the output of coal per man-shift worked was nearly 15 per cent. higher during the March quarter of this year than during the corresponding quarter of 1926.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether an inquiry has been held into the cause of the fatality at the Upton Colliery sinking pit; if he has received a report from His Majesty's inspector of mines; and whether he has given or will give instructions, to avoid similar fatalities in the future, that detonators shall be tested on the surface and not in the pit sump?

Yes, Sir; an inspector has investigated the cause of this accident, and I have received his report. It is already the practice to test detonators on the surface, if they are tested at all. The cause of this accident was rather different. The deceased man had charged a round of 21 shots, tested their electrical continuity, and found it defective. He located the fault in a particular shot, and was testing it singly, contrary to instructions, when it exploded and killed him. Arrangements have now been made by which circuits of charged shots are only tested from a safe distance.

What steps are being taken to deal with those responsible for this accident and the way this man was killed by not following the instructions laid clown by his Department but perhaps ignored by other people?

As I have said, the man was unfortunately acting contrary to instructions.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of collieries where the underground haulage is done entirely by machinery, and the aggregate annual tonnage raised from these mines?

This information is not readily available, but I am arranging to send the hon. Member such particulars as can be extracted from the information in my possession.

asked the Secretary for Mines the figures showing how many men are disabled by nystagmus in mines where men work with oil lamps and with electric lamps, respectively?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 15th March last to a similar question by the hon. Member for Doncaster (Mr. Paling).

Is it a fact that no alteration in the conditions has taken place since the 15th March?

The reply I gave on the 15th March was certainly a sufficient reply.

asked the Secretary for Mines what are the reasons that prompted his Department to engage a medical man; whether, in the necessary qualification for the position, regard is being had to the ever-increasing spread of miners' nystagmus, and the varying theories held by medical men as to the causes of this disease and the remedies for it; and what will be the specific duties connected with the appointment?

The duties of the medical inspector will be to advise the present inspectorate on the health problems of the mining and quarrying industries, to assist in applying the health Regulations effectively and in improving them, and to ensure that, so far as practicable, the results of medical research are applied to mines and quarries. In making the appointment, due weight will be given to the considerations mentioned by the hon. Member

Has this appointment been made, and is the medical man a specialist in the particular disease mentioned in the question, which is increasing so rapidly and so dangerously in the mining industry?

Yes, Sir. With regard to the appointment, perhaps the hon. Member will put down a question.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has noted the evidence given and the statement of the jury at the inquest on two miners who were killed in a winding-cage accident at the Cannock and Rugeley collieries, Wimblebury, recently; whether he is satisfied that adequate precautions were taken with the working of the new winding engine prior to the accident; and whether he will take steps to, have a full inquiry into the matter?

I have seen the evidence and the jury's statement, as well as a full report from the inspector who investigated this unfortunate accident. There is no doubt as to its cause; the winding engineman candidly admitted his mistake. Proper precautions were taken in installing the new engine, but I am inclined to agree with the jury's view that this engineman should have had more practice with it before winding men.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman answer the last part of the question as to whether a further inquiry will be made with a view to avoiding such accidents where lack of practice is evidently the cause?

No, Sir; I think the inquiry by the inspector was sufficient. There was no doubt about the facts. They were admitted.

Can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say how many men were injured besides the two men who were killed?

The hon. Member had better put down a question. I cannot say exactly.

Was not the inquiry only with regard to the death of the two men and as to how the accident happened, and not as to who might be responsible?

No, Sir. I think the whole thing was gone into, and the cause of the accident to the two men who were killed would equally be the cause of the accident to the others.

Is not the management responsible for putting on an engine a winder who has not had actual practice?

Yes, Sir. I quite agree that it was unfortunate that the man had not had more practice, but he was not forced to do anything. It was at his own option that he took this risk, as he had had a good many preliminary windings of coal only and felt himself fully competent to do the work of winding men.

I would like to ask the Secretary for Mines if he does not think that here is something which has to do with these accidents. I have four pay leaves which came up on Saturday from Kirkaldy and Dumfriesshire. The first pay leaf is 4d. for a week, a 1d. for a week, 14s. 10d. for a week, after all the deductions are taken off, and 13s. 7d. Is not that the reason why there are accidents in the mines—because the miners are being starved to death?

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will give the number of persons engaged in the mining industry for each complete month of this year and the number of men over 60 years of age at present engaged in the industry?

The total numbers of wage-earners employed at the end of each month of the present year were as follows: January, 996,100; February, 1,012,700; March, 1,026,200; April 1,028,700; and May, 1,025,700. With regard to the latter part of the question, the latest information is that obtained from the Decennial Census of Population of 1921, when 5·9 per cent. of the men employed in the coal mining industry were over 60 years of age.

Is it not possible to obtain from the collieries the number of men over 60 years of age employed?

Yes, Sir, it would be possible, but it would mean communicating with every individual undertaking, and that would involve a tremendous amount of work, and I doubt whether the result would be worth it.

Is not that information being completed now by the Ministry of Labour?

That question should be addressed to the Minister of Labour.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the danger to pedestrians alighting from or entering tramcars at stopping places within the County of London, he will consider the introduction of legislation to compel motorists and other moving vehicles to stop when tramcars are stationary, so as to allow persons to enter or leave tramcars freely?

I am not satisfied that such legislation, which has been repeatedly refused by Parliament, is necessary or desirable either in the interests of public safety or of traffic by road. In my opinion the existing law with regard to dangerous driving is adequate to deal with the matter, and as the hon. Member is aware I have put forward proposals in the Draft Road Traffic Bill providing for increased penalties in cases where the circumstances seem to call for them.

Does the draft Traffic Bill cover the point in my question, and will provision be made for it?

It would enable me to make regulations to deal with the matter.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that this system is followed in Canada and in the United States of America much to the disadvantage of the pedestrian and the road user?

That is the reason why I gave the answer in the sense that I did give it.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that if he dealt with this question from the point of view of the pedestrian and not from the point of view of the motorist, he would take an entirely different point of view?

That is a matter of argument.

asked the Minister of Transport the amount of the grant from the Road Fund in aid of rural roads during the year ended 31st March, 1925, and during the year ended 31st March, 1927, together with the estimated amount for the current year?

If, as I assume, my hon. Friend has in mind the special assistance given towards the maintenance of unclassified roads in rural areas, the answer to his question is that no allocation for this purpose was made from the Road Fund prior to last year, and that in each of the years 1926–27 and 1927–28 a sum of £1,400,000 has been provided.

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatal and other accidents to road travellers have been caused during the past two years by collisions with telephone and telegraph poles erected alongside public highways?

No statistics are available which would enable me to give my hon. Friend the information for which he asks.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that a great many accidents have occurred from this cause, and will he be prepared to make representation to the Post Office authorities that they should fix these posts on the inside rather than on the outside of the fences.

I know there are a certain number of accidents which do occur. In North Wales I saw several cases where the local authorities, with the concurrence of the owners of the land on each side, and the Post Office, had moved the telephone posts from the pathway between the road way and the fence and placed them inside the fence, and this minimises the chance of accidents.

Cannot the right hon. and gallant Gentleman extend the system of putting white paint or white strips on telegraph poles which are situated on the side of the road?

I will consider that, but I think it is the presence of the posts rather than their visibility.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is prepared to devote renewed consideration to the question of canals, and especially to the reconditioning of those now derelict, with a view to cheapening the transport of bulky commodities and providing employment on a large scale?

All forms of transport including transport by canal are continually under my consideration, but I do not propose at the present time to institute any further formal inquiry, either into the question of canals generally or into the question of reconditioning derelict canals.

asked the Postmaster-General the numbers of horses and motors, respectively, used in the Metropolitan area by the General Post Office or by the contractor to the General Post Office; and how do these figures compare with 1922 and 1913?

The numbers of horses, horsed vans and motor vehicles employed on mail conveyance work in the London Postal area in 1913, 1922 and at the present time are as follow:

Is it not a fact that motor vehicles are very much more efficient, and does he consider that in the future motor vehicles for this service will be increased?

I would not go so far as to say that. It is our experience, that under certain conditions, horses are more economical than motors.

Is it the policy of the Post Office to employ only British motors for the service?

They are nearly all Fords.

Practically all the motors employed are motors which are made in this country.

Can we be assured that they are British horses too?

asked the Postmaster-General to what extent the administrative and operating staffs for the maintenance and extension of the telephone system are also concerned with the telegraph system; and how far are the two services, telegraphs and telephones, kept distinct as regards contracts for cable burying and maintenance of air lines?

Speaking generally, there are separate operating and supervising staffs for the two services, the main exceptions being at small post offices where this would be wasteful. A joint staff deals with engineering construction, maintenance and contract matters save where economy and other benefits are to be gained by separation. Higher control and questions of policy are in the hands of a unified administrative personnel organised in a manner to secure such advantages as follow from specialisation.

Is it the intention of the right hon. Gentleman to let out on contract the setting up of air lines, as is done in regard to underground cables?

I shall require notice of that question.

asked the Postmaster-General what are the anticipated annual savings that will result from the conveyance of parcels, etc., by the Post Office (London) railway when in normal operation; which are the railway termini that will be directly connected with the General Post Office; and to what extent will it be possible to do away with the existing method of conveyance of postal matter by horse and motor vehicles?

It is anticipated that there will be an annual reduction of approximately £40,000 in the cost of the conveyance of letter and parcel mails by road when the Post Office (London) railway is fully working. The railway termini, which will be directly connected with the General Post Office, are Paddington Station (Great Western Railway) and Liverpool Street Station (London and North-Eastern Railway). It may be estimated that the railway will relieve road mail services to the extent of approximately 400,000 miles annually or 27 per cent.

Can my right hon. Friend give us the capital cost of this railway?

I could give it in reply to a question.

When does my right hon. Friend think it will be in complete working?

I think in a couple of months time.

Can my right hon. Friend say how long this Post Office (London) railway has been building?

Many years.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the time and trouble saved to business and other people by the installation of automatic telephones, he will give the following particulars: what automatic telephone exchanges are now actually in operation; what exchanges will go over to automatic telephones this year; what exchanges will go over to automatic telephones next year; and how many exchanges in all have now been scheduled for future alteration over to the automatic method?

The total number of automatic telephone exchanges already working is 69, comprising nearly 90,000 subscribers' lines. It is hoped to open 34 additional exchanges by the end of this year, about 40 more during 1928 and upwards of 200 more are already scheduled for conversion to automatic working in succeeding years.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us the difference in the figures as between the provinces and the Metropolitan area?

There are no automatic exchanges working in the Metropolitan area.

asked the Postmaster-General why it is that telephone connection has been made between this country and practically all parts of the United States of America, and yet no provision has been made for such connection with the Dominion of Canada?

The question of extending the trans-Atlantic telephone service to Canada is under discussion between the Imperial and Canadian Governments.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the advantage to the fishing fleet, it is permissible for private individuals to establish a wireless telephone service with the trawlers and other vessels with which they are connected; and whether he will define the general attitude of the Post Office towards initiative of this nature which is not met by any existing State service?

In view of the risk of interference it is not practicable to permit the establishment of private wireless stations for communication with ships at sea. Vessels fitted with wireless telegraph apparatus can send and receive raessages through any of the Post Office coast stations; and in order to meet the needs of a number of trawlers which have recently been fitted with wireless telephone apparatus, arrangements are being made to equip the new coast station now in course of construction at Mablethorpe with suitable apparatus for the exchange of messages with those vessels by wireless telephony.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware of several recent cases in which letters and postal packets have not been delivered, and proof has afterwards been given to his Department that they have been stolen; and will he consider modifying the regulations in order that compensation may be payable in those cases in which proof is forthcoming that unregistered letters and packets have been stolen by Post Office employés?

The answer to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the affirmative. In view of the facilities provided for the registration of postal packets, I am not prepared to modify the existing regulation which precludes the payment of compensation in respect of unregistered letter packets.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know any other business that would repudiate responsibility for the loss of packets entrusted to their care when it was proved that the packets were lost by the employés of the firm?

As I have said, facilities for registering letters exist, and are well known.

Surely the right hon. Gentleman will realise that this is an exception and deals with the case of letters entrusted to the Post Office which have been stolen by employés of the Post Office. Surely the Post Office is responsible in that case, whether the letters are registered or not?

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the case of an auxiliary postman who was charged at Tottenham Police Court on the 8th instant with stealing postal orders, and to the evidence given by a Post Office official that the man's weekly wages were £1 14s. 3d., less deductions; and will he take steps to enable auxiliary postmen to work sufficient hours to earn a living wage?

I am aware of the alleged facts of the case and the man is now awaiting trial. As regards the question of increasing the attendances of auxiliary postmen, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer on this point which I gave him on the 15th of March.

Cannot the Postmaster-General make a special effort to do away with this wretched system, which is bringing these auxiliary postmen into Courts every week charged with theft because they are not able to earn a living wage?

I have said more than once that it is extremely difficult to devise any other system which would give us the results we require.

asked the Postmaster-General what will have been the approximate capital expenditure this year on new telephone development; and what was the corresponding capital sum in 1926 and 1925?

The estimated expenditure on the development of the telephone system for the current financial year (1927–28) is about £12,000,000. The figures for 1926–27 and 1925–26 were £10,611,000 and £11,902,000, respectively. The expenditure in 1926–27 would have been greater but for the coal stoppage.

asked the Postmaster-General what proportion of the Post Office revenue from telephones is devoted to advertising the service; and where such expenditure is shown?

A considerable amount of advertisement is carried out by means of posters, leaflets, booklets, etc., but no definite proportion of telephone revenue is allocated to this form of publicity. New business is sought mainly by personal canvassing because it is regarded as the most suitable and most remunerative method. The expenses of the canvassing staff are borne on the Post Office Vote and those of printing upon the Vote for the Stationery Office.

Is the right hon. Gentleman considering the advisability of putting this matter into the hands of one of the leading firms who specialise in this important side of business?

I do not apprehend exactly what the hon. Member suggests. If he means printing publicity, the answer is that I am satisfied that we do better by personal canvass. If it is personal canvass, then I prefer it to be under the control of the Post Office.

Would not the best advertisement of the telephones be a quicker installation and a more busi- nesslike administration in the contract department?

I think the average lag in the installation of the telephone is something within a fortnight or three weeks.

Will the right hon. Gentleman look into the case on which I gave him some information, in which six months elapsed before the telephone was installed?

Do not the canvassers waste a good deal of time when a simple letter would furnish all the information that is desired?

Do canvassers perform other duties besides that of canvassing?

That is dealt with in another question.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that the employment of an efficient publicity man would be as good for the advertisement of telephones as the employment of a publicity man is for advertising the Empire Marketing Board.

These matters can be argued on the Estimates.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the average cost to the Department of each new subscriber obtained by the employment of a canvassing staff?

The canvassing staff forms part only of a larger staff employed upon a number of duties, in addition to actual canvassing, including work in connection with removals, cessations, transfers and collection of material for estimating future growth. I regret that it is impracticable to separate the expenditure so as to furnish the information required.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman recollect that only last week he gave me the number of canvassers, which is amazingly small for the whole country? He now states that they have other duties to perform. I should like to ask whether they are paid by results.

The hon. Member has not heard the answer properly. The canvassers are only part of a larger staff, which deals with various duties. It is extremely difficult to separate the actual payments made to these canvassers from the other payments.

I really did hear the answer, and I should like to know whether this comparatively small staff is paid by results?

If the hon. Member will put down a question on that precise point, I will give him an answer.

(for Sir R. THOMAS) asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that many of the facilities that are available to telephone subscribers are almost unknown to the public because they are not advertised; and whether he, will have a simply-worded booklet prepared drawing attention to these facilities?

The Post Office has issued a large number of leaflets and booklets drawing special attention to the facilities available, and these have been widely distributed. Full particulars are, of course, also given in the Telephone Directory and in the Post Office Guide. The question of issuing further publicity literature is constantly under review.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the question of putting these leaflets and booklets in the post offices so that the public can pick them up, as they do leaflets in banks?

I fancy that in some respects that is done already, but I will consider the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can see his way to waive the Regulation that permanent postmen must be at least five feet four inches in height in the case of men who served in the Navy, Army, or Air Force, during the War?

The answer is in the negative.

The minimum height limit for the appointment of candidates as postmen is fixed at five feet four inches, on account of the nature of the work which they are liable to perform. Sorting normally forms part of a postman's duties, and a man below the minimum height would experience difficulty in reaching the upper parts of the sorting frames. The number of ex-service candidates who satisfy the requirements of the Regulations is greatly in excess of the number of places available, and a candidate below the minimum height could only be accepted at the expense of a candidate who complies with the Regulations.

What justification can there be for regarding able-bodied ex-service men as physically unfit to perform the duties of postmen? If it is a matter of height and of reaching the sorting frame could not a box be provided on which the man could stand?

Does the right hon. Gentleman consider that a man who is fit to carry a pack in France is unable to carry a package of letters here?

It is not a question of physical fitness, it is a question of the actual physical height. The particular man whose case was brought to my attention was ineligible on other grounds, not having a sufficient length of service.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not consider that this Regulation does a great injustice to one of the best battalions which served during the War, the Bantams Battalion?

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea of whether many of these men are disqualified?

There are a considerable number of applicants, but we have a very large number of applicants who are of suitable height, and it would be an injustice to them, and I am not prepared to abandon the Regulation.

Are those applicants also ex-service men?

Yes, all ex-service men.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether there is a maximum height?

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the same objections which he is advancing now against the employment of men of that height were advanced by the War Office at the beginning of the War and is he further aware that no battalion covered itself with greater distinction than the Bantams Battalion?

Is it not a fact that under this Regulation Bonaparte would have been ineligible to be a postman?

(for Captain D'ARCY HALL) asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that at certain houses in the Llanbadarn-Fynydd, Modrydd, and Glynn districts there is only a delivery of letters on three days a week; if he will state for each district what would be the additional annual cost of providing a daily delivery for all the inhabitants; and if he will cause the position to be reviewed at once with a view to the institution of a daily delivery?

:I have received representations on the matter. The additional cost of giving a daily delivery would be about £20 a year in the Llanbadarn Fynydd district and about £35 a year in the Modrydd and Glynn districts. The number of letters for the places concerned is quite insufficient to justify this increased expenditure.

Could the right hon. Gentleman give me the number of letters?

About 85 letters a week in the Llanbadarn-Fynydd district.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of ex-service men in receipt of pensions in the port of Leith; and what is the average weekly sum paid to them?

I regret that the records of the Department are not kept in a form which would enable this information to be given for particular towns.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, seeing that one of the strict conditions governing the grant of commutation is that the pensioner must be certified to possess a normal expectation of life, why a pensioner aged 35 receives less than 14 years' purchase of the amount commuted while the normal expectation of life at that age is over 31 years?

I think the hon. Member is overlooking the question of date of payment. If a pensioner commutes, he receives cash down now; if he does not commute but lives to a normal age, he may receive a larger sum but only in instalments spread over a very long period. It would obviously be impossible to pay a pensioner £100 present value now in respect of a claim he may have to receive £100 in 10, 20 or 30 years' time.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he has received representations from the Darlington, Auckland and District Area War Pensions Committee and other area committees protesting against the manner in which a man is informed that he cannot commute part of his pension because he cannot be certified to possess a normal expectation of life; whether he is aware that in certain cases the receipt of the notice has had a detrimental effect upon the pensioner; and if it is proposed to amend the formal answer sent to applicants in cases where commutation is refused owing to the state of health of the pensioner?

My right hon. Friend has received representations from the committee referred to, and has fully explained to them the reasons governing the Ministry's practice. Resolutions supporting the representations of the Darlington Committee have since been received from two other committees. My right hon. Friend has most carefully considered this question, but while greatly regretting any distress which may be caused by an official communication of this nature, he does not consider it possible to refuse to explain to a pensioner the reasons laid down by the published statutory Regulations for rejecting an application for commutation which the pensioner is entitled to make, and after careful and sympathetic consideration, he has come to the conclusion that it is less likely to cause distress if the reason is given at the outset than if it is disclosed only under pressure.

Does not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman consider that to give the reply of the Ministry to the local committee and allow them to pass it on verbally and personally to the pensioner, would be a less brutal method than the one now adopted of sending a form.

I do not think it would be. In the first place, it would inform all the other people of the particular state of the man's health, and, I am not sure whether we have any right whatever to inform other people of the state of the man's health.

May I press this matter. Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman consider the possibility of someone on the War Pensions Committee who is a friend of the pensioner giving the information to the man first. There are many cases where a man has been seriously affected by receiving a blunt, formal notification.

This matter was considered long before it was raised by the Darlington War Pensions Committee and consideration was given to the question of whether there was any better way of dealing with it. After very sympathetic consideration, it was decided that this way was better than being forced to give information to the man which might have a worse effect upon him.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether with regard to contributions in the case of surviving sons who are unable owing to poverty to contribute toward the support of parents who are in receipt of need pensions, he is aware that his Department regularly refuses to regard unemployment as a reason for waiving such contributions; and whether, having regard to the many hard cases in which a potential contributor is unemployed and is without financial means or any immediate prospect of securing work, he will cause the official decision in such cases to be reviewed?

I do not think that I can add anything to the answer on this point which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member on the 16th instant, of which I am sending him a copy.

May I ask if the Ministry of Pensions will give very careful consideration to this request, on the ground that it is unsatisfactory that people should be held liable to contribute to the family income when they are unemployed and have no chance of getting work.

That, of course, has been taken into consideration, but the hon. Member seems to forget that the sum given in respect of a deceased son is a fixed sum and remains constant, and the deceased son might not have been able to contribute.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the recent purchase of gold from the Bank of England by the French Government, any representations have been made to that Government pointing out the prejudicial effect on the trade of this country and the increased cost to the Government in the issue of Treasury Bills as the result of this action; and, if so, what answer has been received?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement which my right hon. Friend made on this matter in the course of the Debate yesterday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has received a communication from the Government of Newfoundland on the subject of the possible sale of the Cornerbrook timber and pulp concern to a big combine operating in the United States; and, if so, whether he will, in stating the attitude of the home Government as joint guarantors under the Trade Facilities Act, give full weight to the undesirability of allowing so large a proportion of the colony's assets to pass into non-British hands?

I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs has received a communication from the Newfoundland Government on the subject of the negotiations now proceeding as to the possible sale of the property in question. It is not possible to make any statement at present with reference to these negotiations, but my Noble Friend may rest assured that all relevant considerations will be borne in mind.

May I ask whether the Government have been called upon to meet any of the loss under the Trade Guarantee, and, alternatively, if the sale is not completed, will they be called upon to do so?

I cannot say that at present. Negotiations are proceeding, and it will be premature to make any statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can furnish an estimate of the reduction in Income Tax payable under Schedule B as a result of the rate of the reduction in Income Tax and the modification in the earned income allowance under the Finance Act of 1925?

I regret that under the present system of graduation and differentiation of the Income Tax the total yield of the tax cannot be divided between the respective schedules. The information asked for by my hon. Friend is therefore not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost per head of the Income Tax and Super-tax paying population of the estimated Budget expenditure for 1927–28?

The number of individuals who pay and bear Income Tax may be taken as about 2,300,000, and the number of Super-tax payers included in this total as 97,000. If the Budget expenditure of £833,390,000 were entirely defrayed by those taxpayers it would be equivalent to £362 per head of Income Tax payers or £8,590 per head of Super-tax payers. But in fact the yield of Income and Super-tax is estimated at £309,000,000, not at £833,000,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of farmers assessed for Income Tax; the percentage who actually pay Income Tax; and how many farmers who had previously paid Income Tax did not do so during the last taxable period?