asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that Mr. E. J. Parkis, of 2, Lorne Road, London, E.17, was in regular employment from May, 1919, to June, 1926, during which period he contributed to unemployment insurance; that from 12th June, 1926, Mr. Parkis was unemployed and received benefit until April, 1927; and that in the latter month benefit was stopped; and if he will make special inquiries with a view to the extension of the benefit?

I am having inquiries made regarding this matter, and will let the hon. Member know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of exchanges and branch employment offices open, also the number of staff employed at the exchanges and branch exchange offices and headquarters, respectively, on the week ending 25th June, 1927, or such later date for which returns are available?

The latest date for which figures are available is the 4th July, 1927. On that date there were 411 Employment Exchanges and 750 Branch Employment Offices.The staff in post comprised:In Employment Exchanges, 9,148 officers.In Branch Employment Offices, 742 Branch Managers and 138 Departmental Officers.A number of personal clerks are employed by Branch Managers, but particulars of these are not available.

asked the Under Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he is aware of frequent complaints that the statutory group, "Burghers of Calais," by Auguste Rodin, in the Victoria Tower Gardens, is placed on so high a pedestal that it cannot be seen and studied to advantage; and whether, in view of the beauty and educational value of this work of art, he will have the pedestal lowered?

The height and design of the base of the statuary group in question were fixed after prolonged consideration in full accordance with the views and wishes of Monsieur Rodin, and actually approved by him. My right hon. Friend, therefore, does not see his way to adopt the suggestion made, which, apart from artistic considerations, would involve substantial expenditure from public funds.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the far higher percentage of tuberculosis among slate quarrymen working in sheds, as compared with those employed in the open air, owing to the injurious effect of dust in confined spaces; and whether he will approach quarry owners with a view to devising practical means of improving conditions?

I have been asked to reply. The Report of a recent inquiry carried out under the Welsh Board of Health among slate quarrymen and slate workers in the Gwyrfai rural district states that slate workers in sheds there are exposed to injurious dust and that mortality from tuberculosis is higher among such workers than among quarriers. My right hon. Friend is considering with his Health Advisory Committee the suggestions in the Report for further investigation, and meanwhile the question of improving conditions has been taken up with the slate quarry owners by by His Majesty's Inspectors.

asked the President of the Board of Education the average number of children per class attending schools in the towns of Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, Newcastle and Leicester?

The average number of children per class in public elementary Schools was, on the 31st March last, as follows: Sheffield, 45; Manchester, 41; Liverpool, 44; Birmingham, 47; New castle, 48; Leicester, 42.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the progress of building in this country is being retarded by the operations of rings and price-fixing associations, particularly in regard to timber; and whether he will set up a Committee of Inquiry into the matter?

The Inter- departmental Committee on the Prices of Building Materials, which is presided over by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Ripon Division (Major Hills), keeps in constant touch with and investigates prices of building materials. In their last Report, which dealt with the prices ruling on the 1st May last, they stated that prices in several directions tended to become easier. As regards timber, the Schedule appended to that Report indicated that between January, 1924, and May, 1927, timber prices generally have substantially fallen. I am advised that there is no ring or price-fixing association in the timber trade.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in the case of a married couple, the husband being an insured man aged 62 and wife uninsured aged 67, he will state when the payment of an old age pension to the wife will commence?

In the circumstances indicated in the question, payment of an old age pension to the wife, under or by virtue of the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, will commence when the husband attains the age of 65.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the present rate of increase of motor traffic in the British Isles and with a view to curtailing accidents, he will consider introducing a standard test for all those at present driving or intending to drive motor vehicles?

As far as I am aware, there is no evidence to show that any substantial proportion of accidents in which motor vehicles are involved is due to any want of capacity on the part of drivers such as would be disclosed by a driving test. A universal test of the kind proposed by my hon. Friend would clearly be expensive, and might become perfunctory.

asked the Postmaster-General the cost of providing for the annual leave of the sorters in the London postal service on the present basis; and what would be the cost of providing for such annual leave with the month of March excluded, having regard to the saving which might accrue to the Department by reason of the larger force available to deal with sick absence, returns and other incidental expenditure during the month of March?

The cost of providing for the annual leave of the sorters in the London postal service on the present basis is estimated at £150,000 a year. If the month of March were excluded, it is estimated that the cost of providing for the leave would be at least £10,000 a year more than it is at present, after allowing for incidental savings.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will give the approximate number of telegrams despatched in Great Britain for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date and, if possible, the separate numbers for England, Scotland, and Wales?

The number of telegrams originating from post offices in Great Britain for the 12 months ended 31st March last was 53,092,361, made up of 46,589,159 from England and Wales and 6,503,202 from Scotland. No separate record is kept of telegrams originating in Wales.

asked the Postmaster-General the extent to which cheap postal and parcel facilities for newspapers are being used?

The number of packets prepaid at the newspaper rate delivered during the year 1925–26 is estimated at between 150 and 160 millions. There is no special parcel rate for newspapers.

asked the Postmaster-General the nature of the cheap facilities for Press telegrams, the extent to which they are being utilised, and the regulations concerning them?

Country with which Treaty is concluded.		Date of Treaty.	Remarks.
1. Austria	…	1924	Cannot be denounced before 1935.
2. Estonia	…	1926	Can be denounced at 12 months' notice.
3. Finland	…	1923	Can be denounced at 6 months' notice.
4. France	…	1882	Denounced by France in 1918, but continues in force subject to 3 months' notice.
5. Germany	…	1924	Cannot be denounced before 1929.
6. Greece	…	1926	Cannot be denounced before 1929.
7. Honduras	…	1910	Can be denounced at 12 months' notice.
8. Japan	…	1911	Can be denounced at 12 months' notice.
9. Latvia	…	1923	Can be denounced at 12 months' notice.
10. Portugal	…	1914	Can be denounced at 12 months' notice.
11. Siam	…	1925	Cannot be denounced until 1936.
12. Spain	…	1922	Can be denounced at 3 months' notice.
		(revised in 1927).

Treaties recently signed with Hungary and the Serb-Croat-Slovene State contain provisions which (when the Treaties come into force) will have a similar effect. It is anticipated that these Treaties will be ratified and come into force shortly, and they will then be in force for a minimum of 10 years in the case of Hungary, and five years in the case of the Serb-Croat-Slovene State.

An inland Press telegram may be sent at the rate of 1s. for every 60 words between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and 1s. for every 80 words at other times. Copies for any additional addresses are chargeable at quarter-rate. The receipts from Press telegram traffic in the last financial year were £82,140. I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the relative statutory Regulations, as recently revised.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the imposition of an excise duty on foreign malting barley, home-grown barley being exempted, is prohibted by any treaties with foreign powers; and, if so, whether he can state with which Powers such treaties exist and give particulars of these treaties?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Commercial treaties with the following twelve countries contain provisions precluding any such discrimination:—

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of subsidy paid to each of the sugar-beet factories in respect of sugar and molasses, respectively, in each financial year since the subsidy was introduced; the aggregate capitalisation to date of all the subsidised beet-sugar companies; and the individual guarantees towards the cost of building under the Trade Facilities Act?

The following three statements give the desired information:

Statement No. 1.
STATEMENT showing the amount of subsidy paid to beet sugar factories in Great Britain in respect of sugar and molasses, respectively, in each financial year since the introduction of the subsidy.
Factory.		Sugar.												Molasses.
		1924–5.			1925–6.			1926–7.			1927–8 to 16 July 1927.			1924–5.			1925–6.			1926–7.			1927–8 to 16 July, 1927.
		£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£.	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
1. Cantley	…	272,517	7	9	331,934	17	0	460,984	5	7		—		16,482	12	3	28,937	16	10	44,266	15	10	25,144	5	2
2. Kelham	…	119,188	14	4	86,224	5	10	242,679	15	0		—		9,758	18	7	17,312	14	2	27,447	16	4	822	13	8
3. Ely	…		—		187,599	15	0	466,831	15	0		—			—		4,133	17	7	69,578	0	9	26,514	8	0
4.Ipswich	…		—		57,034	1	2	401,259	13	6		—			—		3,945	10	0	873	10	4	29,702	9	4
5.Colwick	…	74,092	11	8	150,022	17	11	258,278	12	11		—			—		1,266	10	9	1,604	17	9		—
6. Spalding	…		—			—		124,197	11	2		—			—			—		3,491	4	0	16,028	17	2
7. Kidderminster	…		—		63,163	15	2	149,373	6	1		—			—			—			—		14,703	3	6
8. Poppleton	…		—			—		141,673	13	3		—			—			—			—		8,657	4	7
9. Folstead	…		—			—		85,994	13	9		—			—			—		616	18	1	8,659	0	2
10. Wissiugton	…		—		48,725	2	10	92,242	16	0		—			—		1,543	7	5	18,133	17	11	4,211	14	10
11. Bury St. Edmunds	…		—		73,603	4	8	316,441	8	9	371	11	0		—		6,536	16	10	37,038	4	3	11,648	3	0
12. Peterborough	…		—			—		164,612	8	1		—			—			—		19,344	18	3	3,921	2	4
13. Greenock	…		—		2,759	4	7	14,784	10	6		—			—		1,346	1	3	3,183	13	7		—
14. Cupar	…		—			—		49,195	12	4		—			—			—		1,728	10	1	2,528	15	11
Total	…	465,798	13	9	1,001,067	4	2	2,998,550	7	11	374	11	0	26,241	10	10	65,022	14	10	227,308	7	2	152,541	17	8

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the safety committee on mining has dealt with the question of shielding all detonators used in mining; if so, whether any recommendation was made; and whether he will make this compulsory where shot-firing is practised?

Yes, Sir, and the recommendation was against the compulsory use of this method of shot-firing. As I have previously stated, this question has been very carefully considered, and I am satisfied that it is neither desirable nor necessary for safety to make the use of such appliances compulsory.