asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has received a memorial from the London Jute Association asking for legislation to check gambling in jute; whether he is aware that the Bengal National Chamber of Commerce is also in favour of such legislation; and whether he can state the intentions of the Government of India and of His Majesty's Government in the matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The London Jute Association was informed that the matter was one primarily for the consideration of the Government of Bengal and not one in which my Noble Friend could offer advice to that Government. He has no information regarding the intentions of the Government of Bengal or the Government of India.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that books and pamphlets are proscribed in India on the grounds that they are calculated to arouse feelings of hatred and contempt in the minds of a section of His Majesty's Indian subjects; whether he has read a book called "Mother India," by Miss Katherine Mayo; and whether this book will be proscribed on these grounds?

The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative, and to the third, in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that there has been a considerable increase in the number of irregularities in the recruiting of labour for the Assam plantations in the Ranchi district of Bihar and Orissa during the last year; and whether the Government will consider the question of increasing the minimum penalties for offences under the Assam Labour and Emigration Act, and in other ways increasing the effectiveness of the protection afforded by this Act?

My Noble Friend has not yet received the Report for the last year; the suggestion contained in the second part of the question will be communicated to the Government of India.

asked the Home Secretary the number of prosecutions and convictions that have taken place for the 12 months ending to the last convenient date in the metropolitan police area against persons who have made or caused to be made false fire alarms?

There were eight prosecutions, in each of which a conviction was obtained, during the 12 months ended the 31st October, 1927.

asked the Home Secretary the number of complaints received by the metropolitan police for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date of girls who have disappeared in the London police area?

The number of females of under 21 years of age reported missing in the metropolitan police district during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1927, is 2,224. Of this number 2,159 were traced or were reported to have returned.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any information as to the marketing of petrol containing tetra-ethyl of lead or any other lead compound; what dangers arise in the handling of motor spirit containing such compounds; and whether, if such dangers exist, he will take steps to compel the use of exhaust apparatus to remove fumes where such petrol is handled?

One firm in this country has lately commenced the blending of tetra-ethyl lead with petrol on a commercial scale. The Factory Department has been kept informed and is satisfied that adequate precautions are being taken for the protection of the workers concerned in the process. I am advised that there is not likely to be any danger from the handling of the spirit after blending. The whole matter will be carefully watched.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that staghounds drove a deer into the River Hadden at Bury; that after escaping from the river it was again driven back to the water; that after being chased in the water for a mile the hounds attacked and dragged it down, after which it was roped, dragged out, and killed in front of men and women spectators; and will he set up a Committee to consider and report on the necessary amendments to the law to prohibit such occurrences?

I have no information with regard to these cases, and I am afraid I cannot usefully add anything to my previous answers on this subject.

asked the Minister of Health when he intends to introduce legislation for the carrying out of the proposals of the Departmental Committee on Juvenile Offenders?

I beg to refer the hon. Member to the full reply which I gave on the 16th instant to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Finchley (Mr. Cadogan).

asked the Minister of Health whether in procurement of the vaccine lymph for public use steps are taken, and, if so, what steps, to secure that the lymph supplies when ready for issue are free from dangerous disease; and whether such steps include experimental trials on either animals or human beings?

The steps required to be taken for this purpose are those prescribed by the Therapeutic Substances Regulations, 1927. Reference to those Regulations will show that the prescribed tests for purity of vaccine lymph do not include any experimental trials on animals or human beings.

asked the Minister of Health (1) how the carcases of calves, used in connection with the procurement of vaccine lympth, are actually disposed of;

(2) what steps are taken in respect to vaccine lymph to ensure that only healthy calves are used?

The calves used at the Government lymph establishment are carefully inspected on arrival and are constantly under observation, their temperatures being frequently taken. After the production of lymph, the calves are slaughtered and examined by a veterinary expert, and only the lymph from calves certified as healthy is used for vaccination. The carcases are at the disposal of the person who supplied the calves, and those sold for food are subject to further examination by officers of the local sanitary authorities.

asked the Minister of Health the number of widows, the number of dependent children, and the number of orphans receiving pensions under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act at the latest date for which figures are available; and the total amount paid since the beginning of the Act in 1926?

On the 30th September last, the latest date for which these figures are available, 188,169 widows were receiving pensions, children's allowances were being paid for 246,949 children and orphans' pensions for 11,832 orphans. The amount paid to these beneficiaries since the beginning of the Act to 31st October last was £12,740,000, and the total amount, including payments to old-age pensioners, was £18,700,000.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider such modification of the Regulations of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1926, as will permit a person to receive the old age pension if he or she has been insured five years, though not immediately preceding the appointed day or reaching the age of 65, and is at the time of making the application an insured person?

The provision referred to does not depend on Regulations, but is one of the statutory conditions for the receipt of an old age pension under the Act. My right hon. Friend has no power to modify the condition by Regulations.

asked the Postmaster-General the cost incurred by the Post Office in connection with the administration of widows', orphans', and contributory old age pensions and non-contributory old age pensions?

The required information for the year ended the 31st March, 1927, is as follows:—

(1) Widows' and Orphans' and Contributory Old Age Pensions, £223,228.

(2) Non-contributory Old Age Pensions, £257,113.

Total, £480,341.

Contributory Old Age Pensions are included from 2nd July, 1926, only.

asked the Minister of Health the total number of staff employed by the Ministry of Health in the administration of widows', orphans, and old age pensions under the Contributory Pensions Act, and the cost thereof; and the amount paid to approved societies for work rendered in connection with the widows' and orphans' pensions, and contributory old age pensions?

The total staff at present employed in the administration of widows', orphans, and old age pensions under the Act of 1925 is 1,568, at an estimated cost of £345,000 for the financial year 1927–28. The amount paid to approved societies is at the rate of 9d. for each certificate of insurance furnished in connection with claims for pension.

asked the Minister of Health the total amount paid in pensions and allowances under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act from 4th January, 1926, to 31st October, 1927?

The total amount paid in the period specified, inclusive of old age pensions to persons aged 70 and over, payable by virtue of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act from 2nd July-1926, was approximately £18,700,000.

asked the Minister of Health the number of widows entitled to pension at the commencement of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act; the number of pensions claimed and granted to this class of pensioner; and the estimated yearly decline in this number in consequence of the dependent children having attained the statutory age limit?

According to the original estimate it was anticipated that 196,000 widows would be entitled to pensions at the commencement of the Act. The actual number of claimants was 183,153, of whom 132,410 have satisfied the conditions and been awarded pensions. On present experience, the yearly decline in the number of pensioners in consequence of the dependent children having attained the statutory age limit is approximately 11 per cent.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons per estimated thousand of the population in England and Wales who, at the same date during each of the past four years, respectively, have been in receipt of Poor Law relief?

The number per 1,000 of the estimated population of the persons in receipt of Poor Law relief in England and Wales (excluding lunatics in county and borough asylums, persons in receipt of domiciliary medical relief only and casuals) on the first Saturday in November in each of the years 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927, was 27.3, 32.9, 57.4 and 29.8 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health how much has been paid by boards of guardians and like bodies for the relief of able-bodied poor each succeeding year from 1920–21 to and including 1926–27?

Figures based on a classification distinguishing "able-bodied" persons are not obtained. The statistics available show that the cost of out-relief in money and kind given by boards of guardians in England and Wales, to persons ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation and the wives and dependent children of those persons was as follows: Year ended 31st March: £ 1923 10,387,000 1924 7,273,000 1925 4,964,000 1926 6,539,000 1927 15,100,000

Exact figures for the earlier years referred to are not available, but the estimated figures are as follow: £ Year ended 31st March: 1921 500,000 1922 8,000,000

asked the Minister of Health the amount of remuneration received by the chairman of the appointed guardians for Chester-le-Street and of the other two members?

The chairman receives no remuneration beyond an allowance of £100 per annum in respect of the special expenses on travelling incurred by him. The remuneration of the other two members of the board of guardians is at the rate of £500 per annum.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that an application for an old age pension was made by Mrs. Day, 70, Crown Street, Earlestown, Lancaster, during the month of May, 1927, and that since then several letters on the matter have been sent by her to all of which no reply has been given; and, seeing that this applicant was 70 on 22nd June, 1927, will he take steps to expedite a decision in this case?

I am informed that Mrs. Day, who attained the age of 70 on 22nd June last, based her claim for an old age pension solely on the insurance of her husband, and in these circumstances she is not entitled to a pension until her husband becomes entitled. As the husband's age is 66 he cannot become entitled to an old age pension before 2nd January next. Mrs. Day has been informed that a pension has been awarded to her as from January. Also, in case she should be able to satisfy the means and other qualifications for a pension under the Old Age Pension Acts before that date, the necessary form has been sent to her on which she can make a claim accordingly.

asked the Minister of Health the number of old age pension committees and sub-committees in Great Britain, and the cost thereof, in 1926?

There were 558 old age pension committees and 1,347 sub-committees in Great Britain in 1926. The actual expenditure in connection therewith charged to the Old Age Pension Vote was £51,371.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Customs and Excise departmental officers engaged in connection with old age pensions, and the cost thereof?

There are 304 women pension officers wholly employed in the administration of the Old Age Pension Acts, 1908–24, in Great Britain. In addition, a varying number of surveyors and officers of Customs and Excise are engaged part time on this work, which they perform in conjunction with their Revenue duties. The total cost of the Customs and Excise staff engaged on this work is estimated at £548,000 per annum.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many ex-service technical and professional men are now employed in the Civil Service in an unestablished capacity; how many of these have been employed in the Civil Service for five years or more; and how many ex-service men have been appointed to established technical and professional posts since 1919?

I regret that the detailed information asked for is not available, and could only be obtained as a result of inquiries which would involve much labour.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of first and second-class women clerks, or women members of allied Departmental clerical classes, who received promotion to grades on better rates of pay than those of first-class women clerks in the years 1913 and 1919, respectively, and the number of women clerical officers and members of allied Departmental clerical classes who have been promoted to higher clerical and other posts carrying rates of pay above the lower clerical officer scale in the year 1926–27, together with the number of women clerical officers and women members of Departmental clerical classes employed during the last-named period?

The information asked for in the first two parts of the question is not available in the Treasury and could only be obtained by detailed inquiries which would not, in my opinion, justify the labour involved. As regards the last part of the question, the total number of established women serving in clerical grades on 1st April, 1926, was 7,339. This figure includes a number of posts in clerical or Departmental clerical establishments above the basic grades.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how much money it is estimated to expend on hulls and machinery in ships during the current financial year; and of this sum how much will go to private yards and how much to the Royal yards?

The total sum included in the Navy Estimates for current financial year for expenditure on hulls and machinery in ships (including armour and gun mountings) is £14,749,137. Of this total the sum which is included for contract work is £8,379,437, and for dockyard labour (direct charges only) the sum included is £4,525,700: while a sum of £1,844,000 is provided for the supply of materials to be used in the dockyard work.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephone kiosks that have been erected to the last con- venient date in the Metropolitan police area, and the average weekly amount of payments made by the public in each box?

I regret that statistics are not available in the form desired by the hon. Member. The number of kiosks in the London telephone area on the 18th November was 721. The gross weekly receipts from a kiosk vary from a few shillings to three or four pounds.

asked the Minister of Pensions if there is proceeding a general revision of parents' pensions in his Department; if he is aware that a parent, reference D.P./160/B, who has been in receipt of a flat-rate pension of 5s. a week since April, 1915, has had her pension reduced to 4s. 2d. a week on the ground that the son was a few months over 26 years of age at the outbreak of the War, though he had joined the Territorial Army in 1913; and whether he will have inquiries made as to whether the pre-War dependence exceeded 4s. 2d. a week or if the mother should be granted a need pension?

No general revision is either in process or in contemplation. In the particular case referred to, a flat rate pension of 5s. a week had on erroneous information been substituted for a pre-War dependence pension. It is a warrant condition of the grant of a flat rate pension that the deceased son should have been under 26 years of age at the outbreak of War, and in this case it recently became clear that this condition was not fulfilled. There was, therefore, no alternative but to cancel the erroneous award and to revert the pensioner to the original dependence pension. No claim for the award of a pension on the grounds of incapacity and need has been made, but it is open to the pensioner to apply if and when those conditions are fulfilled.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that a lady in receipt of Army parents' pension, 18,702, payable through the Paymaster-General, has had notice that her pension will be reduced on the ground that her husband, a superannuated member of the Typographical Society, has been awarded a pension of £26 a year from 4th January, 1928, under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act; and if he will state the reason for the reduction, in view of the provision in the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, that the pension could be drawn concurrently with a parents' pension payable in respect of a son killed in the Great War?

I would refer the hon. Member to the first proviso to Sub-section (1) of Section 24 of the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, which excludes service dependants' pensions calculated with reference to the necessities of the pensioner from the general provisions of the Sub-section to which he refers in the last part of the question. The pension payable from my Department in this case is of the class to which the proviso applies, and I have no alternative but to take the new pension into account, equally with an increase of income from any other source, in assessing the pension still payable under the Royal Warrant. I may add, however, that the reduction is substantially less than the new pension granted under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether the new anti-stalling device will be fitted immediately on civil and Imperial airways aeroplanes as well as on Service machines?

I assume that my Noble Friend refers to the automatic slot control. This is now being fitted experimentally to an Imperial Airways air liner, in order that the details of its application to the special characteristics of that type of aircraft may be determined, since, as my Noble Friend is no doubt aware, each type of aircraft has to be dealt with in turn for this purpose. I am confident that manufacturers of civil aircraft will not be slow to incorporate the device in their machines once it has been proved successful on the various types.

asked the Secretary of State for Air, seeing that it is stated in the advertisements issued by the Air Ministry for apprentices in the Royal Air Force that a certain number of commissions will be granted to suitable candidates each year, if he will give the number of commissions granted to non-commissioned ranks of the Royal Air Force each year since its formation; and how many of these commissions were given to non-commissioned officer pilots?

Aircraft apprentices have a double opportunity of obtaining a commission. A certain number are selected every half year for cadetehips at the Royal Air Force Cadet College, Cranwell, whence they are granted commissions on the successful completion of the ordinary two years' course at the college. The number of cadetships granted since this system came into force has been: 1922 2 1923 7 1924 7 1925 11 1926 10 1927 (to date) 4

In addition, the commissioned ranks have now been opened to selected airmen pilots and three of such direct commissions were given in 1926 and five (to date) in 1927.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that a new test for Civil Service messengers has been instituted which stipulates that the applicant must have a knowledge of industrial history from the 17th century onwards instead of, as heretofore, a knowledge of the dates of births and deaths of kings and queens; and how many elementary schools under the control of the Board have the teaching of industrial history as part of the school curriculum?

I assume that the right hon. Member is referring to the general examination taken at the age of about 16 by Post Office boy messengers, with a view to their selection for retention for various adult appointments. I am aware that a change is being made in the history syllabus for this examination next year, but I think that the right hon. Member is rather exaggerating the extent of the change. As regards the second part of the question, the teaching of history in the upper standards of public elementary schools normally includes the industrial history of the 18th and 19th centuries.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many local authorities have started open-air classes or open-air nursery schools for small children?

Seven local authorities maintain nursery schools for small children in which special attention is given to utilising open-air facilities, and 42 authorities maintain open-air schools for delicate children of all ages up to 16. In a number of areas, such as London and Manchester, classes more or less on open-air lines attached to public elementary schools have been started for young or delicate children.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he can give the annual cost per head of the education of elementary and secondary school children, respectively; and what proportion of the latter figure is represented by the fees paid by secondary school children?

In 1925–26, the latest year for which final figures are available, the net cost per pupil in all schools classed as "elementary" for the purposes of administration under the Act was £11 15s. 10d. In the secondary schools maintained by local authorities, which are classed as schools for "higher education" for the purposes of administration under the Act, the gross cost per pupil was £27 4s., and the receipts from fees and other sources averaged £7 17s., of which £7 3s. was in respect of fees alone. As the hon. Member will, of course, realise, the classifications "elementary" and "secondary" no longer adequately represent the range of education provided by local education authorities and the cost per pupil in "central" and similar schools, which are included at present in the "elementary" category, considerably exceeds the average net cost in "elementary" schools as a whole.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any report has been received from the Governor of Nyasaland with reference to the Nyasaland Game Ordinance Laws. 1926; and, if so, will he issue a White Paper for the information of the House?

I have received a full report on the Nyasaland Game Ordinance from the Governor of the Protectorate. I do not think that it is of sufficient public interest to justify the expense of printing. I could arrange to let the hon. Member see a copy if he wishes.

asked the Attorney-General the number of cases awaiting trial in the King's Bench Division in the High Court of Justice at the commencement of the Michaelmas term for each year from 1920 to 1927?

The number of cases awaiting trial in the King's Bench Division at the commencement of the Michaelmas term for each of the under-mentioned years are: 1920 1125 1921 1892 1922 1236 1923 915 1924 1385 1925 1204 1926 877 1927 1103

asked the hon. Member for Monmouth, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what is the total staff employed by the Commission in connection with its operations in Scotland?

The October return of staff employed by the Forestry Commission in Scotland shows a total of 909, of whom 867 are foresters and forest workers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of tiles and of bricks, respectively, has been imported into this country during the first nine months of this year?

The information is given on page 52 of the September issue of the Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) the respective contributions made during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 under the Unemployment Insurance Acts by the workers grouped in the "Labour Gazette" as canal, river, dock and harbour services, and the amount of benefit paid in each of the years in question;

(2) the respective contributions made during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926 to the Unemployment Insurance Fund by the men engaged in the following ports: London, Liverpool, Manchester and Salford, Hull, Newcastle and Glasgow?

It has not been possible in the time available to extract the information asked for in these questions. I am having an estimate prepared, and will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give the figures of unemployed persons in Liverpool at the end of October in each of the years 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927?

The following Table shows the number of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in the Liverpool area on the last Monday of October in each of the years 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926 and 1927.

— 29th October, 1923. 27th October, 1924. 26th October, 1925. 25th October, 1926. 31st October, 1927. Men … … 44,137 44,763 44,941 43,561 38,742 Boys … … 2,224 2,904 2,655 2,243 2,164 Women … … 7,588 7,553 5,775 5,709 4,849 Girls … … 1,499 1,731 1,911 2,285 2,391 Total … … 55,448 56,951 55,282 53,798 48,146

asked the Minister of Labour the approximate figures of those employed and unemployed in the sugar-refining industry in Liverpool at the end of October, 1923, and October, 1927, respectively?

I regret that separate statistics of the numbers employed and unemployed in the sugar-refining industry are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the practice in many districts of suspending the payment of unemployment insurance benefit pending inquiries as to whether the applicant is a bona fide seeker for employment; if he is aware that contributors who have been paying for 10 years have had their standard benefit suspended because they cannot obtain employment in their own trade; and whether he will issue instructions that in all cases an insured person shall receive standard benefit in accordance with the Act of Parliament so long as he or she is looking for work in their own trade or normal occupation?

If the hon. Member will give me particulars of any specific case in which he thinks that the administration has been at fault I will have inquiry made.