asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Scottish patients who are undergoing treatment in hospitals situated in the South of England have fewer opportunities of visiting their homes than the majority of English patients; that long distance travelling, even when leave is granted, is more expensive than the average patient can be expected to bear; and if he will consider the possibility of modifying the existing regulations so that Scottish patients, whose disabilities allow of their being granted leave, may be enabled to visit their homes at Christmas and the new year by the grant of free railway warrants?

The leave arrangements already include the free grant of either two return tickets or four single tickets in the course of 12 months. Moreover, where the journey is one of exceptional dis- tance involving overnight travelling, two additional nights absence are allowed. I regret that I do not find it practicable to make any special exception to the general arrangements for the grant of leave from all our hospitals.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in the case of a man suffering from war wounds and who has to undergo operative treatment, full treatment allowances are paid to him and his family even though no claim has been made for pension; and whether he will take action to remove the seven-year limit in respect of claims to pension arising out of wounds received during the War?

The special arrangements whereby, as I have more than once explained to the House, cases of the type referred to are given operative treatment, and special allowances are paid to the man's family during such treatment, are satisfactorily meeting the needs of this class of case, and I see no ground for taking the action suggested in the last part of the question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that there are thousands of cases outside the seven-years' limit suffering from shell-shock or physical disability due to war service?

No, Sir, it is absolutely inaccurate to say that there are thousands of cases. Under our procedure any such cases are immediately reported to us, and there is no foundation whatever for the hon. Member's statement.

Is the Minister of Pensions not aware that, apart from those suffering from physical disabilities, there are thousands of people who come outside the seven-years' limit?

The hon. Member's figures are equally inaccurate.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there are a large number outside the seven years' limit which, in very few cases, have been dealt with by the Department.

I have already answered a question on that point. I have met, and the Parliamentary Secretary has also met, the Chairmen of Pensions Committees all over the country, and there is no foundation whatever for the exaggerated statement of the hon. Member.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give approximately the number of cases?

I had the answer ready for a previous question, but unfortunately the hon. and gallant Member for Fairfield (Major Cohen) is not here.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of officers, nurses, and men, respectively, in receipt of conditional pensions; how many of these have been in force for four years or more; and if he will consider the desirability of granting permanent pensions at the present rate to such pensioners as have been in receipt of a conditional pension for four years or more?

The number of conditional pensions in payment to officers, nurses and men on the 30th September were, respectively, about 9,000, 500 and 150,000. In the large majority of these cases pensions have been in force for four years or more. I fully appreciate the desirability of making final awards as soon as this can fairly be done in these cases, but to make such awards on the lines suggested by the hon. Member, without further medical consideration of the individual cases, would not be in the best interests of pensioners.

May I ask the Minister of Pensions if it is not a fact that the question of final awards was settled by the Government of hon. Gentlemen oposite?

The whole system of final awards was undoubtedly challenged by the Opposition, but the previous decision of the House of Commons was maintained, and this has enabled me to give security of assessment for life to more than 37,000 pensioners since the decision was reaffirmed by this House.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether the assessment of a final award in lieu of pension has been notified to Leonard Baker, late private 25,287, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment; and, if so, whether he has been afforded the right of appeal usual in such cases?

A final award was notified to Mr. Baker on 25th October, 1922. He appealed against this final award to the Pensions Appeal Tribunal, and the case was decided by the tribunal on 3rd January, 1924. There is no further right of appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department the cost to date of the extradition proceedings in the case of Lord Terrington?

A small sum has been spent on telegrams and other expenses, but I cannot give the exact amount.

Is it not possible for the right hon. Gentleman to get this amount?

It would mean going through the petty cash book for several months past and extracting shillings and half-crowns for telegrams.

Is it really worth spending all this money on this individual?

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the country of origin of the four motor cars fitted with wireless that are used by the flying squad of the Metropolitan Police?

These, like other Metropolitan Police cars, are of British make.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the increase in the number of crimes of violence, involving the safety of the police, and the extent to which these crimes are facilitated by the use of motor vehicles, he will consider as to arranging for police officers to carry firearms when on duty in circumstances, as to locality or otherwise, which appear to justify that course?

This is a matter within the discretion of the chief officer of police concerned, and no special instructions on my part appear to be required.

Would it not be possible to suggest that some small shot should be used, capable of marking the cars that are escaping, so as to identify them?

I will consider that suggestion.

asked the Home Secretary whether his Department is furnished with reports by the police of all accidents to vehicles in England and Wales which involve personal injuries, and, if so, whether these reports are analysed with a view to discovering the principal causes of such accidents?

No, Sir; street accidents are not reported in this way. The police furnish returns which give the number of accidents in the several police districts and the vehicles by which they were caused, and form the basis of the returns presented annually to Parliament, but I have no further details as to the causes of such accidents generally. In the Metropolitan Police District, however, and certain other areas the returns are subjected to further analysis on the lines indicated in the question.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the in creasing number of accidents to passengers from or entering tramcars within the Metropolitan area, he will issue regulations prohibiting other vehicles from passing stationary tramcars when so engaged, as is done in Glasgow and other cities at home and abroad?

I have been asked to answer this question, and would refer the right hon. Member to the answer which I gave on 6th December to the hon. Member for North Hammersmith (Mr. Gardner), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is able to give any figures with regard to the annual reduction of accidents, if any, in Parliament Square since the roundabout system of traffic was adopted?

This year there is a definite reduction in the number of serious accidents, as there has been only one, as against five in 1925. The number of slight accidents is about the same.

Can my right hon. Friend tell the House which was the first town in Great Britain to adopt this system?

I am afraid I must have notice of that question.

Is it not the fact that Brighton was the first town to adopt this system?

Knowing the activity of my hon. Friend in both municipal and political affairs, I think that perhaps it was.

Is it not correct to say that there have been fewer accidents with the roundabout system in London than anywhere else in Great Britain?

That also is a question of which I must have notice.

—

We must move on.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the case of a cloak-room porter employed at an Oxford Street restaurant who, on Friday last, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment at Marlborough Street Police Court for taking a few shillings from the staff gratuity-box, to which apparently he considered himself entitled; and whether, in view of the Magistrate's comment that money given to and intended for the staff was retained by the proprietors, he will consider the propriety of reducing the man's term of imprisonment?

I have seen the report and made full inquiries into the case. The man was not a cloakroom attendant and had nothing to do with the cash taken. He robbed the till with a false key in the early morning when he was cleaning. He admitted a continuance of the robbery for two months. The staff in the cloakroom are paid by wages and not by the cloakroom fees. I see no reason to alter the sentence.

If it be the case, as stated in the question, that this restaurant keeps a box into which money for the staff is put, and then the proprietors appropriate it instead of giving it to the staff, are they not guilty of obtaining money under false pretences, and should they not be prosecuted?

That may or may not be the case. I am informed that it is not the case. This man, however, had nothing to do with attending in the cloakroom, but with a false key he deliberately stole the money, whether it belonged to the employers or the employés.

Is not the Home Secretary able to take action against the employers for having a bogus staff box there and extracting money from their customers under the pretence that they were giving it to the staff?

My hon. and learned friend has no right to make an allegation of that kind.

Is that not stated in the question, and is that not the Magistrate's finding?

I have made full inquiries into the case. I sent one of my inspectors to see the cloakroom, and he inquired into the whole system. Really the statement in the question and that of my hon. and learned Friend are not founded on fact.

From whom were the inquiries made as to the truth or otherwise of the statement? Were inquiries only made from the proprietors who are supposed to have appropriated this money, or were they made of the employés also?

A police inspector was sent to examine into the whole system, and his report is perfectly clear. I know exactly the wages paid to the men. The fees paid are put into a separate box, and out of that the insurance for coats, hats, and other things that are lost is made up. It is not the money of the employés at all.

Are we to understand that these sums which are apparently contributed for the employés are utilised by the proprietors for insurance and so forth?

The word "apparently" used by the hon. Member is not correct, and he has no right to use it.

May I say, as a matter of explanation, that the use of the word "apparently" was based upon the comments made by the Magistrate.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Government propose to take any steps in the near future to remove the existing anomalies in the closing hours of licensed premises and to restore the privileges of bona fide travellers?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 6th instant to my hon. Friend the Member for the Sutton Division of Plymouth (Viscountess Astor).

asked the Home Secretary if he will publish a statement giving the statutory requirements, including those relating to workmen's compensation, so far as they are administered by his Department, governing the production and manufacture of milk in this country in parallel columns with the corresponding statutory obligations existing in all countries from which condensed skimmed milk is imported into Great Britain, showing in each case the measures taken to enforce such statutory requirements?

The preparation of a statement on the lines indicated would demand much time and labour, and I regret that I should not feel justified in undertaking the task, I think my hon. Friend would find most of the information he wants given in a convenient form in the Reports published by the International Labour Office in 1925 on "Compensation for Industrial Accidents" and "Compensation for Occupational Diseases," and in 1923 on "Factory Inspection." The last-mentioned Report contains a survey of factory legislation in the various countries, and the two Reports on workmen's compensation include detailed comparative statements.

asked the Home Secretary, for the latest convenient date, the average cost per head per week of persons in His Majesty's prisons in England and Wales and in the County of Durham, respectively?

There are no separate figures for Durham Prison, but I am sending the hon. Member a statement of the average cost per head in the several classes of prisons in England and Wales for the year ended 31st March last.

Can the right hon. Gentleman inform us why he cannot give a separate figure for Durham? Surely he ought to know it.

My answer was clear, namely, that there are no separate figures for Durham.

Would it not be possible to get the figures separately?

asked the Home Secretary whether he contemplates any changes in the penal methods applied to habitual criminals?

The matter is always in my thoughts, but no change of importance can be made until after exhaustive inquiry.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the oath of allegiance to the Soviet republic taken by a number of British delegates to the recent Bolshevik anniversary celebrations in Moscow; and whether these persons will be allowed to return to this country?

I have seen Press notices somewhat to the effect suggested in the first paragraph of the question.; but nothing in those notices nor any information that I have obtained otherwise affords any basis for the suggestion that the persons in question ceased to be British subjects.

If a British subject swears allegiance to a foreign country, is not that tantamount to being treasonable to his own country?

I do not think it could be made the subject of a prosecution for treason, nor do I think that it would deprive him of his rights as a British subject.

Has the right hon. Gentleman seen the photograph of the Foreign Secretary giving the Fascist salute in Italy?

I shall be much obliged if the hon. and gallant Member will send me a copy of it for my scrapbook.

Does my right hon. Friend think that those who pose as British subjects should any longer be allowed to be British subjects if they swear allegiance to a foreign Power?

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to a case of the public production of a stage play by a provincial theatrical management without obtaining the necessary licence or submitting the manuscript for censorship; and if he is referring the matter to the public prosecutor?

I have at present no information other than that given to me by the hon. Member, but I am in communication with the Lord Chamberlain on the subject, and will let the hon. Member know the result.

Should not the managers or proprietors of the theatre see the licence before a stage play is produced, and are not they also responsible?

I have told the hon. Member's colleague that I am in communication with the Lord Chamberlain on the subject, and, until I get the report, I think it would be unwise to make any statement.

asked the President of the Board of Education what practical results have been derived from the reports of the researches and experiments of the Department of Scientific Research into methods of extracting oil and other by-products from coal?

As the House is aware from the statements made by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education on 11th May last, and by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade yesterday, the practical result of the Department's work on hydrogenation has been to establish that British coals available in quantity can be converted into oil by methods which I understand are now being thoroughly investigated from the commercial point of view by prominent British firms; and the practical result of its work on low temperature carbonisation has been to develop a process which is shortly to be tried out on a manufacturing scale. As regards other processes on which the Department has reported favourably from a technical point of view, I can only say that reports in the Press indicate that some of these are being extended in practice. As my hon. and gallant Friend will realise, the business of the Department is to increase our knowledge of the laws and processes which are likely to have an industrial application, and to publish the results in a form easily available to all who are interested. The Department has no machinery for following out all the practical results to which their investigations may lead; nor, in the opinion of my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council, should the responsibility for doing this be thrown upon it.

Will the Noble Lord consider engaging a good advertising expert to write up the results in an attractive form and send them to the people who might benefit from them?

I think that any Government Department would probably find advantage from the services of a publicity agent, but, quite apart from the question of expense, I do not think that it would be altogether desirable to indulge in such methods in the case of a Research Department.

When very valuable work has been done by the Department, is any charge made to the company that benefits by the research?

In regard to details of that kind, I must ask the hon. Member to put down a question.

Is the President of the Board of Education aware that yesterday the President of the Board of Trade said that the Government had spent money in purchasing a process, whereas to-day the Noble Lord says that there is something that is being experimented with? Is it not the fact that commercial plants were working before we heard about the Bergius process in this country, extracting oil from coal, as long ago as 1920?

I think that if the hon. Member will read my answer, he will see that his supplementary question is answered by it.

Is a report likely to be published soon as to the results that are being achieved by this new process?

I do not know to which process the hon. Member is referring.

I mean the reports that are issued from time to time.

Is it possible, in the experimental stage, to get metal to resist the strains involved in the Bergius process?

Notice should be given of questions on technical points.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many medical men and inspectors (education) are allocated to the Special Services Department of the Board of Education; are special schools generally inspected by medical men or by inspectors (education); what is the number of medical men and inspectors (education), respectively, engaged in visiting and/or inspecting special schools in the country; whether the Board of Education, in approving of the appointments of school medical officers, has laid down any minimum qualifications as to a training in psychology or a knowledge of schools and educational organisation; and what qualifications, in addition to ordinary medical qualifications and experience, are required by the Board when approving the appointment of certifying medical officers?

In addition to the chief medical officer, seven medical officers (five men and two women) are employed in the Medical Department of the Board. These officers, under the direction of the chief medical officer, are responsible for the inspection of all special schools, but the inspection of day special schools for physically defective children is also part of the duty of His Majesty's Inspectors. The latter also visit day schools for blind, deaf and mentally defective children from time to time, but the special problems presented by these schools necessitate regular inspection by medical experts. Special schools of all types are, in addition, inspected by the inspecting staffs of local education authorities. The answer to the fourth part of the question is in the negative. As regards the last part, before approving a medical officer as a certifying officer, the Board satisfy themselves that he has had special experience in the examination of children for conditions of mental deficiency.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether it is the intention of the Board of Education to hand over the special schools to the board of control; and whether, having regard to the anxiety caused in the minds of teachers and of the difficulties of local education authorities, if such is the intention of the Board, he can make a statement on the subject?

If, as I assume, the hon. Member is referring to special schools for mentally defective children, there is no present intention of transferring such schools to the Board of Control, but I should prefer to await the Report of the special Committee which is considering the problem of the mentally defective child before making any definite statement on the subject.

How many months will it be before the special Committee issues a Report? It has been sitting a very long time.

I know it has been sitting a long time. I hope it will sit as long as necessary to deal with this very difficult subject, but I think it probable that I shall receive, at any rate, an interim Report before long.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether any estimate has been formed and, if so, what is such estimate, either in totals or percentages, of the annual wastage in the teaching profession in the three departments, elementary, secondary and technical; what are the totals for the last three years for which figures are available; what are the totals, if figures are available, of the wastage during the last three years owing, respectively, to retirement on pension, retirement on disablement allowance, deaths, and leaving the service owing to marriage or other causes; whether the Board has formed any estimate of the wastage in the teaching profession each year of women retiring compulsorily or voluntarily upon marriage; and whether the Board has any statistics to show the number of women teachers required to resign upon marriage?

I gave some statistics upon these points in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for the Romford Division of Essex (Mr. Rhys) on 3rd March last. The Board have collected some additional statistics but they require further analysis, and I should, therefore, be glad if the hon. Member would communicate with me and put his question down again in due course.

asked the Minister of Health whether any municipalities have decided to award pensions to blind unemployable men and women; and will he give the House the particulars?

The information in the possession of my Department shows that 24 local authorities have accepted responsibility for bringing the income of blind unemployable men and women up to some fixed amount. In many other areas provision has been made for this class of the blind by arrangement between the authorities and voluntary agencies concerned.

Could the right hon. Gentleman take steps to recommend the other local authorities to carry out the same principle?

The matter is left to the discretion of the local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health if he has any evidence of any cases of foot-and-mouth disease in human beings during recent years; and, if so, will he give details of such cases, showing the source of infection and the result of each ease?

So far as I am aware, no case of foot-and-mouth disease in a human being has occurred in this country in recent years. The only two cases of suspected foot-and-mouth disease of which I have any record were investigated by a medical officer of my Department, and in neither case could any confirmation, either clinical or biological, be found to support the suggestion that the patient was suffering from this disease.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a list of the common articles of food which are analysed under the Sale of Food and Drugs Acts; and the number of samples of each class so analysed during the years 1924, 1925 and 1926?

These particulars are contained in a Report which is prepared annually by my Department. I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the Report for the three years mentioned.

asked the Minister of Health if in view of the health conditions prevailing in many offices, he is satisfied that the inspection of offices at present carried on, and the powers of local sanitary authorities in London and elsewhere, are sufficient for the purpose?

I have no evidence that the health conditions generally prevailing in offices are such as to call for special action. The present powers of local authorities in the matter have not been shown to be insufficient, but the measure of inspection at the present time cannot but be conditioned by financial circumstances.

Is it not a fact that health rates and sickness rates in offices are worse than among the general population and therefore justify inspection and inquiry?

I have no evidence of that.

If I give the right hon. Gentleman that evidence, will he look into it in conjunction with the Standing Joint Committee of the Metropolitan Boroughs, which have had this matter under consideration for a long time?

I shall certainly be glad to consider any evidence which my hon. and gallant Friend produces.

asked the Minister of Health what is the mortality during the last five years of persons suffering from tuberculosis?

The crude death-rates in England and Wales from all forms of tuberculosis for the years 1922 to 1926 were respectively 1,121, 1,062, 1,058, 1,038, and 961 per million persons living. The hon. Member will find further information as to the decline in the mortality from tuberculosis in recent years on pages 42 and 43 of the last Annual Report of my Department.

asked the Minister of Health whether the incidence of insurable sickness, etc., affected by the National Health Insurance Act is lower among insured contributors in the agricultural industry than in other insured industries; and, if so, whether he is able to give any comparative figures?

Though there are special agricultural and rural societies, agricultural workers are also to be found in the large number of approved societies and branches which are not in general organised on an occupational basis, and it is impossible to give figures as to the incidence of sickness amongst such workers throughout the country. There is reason to believe that the incidence of sickness amongst persons engaged in agriculture is below the average for the whole insured population, but there are other occupations in an equally, or even more, favourable position in this respect.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will instruct inspectors of taxes not to demand payment of the first instalment of Income Tax under Schedule B assessments in all cases where the farmer has notified the local inspector that in all probability a loss is being incurred during the year current?

It has not been the practice to press for payment of Schedule B tax in the circumstances described by my hon. and gallant Friend if there is no undue delay in the presentation of accounts by the farmer. In view, however, of the present condition of agriculture, the Board of Inland Revenue are taking steps to draw the attention of inspectors of taxes to this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture (1) whether the village farm at Horbling, Lincolnshire, will be let to a tenant who will reside in the farmhouse or to a farmer who intends to put a foreman in it;

(2) the number of applicants for the occupation of the village farm at Horbling, on the Crown estate?

The present tenant of village farm, Horbling, recently asked to be released from his tenancy, and recommended Mr. A. J. Allen, who has a small freehold farm adjoining, as his successor. Two other applications were received subsequently. All the three applicants were well qualified, but the Commissioners of Crown Lands, after careful consideration, decided to accept Mr. Allen on the grounds that (1) his was much the earliest application in point of time, (2) the holding could be more conveniently and profitably worked in conjunction with Mr. Allen's freehold farm, and (3) the farmhouse is better suited for occupation by a foreman than by a tenant farmer.

Are we to understand that the man there has already another farm, and that this farm has been in the occupation of a tenant who already had two or three other farms and who put a foreman on this farm, and in view of the number of applicants is it not time that this policy was stopped?

I think we must consider the Crown revenue. As this farmhouse is more suitable for occupation by a bailiff, I think we ought to avoid capital expenditure. Besides that, the selected tenant was in the field two months before the subsequent applications.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Lancashire County Council, having an opportunity of securing four well-situated farms for the purpose of establishing cottage and small holdings, requested the land valuer, in connection with the Inland Revenue, to value the property; that the property was accordingly value at £14,000, and the county council agreed to purchase at this price; and that, although three independent valuations of the property arrived at a figure in excess of £14,000, the Department have refused to give sanction for the purchase on the ground that the real value is only £12,000; and whether, in view of the importance of encouraging county councils to promote small holdings, he will have the Departmental decision reconsidered?

I would invite the attention of the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question put to me on Monday last by the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams), to which I will only add that the statement that three independent valuations of the property were in excess of £14,000 is not in accordance with the facts as reported to me. While I entirely agree as to the desirability of encouraging local authorities to provide small holdings, I do not consider that it is necessary to attain this object by approving purchases at prices in excess of current market value.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the tenants were already promised the occupation of holdings on this estate by the county council, and that they have made arrangements to enter, and will he expedite a settlement?

It is very unfortunate if the county council have been exciting further expectations before the scheme was finally approved, but we are doing all in our power to encourage a settlement on the basis of a fair valuation.

Did the right hon. Gentleman reject the valuation of the Inland Revenue officials in this matter, and on what ground has that rejection taken place?

The usual practice is that we get two valuations, one by the Inland Revenue and one by our officials. The Inland Revenue valued this farm in October, 1926. It was then in the hands of a syndicate, who, apparently, had not kept up the cultivation very satisfactorily, and when the farm was valued in June of this year, nine months later, it was found to have decreased considerably in value. The last value, which was £2,000 below the original one, was owing to the further letting down of the land.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the price would come down from £14,000 to £12,000 quickly enough if the owners had to pay their rates and taxes on their land value?

Would the right hon. Gentleman state definitely whether his attention is being kept on this piece of land, and are they trying to come to a settlement for small holdings?

Very much so; I have been bombarded with questions on the subject. But I do not think it desirable, while negotiations are going on, for me to intervene, because I am quite convinced, on the advice of the officials of the Department, that the value which we have put before the County Council is a fair one.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, makes no provision for the payment of pensions to the women aged 65 and under 70, wives of insured men who have reached the age of 70 prior to 2nd January, 1928, he proposes to take any steps to place these women on an equal footing as regards pension with the wives of insured men who are between the ages of 65 and 70 on 2nd January, 1928?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Prime Minister's reply to his question on the same subject on 23rd November.

asked the Minister of Health for the latest convenient date the average cost per head per week of persons maintained on indoor relief in Poor Law institutions; and the most frequent rate of charge per head per week for pauper inmates in county mental hospitals?

The average weekly cost per head for the year ended 31st March, 1926, including the cost of buildings and loan charges, of the persons maintained in Poor Law institutions in England and Wales was 27s. 8d. The rate of charge per head per week for pauper inmates in county mental hospitals would approximate to 22s. 6d.

asked the Minister of Health if, in the case of able-bodied men performing work for a local authority in return for Poor Law relief, such relief is estimated on a standard rate of wages; and whether his Department recognises or advises a minimum rate for such work?

The arrangements made between the local authority and the board of guardians in cases of this kind vary according to the circumstances and the agreements made between the bodies concerned. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Would the right hon. Gentleman sanction the paying of 7s. 10d. relief in return for two full days' work given to a local authority?

It is not my practice to attempt in any way to fix rates of wages.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think 3s. 10d. for a full day's work is a satisfactory rate of pay?

Is it the intention to interfere with the giving of varying rates of wages under the Audit (Local Authorities) Bill?

That Bill does not provide for the settling of any rates of wages.

asked the Minister of Health his grounds for objecting to the grant by boards of guardians of outdoor relief to men who have been convicted of criminal offences and served sentences in connection therewith?

Unconditional outdoor relief can only be given to able-bodied persons by way of departure from the Relief Regulation Order, 1911, and I should have thought it would be obvious to the hon. Member that cases such as he describes would not generally be cases exhibiting special features of a kind which justify the making of departures from the Order in their favour.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that by the very nature of things these men experience extreme difficulty in finding employment? Is he not aware that to refuse them relief is to drive them into further crime?

The hon. Member did not ask about refusing relief nor did I say that they were refused relief. He asked about outdoor relief.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a special report of an officer of his Department has censured the Shoreditch Board of Guardians for granting relief to men of this character?

No, Sir, that was outdoor relief. To offer them indoor relief is quite another matter.

asked the Minister of Health if he will issue a circular to all boards of guardians calling their attention to the statutory provision that 7s. 6d. of any payment of national health insurance shall be deducted before an estimate is made of the income of an applicant for relief?

The statutory provision to which the hon. Member refers is very well known to boards of guardians, and I have no evidence of any tendency on the part of guardians to disregard it. I do not think, therefore, that it is necessary to issue a special circular on the subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this statutory provision has been ignored by the Newcastle Board of Guardians?

I was not aware of that fact.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is also ignored by other boards of guardians?

asked the Minister of Health how many ex-sanatoria patients have become chargeable to the guardians in the last five years; and what is the cost per year of an ex-sanatoria patient who becomes chargeable to the guardians?

I regret this information is not available.

Has the right hon. Gentleman no means of obtaining it?

No, I have not, because there is no distinction made between ex-sanatoria patients and others.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that it would be advisable in the national interests and in the interests of health to see that this information is collected by the boards of guardians,

I do not see what bearing that has on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the fact that the county boroughs of East Ham and West Ham have passed resolutions urging him to review the whole position of the incidence of local taxation, and asking, further, that he shall review the whole position of the repayment of loans granted to the West Ham Board of Guardians; whether he will take steps to obtain greater assistance from the national Exchequer to necessitous Poor Law areas, i.e., those areas where the rate for the relief of the poor is in excess of the average rate of the country; and what steps he proposes to take to give effect to these resolutions?

The position of what are known as the necessitous areas has been the subject of repeated discussion in this House, and I can add nothing to the statements made on behalf of the Government in those discussions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to introduce next Session a Bill to reform the Poor Law?

asked the Minister of Health if he can now inform the House if it is his intention to introduce legislation in the near future to carry into effect the declared intentions of the Government to abolish boards of guardians throughout the country?

I would refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to a question on the same subject by the hon. Member for Bow and Bromley (Mr. Lansbury) on the 10th ultimo.

asked the Minister of Health how many dwellings have up to the present been reconstructed under the terms of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, in the counties of Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire?

Returns of progress under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, are obtained quarterly, and according to the latest returns, to 30th September last, no dwellings had actually been reconstructed under the Act in any of the counties referred to. The Gloucestershire County Council, however, had received applications for assistance in respect of the improvement of 14 dwellings.

In view of the very unsatisfactory reply which the right hon. Gentleman has given the House, is he taking any steps to spur county councils to do their duty in the interest of the workers?

I have that under my special consideration.

Does that mean that applications have been sent in to county councils, and that they have taken no notice of them?

No. It must not be assumed that they have taken no notice of them. I said applications had been received and were under consideration.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of any cases that have been turned down where the tenant of a house in a rural area received wages of £3 a week?

I could not answer that question without notice.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that a large number of rural dwellings could thereby be made sanitary and thoroughly suitable for habitation, he will consider extending the grant to include general repairs to cottages, where considered necessary, at a minimum cost of, say, £30, and allowing the local authority responsible to reduce the grant to one-half instead of two-thirds?

The question of the extent to which financial assistance under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, could be afforded to works of ordinary repairs or upkeep was fully discussed during the passage of the Bill through this House, when it was decided that works of such a nature could only be included for the purposes of assistance where they were incidental to and connected with the reconstruction and improvement of the buildings. I do not think that the proposal of my hon. and gallant Friend would prove sufficiently attractive to induce landlords to take advantage of it if they were thereby tied up for 20 years by the conditions laid down in the Act.

If evidence can be brought to the right hon. Gentleman's notice that many houses would be put in order if the Act were extended in that direction, will he consider it?

I shall be glad to consider it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider introducing legislation, or making regulations, that will enable the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, to be made applicable to all dwellings in rural and urban areas up to a value of £400, and that the stipulation that it only applies to dwellings to which the agricultural rent is 3s., or thereabouts, weekly should be modified so as to be governed by the Rent Restrictions Act, with power to the local authority to see that the stipulated rent is not exceeded, since at present the Act is only of use to cottages attached to farms, and under existing circumstances neither owners nor occupiers of farms can afford to spend money on the reconstruction of their cottages; and whether, as a further encouragement to the owner of a cottage to make use of the Act, a charge of 5 per cent. instead of 3 per cent. may be allowed on the amount expended by him?

The proposals of my hon. and gallant Friend would entirely alter the scope and intentions of the Act, and I am afraid that I cannot undertake to introduce the legislation which would be necessary to give effect to his suggestions.

asked the Minister of Health what local authorities in England and Wales have been granted permission to transfer houses built under the Housing, &c., Act, 1923, to the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924; and what changes, if any, were made in the rents at which the transferred houses were let?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Bedwellty (Mr. C. Edwards) on the 18th and 23rd of last month. There is no power to transfer houses built and let under the 1923 Act to the 1924 Act.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why the information was withheld?

The information was not withheld; it was given in the answer.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the last few months one local authority has made application to transfer the incidence of the rate under the 1923 Act on the loan to the Wheatley Act of 1924? Can he give us the name and the amount?

Not without notice. That is not the question on the Paper.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give the names now?

They were given. I beg the hon. Member's pardon. there were two questions, and I was looking at the other one. I do not gather that the names were given, but I will give the hon. Member the names with pleasure.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give an estimate of the saving of the taxpayers' money arising from the reduction of the housing subsidy as from the 1st October last?

The capital value of the reduction of the annual Exchequer subsidy for houses completed after 1st October amounts to £25. The actual saving to the Exchequer will depend on the number of houses built while the reduced subsidy is operative.

Is there any evidence that owing to the reduced subsidy the number of houses to be built will be larger next year?

There is no evidence yet as to how many houses will be built next year.

Would it be possible to get an estimate of how many people have been thrown on to unemployment insurance as a result of the subsidy being reduced? I know of 50.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that land skirting the new arterial road near Manchester is selling at £800 per acre; and will he give powers to local authorities to rate this betterment value in lieu of subsidies from the Government?

The local authorities already have power to increase the assessment to rates of any such land, if and in so far as that course is justified by an increase in the rental value.

Are we to understand from that reply that if the owner of the land skirting the road raises the price above what it was before the road was made, the local authorities have power to raise the assessment?

Yes, they have power to raise the assessment.

Why has not the right hon. Gentleman replied to what I had in my question regarding the increased value of the land? Why does he always come back to the word "assessment" instead of dealing with the value which has been made by public expenditure?

Have the local authorities power to purchase any of the land on these arterial roads?

That question does not arise.