"UNKNOWN WARRIOR" PAINTING.
asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether a permanent position for the painting of the ceremony of the burial of the Unknown Warrior has yet been found; and whether he has considered the placing of this painting in Westminster Abbey in close proximity to the grave?
There is no present intention of removing the painting of the "Unknown Warrior" from the Robing Room. As regards the second part of the question, Westminster Abbey is not under the control of my Department, and, moreover, it would not be possible to hand over to the Abbey authorities a painting which was presented to this House.
HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT (LIGHTING).
asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, whether he has considered any alternative method of lighting in the Houses of Parliament to obviate the inconvenience of the failure of the electric light or has he considered the plan of adopting storage batteries?
I would refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to questions in the House on the 28th and 30th November. My Noble Friend does not feel that the very heavy cost involved in the provision of storage batteries would be justified.
BASRA (PERSIAN COOLIES).
asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps are taken to ensure the proper supervision of Persian coolies working on ships at Basra; under what system are these men recruited at Bushire; whether adequate provision is made for medical attention whilst they are at Basra; and what authority is responsible for them at that port?
Date. Men. Boys. Women. Girls. Total. 1927. 7th November … … 1,279 88 135 101 1,603 14th November … … 1,315 83 139 104 1,641 21st November … … 1,327 86 133 101 1,647 28th November … … 1,352 85 144 103 1,684
SUGAR BEET.
asked the Minister of Agriculture how many acres were under sugar beet in 1926, and how many in 1927, in England, Wales and Scotland, respectively?
The acreage of sugar beet returned by occupiers of agricultural holdings exceeding one acre in extent in England, Wales and Scotland in the years 1926 and 1927 is shown in the following table: Country. 1926. 1927. Acres. Acres. England 125,626 222,314 Wales 188 252 Scotland 3,649 7,500* Great Britain 129,463 230,666 * Subject to revision.
asked the Minister of Agriculture how many persons were employed in the 1926–27 sugar season; and how many are being employed in the 1927–
I am asking the High Commissioner to furnish me with a report on the points raised by my hon. and gallant Friend. I will communicate further with him when the report is received.
UNEMPLOYMENT (DEVONPORT).
asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, specifying men, women, boys and girls, on the Devonport Employment Exchange for the month of November?
The following table shows the number of persons on the registers of the Devonport Employment Exchange on each Monday of November, 1927:
28 season in the beet-sugar factories which are on the subsidy list?
The approximate number of persons employed in the sugar-beet factories in the 1926–27 season was 7,157. About 8,400 are being employed in sugar-beet factories during the present season.
DIPHTHERIA (PREVENTIVE METHODS).
asked the Minister of Health whether the officials of his Department have come to any decision for the purpose of recommending to the health authorities of England and Wales the Schick test and immunisation methods for the prevention of diphtheria; and will he say what progress has been made?
I am advised that this method of protection against diphtheria is one of proved utility. The evidence collected in regard to it has been made available to the local health authorities in reports from my Department, notably in the last Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer (1926, pages 52–3), as well as in a report on the Prevention of Diphtheria issued by the Medical Research Council during the present year (Medical Research Council Report 115). The official memorandum issued by my Department on this subject in 1922, is now being revised, and the new edition will re-indicate the action which it is open to local health authorities to take in the promotion of the use of this method of protection, and the assistance which they may obtain for this purpose from the Ministry of Health.
OXFORD PRESERVATION TRUST.
asked the Minister of Health whether he has received any official communication from the Oxford Preservation Trust; and how far the trustees are co-operating with the Oxford City Council in their town planning scheme or with the proposed regional plan?
I have not received any official communication from the Oxford Preservation Trust, but I understand that co-operation is contemplated between the Trust and the City Council.
GLOUCESTERSHIRE MAIN ROADS.
asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that in the Bath Gas Special Order, as presented to the House and proposed to be made by the Board of Trade, no Clause is inserted for the protection of the Gloucestershire County Council with regard to the reinstatement of county main roads which may be broken up for the purpose of laying gas mains, etc., similar in effect to the Clause which has been inserted for the protection of road authorities by the Ministry of Transport and by the Electricity Commission in the Cheltenham Electricity (Extension) Special Order and the West Gloucestershire Electricity (Extension) Special Order, respectively, to all of which Orders the provisions of Section 10 of the Gas Works Clauses Act, 1847, as to the reinstatement of roads apply; and, if so, what is the reason for the omission?
I am aware of the facts to which my hon. Friend directs attention. I understand, however, that the Clause to which reference is made was, in each of the instances cited, ultimately agreed to by the respective promoters though, in the first instance, objection had been taken. In the case of the Bath Order no agreement was reached, and, at the public inquiry which was held, no circumstances peculiar to Bath were alleged to exist. Accordingly, there appeared to the Board no valid reason for departing from the provisions of the general code relative to the reinstatement of roads opened by public utility bodies. I would remind my hon. Friend that as late as November, 1925, similar questions were carefully considered in connection with the Northampton Gas Order, and in that Order the Board's decision was upheld.