asked the Minister of Labour what are the most recent figures available as to the number of unemployed in the coalmining, shipbuilding, and iron and steel industries?

The following statement gives the information asked for:

TABLE showing the number and percentage of insured persons in Great Britain classified as belonging to the coal mining, shipbuilding and iron and steel industries respectively recorded as unemployed at 21st November, 1927. — Number. Percentage. Wholly unemployed. Temporarily stopped. Total. Wholly unemployed. Temporarily stopped. Total. Coal mining 139,188 82,514 221,702 11.6 6.9 18.5 Shipbuilding and ship-repairing. 41,524 1,979 43,503 20.4 1.0 21.4 Pig iron manufacture (blast furnace). 2,935 835 3,770 11.8 3.3 15.1 Steel melting and iron puddling furnaces, iron and steel rolling mills and forges. 17,141 24,833 41,974 8.8 12.8 21.6

asked the Minister of Health the number of bricklayers employed in 1913 and the number employed at the present time, the output of bricks in the country in 1913, and the output at the present time?

I have been asked to reply. It is estimated that in 1913 there were in Great Britain approximately 69,000 bricklayers in the building industry within the scheme of unemployment insurance, of whom 1,833 were recorded as unemployed at 31st October, 1913; as compared with 74,410 insured at July, 1927, of whom 5,543 were recorded as unemployed at 24th October, 1927. As regards the output of bricks, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister of Health on 21st June to the hon. Member for Willesden, West (Mr. Viant).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received any official information as to the developments in the mining industry that are taking place in Canada; and whether, in conjunction with the Ministry of Labour and the Dominions Office, he is taking any steps to ensure that British labour may be given preference over foreign in assisting these developments?

I have been asked to reply. I have no Information suggesting that there are coal mining developments in Canada which will afford early opportunities for the absorption of any large numbers of unemployed miners from this country, and if my Noble Friend has such information I should be glad to receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of troops, French, British, etc., respectively, on the Rhine?

According to the latest figures received, the number of Allied troops on the Rhine was approximately as follows: British, on 1st December, 6,200; French, on 1st November, 50,400; Belgian, on 10th November, 6,100. I understand that the French and Belgian troops have been reduced since the dates to which these figures relate.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of tons of potatoes imported into Great Britain from the Irish Free State and from foreign countries, respectively, during each month of 1926 and 1927?

Details of the imports into Great Britain only are not available. The following statement shows the quantities of potatoes imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland in each month from January, 1926, to November, 1927, inclusive, registered as consigned from (a) the Irish Free State, and (b) foreign countries.

Month. 1926. 1927. From Irish Free State. From Foreign Countries. From Irish Free State. From Foreign Countries. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. January … … … 2,301 4,213 2,416 6,110 February … … … 1,850 2,942 3,676 2,999 March … … … 2,662 3,671 4,849 2,945 April … … … 2.613 17,793 3,301 8,621 May … … … 1,938 43,864 3,493 52,975 June … … … 1,480 91,252 1,223 80,758 July … … … 527 35,045 428 39,825 August … … … 94 8175 99 4328 September … … … 111 5,182 45 1,637 October … … … 767 9,230 1,207 7,853 November … … … 1,685 20,794 3,303 5,915 December … … … 2,243 9,668 — —

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the public appeal he made to the Rural District Council's Association in June, 1925, to assist in preserving the beauties of the countryside, ho will urge upon the Hendon Rural District Council the desirability of rescinding its recent resolution to abrogate a town planning scheme in order to permit the erection of shops on the Pynnacles estate, at Stanmore, in such a position as will destroy the beauty of that village?

The council are not abrogating their scheme. Under the proposals approved up to the present, it is within the discretion of the council to allow this development, and I do not think it right that I should interfere with their exercise of that discretion.

asked the Secretary of State for War (1) what the statistics of sickness and mortality have been in the British force in China in the months of July, August, September, October and November;

(2) what the statistics of sickness and mortality have been in the British force at Shanghai in the months of July, August, September, October and November?

The information is as follows:—

APPROXIMATE average number in hospital at Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tientsin, Pekin and Wei-hai-Wei. Month. Officers. Other Ranks. July 39 1,309 August 25 1,132 September 24 1,191 October 14 799 November 13 713

NUMBER of deaths among the troops not forming part of the permanent establishment in China, which have been reported to date. During the month of Died Of illness. Of wounds. By drowning. 1927. July 6 — — August 9 — — September 5* 1 1 October 4 — — November — — — Totals 24 1 1 * Includes one officer.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the total mileage flown by the British, French, German and Italian commercial air services for the last period for which the statistics are available?

The latest official figures of the civil air transport mileage of the countries referred to are those for the year 1926, and are as follow: Great Britain, 840,000 miles; France, 3,244,000 miles; Germany, 4,064,000 miles; Italy, 325,000 miles. These figures are approximate, and the Italian figure does not represent a full year's operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the fees charged by each individual aeroplane school in Great Britain which is officially recognised by the Air Ministry for civilian flying instruction; and if he anticipates these fees being reduced in the near future?

There are no officially recognised schools for civilian flying instruction, and I have no information in regard to the exact fees charged by the various schools to their ordinary pupils. I understand, however, that the cost of training for a private pilot's licence may be taken as ranging between £90 and £120, approximately. I cannot say whether any reduction is contemplated.

asked the Attorney-General the names of the advisory committee for the County of Leicester, with the dates of appointment; and whether there are any representatives of Labour interests?

The following are members of the advisory committee for the County of Leicester. The committee was originally appointed in 1911. Several appointments have been made since that date to fill casual vacancies. Mr. Lovett was appointed as a representative of Labour in 1919. Sir Arthur Hazlerigg, Bart., Noseley Hall, Leicester. (H.M. Lieutenant.) The Rt. Hon. Lord Aberconway, 8, The Sanctuary, S.W.1. Levi Lovett, Esq., Hough Hill, Swannington, near Leicester. 2324 Lieut.-Colonel R. E. Martin, C.M.G., J.P., The Brand, Loughborough. John Watson West, Esq., J.P., Belvoir Road, Coalville, Leicester. Mrs. Morris, J.P., Twycross, Atherstone, near Leicester. Victor Robert Pochin, Esq., J.P., Barkby Hall, Leicester.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps are being taken to remedy the delay in providing telephonic facilities to applicants in Hove in view of the inconvenience which is being caused?

The re-arrangement of the external cables necessitated by the recent transfer of circuits from the old exchange premises to the new automatic buildings, is being pressed on and additional cables are being provided as rapidly as possible. Special steps are being taken with a view to hastening the completion of outstanding applications.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the names of each of the 12 films that have been made with the assistance of the Admiralty, and the names of the two further films that are now in course of preparation?

The following films have been made with Admiralty assistance: "Zeebrugge." Prince of Wales' Tour in "Renown." "Britain's Birthright." Prince of Wales' Tour in "Repulse." "Life on the Ocean Wave." "Nelson." "Flag Lieutenant." "Second to None." "Battles of Coronel and Falklands." "Sailors Don't Care." "Carry on." "The Luck of the Navy."

Films are also in course of preparation dealing with the Gallipoli campaign and with the "Q" ship activities.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of persons at present or at some convenient recent date employed in the following grades in the Imperial Civil Service: administrative class, principals and assistant principals; executive class,

— Men. Women. Total. Assistant Principals (Administrative Class) (£200-£500) 301 9 310 Principals (Administrative Class) (£700-£900) 374 3 377 Executive Officers (General Executive Class) (£100-£400) 2,381 43 2,424 Higher Executive Officers and Staff Officers on the scale £400-£500. 1,640 89 1,729 Posts in Executive Establishments on the scale £550-£700 479 5 484 Clerical Officers (General Clerical Class) (£60-£250) 15,650 5,340 20,990 Higher Clerical Officers (General Clerical Class) (£300-£400) 2,061 472 2,533

The above particulars relate to the numbers of officers employed in the above grades on 1st October last. Acting officers are shown in the grades in which they are acting. The group "Higher Executive Officers and Staff Officers" includes a number of posts on the scale £400-£500, e.g., in clerical establishments, which cannot be shown separately. The scales quoted are the basic rates for men in London. The numbers given cover provincial as well as London staffs.

asked the Prime Minister the number of boys under 18 who have proceeded to Australia during each year since the Empire Settlement Act, 1922, came into operation: through the Fairbridge scheme; with assisted passages for apprenticeship under approved Government apprenticeship schemes; with assisted passages and

— Placed through Government Agencies. Placed under the auspices of Voluntary Societies. Total. Farm Apprenticeship Schemes. Other Farm Work. Fairbridge Farm School. Other Voluntary Societies. 1922 … … … 712 100 — 174 986 1923 … … … 1,840 1,353 24 311 3,528 1924 … … … 1,225 912 56 265 2,458 1925 … … … 1,306 850 12 247 2,415 1926 … … … 1,723 283 28 722 2,756 Totals … 6,806 3,498 120 1,719 12,143

superintending executive officers, higher executive officers, and executive officers; clerical class, higher clerical officers and clerical officers; distinguishing in each case between the number of men and the number of women in each grade?

The particulars asked for are as follow:

placed through Government agents on the land but not under schemes of apprenticeship; and with assisted passages and placed through voluntary organisations, the Big Brother movement, Salvation Army, Church Army, etc.; if he will give figures as to the number of girls under 18 who have proceeded to Australia for each year with assisted passages, and as to the number placed, respectively, through Government agents and through voluntary organisations; and if figures are available as to the number of girls and boys, respectively, under 18 who have proceeded to Australia with assisted passages during the period in question who have returned later to this country as unsuitable for settlement in the Commonwealth?

The numbers of boys under 18 years of age who have gone to Australia with assistance under the Empire Settlement Act since 1922 are as follow:

The numbers of girls under 18 who have proceeded to Australia under the Empire Settlement Act through the medium of voluntary societies are as under: 1922 Nil. 1923 33 1924 151 1925 42 1926 80 Total 306

NOTE.—In addition, a number of girls under 18 have proceeded as household workers under the Government Assisted Passage Scheme, but no special record has been kept of this age period except in the years 1925 and 1926, when the numbers were 196 and 467, respectively.

No information is abailable as to the numbers of assisted migrants of 18 years and under who have returned from Australia as unsuitable settlers, but the total number of assisted persons sent back by the Commonwealth Government during the years 1922–26, inclusive, was 257.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any application and scheme for the commercial development of the Dead Sea salts was received by any Government Department before those sent to the Colonial Office in 1925; if so, from whom and with what credentials; and whether such an application and scheme received written statement of approval and priority from the Department then concerned?

Several persons approached His Majesty's Government on the subject before 1925. So far as I am aware, the first person to do so was Major Tulloch, in January, 1918. There is no record of any promise that any application or scheme would be given preferential treatment on grounds of priority.