Written Answers
Lunacy Administration
asked the Minister of Health what amount has been expended on lunacy administration in the last year for which statistics are available; how many certifications took place during the same period; and how many people were discharged?
The expenditure of local authorities in England and Wales on lunacy administration for the financial year 1926–27 amounted to £7,803,804, During the same period loans were sanctioned for, capital expenditure amounting to £242,335. During the calendar year 1927 the certifications and discharges were as follow:
| — | Certifications. | Discharges. |
| Public Mental Hospitals | 20,474 | 9,823 |
| Other Institutions and Single Care. | 1,419 | 892 |
| Total | 21,893 | 10,715 |
Airships (Contracts)
asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will furnish a list of the names of firms with whom contracts are already made, and the particulars of such contracts, for the alterations of existing plant and airsheds, the erection of mooring masts and airsheds at Home and abroad, the supply of constructional materials for airships at Cardington and Howden, the supply and erection of gas plants, the supply of goldbeater's skin,
| Royal Air Force Hospitals. | |||||||
| Locality. | Equipped Beds. | Hospital Personnel. | |||||
| Officers. | Nurses. | Airmen. | |||||
| Home. | |||||||
| Halton | … | … | … | 309 | 9 | 38 | 98 |
| Cranwell | … | … | … | 100 | 6 | 12 | 41 |
| Uxbridge | … | … | … | 31 | 4 | 9 | 10 |
| Iraq. | |||||||
| Hinaidi | … | … | … | 200 | 10 | 23 | 75 |
| Basrah | … | … | … | 35 | 5 | 7 | 24 |
| Palestine, | |||||||
| Sarafand | … | … | … | 77 | 5 | 6 | 35 |
doped linen, and other materials, and the making of roadways and approaches to airsheds in connection with airship development?
To give the hon Member the full information for which he asks would necessitate detailing over 200 contracts placed with more than 100 different firms in respect of the R.101 alone, and the resultant particulars would fill several columns of the OFFICIAL REPORT. In these circumstances, I do not think the labour involved in collating and reproducing these contracts would be justified.
Royal Air Force (Hospitals)
asked the Secretary of State for Air if he will give a full list of Royal Air Force hospitals at Home and abroad, the number of beds in each hospital, and the personnel attached to each hospital?
Following is the information requested:officers for the Cranwell Command as a whole. The Indian Sections of the hospitals in Iraq are excluded.
Trade And Commerce
Safeguarding (Hosiery)
asked the President of the Board of Trade when he expects the Report of the Safeguarding of Industries Committee on hosiery to be available?
I am not yet in a position to make any statement on the point.
Raw Sugar (Import)
asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the totals for raw sugar imported into this country, and subsequently refined for each of the 10 years ended 1927?
The following is a statement of the quantities of raw sugar imported during the years 1918 to 1927 inclusive and refined in bonded refineries in this country:—
| Year. | Cwt. |
| 1918 | 18,165,923 |
| 1919 | 18,815,252 |
| 1920 | 18,737,954 |
| 1921 | 17,726,775 |
| 1922 | 22,215,245 |
| 1923 | 22,099,566 |
| 1924 | 20,171,141 |
| 1925 | 21,828,577 |
| 1926 | 19,734,546 |
| 1927 | 21,706,882 |
Receiving Orders, Farmers
asked the President of the Board of Trade the numbers of bankruptcies among farmers for the month of August, 1927, to the end of February, 1928?
The numbers of Receiving Orders made against farmers in England and Wales in each of the seven months, August, 1927, to February, 1928, inclusive were 18, 14, 24, 34, 30, 33 and 32, respectively.
Royal Navy
Aircraft
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many serviceable airplanes the Navy has at its disposal now; and, allowing for wastage, how many will be at its disposal on 1st July, 1928?
The number of first-line aircraft in the Fleet Air Arm is now 135, not including reserves; the number available on 1st July, 1928, will be the same, as wastage is made good as it occurs.
Established Men, Devonport Dockyard
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of men established in Devon-port Dockyard during the years 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively, together with the average number of years of service, showing those who have served their apprenticeship in the dockyard and those who have served outside, respectively?
In 1925 28 workmen were established at Devon-port; their average service was 18¾ years two of the men with an average service of seven years were mechanics who had served their apprenticeship in the dockyard, and 16 were mechanics with average service of 21 years who had not served their apprenticeship in the dockyard. In 1927 17 workmen were established; their average service was 16⅓ years; two of the men with an average service of 7½ years were mechanics who had served their apprenticeship in the dockyard, and 10 were mechanics with average service of 19 years who had not served their apprenticeship in the dockyard. For the corresponding figures for the year 1926, I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 21st February, 1927 [OFFICIAL REPORT, column 1414].
Postal Facilities, Hull
asked the Postmaster-General why the post office carried on at the shop of Mr. Bennett, of Chanterlands Avenue, Hull, has been closed; and if he is aware that this is causing great inconvenience?
I regret that it has been necessary to close temporarily the Chanterlands Avenue Sub-Post Office, Hull, owing to the discovery of a serious deficiency in the accounts.