asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the difficult conditions of navigation which prevail at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, he is prepared to devote fresh consideration to the question of establishing a lighthouse at Ras-al-Hadd, the easternmost point of Arabia?

This question has already been brought to the notice of the Government of India, Who will no doubt give it due consideration in consultation with their Advisory Committee representing shipping interests.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what progress has been made in the provision of new accommodation for the office of the Indian High Commissioner?

The contract for the new building has been placed and work has commenced.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the result of the investigation into the recent disappearance, with all hands on board, of the steamers "Turaram" and "Jayanti," off the Indian coast; and if the services of the Royal Indian Marine were employed in the search for the lost vessels?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on the 20th February to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Kelly). The reply of the Government of India to the inquiry made has not yet been received.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has ascertained if the Government of Bombay have decided to defray entirely or in part the expenses of Mr. Harvey incurred in his libel suit against Mr. Nariman; and if the Government of Bombay have decided to defray the expenses of, and pay compensation to, Mr. Nariman, who was put on his trial for 64 days by Government officials and then discharged by the magistrate?

The Government of Bombay propose to defray Mr. Harvey's legal expenses, as they have been advised that they are liable for this payment. So far as my Noble Friend is aware, they do not propose to make any payment to Mr. Nariman. I understand that he conducted his own defence.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India are considering a proposal to send troops from India to Iraq, or Persia, or any ports in the Persian Gulf; and whether the Government of India will leave the decision on such a proposal, whenever made, to the vote of the Legislative Assembly in India and not despatch Indian troops outside India without first referring the matter to the Assembly?

My Noble Friend is not aware that the Government of India are considering any proposal to increase the detachments already maintained in these areas. The second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to inform the House of the decision that has been arrived at by the Government of India, in consultation with the local Governments concerned, regarding the grievances of Indian seamen in the matter of recruiting through shipping brokers?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Mile End (Mr. Scurr) on 21st November last. Since the appointment of Captain Darvell to work out a scheme of recruitment at Calcutta conditions have begun to improve, and a new appointment of assistant shipping master has been created at that port in order to leave the shipping master more time to exercise personal supervision. An employment register of serangs has also been started. The question of taking similar action at Bombay is under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether it is proposed to proceed with the scheme for a grand trunk canal between Calcutta and the eastern districts of Bengal; whether the committee appointed to consider the matter has issued a Report; and, if so, whether he will state the terms of the committee's findings?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on the 20th February to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Kelly). The reply of the Government of India to the inquiry made has not yet been received.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has now received a report concerning the judgment of the Chief Presidency Magistrate of Calcutta in a recent case, in which he passed severe strictures on a British officer holding a responsible position in the Indian medical service in Bengal presidency; and whether the Government of India propose or have taken any action in view of the statements made by the Magistrate?

Not yet, but the report has been promised very shortly. I will let the hon. Member know when it is received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies approximately when the East African Commission is likely to present its Report?

The Commission is due to arrive back in England on 7th May, but I am not in a position to say how long they will require to prepare and present their Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the renewed investigations into the flood conditions of the Zambesi River are likely to defer the commencement of building operations until the dry season of 1929, and consequently the completion of the bridge until about 1932; and whether, in view of the East African Commission's Report in 1925 to the effect that the resources of Southern Nyasaland will not be, and cannot be, developed until the Zambesi bridge is constructed, he will, in view of the information already available concerning the behaviour of the river, come to an immediate decision with a view to commencing actual work during the dry season of 1928?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bradford North (Mr. Ramsden) on Monday last in which I explained the reasons for the further investigation. Until the results of this investigation are known, it is not possible for any decision to commence work on the bridge to be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the fact that the European representatives of a secret organisation called the Ku Klux Klan are planning a crusade in England; and whether any application for a passport visa has been made to his Department by Mr. Hiram L. Dwight, the appointed head of this organisation in Europe?

No, Sir. I have no information on either point.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to a case heard at the Old Bailey on 5th March, in which it was stated that the police allowed a girl clerk to expose herself to possible serious injury during a robbery at a firm of Tottenham estate agents, in order that the prisoners might be caught in the act of robbery; and why, seeing that the police had previous information that an attempt at robbery was to be made and were actually watching the premises at the time, they did not arrest the men concerned on entry of the premises?

Yes, Sir. I am aware of the facts of this case and of the learned Recorder's commendation of the conduct of the police and of the witness referred to. The course taken was the only practicable course. The premises had been visited before in similar circumstances while the police were keeping observation; but on that occasion the parties stopped short of any action that would have justified arrest.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has caused any inquiry to be made as to the large increase in the number of experiments performed on living animals and, if so, whether any reason has been given for such an increase; and, if no inquiry has been made by his Department, whether he will institute one?

The increase referred to is mainly in inoculations, feeding experiments and similar procedures; and I understand that it is due principally to the development of medical science in regard to the standardising of drugs and the investigation of vitamins and to the steps taken to safeguard the purity of the milk supply. I see no ground for any special inquiry.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the hardship of the cases of elderly widows of insured persons under the National Health Acts, with crippled dependants, whose husbands died before 1st January, 1926, as compared with young widows, without children, whose husbands died immediately after that date; and whether he will give special consideration to the case of Mrs. Martha Cross, of Barnton, Northwich, who has a disabled crippled son to support?

I would remind my noble Friend that the general scheme of the Act as regards widows' and orphans' pensions is to provide pensions for the dependants of men who have contributed under the Act, and in the Debate on the 22nd February I stated the considerations which led the Government to make exceptional provision for a special class among the widows who were outside the general scheme owing to their husbands having died before the commencement of the Act. As regards the second part of the question, I have no power to make an award in any case in which the requirements of the Act are not satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for War the types of occupations which were given at the Army vocational training centres during 1927 and the number of trainees in each section?

The number of students trained in the main groups of trades taught in 1927 at the Army vocational training centres was approximately as follows:

Building trades	…	…	670
Engineering trades	…	…	120
Miscellaneous	…	…	220
Agriculture	…	…	390

The hon. Member will find an analysis of these main groups in the answer given on 29th February to the hon. and gallant Member for the North-West Division of Kingston-upon-Hull (Lieut.-Colonel Lambert Ward).

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the estimated annual cost which local education authorities will have to meet, as from 1st April, in respect of the new item of contributions for teachers' superannuation; and whether, in view of the heavy rates burden under which local authorities in industrial districts are at present struggling and the national character of the teaching service, he will so adjust the Board's grants as to enable the authorities to meet this cost without making an additional call upon the rates?

The contributions payable by local education authorities are estimated for the coming financial year at £2,400,000, in respect of which they will receive grants estimated at £1,350,000, leaving £1,050,000 as the net burden to be met from rates. As regards the second part of the question, both the contributions themselves and the grants payable in respect of them are determined by statute.