asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of civilians employed by his Department at the Singapore base; and what rate of wages is paid to labourers employed by the Air Department at Singapore?

The number of civilians employed as overhead staff by the Air Ministry at Singapore is 19; the number of native labourers is approximately 600. The answer to the last part of the question is that the local market rate of wages is paid.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether there is any intention of abandoning the high-speed research work carried out by his Department?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he has any record of attempts to beat flying speed records during the period November to March, inclusive; and whether, seeing that the week-end throughout which the recent effort to beat the seaplane speed record was contemplated and attempted was one of generally unfavourable flying conditions,, he will say whether there was any special reason why the attempt should have been made during this period?

As regards the first part of the question, so far as I am aware the only attempt made to set up a speed record during the period mentioned was the recent British attempt. As regards the second part, there was no special reason for or against the making of the attempt on 12th March; the weather at the time was not unfavourable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the case of a Mr. Saunders, who was involved in a motor accident with the Spanish Ambassador's car; and whether, in view of the fact that the insurance company concerned sheltered itself under the Diplomatic Privileges Act and refused to be sued for damages, he will amend that Act or arrange some means by which British subjects, finding themselves in a similar situation, can be compensated or at least be allowed to state a case in the Courts?

This case was brought to the notice of the Foreign Office by Mr. Saunders, whom I informed, after making inquiries into the circumstances of the accident, that I could find no grounds for intervention on his behalf. I have no official knowledge of the attitude adopted by the insurance company, but I have no reason to suppose that they did not deal with this case on the usual footing. Indeed, if insurance companies did otherwise, there would clearly be no object in persons enjoying diplomatic privilege effecting insurance against third party risks. No amendment of the law giving the Court jurisdiction in such cases would be consistent with international law.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Industrial Transference Board is doing any work outside that of assisting the existing executive departments; and whether any payments are made to the members of the Board?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Aberdare (Mr. G. Hall) on 7th March and to the hon. Member for Leith (Mr. E. Brown) on 19th March. No payments are being made to members of the Board for their services upon it.

asked the Minister of Labour if his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. James Schofield, of Grave Lane, Clifton, Brighouse, who served in the South African War and the Great War, and who bas only been able to obtain 12 months' employment since 1924, when he was employed as watchman at His Majesty's factory at Bradley; and, seeing that when the latest Unem- ployment Act becomes operative Mr. Schofield and his wife will not be eligible for unemployed insurance benefit, what action it is proposed to take to enable this man and others similarly situated to obtain work or maintenance apart from Poor Law relief?

There is nothing in the new Act which will affect Mr. Schofield adversely until April of next year at earliest. Thereafter he will have to show that he has paid 30 contributions in the preceding two years, but having regard to his past contributions record I see no reason to assume that he will not be able to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport if, with regard to the draft statutory rules and orders proposed to be made by him under the London Traffic Act, 1924, he is aware of the dissatisfaction amongst local authorities that the sole source of information vouchsafed to them appeared in statutory advertisements in the "London Gazette"; and why the practice has been changed in this respect?

I have received representations on the subject from certain local authorities, which representations I am now considering. There has been no change in practice. Proposed Regulations under the London Traffic Act are advertised in the "London Gazette" as required by Statute, and at the same time the widest publicity is given to the proposals by means of a notice to the Press. I may remind my hon. Friend that the local authorities are also directly represented on the London Traffic Advisory Committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the ratio of gold now held by the Bank of England against the net amount of bank notes and Treasury notes in circulation compares with the amount held by the Bank or the Treasury against the net issue on the date on which the gold holding of the Treasury was exchanged for bank notes; and whether he can make any statement as to when it is proposed to amalgamate the note issues?

The ratio of the gold held to the net total of the two note issues rose from 37.5 per cent. on the 22nd April, 1925, to 38.3 per cent. on the 14th March, 1928. If the calculation is confined to notes in active circulation, that is, if the notes in the Banking Department of the Bank of England are excluded, the figures on the respective dates were 40.1 per cent. and 42.7 per cent. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and gallant Member for Montrose (Sir R. Hutchison) on the 17th November last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amounts he expects to receive during the current and the coming financial years, respectively, in respect of inter-Allied debts and reparations?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member for the Central Division of Hull (Lient.-Commander Kenworthy) on the 21st February.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the sum of £135,700,000 given in the Financial Statement, 1927–28, as being loans from certain Allied Governments, has now been written off as a consequence of the debt settlements?

No, Sir. No debt settlement has been reached with Russia. Article 7 of the French War Debt Agreement (Command Paper No. 2692) and Article 7 of the Italian War Debt Agreement (Command Paper 2580) set out the position in regard to those two countries.