asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, in view of the statements made at the meeting of the Commonwealth Trust, held on Tuesday, 27th March, 1928, when it was said that a letter existed from a British Admiral stating that the man who attempted to blow up His Majesty's ship "Dwarf" belonged to the Basle Mission and Trading Company, whether any action is contemplated by the Admiralty?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any and, if so, what disciplinary action has been taken with regard to Rear-Admiral Collard in connection with the incident in His Majesty's Ship "Royal Oak"?

Rear-Admiral Collard was ordered to strike his flag by the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean. This action was approved by the Admiralty after receipt of the Minutes of the Court of Inquiry on 17th March. The Admiralty will issue a statement on the case generally when they have received and reviewed the proceedings of the courts-martial.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, in respect of the current year, how much money has been contributed by each of the Dominions and Crown Colonies towards naval defence; what proportion of the money contributed by each of the Dominions and Crown Colonies in the years 1926 and 1927, respectively, bears in each case to their total import and export trade and per capita of their population, respectively; and how these figures compare with Great Britain's contributions under those heads?

The contributions of the Dominions to naval defence takes the form of maintenance of their own naval forces and establishments by His Majesty's Governments in Canada, the Commonwealth of Australia, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa. The amounts provided in the Estimates of the undermentioned parts of the Empire for the year 1927–28 are as follow:

• Great Britain, £58,000,000.
• Canada, $1,725,000.
• Commonwealth of Australia, £5,736,000.
• New Zealand, £667,324 (including £125,000 the first instalment of the contribution to the Singapore Base).
• Union of South Africa, £125,479.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Nationalist troops belonging to the 13th and 46th Armies who occupied houses in the British concession in Chinkiang have now vacated these premises?

I have no information on this matter beyond that given in the reply to the hon. Member for South-East Essex on the 2nd April.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity and value of paints, colours, and colouring matter imported during the ears 1926 and 1927, respectively; the proportion admitted by licence; the number of licences granted by the dyestuffs licensing committee for the import of dyestuffs during the years 1926 and 1927, respectively; and the approximate values and quantities of the same and the fees charged?

The total imports of manufactured dyestuffs, dyeing extracts, painters' colours and materials (including intermediate coal-tar products but excluding zinc oxide) amounted in 1926 to 107,000 tons, valued at £3,057,000, and in 1927 to 107,000 tons, valued at £3,170,000. The proportion admitted under licence was about 2 per cent. by quantity and 30 per cent. by value. In 1926, 5,778 licences were issued under the Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Act for the importation of 1,889 tons of material, valued at £945,007, and in 1927, 6,753 licences were issued for the importation of 2,228 tons, valued at £1,034,103. The fees charged were £3,006 in 1926 and 23,440 in 1927.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number and value of farriers' knives imported into this country since the imposition of the tariff on cutlery?

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) the situation of the loans and advances made to the Persian Government between the years 1912 and 1920, indicating in each case the original amount advanced, the rate of interest stipulated, the capital amount due in April, 1925, and the security upon which each of these loans and advances were made, and the currency in which repayment is to be effected;(2) whether the reduction of £2,000,000 agreed to by His Majesty's Government in April, 1925, in respect of various loans and advances made to the Persian Government between 1912 and 1920, is a proportionate reduction of each loan or advance, or whether the reduction has been secured by the total or partial abandonment of some of the British claims in respect of loans and advances; and, if so, which claims have been abandoned?

I have been asked to reply. The subjoined table shows the position of the loans and advances in question. The reduction to £2,000,000 offered by His Majesty's Government in April, 1925, and subsequently accepted by the Persian Government subject to ratification by the Persian Legislature, was a simple reduction of the total amount and was not in any way apportioned between the various items. It was proposed that the reduced amount of £2,000,000 should be repaid by 25 annual instalments of £180,000 each, this figure including interest at 7 per cent. and sinking fund. In all eases the loans are repayable in sterling and should bear interest at 7 per cent. This interest is being paid regularly in the case of the 1912–1914 advances, but not in the other cases.