asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the preliminary trials of the rotating loop direction-finding system investigated by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have proved satisfactory; whether he can now state if it has been decided by his Department, in conjunction with the Air Ministry and Trinity House, to establish an experimental station of this type, and, if so, where this station will be established?

As the result of the preliminary trials of the rotating loop system (a report on which, I understand, will be published shortly by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research), it is proposed to erect an experimental station at Orfordness for air and marine navigation which can be tried under service conditions. The arrangements are not yet completed, but I will let the hon. Member know as soon as a definite decision is arrived at.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he has received any report of the extent to which the Junker Company monopoly of flying in Persia is affecting the flying of British aeroplanes between Iraq and India?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Attorney-General when it is proposed to introduce the District Probate Registries Bill?

The Administration of Justice Bill, which has received a Second Reading in another place, includes the provision with respect to the reorganisation of the District Probate Registries to which I think the hon. Member refers.

asked the President of the Board of Education what is the number of children of school age in England and Wales not in attendance at school on account of tuberculosis or threatened tubercular trouble; what education authorities have no provision of open-air classes for such children or of transference to sanatoria which provide schooling; and which of the education authorities which have not themselves made provision for open-air classes or transfer to sanatorium schools have entered into arrangements with other authorities for the treatment, care, and schooling of such children?

According to returns furnished by local education authorities, there were, on the 31st December last, 8,213 children of school age suffering from various types of tuberculosis who were not attending school. Generally speaking, responsibility for the treatment and education of tuberculous children does not rest with local education authorities. Fifty education authorities have, however, provided open-air schools for delicate or pre-tuberculous children and a few sanatorium schools for tuberculous children. The returns received from authorities do not enable me to answer the last part of the question.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Government printing and printing and stationery contracts, other than voters' lists, now held by London firms for execution in London, exclusive of contracts placed with His Majesty's Stationery Office printing works; the names of such firms; the class of contract; and the approximate value of the contract in each case?

The number of contracts referred to in the first part of the question is 139, made up of:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to cases of serious hardship through application of the terms of Section 34 of the Finance Act, 1926; and whether he will consider such cases with the view to relieving the taxpayers in such cases?

I am not aware of any such cases, but if my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind any case in which it is alleged that hardship has arisen from the application of Section 34 of the Finance Act, 1926, and will let me have the necessary particulars, I will have inquiry made and will communicate the result to him in due course.

asked the Minister of Health if he will inquire into the circumstances as to why a pension has not been paid to Mrs. E. M. Leach, of 73, Victoria Street, E.15?

I have made inquiries and find that a notice was issued to Mrs. Leach on the 22nd March informing her that a pension had been awarded to her as from 2nd January, 1928, that on 26th March she drew the outstanding arrears of pension and that she has been in a position since that date to draw her pension on the weekly payment day.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that patients, in Health Insurance Section Approved Society No. 214, Co-operative Wholesale Society, are unable to obtain dental treatment by the dentist of their choice, as the society named refuses to pay the scale of fees approved by the Dental Benefit Joint Committee on 27th July, 1926, to operate from 1st October, 1926, to 6th July, 1930; and if he will take any action in the matter?

I am aware that the approved society referred to has not recognised the scale of charges approved by the Dental Benefit Joint Committee, and a number of complaints have been received to the effect suggested in the question. The society cannot be considered to be infringing any existing statutory provision by limiting in this manner the members' freedom of choice of dentist, but the whole question of the steps to be taken to secure that insured persons entitled to dental benefit shall be able to obtain satisfactory treatment with proper freedom of choice of dentist, will receive consideration in connection with the Regulations to be made on the subject under the National Health Insurance Bill now before the House.

asked the Secretary for Mines if the investigations into the position of tin mines in Cornwall was completed by 31st March, 1928?

The only investigations conducted by the Mines Depart-

asked the Minister of Transport whether his Department has declined to assist in the making of a proposed new road from Mountain Ash to Aberdare; and, if so, will he reconsider such decision, with a view to placing in

asked the Secretary for Mines how many inspectors in the Mines Department with a special knowledge of Wales have been placed on the work of cataloguing abandoned mines in Scotland?

None.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of areas that have been isolated through outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease during the last month; how many cattle have been found to be infected; and how many have been slaughtered in each area?

During April one fresh infected area was declared on account of an outbreak of foot-and mouth disease at Selston (Notts), and three outbreaks were confirmed in areas in which restrictions were in operation at the end of March on account of previous outbreaks. Particulars of the animals found affected and slaughtered in connection with the above outbreaks are as follow:employment many of the unemployed in Glamorgan?

I have made a 50 per cent. grant towards an expenditure of about £95,000 incurred by the local authorities in forming two sections of this road. The third section would probably cost about £100,000, and is not urgently required from the point of view of traffic needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has information showing the salaries paid to

The annual salaries paid to the principal officers of the Shanghai Municipal Council are as follow: