asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of iron and steel works operating in the County of Lanark for the years 1913 and 1927, respectively, with the number of persons employed in each of those years?

At the end of 1927, 58 works were registered at the Home Office as engaged in the administrative County of Lanark (excluding Glasgow) in the smelting of pig iron, the conversion of iron into steel, and the rolling, founding or forging of iron and steel, but exclusive of tube drawing. The number of insured persons under the Unemployment Insurance Acts on 1st July, 1927, classified as engaged in these branches of the iron and steel industry in the same area was approximately 17,300, of whom about 2,400 were recorded as unemployed. Corresponding particulars for 1913 are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of persons at work in the manufacture of scientific and photographic instruments and apparatus in July, 1923, and July, 1927, respectively?

The following statement gives the figures asked for:

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage of unemployed in the iron and steel industry, shipbuilding industry, marine engineering, and mining industries for 1927; and the number of unemployed miners in South Wales and Durham, and the percentage of unemployed for the whole country, for the first three months of 1928?

It has not been possible in the time available to compile the statistics desired by the hon. Member, but I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT within the next day or two.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the hardship that is caused by the Clause in the Unemployment Insurance Act preventing the payment of benefit in respect of women acting as housekeepers to unmarried men or widowers, or women who are in charge of their children, he will consider the introduction of amending legislation?

The new Act does not abolish the allowance for a housekeeper in any case in which it was payable previously. On the contrary it extends the cases where this allowance is payable.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured workers in the shale industry, including miners and oil workers, unemployed and receiving relief in March of this year?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 15th March by my hon. and gallant Friend the Secretary for Mines, to the hon. Member for the Bothwell Division (Mr. Sullivan).

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured persons in employment at the end of April?

The following table shows the estimated numbers of insured persons aged 16 to 64 in employment on 23rd April, 1928; corresponding figures for 23rd January, 20th February and 26th March are added for comparison.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured men and women, respectively, in Great Britain, classified as belonging to either the theatrical or music-hall profession, recorded as unemployed and in receipt of benefit at the last convenient date?

The theatrical and music-hall professions are not separately distinguished in the statistics of employment and unemployment derived from the working of the Unemployment Insurance Acts, but are included in the general group "Entertainments and Sport"; and the information desired is therefore not available.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will provide that ballot papers of different colour shall be issued to male and female voters at forthcoming Parliamentary elections, as is already done in the Parliamentary elections at certain universities?

The proposal of my hon. Friend would be contrary to the Ballot Act, and would add to the expense of elections.

asked the Home Secretary whether there is any evidence in his Department of organisations or individuals being subsidised from foreign sources for the purpose of maintaining propaganda designed or calculated to subvert any of the institutions or trade union organisations in this country; and, if so, will he publish the facts regarding their activities and give their names or, alternatively, set up a Committee of Members of Parliament to inquire into the whole question?

Yes, Sir. There is no doubt that the Communist organisations in this country are largely dependent upon moneys from foreign sources. I am at this moment inquiring into the history of specific payments of this kind, and I will make a further statement as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the officers of his Department have made or are making any reports on the electric traffic regulators that are in use at Piccadilly; whether this system has proved successful; and is it the intention of his Department to recommend the installation of this system at other traffic points in the London area?

I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to a similar question put to me by the hon. Member on the 5th April last, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the present high charge of 7d. per unit for lighting purposes is still in existence in Pontefract despite the low price of coal; and whether he will have inquiries made into the matter?

I have received no representations with regard to the price of electricity in Pontefract since the hon. and gallant Member communicated with me on the subject last year, and I am not aware of the present position. I will, however, cause further inquiry to be made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what have been the profits on recoinage of silver coins for the years 1924, 1925, 1026 and 1927; and whether there has been a loss on the expense of redeeming surplus silver coins?

During the four years in question the net profit arising from the recoinage of silver currency was approximately £1,300,000, and the net cost of redeeming surplus silver currency was approximately £1,900,000.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many of the inspectors in the Mines Department, with experience of tin-mining, are engaged on work in other districts; and how many of these men are, or have recently been, engaged for his Department in Scotland?

Six of the inspectorate staff have experience of tin-mining. One of these is the Chief Inspector of Mines, one is employed in Scotland. The other four are in the Midland and Southern Division in which Cornwall is included.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any record is kept of foreign fishing vessels which put in to British ports; and whether classified totals are available for recent years?

The following statement shows the number and net tonnage of foreign vessels that entered from, and cleared for, Deep Sea Fisheries at ports of the United Kingdom during each of the years 1924 to 1026. Similar particulars for 1927 will be available shortly:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether a part of the research work on explosives and explosive appliances is in future to be conducted at Messrs. Nobels, Limited, laboratories; and where the remaining research work is to be carried on?

The Government Testing Station at Rotherham had to be closed down owing to the difficulty of obtaining supplies of suitable gas. Messrs. Nobel allowed their testing gallery at Ardeer to be used temporarily by the Government testing officers without charge. The work will in future be carried out at the Buxton station of the Safety in Mines Research Board, where the general research work in connection with explosives is carried out. Some portions of the research work are performed at Manchester and Leeds Universities, and Messrs. Nobel allow their laboratories to be used without charge for the portions of the research work for which they are peculiarly suited.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Sidney Houghton, living at the Sun Inn, Stretham, a sufferer from tuberculosis, whose pension was stopped on the ground that aggravation had passed away; whether he is aware that the man is suffering acutely and needs treatment and extra nourishment; and whether he will consider reopening the case?

I am informed that the man referred to was for a brief period from 1920 to 1922 in receipt of a, small pension in respect, among other matters, of slight aggravation by service of chest trouble, which was of pre-War origin and which at no time during this period exhibited any active symptoms of tuberculosis. Any possible effects of service were found to have passed away in 1922, and the Ministry's view of the case was confirmed on examination by the Independent Appeal Tribunal. In these circumstances, I regret that I have no grounds for adopting the course suggested.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Committee which he is about to set up to consider the subject of maternal mortality will be invited to consider every aspect of this question?

My right hon. Friend suggests that the hon. Member should await the Terms of Reference to the Committee.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether, in consequence of the epidemic of small-pox, he has instructed boards of guardians to adhere strictly to the provisions with regard to the disinfection of the vagrants' own clothes; and whether any instructions have been issued by him that these clothes, when taken away at night, shall not all be bundled together;(2) whether, in consequence of the epidemic of small-pox, he has instructed boards of guardians to adhere strictly to the provisions with regard to the provision of warm baths; and whether any special instructions have been issued that nightshirts and towels shall be washed before being given to each separate person?

I am sending, the hon. Member copies of the circular letters recently issued to boards of guardians in consequence of the epidemic of small-pox. Apart from these no special instructions have been issued, but the guardians are fully aware of the Regulations in force and the officers of my Department would, as occasion might require, draw their attention to any necessary improvements in the arrangements of the several casual wards. As at present advised, my right hon. Friend sees no ground for further action on his part.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average price of parlour and non-parlour type houses now being erected by local authorities under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924?

The average prices of parlour and non-parlour houses included in contracts let by local authorities during the quarter ending in March last were £437 and £368 respectively. These prices do not include the cost of land and development.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons are living in Plymouth in houses in respect of which closing orders have been made?

My right hon. Friend will make inquiries, and will communicate further with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Plymouth for the year 1927, in which he states, with reference to the three insanitary areas which he scheduled in Plymouth more than three years ago, that he can only repeat the words of his last annual report, namely, that it appears almost incredible that the short, though necessary, formalities regarding his representation should still be incompleted and that matters should have advanced so little towards any definite end; and whether he will take action in the matter?

My right hon. Friend has seen the report to which the hon. Member refers. A scheme dealing with one of the areas in question has been submitted to my right hon. Friend and he has directed a public inquiry into the scheme. He is making inquiry as to the other two schemes.

asked the Minister of Health what was the figure paid in each of the years 1920 to 1927, inclusive, by the owners of insanitary house property in Plymouth for the repair of insanitary houses under the powers given by Section 3 of the Housing Act, 1925; how much money was spent in the same years by the town council because the work was not done by the owners; and to what, extent these latter sums have been recouped by the town council?

Information on the precise points referred to in the question is not in my possession, but the report of the Medical Officer of Health for 1927 states that upwards of £100,000 was spent by owners of insanitary property on repair work during the years 1924–1927.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mr. John Malley, of No. 2, Boddon Street, Lowton, Lancashire, applied for an old age pension during November or December, 1927, and why the pension was disallowed; and what arrangement exists between his Department and the Ministry of Labour regarding the payment of unemployment benefit until the proof of age in doubtful cases has been established of applicants who may or may not be 65 years or 70 years of age?

As regards the first part of the question, Mr. Malley's claim for pension was disallowed because it had not been established that he was between the age of 65 and 70 on 2nd January, 1928, but further evidence on this point was recently furnished by him and pension has now been awarded. As regards the second part of the question, it has been arranged with the Ministry of Labour that, in connection with the first claim for unemployment benefit after 2nd January, 1928, from a person who states that at the date of his claim his age is not less than 63, steps will he taken, in agreement with my Department where primary evidence of age is not available, to determine the age of the claimant, so that the question may be settled before a claim to an old age pension is made.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the Budget proposals, he contemplates purchasing larger quantities of shale oil for naval purposes?

The shale oil producers will be invited to quote when supplies are required in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether his attention has been drawn to the report that Chief Norlu and 10 of his natives arrested in the Solomon Islands for the murder of British officials and native police in October last, and imprisoned since then in Malaita Island, have died in captivity, and that 26 other prisoners are ill; and whether he will instruct the Commissioner, who is going to the Solomon Islands in June, to consider the question of captivity, prison diet, and lack of exercise in relation to the mentality and customs of the natives of these islands?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his question of yesterday.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the number of prospecting licences, mining leases, or mining rights in connection with the discovery of platinum that have been granted by the Government of Sierra Leone?

I have no information as to whether any of these titles have yet been granted.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any reports of the attack by the Zaraniq and other allied tribes in the Yemen; and can he give the House full particulars?

Reports received from Aden indicate that there has been trouble for some little time past between the Zaraniq tribe and the authorities of the Yemen; but I am not aware that actual hostilities have taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can report any progress in the re-establishment of the air line from Cairo to Karachi, interrupted by the action of the Persian Government in preventing British aircraft from flying over Persian territory; whether any alternative route outside Persian territory is being prepared; and whether the possibility of using flying boats in the Persian Gulf has been considered, and with what result?

Conversations are proceeding at present with the Persian Government, and I should prefer not to make any statement at this stage which might possibly prejudice their success.

asked the Postmaster-General how many medical certificates of exemption from overtime were in force on 1st January, 1927, 1st July, 1927, and 1st January, 1928, respectively; how often such a certificate is required; whether the officers concerned have in many cases to obtain the certificate at their own expense; and whether, in any such case, they have been compelled to have the certificate ratified by the Post Office medical officer?

I regret that the figures required by the hon. Member are not available for the whole of the Post Office, but if he desires figures for the Money Order Department, as might be inferred from subsequent questions, the information is as follows:—There were no certificates of exemption from overtime in force on 1st January, 1927; there were 11 in force on the 1st July, 1927, and 19 on 1st January, 1928. The frequency with which such certificates have to be renewed depends primarily on the terms of the certificate. Seventy-five per cent. of the exemptions are recommended by the Post Office medical officers without expense to the officers concerned. The remaining exemptions are based on certificates from private medical attendants, and are subject to review by the Post Office medical officer.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to a resolution passed by the Birmingham Adult Deaf and Dumb Association urging that, having regard to the amount of unemployment and social hardship suffered by the deaf and dumb, a departmental committee should investigate the present conditions and needs of that class in order to decide whether the expenditure involved in the education of such children is economically productive in the industrial life of those benefited; and whether he proposes to set up such a departmental committee?

I have not received a copy of the resolution referred to, and, as at present advised, I doubt whether any useful purpose would be served by the appointment of a departmental committee.