asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many persons were employed in the Passports Department of the Foreign Office in June 1914, June 1921, and June 1928, respectively?

The numbers are as follow:—

asked the Undersecretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works the number of employés in the service of his Department engaged in the Palace of Westminster who are not entitled to pension when their service terminates, the rate of wages paid in the respective classes or grades, and the number that have completed more than 20 years' service?

The number of employés in the service of the Office of Works, engaged in the Palace of Westminster, who are not entitled to pension, is 130, of whom 36 have completed more than 20 years' service I am sending the hon. Member a statement showing the rates of wages paid to the various grades.

asked the Minister of Health the number of P (probationary) class clerks in his Department promoted to established posts at the last convenient date?

Forty-five P (permanent unestablished) clerks have been promoted to the established clerical grade in my Department of whom six were so promoted in June last. A further two are about to be promoted.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of P (probationary) class clerks in his Department promoted to established posts at the last convenient date?

Fifty P class clerks have been promoted to date to established clerical posts in the Ministry of Labour, and steps are now in progress for the promotion of a further 25.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of P (probationary) class clerks in his Department promoted to established posts at the last convenient date?

The promotion of six P (permanent unestablished) clerks to established posts has recently been approved, and further promotions will be made at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is informed by the various Dominion Governments that there are openings for emigrants in occupations other than agriculture to any important extent; and, if so, will he give instructions for the issue of a brief official statement, showing in what occupations, and in which of the Dominions, openings exist?

Particulars of the openings both in agriculture and in other directions are given in the handbooks issued by the Oversea Settlement Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will now publish the correspondence that has passed between the Governor of Kenya and the Colonial Office on the subject of the Native Land Trust Bill?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 25th June to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy).

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total importations of spirits in gallons and the importations of gin for each of the following Colonies, namely, Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia, for each of the years 1926 and 1927; and the countries from which the total spirits were exported to each of these Colonies?

The figures are as follow in gallons:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will investigate the circumstances affecting non-payment of allowance to ex-Rifleman B. J. Gale, No. 31,810, in respect of the time he was a prisoner of war?

I regret I cannot undertake to investigate claims of this nature presented ten years after the event. At such a distance of time, material facts and relevant documents are normally no longer available.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will place a copy of the syllabus of the most recent course of instruction given at the Army school of dispensing in the Library of the House of Commons?

The syllabus is contained in Section XXX of the Standing Orders for the Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Army Medical Corps (T.A.) and the Army Dental Corps, a copy of which I am placing in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is the opinion of the medical authorities at the War Office that Army dispensers not qualified as pharmacists possess sufficient skill, knowledge and experience to be made directly responsible for the training of Army dispensers at the Army school of dispensing?

Yes, Sir, the Army medical authorities are satisfied that the Army dispensers selected as instructors under the Officer Commanding the Army School of Dispensing are fully qualified for their posts.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether soldiers of the Royal Army Medical Corps attending the courses of instruction at the Army School of Dispensing are examined at the conclusion of such course; and, if so, by whom they are examined and the percentage of failures at courses held during the last three years?

Yes, Sir; they are examined by a board of medical officers at the conclusion of the course. The percentage of failures during the last three years has been 37.

asked the Minister of Transport the total mileage of roads and the estimated number of persons per mile of road in each administrative county of England and Wales outside London?

The table which follows shows the mileage of public highways and the number of persons per mile of public highways in each of the administrative counties of England and Wales (excluding London):

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the steps being taken in America and elsewhere for the official grading and stamping of beef carcases for the benefit of producer and consumer; and whether any and, if so, what action has been taken to deal with this matter on similar lines in this country?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In regard to the second part, officers of my Department have been in touch with the National Farmers' Union and other interests concerned with a view to the inauguration of an experiment on similar lines in this country. I am hopeful that an agreed scheme will shortly be put forward. In the meantime, I have arranged for the idea to be illustrated at the marketing demonstrations which my Department is giving at certain agricultural shows this summer.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in order to facilitate the studies of Members, he will give the algebraic formula of which paragraph 23 of Cmd. 3134 is a paraphrase?

The formula is as follows:—

asked the Minister of Health if he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal of an old age pension to Mr. and Mrs. Houghton, of 119, Studley Road, Forest Gate, E.7?

Claims for pensions at age over 70 were received in my Department from Mr. and Mrs. Houghton in June and July, 1926, but as the application forms showed that the claims were not based on insurance, no title existed by virtue of the Contributory Pensions Act, 1925. In accordance with the normal practice the claims were transferred to the pensions officer to investigate whether a title existed under the Old Age Pensions Acts of 1908 to 1924, and I am advised that the claimants were notified by the Local Pensions Committee on 29th October, 1926, that their claims failed because their means exceeded the statutory limit.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will investigate the circumstances attending the refusal by the West Ham local committee to grant a bathchair to William J. Churchman, 5, Devonshire Road, E.15; whether he is aware that without such assistance this man cannot get out of doors; and whether, in view of the medical certificate recommending such aid, he will have the case reconsidered?

I am making inquiry into this case, and will communicate further with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal to supply surgical boots to Mr. A. W. Osborne, 34, Bakers Row, Stratford, E.15; and whether he is aware that medical certificates have been produced by this man to the effect that special surgical boots are necessary?

In the case referred to I am advised that special surgical boots are not necessary, but that the condition requires no more than minor adaptations to a normal boot, and these the Ministry usually supply.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of brewers or firms in the following classes, and the total number of bulk barrels brewed in each class; brewers brewing under 10,000 barrels; brewers brewing under 100,000 barrels; brewers brewing under 250,000 barrels; and brewers brewing under 500,000 barrels?

The information asked for would require to be specially compiled, involving a Very considerable amount of expense which I do not consider would be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland on what terms rams are to be supplied by the Board of Agriculture to crofters in the Highlands of Scotland this season?

Cheviot and Black-faced rams will be hired to township committees in the crofting counties at a fee of £1 5s. each. In those cases where township committees arrange to hire approved rams from neighbouring farmers, the Board may make a grant not exceeding £1 5s. per ram on condition that the committee's contribution towards the hire is at least £l 5s. per ram.

asked the Lord Advocate when the appeal of Neil Macdonald and Ewan Maclennan against the sentence passed on them at Lochmaddy, was marked?

The appeal was marked on 14th June.