asked the Minister of Pensions, with regard to officers loaned from his Department to the Export Credits Department, whether any definite decision has been taken to retain any such officers permanently in the service of the Export Credits Department?

No decision has been taken in this matter.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of officers in the undermentioned grades

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of P (probationary) class clerks in his Department promoted to established posts at the last convenient date?

The particulars requested are given in the following table:

No "P" class clerks in the War Office have as yet been promoted, but the selection of candidates for promotion is now proceeding; 25 clerks of the analogous grade in War Department outstations have been selected for appointment to established posts.

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

The number of "P" (permanent non-pensionable) clerks in the Ministry of Pensions who had been promoted to the established clerical class by the 1st instant was 25.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the principle is accepted of paying acting pay during the prolonged sick leave of higher officers in the Civil Service; and, if not, what are the objections to this course?

The general Civil Service rule is that officers are expected to undertake without extra remuneration the additional work or responsibility resulting from the absence of their colleagues on sick or ordinary leave as a normal incident of a Service in which generous provision for leave is made. But this rule does not preclude the special consideration of exceptional cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether it is the practice of his Department to consult the staff side of the Departmental Whitley Council before permitting posts in the established complement carrying basic salaries of £300 per annum and upwards to lapse or to be filled by the appointment of unestablished officers; and whether, and in what circumstances, departures are made from such practice, and if it is intended to follow this procedure in the future?

The staff side of the Departmental Whitley Council is consulted in regard to the abolition or filling—otherwise than temporarily—of any established posts in those grades in regard to which consultation with the staff side is agreed as a general Civil Service practice. It is not proposed to vary this procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the 200 applicants who have been settled on schemes initiated since the present Gov- ernment came into power have received holdings fully equipped with house and steading; and how many of the 211 new holdings which will have been provided under those schemes when they are completed are fully equipped with house and steading?

Of the 200 applicants referred to, 36 applied and obtained enlargements of their holdings which were already equipped with buildings, and four were settled in succession to previous holders who had vacated new holdings. On the 160 new holdings constituted, 87 dwelling houses and 74 steadings are fully completed, 15 houses and 17 steadings are in process of completion, 23 houses and 11 steadings are not yet commenced; in the remaining cases, houses or steadings are not required on the holdings. On the 51 additional new holdings to be provided on the schemes in question, the corresponding figures are: completed, 3 dwelling houses and 0 steadings; in process of completion 15 and 11; not commenced 32 and 39; not required 1 and 1.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is now in a position to give any information in regard to the disappearance of Lieut. T. S. Knowles, 1st Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, in China last October; and, particularly, whether he has any evidence as to that officer having been murdered by Chinese soldiers?

At the time of his disappearance, Lieutenant Knowles was on leave touring in the hills to the West of Peking. It is known that he visited the Trappist Monastery in that area, and then proceeded to a mountain further to the West, where he remained for two or three days. His subsequent movements have not been definitely traced, but the presumption is that he was killed either accidentally or in an affray with soldiers or brigands shortly after 20th October last. It is known that about this time Shansi troops had unexpectedly made an incursion into this region. It is hoped to conduct an investigation on the spot as soon as circumstances permit, with the object of ascertaining the exact facts.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has received Reports from the Bombay Presidency as to the effect of the agitation against the payment of taxes in the Bombay Taluki; whether he is aware that the villages have been terrorised to such an extent that they are unable or unwilling in any way to assist the Administration; and whether the Secretary of State will make inquiries with a view to recommending that Section 4 of the Bombay Village Police Act, 1867, that makes permissive provision for the welding of district and village police, may be made effective with a view to the maintenance of public security?

I invite my hon. and gallant Friend's attention to the full statement on this matter which was circulated with the OFFICIAL REPORT this morning. My Noble Friend thinks it best to leave to the Bombay Government in consultation with the Government of India the discretion to adopt such measures as seem to them best calculated to meet the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that certain ex-British civil servants in the Irish Free State, who are employed as officers in Cork Prison, have recently had their hours of work increased from eight hours per day to nearly 10 hours per day, contrary to the terms of Article 77 of the Irish Free State Constitution Act; and whether any representations have been made to the Government of the Irish Free State in the matter?

I have no official information to the effect indicated in the first part of my hon. Friend's question, but in any event there is, in the Article referred to, no provision dealing with such questions as hours of work, and there is accordingly no ground on which representations could be made by His Majesty's Government in Great Britain to His Majesty's Government in the Irish Free State. Any representations that the officers in question desire to make as to the arrangement of their duties should be made by them to the Free State Government, whose officials they are.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether any British films have been debarred from exhibition in Australia owing to the refusal of the Australian censor to pass them; and, if so, on what the complaints were based?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The reasons are explained in the recent Report of the Commonwealth of Australia Royal Commission on the Moving Picture Industry in Australia. I shall be glad to let my hon. Friend see a copy if he so desires.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of applications for commutation of pension which have been received during the last 12 months and the proportion which have been approved; and whether, as such requests are usually based on the extension of the little businesses which the applicants have built up, he will insure that, so far as possible, effect is given to them?

Applications for commutation of pension were received in about 3,500 cases which were eligible so far as regards the qualifying condition that the man must be in receipt of a a permanent pension of more than the minimum specified by the Regulations. Not more than 330 were granted, of which only 125 were for the purpose of starting or developing businesses. The fullest consideration is always given to applications of this character, but it will be understood that a large number of them have, in any case, under the Regulations, to be refused on medical grounds. I have, moreover, to be satisfied, in the interests of the pensioner, that the prospects of success in the objects proposed are such that commutation will be to the distinct and permanent advantage of the man.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the recommendations of the Consultative Committee of the League of Nations that, in the interests of international trade, every effort should be made to reduce the number of types and specifications of manufactured articles; and what steps he proposes to take to initiate a movement in British industry for simplification along these lines?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. A certain amount of progress in simplification has been made in recent years in various industries, under the auspices of the British Engineering Standards Association and otherwise; and recently, largely as the result of a discussion at the last Imperial Conference, steps have been taken to extend the movement through the establishment of a Central Committee representing manufacturers, distributors and users in this country, under the chairmanship of the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the United States line is registered under the Business Names Act; and, if not, what action he proposes to take?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I understand, however, that the business referred to is carried on by United States Shipping Board Merchant Fleet Corporation, and the Registrar of Companies is at present in communication with the Corporation with a view to their complying with the provisions of Section 274 of the Companies (Consolidation) Act, 1908.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons between the ages of 14 and 16 and between 16 and 18 were registered as unemployed at the end of May, 1928; what percentage these figures are to the total number of registered unemployed; and what amount in benefit was paid during the six months ending May, 1928, to young persons between 16 and 18?

At 21st May, 1928, the number of juveniles aged 14 to 17 years, on the registers of Employment Exchanges and Juvenile Employment Bureaux in Great Britain was 58,369 or 5.3 per cent. of the total number of persons on the register at that date. I am unable to give separate figures for persons aged 14 to 16 and 16 to 18 respectively. The amount paid in benefit during the six months ended May, 1928, to young persons between 16 and 18 was about £130,000.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the fact that conflicting instructions have apparently been issued by the Metropolitan Police authorities and the Ministry of Transport in respect to ground-marks for parking cars; and will he make inquiries with a view to removing the anomaly thus created?

I am not aware of any conflict; but in some details, the ground marks are experimental and subject to alteration.

asked the Minister of Transport how many passenger coaches are now running on the railways in this country; what proportion of them are so built, as regards materials and design, as to prevent telescoping in the event of a collision; whether it is obligatory upon the companies to build all new rolling-stock of anti-telescoping design and construction; and, if not, will he introduce legislation to this end?

The number of passenger carrying vehicles owned by the railway companies in Great Britain on the 31st December last, was 51,465. It is not practicable to evolve any appliance which will prevent telescoping in all conditions in the event of a collision, but the matter is constantly before the companies, and a considerable proportion of the coaching stock built during recent years has been constructed with steel underframes. In addition, a considerable number of vehicles have been equipped recently with a special type of coupling and gangway designed with the same object. The matter is not one in respect of which I contemplate legislation

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state approximately how Jarrah-wood blocks and granite setts compare for cost and durability as surfacing material for roads carrying heavy traffic; and whether, in view of the drawbacks of setts in the matter of noise, he can arrange for their replacement by wood blocks in all urban roads undergoing repair?

Jarrah-wood blocks have not been laid down on any Class I or Class II road in the London area for some years, but creosoted block paving is extensively used owing to its more even wear, The cost of laying Jarrah-wood blocks and granite setts, inclusive of concrete foundation, would be about 20s. and 25s. per superficial yard, and the life under heavy traffic approximately 10 and 20 years, respectively. Granite sett roads are gradually being replaced by other surfacings, except in heavily trafficked roads in industrial areas.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average cost to the ratepayer of the unclassified (scheduled and unscheduled) roads now administered by rural district councils; and whether a grant of at least 25 per cent. of these expenses will be included in any block grant made to counties under the new proposals?

I have been asked to reply. The estimated gross expenditure per mile by rural district councils on the maintenance of scheduled roads for the year 1927–8 is £134. Of this expenditure 25 per cent. falls to be met from the Road Fund. I regret that I have not sufficient information to enable me to estimate the cost of improvement of scheduled roads or to give figures in regard to unscheduled roads. The basis on which the block grant will be made is given in detail in the Memorandum which has recently been issued explaining the Government's proposals for reform in local government.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any statistics which will show the number of cases in which costs have been given against the police in the Metropolitan district during the years 1920 to, 1927, inclusive?

I regret the figures are not available.

asked the Home Secretary particulars of the number of charges of perjury which have been brought against any police officers in the Metropolitan Police district for the years 1920 to 1927, inclusive; and the number of charges dismissed in the Metropolitan Police area through uncorroborated police evidence?

In the years 1920 to 1927 inclusive, there have been two cases of charges of perjury against Metropolitan Police officers. In one case two officers were charged, and in the other one officer was summoned. In neither case was there a conviction. There are no statistics showing the number of charges dismissed in the Metropolitan Police district for lack of corroboration of police evidence.