asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to state whether the proposals, already approved by him, of the Board of Agriculture for the initiation of a scheme for the constitution of new holdings, and enlargements of existing holdings, from the farm of Skiberscross, in the parish of Rogart, Sutherland, have yet been formulated in accordance with statutory requirements; and what further action is contemplated by him, and when?

The Board of Agriculture for Scotland are at present conducting the necessary negotiations with applicants in order that the scheme may be laid before the proprietor in accordance with statutory requirements, at the earliest possible date.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any information about the case of Henry McCallum, of East Benhar, Fauldhouse, who alleges that he was detained in Larbert asylum against his will and for no reasonable cause; that he was sent there on the instructions of the parish council inspector; and that he was sent to the asylum before being actually certified and, although classed as delusional, was in fact only suffering from an internal complaint; and whether he will inquire into this case?

I am informed that Mr. Henry McCallum was detained in the asylum because he was acutely insane. He was removed to the asylum at the instance of the Inspector of Poor at Whitburn on a medical certificate signed before his removal that he was of unsound mind and that the case was one of emergency. The medical certificates are to the effect that he suffered from delusions of persecution, and this was also the opinion of the Medical Superintendent of the Asylum. The proceedings were in order, and I see no reason for further inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland for each county in Scotland the number of representatives, and the areas for which they are elected or appointed, forming the county council and education authorities, respectively?

The contents and boundaries of county electoral divisions as determined by Orders of the Boundary Commissioners for Scotland are set out in Appendix B of the Report of the Commissioners (C. 6940–1893). These Orders have been amended by Orders under Section 51 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1889, which have not been collectively published and are affected by other Orders and by legislation altering the boundaries of burghs. With regard to education authorities, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the Scottish Education Department's List of Education Authorities, etc (Form 87), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that no accommodation is provided at Budhill School, Springboig, for the elder chil- dren of 11 and 12 years, and that in consequence these children have to go daily by rail to Uddingston School; and if he will take steps to insure the provision of more accommodation at Budhill School, in view of this situation and of the fact that 542 new steel houses are being erected in that place, some of which are completed and the remainder nearing completion?

The education authority are of opinion that the number of Springboig children beyond the qualifying age is too small to justify the very considerable expense which would be entailed by the establishment of an advanced division at Budhill School, and they have decided that the alternative of requiring the pupils to travel to Uddingston is preferable. So long as things remain as they are now, the Department see no reason to question the wisdom of this decision. In the event of a change of circumstances, it will, of course, be subject to review and reconsideration.

asked the Minister of Health if vagrants who upon entering a casual ward express the desire to leave at 6.30 a.m. the following day are medically inspected before departure; and, if so, when?

If such a casual is not medically inspected on the evening of his arrival, he would be examined on the following day, and would not be allowed to leave until the examination had taken place.

asked the Minister of Health the number of casual wards in England and Wales; the number of inspectors who inspect these wards; and the number of inspections made by them for the latest period for which statistics are available?

There are at present 482 casual wards in England and Wales in regular use. The total number of general, assistant and women inspectors whose duties include the inspection of casual wards is 31. Every ward is inspected at least once a year and more frequently where the circumstances require it, but such statistics as are asked for are not available.

asked the Minister of Health if vagrants who enter the casual ward of an institution which has a resident medical officer attached are medically inspected upon the evening of their arrival or upon the following morning?

As I have informed my hon. Friend, I have no precise information on this subject, but I shall be glad to inquire into any case in which he has reason to believe that the examination is not carried out on the evening of arrival.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the meeting of the Durham County Council and to the statement of the chairman of the finance committee that a county rate of 6s. will be necessary to meet the expenditure for the year, and that in the present state of the industries, with special reference to the coal trade, this is beyond their power to pay; and if, in these circumstances, he proposes to render any further help to the ratepayers, either by administrative or legislative action?

I am aware of the rate, which is the same as that for last year, but not of the statement said to have been made. I would point out that this county will gain substantially from the financial proposals of the Government.

asked the Minister of Health the total amount of economy in Exchequer expenditure he expects to effect by his proposals to local authorities to cut down their grants for the supply of milk and nourishment in connection with maternity and child welfare work.

It is estimated that the total amount of the Exchequer grants payable to local authorities in respect of their expenditure for this purpose during the present financial year will be about £12,000 less than would have been the case in normal circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to a recent case before the King's Bench Divisional Court, in which judgment was given that a man who had reached the age at which he was entitled to an old age pension under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act could pay contributions which were in arrear and thus qualify for a pension; and whether this is to be the practice of his Department in interpreting the Act in this respect?

As regards the first part of the question, I am advised that the effect of the decision of the Divisional Court is that contributions, payable for an earlier period, which are not paid until after the appointed day are to be taken into account in determining whether conditions ( b ) and ( c ) of Section 8 of the Contributory Pensions Act are satisfied. As regards the second part of the question, my Department will give effect to the decision of the Court.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that Joseph Taylor, of Elston Fields, Leicester, has been refused an old age pension in consequence of the fact that his employer, who should have paid insurance, failed to do so; that proceedings taken by his Department had secured the payment of 73 stamps and that 31 remained unpaid; that though the 31 contributions had been tendered to his Department the pension had been refused on the ground that the payment had not been made within the time in which Mr. Taylor was qualifying for the pension; that this case came before the Lord Chief Justice in the King's Bench Division on 26th July, who stated that Mr. Taylor was entitled to a pension; and what action he intends taking in the matter?

The answer to the first and second parts of the question is in the affirmative; as regards the third part, there has been no actual tender of the outstanding contributions by Mr. Taylor; as regards the fourth part, I am advised that the effect of the decision of the Division 1 Court is that contributions, payable for an earlier period, which were not in fact paid until after the appointed day, are to be taken into account in determining whether conditions ( b ) and ( c ) of Section 8 of the Contributory Pensions Act are satisfied; as regards the last part of the question, Mr. Taylor appealed against the rejec- tion of his claim to the referees appointed under the Act, who, at my request, stated a case for the opinion of the Court on the above question, and I am informed that the referees are about to notify Mr. Taylor of the result of his appeal.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the admittedly deleterious effects of noises on health, he will consider the appointment of a small Committee of Inquiry in order to ascertain the degrees of injury caused by various noises and as to how best to proceed to abate the nuisance?

I am not at present in a position to add anything to the statement of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in answer to a question on this subject on Thursday last.

asked the Minister of Health if the specifications for the 24 houses advertised by the Filey Urban District Council, which required that Swedish doors only were to be used, were approved by his Department?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in the cases of many houses whose owners are debarred from possession by the Rent Restrictions Acts, the rents received do not cover the mortgage interest; and whether he will consider the desirability of modifying the provisions of the Act in the near future so as to meet this particular hardship?

The present intention of the Government is that the Rent Restriction Acts should be extended for one year in their present form by means of the Expiring Laws Continuance Act, and if this is done it will not be practicable to introduce Amendments at that stage. Several suggestions which have been made for the amendment of the Acts, however, merit very careful consideration, and I can assure my hon. Friend that the question of modifying the Acts at the earliest opportunity will receive my earnest attention.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses that have been completed under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924 for the year ending 31st December, 1927?

During the year ended 31st December, 1927, 100,959 houses were completed under the Housing Act of 1923 and 95,288 under the Act of 1924.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the recent decision in the House of Lords arising out of an appeal under Section 9 of the Workmen's Compensation Act, 1925; and, if so, will he inquire, into the matter with a view to amending the Law to restore the previously accepted rights to compensation of partially incapacitated workmen?

I presume the hon. Member refers to the decision by the House of Lords in the case of Bevan v. Nixon's Navigation Company, Limited. It would appear from the condensed report which appeared in the "Times" of Thursday last that the effect of that decision was merely to confirm the law as it has been understood and applied ever since the decision of the Court of Appeal in Cardiff Corporation v. Hall in 1911, but I will look further into the matter when a complete report of the case is available.

asked the Home Secretary what has been the result of the inquiries of his legal advisers regarding the matters raised by the deputation of the Amusement Caterers' Association in May last?

On the 11th of last month I informed the hon. Member that I had carefully looked into the question, and I cannot add anything to the reply then given.

asked the Home Secretary what sum the Treasury proposes to contribute towards the cost of maintaining probationers in hostels?

A sum not exceeding 7s. 6d. a week, subject to a contribution of the same amount being made by the local authority. Fuller particulars are given in the Circular which I sent to Justices a few days ago. I will send a copy to the hon. Member.

asked the Home Secretary when the Isle of Man (Customs) Bill, 1928, was dealt with by the Manx Legislature?

I think the hon. Member is referring to the Resolutions of Tynwald in pursuance of the Isle of Man (Customs) Act, 1887. These were passed on 11th June.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works when the scale of salaries for the different employés of his Department in the Houses of Parliament was last revised; and whether any recent inquiry has been held to ascertain whether their present remuneration corresponds to their increased responsibilities.

The rates of pay of all employés of the Department engaged in the Houses of Parliament have been revised during the last five years, but I am not aware of any increased responsibilities which would warrant any inquiry into the present rates.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the additional staff that will be required on account of the labour transfer scheme will be taken from the Joint Substitution Board both in London and the provinces

The transfer of labour and other arrangements for dealing with unemployment recommended by the Industrial Transference Board are matters already being dealt with in the Ministry of Labour. Any additional temporary staff required will be recruited from among qualified ex-service men so far as these are available.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the recent appointment of a pensions officer for the district of Nant Conway, in the county of Carnarvon, who has no knowledge of the Welsh language, and that this tends to create inconvenience and hardship to claimants with only slight, if any, knowledge of the English language; and whether he will arrange for this officer to be transferred to another district and for a Welsh-speaking officer to be appointed for the Nant Conway district.

I have been asked to reply. I am informed that the Customs and Excise officer of Llanrwst Station, who deals with the old age pension work for the district of Nant Conway, is unable to speak Welsh, but that since he took up his appointment there on 3rd March last he has experienced no difficulty or inconvenience in the performance of his duties on this account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many senior officials of his Department have visited or served for any period in the Colonies with the affairs of which they are departmentally concerned.

The answer is eleven. This number does not include three officers whose present departmental duties are not concerned with the Dependencies which they have at one time or other visited or served in, or five officers not paid from Home funds or temporarily serving in the office.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give, under their various heads, an analysis of the increase of expenditure on the Army to-day over 1913?

The total of Army Estimates for 1913–14 was £28,220,000 compared with £41,050,000 for the current year. A detailed analysis of all the causes of increase would involve considerable labour, but the main items accounting for the difference are noneffective services, i.e., pensions, retired pay, etc. (approximately four-and-a-quarter millions increase), and pay of the Army (approximately six-and-a-half millions increase), together with a general rise in prices.

asked the Secretary of State for War the total cases of sleeping sickness per 10,000 of British troops yearly for the last five years; how this rate compares with those of the civilian population; and the annual rate for those quartered at home during the War years?

There has been one case of sleeping sickness (trypanosomiasis) in the British Army between 1923 and 1927. Statistics for the War period are not available. As regards the second part of the question, I am informed that the disease is not notifiable in England and Wales, and there are therefore no figures to show the incidence among the civilan population.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any inquiries as to the fate of Lieutenant T. S. Knowles, 1st battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, have been made from the Abbot of the Monastery de la Consolation at Yang Kia P'ing, where this officer is known to have stayed immediately before his disappearance; and, if so, by whom were the inquiries made and with what result?

I have been asked to reply. Inquiries were made from the Abbé of the monastery both by His Majesty's Legation and by the British military authorities in North China, who arranged for a retired officer resident at Tientsin to pay a personal visit to the Abbé. The Abbé's report, based on Chinese information, indicated that Lieutenant Knowles became involved between advancing Shansi troops and Mukden forces who were preparing to fight, and was shot by the latter. This report cannot, however, be confirmed, and must be accepted with reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can now state all the countries which have signed the American proposals for the outlawry of war?

I have been asked to reply. No country has yet signed the treaty for the renunciation of war. The United States proposals for such a treaty have been accepted by the British Empire, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia.

asked the hon. Member for Monmouth, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether any further outbreaks of Dutch elm disease have been discovered; and what steps, if any, can be taken to prevent this disease from spreading all over the country?

I have been asked to reply. I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on the 19th inst. except that the suspicious cases mentioned have been confirmed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has information as to any rises in wages in the large motor companies manufacturing cheap cars since the McKenna Duties were imposed or reimposed?

Since 1st July, 1925, when the McKenna Duties were reimposed, a bonus of 2s. per week has been granted, with effect from 1st August, 1927, to adult plain time-workers employed in all works belonging to firms who are members of the Engineering and Allied Employers' National Federation. The firms concerned in this increase include a number of those which make cheap cars in this country. Information is not available as to any increases in wages which may have taken place since July, 1925, in the case of unfederated firms.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disputes involving a stoppage of work have taken place in Great Britain since the passage into law of the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act, 1927?

The number of disputes involving a stoppage of work reported as having begun in Great Britain since the passing into law of the Trade Disputes and Trade Unions Act, 1927, is 296. Small disputes involving less than 10 workpeople or lasting less than one working day are not included in this figure.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that many married miners in the Somersetshire coalfield are receiving in wages (after deductions) no more than 19s. and 22s. per week; whether he is aware that the total figure of unemployed persons in the Bristol area exceeds 15,000; and whether he will confer with the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary for Mines in the endeavour to find ameliorative measures suitable for application in this area?

I have been asked to reply. As regards the first part, I am aware that, when a pit is closed for part of the week, the weekly wages may be as low as quoted. As regards the second part, the answer is in the affirmative; and as regards the third part, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to his earlier question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any information with regard to employment in the translucent and earthenware sections of the pottery trade, and in which section unemployment is greatest?

Certain statistical information concerning the state of employment in china manufacture, earthen- ware manufacture and other branches of the pottery industry is given regularly in the Ministry of Labour Gazette. The various sections of the pottery industry are not, however, separately distinguished in the statistics of unemployment derived from the working of the Unemployment Insurance Acts, and I therefore regret that I am unable to give the information which my hon. and gallant friend desires.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the number of persons registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom for the years ended 1st January, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1928, respectively; and the number of persons registered as unemployed in the whole of the County of Stafford for the same years?

The following statement gives the information desired:

Average numbers of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain and the County of Stafford respectively in each of the years 1922–1927:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons on the unemployment register for each of the last 12 months for each of the Metropolitan boroughs; and, if he cannot supply the figures for each borough, will he give them for each Employment Exchange, indicating, approximately, which borough council areas are covered?

The areas served by the various Employment Exchanges in London are not coterminous with those of the Metropolitan boroughs in which the Exchanges are situated, and I am therefore unable to give statistics in respect of individual Metropolitan boroughs. The following table shows the number of persons on the registers of each of the Employment Exchanges in the Metropolitan area on the Monday nearest the 14th of each month from August, 1927, to July, 1928, inclusive, and a statement is also given which shows the names of the Employment Exchanges whose areas include the whole or a part of each Metropolitan borough.

List of Metropolitan Boroughs and Employment Exchanges therein.

Metropolitan Boroughs and Employment Exchanges whose areas include the whole or a part of the Metropolitan Borough:

Battersea.—Clapham Junction, Tooting.

Bermondsey.—Bermondsey, Borough.

Bethnal Green.—Hackney, Shoreditch, Stepney.

Camberwell.—Bermondsey, Brixton, Camberwell, Deptford, Lewisham.

Chelsea.—Walham Green.

Deptford.—Bermondsey, Deptford. Lewisham.

Finsbury.—King's Cross, Shoreditch.

Fulham.—Shepherds Bush, Walham Green.

Greenwich. Deptford, Lewisham, Wool-wich.

Hackney.—Hackney, Wood Green.

Hammersmith.—Shepherds Bush.

Hampstead.—Camden Town, Edgware Road.

Holborn.—King's Cross.

Islington.—Holloway, King's Cross, Shoreditch.

Kensington.—Edgware Road, Shepherds Bush, Walham Green.

Lambeth.—Brixton, Borough, Camberwell, Clapham Junction.

Lewisham.—Deptford, Lewisham, Penge.

Paddington.—Edgware Road

Poplar.—Canning Town, Hackney Poplar.

St. Marylebone.—Camden Town Edgware Road.

St. Pancras.—Camden Town, King's Cross.

Shoreditch.—Hackney, Shoreditch.

Southwark.—Borough, Camberwell.

Stepney.—Shoreditch, Poplar, Stepney.

Stoke Newington.—Holloway, Wood Green.

Wandsworth.—Brixton, Clapham Junction, Tooting.

Westminster.—Walham Green, Edgware Road.

Woolwich.—Woolwich.

asked the Minister of Labour what progress has been made in the establishment of training centres in those areas where no alternative employment offers itself to the unemployed?

The training centres for young men recently opened at Bristol and Dudley are reserved mainly for men from the distressed mining areas. A further centre will shortly be opened at Glasgow and, in addition, arrangements have been made whereby half the accommodation at the Wallsend and Birmingham centres is available for non-local men. It has been decided to provide a residential farm training centre in Scotland for men going overseas, in addition to those at Brandon and Claydon. The Central Committee on Women's Training and Employment has in operation 31 home training centres; of these, 18 are in the distressed mining areas, and the committee has arranged for places to be reserved at four other centres for women and girls from those areas. In addition, 19 juvenile unemployment centres have been opened for boys in the distressed mining areas since the middle of last December and six centres which were already in existence have been expanded to meet local requirements. It is anticipated that at least four further centres will be opened before the coming winter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet made any inquiries as to the dangerous main-line railway crossing at Farcet, near Peterborough, where a motor-cyclist was recently killed; is he aware that there are seven sets of metals at this crossing, which is 45 yards wide; that the foreman of the jury, at the inquest, stated that the jury were of the opinion that some special precautions should be taken to prevent such accidents occuring in future; whether he is aware that within 14 days of the previous accident a workman using this crossing got between two passing trains, one a fast goods train the other being a passenger express; and whether he will endeavour to see that something is done to protect the lives of the 600 workmen using this crossing twice and three times daily as well as the 30 or 40 motor lorries regularly using this crossing daily for the removal of bricks from the adjacent brickyards?

I have now completed my inquiries into this matter, and am informed by the railway company that the level crossing in question is one over a bridle way and occupation road and not one over a public carriage road. The statutory obligation on the railway company in such cases is merely to provide gates, and as they have complied with this obligation I am not in a position to press them to do anything further. The brick company, whose employes use this crossing, is, of course, concerned with the safety of its employés. They have, I understand, already taken certain precautionary measures with this object, and if they consider that further measures of which they are prepared to bear the expense, would be an advantage, they will no doubt approach the railway company on the subject. I may, however, say that with the exception of the recent unfortunate accident to a cyclist, which, it seems clear, would not have occurred if proper care had been taken, there appear to have been no fatal accidents at this crossing during the last 25 years.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the specific nature and the quantities of the various classes of machinery shipped to Poland in 1921 and 1922 in respect of which payments had to be made under the exports-credits scheme?

I regret that I am unable to supply the detailed information asked for by the hon. Member, but I am precluded from disclosing particulars of individual transactions.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what are the amounts paid or promised toward administrative expenses for the year ending 31st March, 1928, and for the present fiscal year, to the following voluntary emigration organisations mentioned in the last Report of the Oversea Settlement Committee: Society for the Oversea Settlement of British Women, Church of England Council of Empire Settlement and Church Army, the Salvation Army, Young Men's Christian Association, Methodist Brotherhood, Boy Scouts' Association, 1820 Memorial Settlers' Association, Public Schools' Employment Bureau, British Dominions' Emigration Society, and Catholic Emigra-

In addition to grants-in-aid shown above, payments are made to the undermentioned societies in connection with schemes arranged under the Empire Settlement Act, and the amounts paid during the financial year 1927–28 were as follows:—

^* The Society for the Oversea Settlement of British Women acts as the Women's Branch of the Oversea Settlement Department.

† The grants to these Societies include provision for organisations overseas.

‡ The grant for the current year includes provision for work in Australia.

The number of migrants who proceeded to the Oversea Dominions during the two years ending 31st March, 1928, under the auspices of these societies is as follows:—

The Catholic Emigration Society was established on 1st September, 1927.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, with a view to encouraging emigration

tion Society; and what are the numbers of migrants (men, women, and children) who sailed to the Overseas Dominions under the auspices of each of these voluntary organisations in the two years ended 31st March, 1928?

The grants to certain voluntary migration societies for administrative expenses are as follow:

within the Empire, he will arrange for cinema films illustrating the overseas Empire to be offered for exhibition in public cinema theatres at a low rent, and that information regarding the films which are obtainable should be circulated among exhibitors?

Some film publicity is already being undertaken. For instance, films depicting life in Australia were exhibited in 339 cinemas throughout the country in 1927. The question of the wider use of cinema films as a medium of publicity in connection with oversea settlement is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies (1) the regulations with respect to the transport of spirits on the Niger within a distance of 25 miles of the northern boundary of Nigeria;

(2) whether all trains, goods and passenger, and motor transport are subject to examination by capable officials with a view to ascertain whether liquor is attempted to be conveyed into the northern territories of Nigeria; and, if so, at what points search is made.

I will answer these questions together. Spirits may not 'be accepted by the railway for consignment to any point in the prohibited zone except on production of the necessary permit. I have no knowledge of the detailed arrangements adopted for supervising traffic by road or river, but I have no reason to suppose that any appreciable smuggling exists.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the estimated cost of printing and publishing the Report of the Empire Marketing Board, E.M.B. 9; what revenue it is anticipated will be derived from its sale; and what is the estimated cost of gratuitous circulation?

The cost of printing and publishing the Report of the Empire Marketing Board, E.M.B. 9, was approximately £220. It is not possible, at this stage, to estimate what revenue will be derived from the sale of copies; the cost of making gratuitous circulation (not including the cost of the copies given away) is estimated to have reached £85.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Customs authorities have held up all consignments of hospital enamelled hollow-ware since the passing of the Financial Resolution imposing a duty on such hollow-ware commonly used for domestic purposes, and have demanded the payment of a deposit against any duty which they may in due course levy; that consignments of hollow-ware for hospital purposes have been held up for nearly two months, and that firms who have paid deposits cannot get any definite interpretation of whether hospital enamel ware is liable to the new duty, and are thus kept out of their money for a considerable period; and whether hospital enamelled hollow-ware made solely for and used exclusively in cases of sickness is held to come under the description commonly used for domestic purposes?

I am not aware that the facts are as suggested by the hon. Member, but if he will furnish me with particulars of any cases he has in mind I will make further inquiries. With regard to the last part of the question, I do not know what precise articles the hon. Member includes in the general description "hospital enamelled hollow-ware," but articles of a kind commonly used in the home in cases of sickness are within the charge of duty, and the fact that a particular consignment of such articles is intended for use in a hospital does not afford ground for its exclusion.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position to furnish the following particulars as to old age pensions for the year ended 31st March, 1928, namely: the total amount paid in pensions; the total cost of administration; the total number of pensions actually payable on the first Friday in March, 1928, stating those for men and those for women separately in both cases; the number of pensions paid at the varying rates of 10s., 9s., 8s., 7s., 6s., 5s., 4s., 3s., 2s., and 1s.; the number of applications for pensions; the number of applications rejected, giving various causes of rejection, age, poor relief, means, and other causes; the number of pensioners of whose deaths notifications have reached the office of the pensions officers during the year ended as above; the, number of paupers over 70 years of age in England, Scotland, and Wales in institutions, stating the average cost per head per annum; the number of paupers over 70 years of age in receipt of out-

Old Age Pensions.

(The figures are for Great Britain and for the year ended 31st March, 1928.)

1. Total amount paid in pensions, including those under and by virtue of the 1925 Act, was approximately £35,830,000 (65–70 Pensions under the Act of 1925 became payable for the first time in January, 1928).

2. Total cost of administration:

( a ) Expenses of Pension Committees, £43,000.

( b ) Expenses of administration by Government Departments concerned, estimated at £826,000 (see Note to Estimates, Civil Service, Class V, Vote 10, 1927–28).

Note. —This figure does not include the cost of administration by the Ministry of Health, the Scottish Board of Health and the Welsh Board of Health of pensions granted under or by virtue of the 1925 Act, which is chargeable to the Pensions Account. Final figures are not yet available for any of the above.

3. The total number of pensions actually payable on the last payment date in March, 1928, was as follows:

(The figures for the first payment date in March are not available.)

4. The number of pensions payable at the various rates on the last payment date in March, 1928, was as follows:

1,734,816 at the 10s. rate.

7,200 at the 8s. rate.

6,267 at the 6s. rate.

10 at the 5s. rate.

5,713 at the 4s. rate.

3,210 at the 2s. rate.

957 at the 1s. rate.

These figures include the 289,926 pensions by virtue of the 1925 Act, and the 472,269 65–70 pensions, all of which are at the 10s. rate.

5. The number of applications for pensions was:

6. Number of applications rejected:

( a ) Non-contributory and over-70 contributory. —The only figures available are the combined figures of claims rejected and of pensions revoked, which are as follow:

door relief, stating the average cost per head per annum of men and women separately in both cases; the average weekly cost of a convict in penal servitude and a prisoner in ordinary prisons for the year ended as above; and the number of persons over 70 years of age in prisons and in penal servitude during the year ended as above?

The particulars desired by the hon. Member, so far as they are available, are as follow:

( b ) Claims for 65–70 pensions rejected, 55,173. The main grounds of rejection were—insurance, age of claimant or, where the wife was claiming in respect of her husband's insurance, the husband was found not to be qualified.

7. The number of pensioners of whose death information reached the pension officers was:

8 and 9. Paupers in Institutions and in Receipt of Outdoor Relief.

(a) England and Wales.

Number of persons (other than lunatics in county and borough asylums) in receipt of Poor Law relief in England and Wales on the 1st January, 1928.

Average weekly cost of Poor Law relief in England and Wales in the financial year 1926–27:

These averages cover the same items and are subject to the same qualifications as those previously furnished for the years 1918–19 and earlier years and set out on page 148 of Part III of the First Annual Report of the Minister of Health (Command Paper 932) except that, in view of the wide fluctuations of pauperism, the figures have been calculated on the average weekly numbers in receipt of relief instead of on a mean of the numbers on two dates (1st July and 1st January). It has not been found practicable to state the average cost per head for men and women separately.

(b) Scotland.

No figures are available as to the number of persons admitted to poorhouses who were in receipt of Old Age Pensions whilst inmates thereof, nor of those who were in receipt of Old Age Pensions up to the date of admission.

The number of paupers and dependants of all classes in Scotland at 15th May, 1927, was:

The average weekly cost of all sane paupers and dependants for 1926–27 on the basis of the number chargeable other than destitute able-bodied unemployed at 15th May, 1927, was:

These average costs are exclusive of general administrative charges. Indoor cost includes cost of maintenance, management, debt charges, etc., of poorhouses. Outdoor

cost includes aliment, additional aliment (e.g., clothing, boots, fuel, etc.) removals, internments and medical charges.

The number of sane paupers and dependants in Scotland over 70 at 15th September, 1927, and 15th January, 1928, was:

These outdoor poor include Old Age Pensioners as follows:

There were also lunatic poor of 70 years of age and upwards who cannot be allocated between Indoor and Outdoor.

10. Cost of Maintenance of Convicts and Local Prisoners.

(a) England and Wales.

The latest available figures are for the year 1926–27 and are as follows:

(In both cases the figures do not include charges such as fuel, rates, etc., borne on other Votes than the Prisons Vote which are estimated at approximately 11s. a week for all classes of prisoner.)

(b) Scotland.

The figures for Scotland for the year ended 31st December, 1927, are as follows:

11. Persons Over 70 Years of Age in Prison.

(a) England and Wales.

The latest statistics relate to the year ended 31st December, 1926. During this period the total number of convicted prisoners received into prison (including those sentenced to penal servitude) who were 70 years of age and over was 325 men and 59 women. There is no information readily available showing how many of these were sentenced to penal servitude.

(b) Scotland.

During the year ended 31st March, 1928, 81 persons (55 males and 26 females) over 70 years of age were confined in prisons, of whom 52 males and 26 females were convicted and three males were untried. One male was in penal servitude.