asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any stipulations have been made by the Government to the end that contractors engaged in the construction of the Singapore base shall buy British stores, materials, and machinery?

As my right hon. Friend the First Lord stated in reply to the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha) on 1st August last (OFFICIAL REPORT, Column 2153) provision has been made in the contract for all the materials for the Singapore Naval Base to be either from the United Kingdom or from sources within the British Empire, but no restrictions are imposed on contractors as to the source of supply of their plant. It has never been the practice to interfere with a contractor's discretion as to the sort of material and plant he uses as his instruments in carrying out the work. Such interference would prejudice the Government in dealing with any dispute or claim that might arise in the execution of the work.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether tenders have been invited in regard to the excavating work for the Singapore naval base; if so, the name of the firm which has received the contract; and whether it is a British firm?

The contract for the construction of the Naval Base at Singapore includes all excavating work. The name of the firm which has received the contract is Messrs. Sir John Jackson, Ltd., and it is a British firm.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that an order for excavating machinery worth£70,000, required for the construction of the Singapore docks, has been given by the Government contractor to an American firm without any opportunity to tender being given to the British manufacturers; whether the contractor is within the terms of his contract with the Admiralty in placing this order abroad; and, if so, whether he can take any steps to reconsider the conditions of the original contract?

The reply to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. Any steps to alter the contract would incur a heavy charge on public funds and would be undesirable for the reason given in reply to the question of my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Sir F. Nelson).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is now the policy of his department no longer to employ Communists; and, if so, whether it is proposed to extend that policy to those workpeople who, whilst not members of the Communist party, are known to hold views subversive of the capitalist order of society?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; as to the second part, it is not intended to employ in the Admiralty service any persons who are actively engaged in the dissemination of anti-constitutional and revolutionary propaganda.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any investigation has or will be held as to the desertions from the military garrison at Gibraltar; how many have taken place this year and on how many different occasions; and what causes are ascribed to, account for occurrences which are quantitatively abnormal in so short a period of time?

No, Sir. So far as I am aware there has not been an abnormal number of desertions from Gibraltar. According to the information available in the War Office there have been four deserters in the first nine months of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that foreign tinned milk is supplied to Navy, Army, and Air Force canteens; and will he consider the desirability of these canteens being supplied with British-manufactured tinned milk?

I am informed that in order to meet a demand from their customers, the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes at present supply some foreign tinned milk. This is a matter of the trading administration of the institutes which I do not control in any way. But I have recently decided that the attention of Commanding Officers shall be drawn to the desirability, in making purchases from the Navy, Army and Air Force institutes, of giving preference to goods of British origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what was the cost of the mock air battle carried out during the summer over the London area?

The air exercises to which the hon. Member refers formed part of the normal training of the units concerned, and it would not be possible to segregate their cost from the provision which is made for training purposes under various heads in the Air Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he will in future arrange for the annual Report on Civil Aviation to be a Command Paper?

Prior to the current year the Annual Report on Civil Aviation was issued as a. Command Paper. In the Report for 1927, it was desired to include maps and plates, and as it is contrary to established practice to include such plates in annual Reports of a Parliamentary nature, this Report was issued as a non-Parliamentary publication. I understand that the Controller of His Majesty's Stationery Office has now authority to supply hon. Members on application with free copies of non-Parliamentary papers of the current Session which are necessary for the discharge of their Parliamentary duties.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is in a position to state the approximate extent of the decline in revenue for the present financial year attributable to the fall in profits of British rubber-growing companies?

I regret that it is not possible to earmark that part of the produce of the Income Tax which may be attributed to profits of any particular industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the custom for Income Tax officials to be punished in cases where they are responsible for pressing claims on Income Tax payers which are found to be unjust and are later abandoned, and in cases where representation is made as to breach of elementary courtesy in official communications?

If my Noble Friend has any specific case in mind, I will gladly inquire into it. I can assure him that the disciplinary resources of the Board of Inland Revenue are adequate to deal with any breach of duty by their officers, and are employed on all proper occasions.

asked the Minister for Mines the number of pits working in Durham County; the number of pits temporarily closed; and the number permanently closed?

223 coal pits, employing 127,700 wage-earners, are working at the present time in Durham. Since 1st January, 1924, 128 pits, employing 17,730 wage-earners, have been closed, of which 71 pits, employing 8,000 wage-earners, have been definitely abandoned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware of the disparity in the prices at which coal is distributed to the community by the private companies, as compared with the co-operative societies; and whether he proposes to take any action to regulate the profits of the private companies upon such distribution?

So far as I am aware, the prices charged for coal by cooperative societies are substantially the same as those charged by ordinary traders. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for figures for some period of 1928 showing the percentage of British artificial silk yarn used in manufacture in this country now, with the average price and the percentage before the duty was imposed as well as the average price then?

The production of artificial silk yarn or straw in the United Kingdom during the first six months of 1928 was 25,194,000 lbs. During the same period exports of artificial silk yarn, thread and straw were 4,192,000 lbs. and net imports were 1,446,000 lbs., so that the amount available for consumption in this country was about 22,448,000 lbs., of which about 93 per cent. was of home manufacture. In the entire year 1924, production in the United Kingdom amounted to 25,652,000 lbs.; exports to 6,351,000 lbs., and net imports to 10,151,000 lbs.; the amount available for consumption in the United Kingdom was thus about 29,452,000 lbs., of which about 66 per cent, was of home manufacture. Figures are not available to show how stocks varied during the periods mentioned, and therefore it is not possible to say precisely what quantities were actually used in industry within the periods specified. A comparison between the average prices for the two periods is not practicable, but it is known that there has been a. considerable fall in prices.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government inquiry into the possibility of an area system of gas distribution has been started; and when a report on this question may be expected?

The Committee which will make this investigation will, I hope, be appointed very shortly. The National Fuel and Power Committee, on whose recommendation the investigation is being made, estimated that the new Committee would be able to produce useful preliminary results in the course of a year.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government have been notified of the restrictions imposed by past legislation upon the manufacture of gas, whether for heat or light; whether he is aware that the industry is unable to expand or compete with electricity by raising fresh capital or by amalgamation or by alteration of the methods of charge; and whether it is proposed to introduce legislation dealing with the matter?

I have received: representations from the National Gas Council as to the desirability of the amendment of the existing legislation relating to gas undertakings. I referred these proposals, together with comments and supplementary suggestions by the Board of Trade based on the Board's experience of the administration of the existing system, to the National Fuel and Power Committee for their consideration and report. I expect to receive a report from that Committee very shortly. It would be impossible to deal with a comprehensive and complicated Bill in the present Session. But I am taking, all possible steps to prepare the way for the expeditious passage of legislation when time is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount. of imports of Russian oil into this country for each of the last six months?

The following statement shows the total quantities and declared values of refined petroleum consigned from Russia which were recorded as imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during each of the months, April to September, 1928. There were no imports of crude petroleum from Russia during this period.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give, for some period of 1928, the grand total of manufactured goods imported from France, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Czechoslovakia, and Poland into this country and the total amount of manufactured goods we exported to the same six countries combined?

The figures desired by my hon. and gallant Friend are compiled in respect of calendar years only. The following statement shows the declared values of articles wholly or mainly manufactured, imported into and exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the trade with the countries specified during the year 1927.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether his attention has been called to the officially expressed desire of the government of Northern Ireland that the linen trade should be safeguarded; and what action is to be taken.

I have seen references in the Press to a statement to this effect by the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. With respect to the second part of the Question, it is open to the industry to make an application under the Safeguarding Procedure.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the capacity of the existing plants in the iron and steel trade, and how much of this is, approximately, absorbed in the home trade, the foreign trade, and the Empire trade; and whether he has any figures to show how much plant has gone out of existence since 1920.

The capacity of British blast furnaces is about 12,000,000 tons per annum, and that of steel furnaces is rather over 12,000,000 tons. The output of pig iron in the year 1927 was 7,294,000 tons, and in the first nine months of 1928 it was 4,983,000 tons. The output of steel ingots and castings in the same periods amounted to 9,099,000 tons and 6,324,000 tons respectively. A large proportion of the iron and steel exported goes in the form of semi-finished or finished goods, and in 1927 the total exports of iron and steel and manufactures thereof amounted to 4,196,000 tons, of which 2,462,000 tons were consigned to British countries and 1,734,000 tons to Foreign countries. Some part of these exported goods was made from imported iron or steel worked up in this country. As regards the last part of the question, I am unable to say what proportion of the plant in existence in 1920 has been scrapped or reconstructed, but the output of pig iron in 1920 was 8,035,000 tons, and the output of steel ingots and castings 9,067,000 tons.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India, if he is aware that the official members of the Indian Legislative Assembly propose to assist in defeating legislation at present before that Assembly for the purpose of raising the legal age of marriage in India; and if he will urge upon the Government of India the desirability of doing nothing to prevent the passage of this legislation?

As regards the first part of the question, my noble Friend is not aware of the intention alleged with respect to impending legislation. As regards the second part he sees no reason to take any action as suggested. The attitude of the Government of India has been fully explained in the Legislative Assembly, and has also been shown by their appointment of the important Committee which is inquiring into the state of the Law relating to the age of consent.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many inspectors of physical education are now employed and how many hours per week are devoted to the boys of elementary and secondary schools, respectively?

The Board of Education employ ten inspectors of physical training. They are responsible for the, inspection of physical training in all types of schools and also in training colleges, and it would not be possible to state precisely what proportion of their time is devoted to the inspection of physical training for boys in elementary and secondary schools, respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Education if, when framing the Substantive Grant Regulations for 1928–29., he will consider greater percentage grants for highly-rated areas such as West Ham?

I presume that the hon. Member desires information about the Regulations for the financial year 1929–30, and that his question refers to the effect of re-assessment on the authorities who are in receipt of grant as highly rated areas. I am considering whether any alteration in the Regulation is required to meet the case of these authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the fact that schools in certain areas in Glasgow are being double-shifted owing to lack of school accommodation, he has taken any steps to remove the evil?

I have been asked by my right hon. Friend to reply. As the hon. Member is probably aware, oversize classes have now practically disappeared in Glasgow. The additional accommodation required is being provided with all possible speed but in a few cases it is still necessary to have recourse to a double-shift arrangement. The number of classes affected is about 3½ per cent. of the whole, and my right hon. Friend has satisfied himself that this percentage will diminish rapidly.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when he expects to submit to the House the new contract for the Western Highlands and Islands mail service?

I have been asked to reply. I hope that the contract will be ready for presentation to the House at an early date.

asked the Minister of Pensions what is the number of conditional pensions for officers, nurses and other ranks, respectively, in issue at the last convenient date; and how many of these have been in issue more than three years?

The total number of conditional pensions in issue to officers, nurses and men in respect of disabilities sustained in Great War service is approximately 135,000. Ministry records do not enable me to give the precise information asked for in the last part of the question, but probably a majority of the cases have been in receipt of pension for three years.

asked the Minister of Pensions, seeing that Section 5 of the War Pensions Act, 1921, provides that a claim in respect to injury due to War service may be made within seven years of discharge, if he can state the number of applications that were not considered because the claim was made more than seven years after the termination of active service, though the men were not discharged until the termination of the Military Service Acts; and if these men will now have their claims considered, as the applications were refused owing to an official error in the interpretation of this section of the Act?

The date of discharge for the purposes of Section 5 of the War Pensions Act, 1921, is defined by Section 10 (2) of the same Act as the date "when the man's active service terminated." I am not aware that any official error in the interpretation of this Section has occurred.

asked the Prime Minister when the Government's pledge to abolish the Ministries of Transport, Mines and Overseas Trade will be put into effect?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on the 21st December, 1927, in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Tottenham. North (Mr. R. Morrison).

asked the Postmaster-General whether any system designed for the transmission of moving photographs and actual events, these moving pictures to be received with suitable apparatus by listeners possessing wireless receivers, has been tested and with what result; why he has refused permission for the British Broadcasting Corporation's stations to be lent for television purposes by the Baird transmission system; whether the monopoly of the British Broadcasting Corporation is held to cover the transmission of pictures by television by a private company from a private experimental station; and whether, for the information of wireless licence holders and the public generally, he will state his present policy with regard to television?

I know of no system which is at present capable of transmitting moving pictures of actual events for satisfactory reception by wireless listeners. I have not refused permission for the use of the British Broadcasting Corporation's stations for television tests. The Governors of the corporation decided, in the exercise of the discretion vested in them, after a demonstration by the Baird Company who hold an experimental licence, that the system did not at present fulfil the conditions which would justify a public trial through one of their stations. I have recently received an application from the Baird Company for further facilities. This application is at present under consideration, and I am not yet in a position to say anything further.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the number of assisted emigrants who left this country for the Dominions during 1927; and how many of this number were agricultural labourers?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The total numbers of men, women and children assisted under the Empire Settlement Act in 1927 was 60,899. Approximately one-third of this number consisted of men and boys proceeding to take up farm work. It is not possible to state what proportion of these were experienced agricultural labourers, but it is safe to say that the percentage of experienced agricultural labourers included amongst the men and boys did not exceed 10 per cent. of the whole number.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many natives of Nigeria have been tried and executed during the year 1927 without being allowed to employ counsel in defence?

In 1927 the number of persons executed after trial before Provincial and Native Courts was 48. But all persons charged with murder before a Provincial Court may apply to have the case transferred to the Supreme Court where counsel are allowed to appear.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been directed to an accident on a building contract at Manchester' on 24th September last which resulted in the loss of the lives of three workmen; whether he has noted the observations of the Coroner's jury that the men had met their death through the overloading of a crane in contravention of the statutory regulations applying to building contracts; and if he will consider, in view of the increasing number of fatal crane accidents on building contracts, the advisability of issuing regulations that only certified supervisors will be permitted to take charge of such operations, and the strengthening of the safety regulations generally for cranes engaged on building operations?

Yes, Sir. The factory inspector who attended the inquest drew attention in his report to the observations of the jury, and appropriate action is being taken with respect to the breaches of the Building Regulations which appear to have been committed. The question of taking further precautions to ensure safer working of cranes in building operations has been engaging the serious attention of the Department and a conference on the subject is taking place at the Home Office this month with the makers of cranes and representatives of the building employers and operatives. The position will be carefully reviewed as soon as the report of the conference is received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can make a statement respecting the progress made in giving effect to the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Act; and if he can state what classes of produce have been given official grades.

Since the passing of the Act, regulations have been issued providing for the appointment of a National Mark Committee, and prescribing and defining grades and grade designation marks for home-grown apples and pears. The scheme for applying the National Mark to apples and pears came into operation on 1st September. Forty-two packers have been accredited for apples and eight for pears and further applications are in hand; about 150,000 National Mark labels have already been issued to accredited packers. Draft regulations have been published prescribing and defining grades and grade designation marks for hen and duck eggs, and dealing with the method of marking preserved eggs and the method of registration of cold stores and chemical stores. The National Mark scheme for home-produced eggs will, I hope, come into operation on 1st February next. To date, 65 applications for registration as packing-centres under the egg scheme have been received and many more are known to be pending. Grades for ware potatoes have been agreed to by the various sections of the industry and I hope to be in a position to make regulations dealing with this commodity at an early date. A scheme for applying the National Mark to ware potatoes is now before the industry and, if adopted, an effort will be made to bring it into operation on 1st January, 1929. Discussions have taken place between Officers of my Department and the National Farmers' Union regarding grades for tomatoes and cucumbers and there is every pros- pect of a scheme maturing for applying the Act to these and other commodities next season. Other schemes are under consideration. With the co-operation of the National Farmers' Union and other interests concerned, the benefits of the Act will be extended as rapidly as circumstances permit.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of prosecutions that have been instituted in the current year against farmers who have failed to comply with the provisions of the Agricultural Wages Regulation Act, 1924; and the total sum paid on account of arrears of wages?

The number of prosecutions instituted during the current yea: in respect of non-payment of minimum rates of wages is 89, and£1,884 has been awarded by the Courts in arrears of wages. Three prosecutions have also been instituted for refusal of information to an investigating officer.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed building trade labourers registered at the Camberwell Employment Exchange?

At 22nd October, the number of insured persons classified as building trade labourers recorded as unemployed at the Camberwell Employment Exchange was 212.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that 12 miners were sent from Bargoed and 12 from the Pontypridd Exchanges to work at the sugar-beet factory at Bury St. Edmunds; that the terms offered were 1d. an hour for eight hours; that halfan-hour after starting work on the Tuesday morning they were told they would have to work at piece-work rates, and after protesting against altering the conditions they accepted the terms with a guaranteed minimum of 11d. an hour: that on the Thursday morning following they were informed that the job had finished, and they were paid off; that the manager's reports to the Press and the Exchanges differed in each case; and if he will order an inquiry so as to ascertain the facts and to prevent these misunderstandings and expense of removing men so far from their homes for only two days' work?

I am snaking inquiry, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour what additional words were added, by means of emergency stamping, to the form issued by his Department and required to be filled up by miner harvesters in Canada prior to their return to Great Britain; and by whose authority these additions were made?

The railway companies undertook to offer suitable employment, wherever available, before granting assistance towards the reduced passage home. In order to record evidence that this was done, they stamped on the form, in appropriate cases, the words "I refuse to accept farm employment at $ per day." No specific authority was necessary for this.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men who went out to Canada this year under the special scheme for miner harvesters have returned to Great Britain the name of the ships in which they travelled; the numbers carried by each ship; and what arrangements, if any, were made by his Department for the conveyance of the men from the port of arrival in Great Britain to their homes?

I have received information that up to 29th October 4,478 harvesters had returned. I do not know the names of the ships in which the men travelled, or the numbers carried on each ship. Men who arrived in this country without funds received assistance for the, railway journeys to their homes.

asked the Minister of Labour whether reports have been made to him as to a trade dispute at the arti- ficial silk mills of Messrs. Kemil, Ltd., of Fletton; and, if so, have any efforts been made to bring the parties to conference with a view to settlement of the differences?

Yes, Sir. This dispute has been reported to my Department, and they are in communication with the firm concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that certain large-scale employers in the catering trade have expressed approval of a proposal to establish a trade board in 'he catering industry; that all the organisaations in the industry are similarly in favour of the establishment of a trade board; and whether, having regard to these facts and the amount of underpayment disclosed by the Report of the Ministry, he will consider calling a conference at an early date to consider the establishment of such a trade board in the catering trade?

I am not aware of the views referred to in the fircst two parts of the question. In any event, before reopening the question of establishing a trade board for the catering trade, I should need to have evidence that the results of the Departmental Inquiry, carried out in 1926, no longer fairly represent the wages position in the trade.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the existing and continuing use of gas lighting in railway trains; whether he has made any representations to the railway companies that an electric-lighting system should be substituted; and, if so, with what result?

I am aware that a considerable proportion of railway car- riages is still lit by gas. The Board of Trade and the Ministry of Transport have taken the view that the use of electricity for this purpose is desirable in the case of all new and reconstructed passenger stock, and the companies, as a rule, have in recent years ceased to fit ordinary passenger carriages with gas lighting equipment, with the result that a gradual substitution of electricity for gas is taking place. The attention of the companies has also from time to time been drawn to the desirability of using electricity instead of gas, more particularly on main line and express trains, but the risks arising from the use of gas have not been held to warrant its absolute prohibition as an illuminant in railway carriages.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the policy of the present Government on the question of trained reserves remains the same as that indicated by Viscount Cecil when speaking to the twenty-sixth public meeting of the third session of the Preparatory Disarmament Commission on 11th April, 1927; and whether, in view of the collapse of the proposed Naval Agreement, the concession regarding Army-trained reserves still holds good?

I would refer the hon. Member to the full statement made yesterday in another place by the Acting Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. If any further explanation is desired, the hon. Member will probably agree that it would be more convenient to deal with the matter during the Debate which is to take place next week.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the non-acceptance by the naval Powers concerned of the terms of the proposed naval compromise, the Government has had further discussions with the French Government?

No, Sir.