asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that certain recommendations of the Report of the Departmental Committee on Young Offenders dealing with protection and training do not require legislation, but could be put into operation at once; and has he taken steps to bring these recommendations to the notice of magistrates and justices of the peace?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by me yesterday to my Noble Friend the hon. Member for the Sutton Division of Plymouth (Viscountess Astor).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of ex-service men employed in the Scottish Board of Health on 1st November, 1926, 1st November, 1927 and 1st November, 1928, respectively; and what was likewise the corresponding number of women?

The total number of ex-service men (including ex-service temporary clerks) on the staff of the Scottish Board of Health at each of the three dates referred to was 279, 360 and 344, respectively. The corresponding figures in respect of women of all grades on the Board's staff were 185, 213 and 222.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total amount spent in Scotland out of local parish rates in the year 1927 on relief to the able-bodied unemployed, and the total amount spent in Scotland out of local rates in the year 1927 on the maintenance of public roads?

It is estimated that the total expenditure in Scotland met out of local rates during the year ended 15th May, 1927, in respect of the relief of destitute able-bodied unemployed (excluding the cost of relief to miners' dependants during the coal stoppage of 1926), was £1,740,348, and that the corresponding figure in respect of the maintenance of public roads was £3,200,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is prepared to extend the time for the repayment of sheep-stock loans to 20 years and fix the ingoing price at such price as the Board can obtain in the market should the loan he called up?

I am prepared to consider on its merits any application for a limited extension of time for repayment of loan made by a society which is experiencing genuine difficulty in fulfilling the terms of repayment, but I cannot give any undertaking of the general character asked for by the hon. Member. It would be impracticable to make loans on the terms suggested in the latter part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has received representations that the sheep stocks taken over by the small-landholders at Bracadale from the Scottish Board of Agriculture were transferred to them at a price higher than would have been obtained at a stock auction mart; and whether he will take steps to readjust those prices to a more equitable figure or to such a price as the stock would have obtained in the open market?

I am aware that representations have been made to the Board of Agriculture for Scotland by or on behalf of the holders on certain of the settlements on Bracadale Estate (in each case some time after the holders had taken entry), that the prices which the holders had agreed to pay for their sheep stocks were too high. These representations have been carefully considered, but no grounds were found on which a reduction in the prices of the stocks could be justified. In one instance, however, the Board, with my concurrence, agreed to postpone for two years repayment by the holders of instalments of capital due and interest on the loans granted to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the Scottish Land Court has stated that the management of certain estates in Skye belonging to the Scottish Board of Agriculture is deficient; that parts of the estate of Bracadale, Skye, are suffering deterioration through lack of drainage and that the sheep stock taken over at high prices by the smallholders may become a burden to them; and whether he proposes to have the lands belonging to the State properly maintained for letting purposes?

In reply to the first part of the question, it is assumed that the hon. Member is referring to comments made by the Land Court in Notes appended to Orders fixing the fair rent of certain holdings on one of the Board's estates in Skye. These comments appear to reflect on the holders' management of the sheep stock which were transferred to them, and suggest that the Board might help the holders by making expert advice available, and in other ways assisting the holders to improve their stock-management operations. The Board are giving careful consideration to the suggestions made by the Court. With regard to the remaining parts of the question, responsibility for maintaining the drainage of the hill pastures rests with the holders, and with proper management on their part the lands ought not to suffer deterioration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can give for each year from 1919–20 to 1927–28 the amount of the expenses incurred by members of education authorities under the heads travelling, personal, and time necessarily lost from ordinary employment, respectively?

The following statement gives the information for which the hon. Member asks:PAYMENTS made by EDUCATION AUTHORITIES in SCOTLAND in respect of EXPENSES incurred by members of Education Authorities, School Management Committees, and local Advisory Councils in attending meetings and on deputations.

		Allowances in respect of
Year,	Travelling expenses necessarily incurred.	Other personal expenses necessarily incurred.	Time necessarily lost from ordinary employment.
	£	£	£
1919–20	6,602	5,916	2,698
1920–21	7,658	6,275	2,550
1921–22	8,153	6,056	1,785
1922–23	7,382	5,468	582
1923–24	6,777	5,228	538
1924–25	7,348	5,618	799
1925–26	6,935	5,841	862
1926–27	6,768	5,489	571
*1927–28	6,286	5,321	685
* The figures stated for the year 1927–28 are provisional only.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of Parliament having soon to consider certain great hydro-electric schemes for Scotland, and seeing that Ireland, Canada and Switzerland undertake and conduct such projects on the basis of national ownership, whether he would be prepared so to advise the Government on behalf of the people of Scotland?

I do not at present propose to seek any powers to undertake and work hydro-electric schemes in Scotland. I would, however, remind the hon. Member that it has been the practice of Parliament to insert in Special Acts authorising such undertakings provisions that would enable them to be acquired by the State eventually.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the estimated amount of the total moneys to be paid from the Treasury to local authorities in Scotland, as a result of the proposals for the reform of local government in Scotland, for the year 1930–31, distinguishing new contributions from moneys in lieu of existing grants-in-aid?

It is estimated that the block grants under the Local Government (Scotland) Bill for 1930–31 will amount to £6,172,000. Of this sum £2,050,000 will be the equivalent of discontinued Exchequer grants and the new contributions will be as follow:

	£
Equivalent of losses on account of rates	3,372,000
Sum provided in terms of Clause 38 (1) (c)	750,000

In addition the following sums which have hitherto been paid to or for behoof of local authorities from the Local Taxation (Scotland) Account will he provided by Parliament:

	£
For Education purposes	546,000
For Police.	220,000
In respect of Burgh Land Tax Relief.	6,000

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in estimating the average cost of running private railways in Durham and Northumberland at about 1s., the unit taken is the ton-mile; if not, what unit is taken?

The estimated figure to which the hon. Member refers is the average cost per ton of transporting coal over the private mineral lines in Durham and Northumberland, and is based on information furnished by the committee of representatives of the owners of those railways.

asked the Minister of Health what is the annual amount of the Exchequer grant which will be received in the first quinquennium by the Heanor Urban District Council, Derbyshire?

Until the particulars, upon which the new grants specified in the Local Government Bill are to be based, are available, it will not be practicable to state precisely the amount that will be payable annually in respect of those grants to any district council. An estimate, based on the available particulars for the year 1926–27, of the effect, which the Bill as a whole, if it had been in force in that year, would have produced upon the rates of the Heanor urban district will be found on page 21 of Cmd. 3227.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Royal Commission on Local Government will be able to complete their labours and to issue their final Report before the House rises for the Christmas Recess?

I understand that, the Royal Commission are proceeding with their inquiry as expeditiously as possible, but it will be quite impracticable for them to present their final Report before the Christmas Recess.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many ex-service pensioners have this year so far received institutional treatment without allowances for their families; whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in many instances, the wife and children of the pensioner have to have recourse to Poor Law relief; and whether he will consider granting family allowances in all cases to relieve the ratepayers of a liability which should be borne by the Ministry of Pensions?

I am unable to state the number of cases of the type referred to but they are, I understand, relatively very few. I think that, perhaps, my hon. Friend misapprehends the conditions under which allowances are granted. Allowances are payable where (though only where) the patient has suffered loss by reason of being prevented through his treatment from continuing to carry on a remunerative occupation. In these circumstances, I am unable to adopt the suggestion in the last part of my hon. Friend's question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give figures showing the reduction, if any, in the number of bankruptcy petitions and applications for summary judgment issued at the instance of moneylenders since the Moneylenders Act, 1927, came into force?

I have been asked to reply. I am informed that it is not possible to furnish the hon. Member with the desired information. Statistics for the year 1928, upon the first day of which the Moneylenders Act, 1927, came into operation, are not yet available. When available they will not furnish the information asked for, part of which could only be collected with great trouble and some expense, and part of which could not be collected by any means.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that officials of the Bathgate Exchange are visiting the homes of unemployed men in the district to find whether they are searching for work, and that men who have been found at home are questioned and a report of their activities taken; and whether this is done on the instructions of the Ministry?

It is the practice for inquiries to be made at the homes of applicants for unemployment benefit if the circumstances appear to call for this course.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that about 200 men unemployed through the closing of Pontyffynon colliery, Ammanford, payment of whose unemployment benefit was duly approved by a Court of Referees, had to wait for a period of 16 weeks before receiving payment; that the delay caused serious hardship and suffering amongst the families of the men concerned; and fi he can state the administrative reason for the delay?

The question at issue in this case was whether the stoppage of work was due to a trade dispute. The insurance officer referred the recommendation of the Court of Referees to the Umpire, who gave his decision in favour of the claimants on 11th November. The claims were made at the end of July and the Court of Referees had its hearing at the end of August. As the case was a complicated one some delay was unavoidable, but I am making inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that, in certain cases where the wife of an unemployed man is at work, the dependant allowance payable for the children has been stopped; and whether this action on the part of the local officials is in accordance with instructions issued by his Department?

The question whether dependants' allowance is payable is one not for me, but for the independent statutory authorities. The umpire has held that in certain cases where the wife of an unemployed man is at work dependants' benefit might not be payable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has received from the Mayor of Merthyr, representing the borough, a request for a deputation representing a town's meeting to be received in order to lay before him certain aspects of the working of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1927; whether he has agreed to meet such deputation; and, if not, for what reason?

My right hon. Friend received from the Mayor of Merthyr a request for a deputation to discuss certain decisions of Courts of Referees. In reply he pointed out that these bodies are independent statutory authorities with whose decisions he cannot interfere, and that, in the circumstances, he thought no useful purpose would be served by a deputation.

asked the Minister of Labour the terms and conditions under which he proposes to take over the Hollesley Bay labour colony from the Cen- tral Unemployed Body, London; and what arrangements he proposes to make for dealing with unemployed London men suitable and willing to undergo training?

I understand that this matter will be considered by the Central (Unemployed) Body at their meeting to-morrow. If the hon. Member will repeat his question next wek, I will endeavour to give him an answer.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the conclusions of the General Purposes Committee of the London County County that its settled policy of preference for London men precludes a favourable response to the Prime Minister's appeal; and whether he proposes to take steps to confer with the council with a view to a reconsideration of the question, having regard to the effect in other quarters if the decision of the council stands?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. W. Thorne).

asked the Minister of Labour if any facilities are available by his Department for training in the United States of America, German, and French industrial training schools and colleges of such apprentice craftsmen as may be recommended by their employers, who will partly assist the cost of such training, for further education in their trades on the Continent and in America?

No, Sir, there are no such facilities.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received any representations with regard to the post office facilities in Tynemouth; whether he is aware that the present facilities are inadequate and inconvenient; whether he contemplates transferring the post office to a more central position: and whether, before he comes to any decision, he will consult the local authorities as to the most suitable site?

In connection with the appointment of a new sub-postmistress it has been necessary to arrange for the Tynemouth Post Office to be moved to fresh premises slightly under 200 yards from the previous site. I have received no complaints on the subject.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any decision has been arrived at as to the date when the new cable will be laid between the Isle of Man and this country to ensure better telephone facilities?

This cable is now being manufactured. If no unforeseen difficulty arises, I hope it will be laid in July next.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if the temporary women clerks in the Post Office with eight or nine years of service are to be retained; and if a scheme can be approved by which they are placed on a permanent basis?

I would refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for the Bow and Bromley Division (Mr. Lansbury) on this subject on Monday last, a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what are the special requirements of the Empire Marketing Board in the matter of Press advertising?

The requirements of the Empire Marketing Board are good advertisements for the purpose in view, namely, the fostering of the idea of Empire trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the fact that the Tientsin-Pukow Railway is much used for the transit of British imported goods, he can state if it is still open to unimpeded traffic; and, if not, what is the nature of the impediments?

There has been no through traffic on the Tientsin-Pukow Railway for several months. The essential obstacle is the serious damage inflicted on the bridge over the Yellow River in the course of the, fighting last May.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if any communications have passed in recent months between His Majesty's Government and the Russian Government regarding the question of a resumption of diplomatic relations and, if so, with what result?

No such communications have passed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any further statement to make on the case of Mr. A. J. Brewer, second officer of the Clan Line ss. "Clan Lamont," who, after arrest on the charge of theft of £1 on 17th December last, was imprisoned for nine months while awaiting trial in Portuguese West Africa, and who was then condemned to 360 days' imprisonment and £18 fine or another 90 days' imprisonment plus costs; and whether he will lay the correspondence in connection with this case upon the Table of the House?

I have nothing to add to the statement made yesterday by my right hon. Friend in reply to the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day) and to the hon. Member himself.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Report of the Hilton Young Commission on East African questions has been signed; and, if so, what are the reasons for the delay in its publication?

Yes, Sir. The Report has been signed; but the Commissioners desired to have an opportunity of revising the text in detail, and I understand that it will still be two or three weeks before copies will be finally struck off. As it is proposed to send copies to Africa and to India with a view to simultaneous publication there and in England, it will be necessary to delay publication for about a month after the completion of printing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies when the Report of the recent Commission which visited East Africa is likely to be published?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 12th November to the hon. Member for Montrose District (Sir R. Hutchison).

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether agreements have been signed between this country and Persia and between this country and Italy to secure the removal of the international difficulties in connection with the establishment of the weekly air service between London and India, and on what date these agreements were signed: and whether their terms will be published?

As regards Persia, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave the hon. Member for Northampton (Mr. Malone) yesterday. As regards Italy, His Majesty's Government propose that in this case also the agreement should be recorded by exchange of notes, but at present the answer to the hon. Member's question is in the negative. The question of publication will be considered in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what have been the total amounts spent in the years 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively, on the Air Force by America, Britain, France, Italy, and Japan?

As regards British air expenditure in the years in question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the published Appropriations Accounts for the years 1923 to 1926, inclusive, and to Air Estimates for 1927. As regards expenditure in the foreign countries cited, as I have previously explained, the Air Force expenditure in those countries which do not maintain a separate air service is borne to a consideration extent upon their main Army and Navy Votes and cannot be segregated from general military and naval expenditure. Such official information on the subject as is available will be found in the appropriate sections of the League of Nations Armaments Year Book for 1928, and previous years.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the increase in expenditure on the Army, Navy and Air Force services between the years 1923–24 and 1927–28 in real values when allowance has been made for the fall in the cost of living?

The hon. Baronet will find the figures of expenditure on the Army, Navy and Air Force from the years 1923 to 1928 in the White Paper issued with the Budget Statement (House of Commons Paper 64 of 1928) and in the annual Appropriation Accounts. Allowance must. he made in these comparisons for the variations in the accounting practice for Middle East expenditure. Between 1923 and 1928 the Ministry of Labour index figure for the cost of living in this country fell from 174 to 166. This figure has, however, no bearing on the greater portion of the expenditure by the three Service Departments.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that a hardship is felt by ex-apprentices who retired from the dockyard service before 31st December, 1927, and who are not consequently included in the concession granted under A.F.O. 674A, dated 16th March, 1928, he can see his way to make this Order retrospective?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, when discharging men on reduction in foreign establishments, it is the policy of the Admiralty to discharge foreign rather than British labour first?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the nuisance caused by motorists sounding their horns at night, and in the early hours of the morning, to attract the attention of their friends in the house at which their car is waiting; and whether he will take steps to put a stop to the practice of sounding horns at night for any purpose other than the warning of users of the road of their approach?

I have been asked to answer this question. This point among others is being considered by the conference which I convened a short time ago to consider the steps to be taken for the mitigation of unnecessary noise caused by motor traffic. I am expecting a report from the conference very shortly.

—					1924–25.	1925–26.	1926–27.	1927–28.
					£	£	£	£
County Council	…	…	…	…	56,416	63,302	77,207	169,130
District Conncils	…	…	…	…	44,658	31,668	65,591	66,991
Total	…	…	…	…	101,074	94,970	142,798	236,121

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the spread of children's infectious diseases in overcrowded areas; and, as a preventive, will he consider having a suitable disinfectant mouth-wash provided at the various schools and the children instructed in the use of it?

I am not aware that the preventive suggested by the hon.

asked the Home Secretary how many warning letters have been issued by the Metropolitan Police to motorists charged with trivial motoring offences; and in how many cases motorists who have received a warning letter have been subsequently charged with motoring offences?

The number of warning letters issued by the Metropolitan Police to motorists reported for minor motoring offences since 18th July, 1928, is 4,280. It would be impossible to say, without elaborate research, in how many cases persons who have received a warning letter have been subsequently summoned.

asked the Minister of Transport what were the amounts of the total grants from the Road Fund to the Lindsey County Council and to the district councils comprised in the Lindsey area for the years 1924–25, 1925–26, 1926–27, and 1927–28?

The amounts of the grants made from the Road Fund to the local authorities in the Administrative County of Lindsey (Lincolnshire) were as follow:Member has been proved by experience to be of special value. In any case it is for the local authorities, acting upon the advice of their medical officers on the spot, to consider what methods of combating the spread of infectious disease can best be adopted.

asked the Minister of Health the number of public utility societies formed since 1919; the total amount of public money given towards their work; how many have gone into voluntary liquidation; and how many have dissolved on the completion of their housing schemes?

I regret that the precise information desired is not available. The following statement, however, gives particulars of the Exchequer contributions paid to public utility housing societies under the Housing Acts so far as the information is available.

—	Number of Public Utility Housing Societies to whom Exchequer Subsidy has been paid.	Amount of Exchequer Subsidy, ete., paid to 23rd November, 1328.
		£
Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 1919.	81	1,460,091
Housing, etc., Act, 1923.	5	1,198
Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924.	3	5,899
	Total	1,467,188

asked the Minister of Health the price and area of the latest contract for non-parlour-type houses entered into by each of the following focal authorities: Leeds, Newcastle, Manchester, Dewsbury, Grimsby, Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Bristol, and Oldbury?

Month.		Number of subsidy houses included in schemes of—				Average price and area of houses included in contracts let by, or in direct labour schemes of, local authorities during each month.
		Local Authorities.		Private Enterprise.		Average Prices.		Average Areas.
		Completed.	Authorised but not completed.	Completed.	Authorised but not completed.	Non-parlour houses.	Parlour houses.	Non-parlour houses.	Parlour houses.
1928.						£	£	Sq. ft.	Sq. ft.
May	…	5,149	62,928	3,385	79,433	372	445	764	904
June	…	5,037	61,761	4,367	80,074	356	426	767	899
July	…	5,080	63,056	4,325	81,002	366	434	766	923
August	…	5,387	61,936	4,516	79,391	349	417	748	926
September	…	6,518	61,515	6,466	76,773	365	429	773	898
October	…	5,267	60,500	5,492	74,296	369	427	770	921

The following statement gives the information desired by the hon. Member.

Name of Local Authority.	Non-parlour houses included in latest contract let by the Local Authority.
	Average price.	Average area.
	£	Sq. ft.
Leeds C.B.	337	821
Newcastle-upon-Tyne C.B.	356	731
Manchester C.B.	390	780
Dewsbury C.B.	335	867
	304	740
Grimsby C.B.	386	948
Birmingham C.B.	370	812
Wolverhampton C.B.	328	724
Bristol C, B.	368	850
Oldbury U.D.	418	833

The hon. Member will appreciate that these are contracts let at different dates and that the prices therefore are not necessarily comparable.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses completed and the number authorised but not completed by local authorities and by private enterprise, respectively; and the average price of parlour and non-parlour houses, together with the average superficial area, for each of the months from May to October, 1928?

The following statement gives the information desired by the hon. Member.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the present War debt due to Great Britain from Estonia; what amount has been paid by Estonia to reduce this debt, to the last convenient date; and what amount of interest has been received on the capital outstanding?

The debts due to this country by Estonia are:

(1) The Relief Debt of £251,000.

(2) The debt of £917,200 for supplies furnished during the Estonian War of Independence.

The Relief Debt is being repaid in 15 years from the 1st, January, 1025, with interest at 5 per cent., and £9,472 0s. 8d. of capital and £43,237 19s. 4d. of interest has been paid in respect of this debt since 1925. The debt for supplies is being repaid in 30 years from 1926 by fixed annuities of £40,000 a year from 1926 to 1940, and £80,000 a year from 1941 to 1955; and £120,000 has been paid up to date.

asked the. Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the return of sales of corn was compulsory under the Act of 1882 to obtain the average prices for the computation of tithes; and whether he will now abolish these returns, as tithes are fixed under the Tithes Act, 1925?

I have been asked to reply. I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that the Corn Returns Act, 1882, was not passed mainly for the purpose of obtaining average prices for the computation of Tithe Rent Charge, but authorised the continuance of a system of collecting corn prides which had been in existence in one form or another since 1771. The prices thus obtained are still required for the purpose of determining annual payments to be made under various Acts. They are also of the greatest value for statistical purposes, inasmuch as they constitute one of the few series of prices extending over the last century. My right hon. Friend regrets therefore that he cannot see his way to accede to my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of women who resigned on marriage in the year 1927 in each of the following grades: higher executive, junior executive, higher clerical, and lower clerical?

I regret that this in formation is not available.

asked the Home. Secretary, in view of the fact that applications for extension of hours on licensed premises in the Metropolitan area are granted by the police authorities without reference to licensing justices, how many such extensions were granted during the 12 months ended 30th June last; and how many of these extensions were in the Vine Street station area?

The total numbers of special orders of exemption granted and refused in respect of licensed premises in the Metropolitan Police district during the 12 months ended 30th June, 1928, were 10,407 and 239, respectively. During the same period 1,322 orders were granted and 18 refused in the Vine Street Sub-Division.

asked the Home Secretary how many accused persons on remand were admitted to bail during the 12 months ending October, 1928; and how many have failed to surrender to their bail?

During the year ended 31st December, 1927, which is the latest period for which figures are available, 1,052 persons remanded on bail failed to surrender and were not arrested. The returns do not show how many others were arrested after absconding or the total number of persons remanded on bail.

asked the Home Secretary whether the accused persons on remand in His Majesty's Prison, Brix- ton, are entitled to smoke, to attend lectures or concerts at the prison, or to receive visits from unofficial prison visitors if they desire to do so; and whether prisoners under observation in the hospital awaiting trial on minor charges are ever in association with those awaiting trial for murder or other serious crimes?

Remand prisoners are not permitted to smoke or to attend concerts or lectures. They do not receive visits from the unofficial prison visitors unless owing to the length of time for which a prisoner is awaiting trial or for some other exceptional reason the Governor thinks it desirable to arrange for such a visit. Allocation of prisoners to the hospital ward is determined by medical considerations, and, consequently, there may be in the same ward prisoners awaiting trial on major and on minor charges; but the possibilities of association are limited since the ward is under the constant supervision and control of an officer by night and by day.

asked the Home Secretary the number of sexual offences against young persons which were reported to the police in 1925, 1926, and 1927 in the following categories of such offences: indecent assaults against boys under 16, indecent assaults on girls under 16, defilement of girls under 13, defilement of girls under 16, incest with girls under 16; the number in which proceedings were taken; and the result of such proceedings?

The statistical returns are not designed with a view to tabulating figures of all these offences on the bases indicated in the question. I regret therefore that the figures desired cannot be given.

asked the Home Secretary on what grounds he prevented the ballot in aid of the Wycliffe Society's hospital for the blind of Leicester last summer; and whether he received any information that led him to believe that there was any discreditable circumstance in connection with the organisation of that ballot?

My attention was drawn last summer to a public lottery in which was being promoted in aid of this institution in contravention of the criminal law. I accordingly informed the police, with the result that the scheme was abandoned. It is the duty of the police to enforce the law: the Lottery Acts prohibit all public lotteries and they contain no exemption for lotteries in aid of charities. The action was taken merely to enforce the law, no adverse report upon the bona fides of the scheme having been received.

asked the Home Secretary what changes, if any, in police procedure he proposes to make, arising out of the report of the Street Offences Committee?

I have received the report which has been presented to Parliament and will be published shortly, but I have not yet had time to give it the consideration it deserves.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to cases of glassworkers' cataract resulting in total disablement; and, if so, whether he will consider extending the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation Act Order (S. R. and O. 1918, No. 287), as Amended by S. R. and O. 1923, No. 6, so as to put glassworkers in the same position as regards compensation as workers in iron and steel manufactures?

I have recently had under consideration the desirability of amending the existing provisions as to glassworkers' cataract on the lines indicated in the question and have asked the Glass Manufacturers Federation if they desire to offer any observations. I will inform my hon. Friend of the result in due course.

asked the Home Secretary what are the considerations governing recommendations of the appointment of recorders in the Sessional Courts of this country?

Home Secretaries recommend for appointment persons whose qualifications and experience appear to fit them for the position.

asked the hon. Member for Monmouth, as representing the Forestry Commissioners how many new forest holdings it is hoped to establish during the present financial year; and how many of those will be occupied by unemployed miners?

During the present financial year it is hoped to establish some 150 forest workers' holdings, of which some 60 will be occupied by unemployed miners.

asked the hon. Member for Monmouth, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, what forestry operations are taking place at Hamsterley, County Durham, during the present financial year; how many additional acres are being afforested; how many men are being employed in the current year and last year, respectively; and how many forest holdings, if any, have been or are being created?

The forestry operations at Hamsterley during the present financial year include fencing, draining, planting, and nursery work; 321 additional acres are being afforested this season; the average number employed in the current season will be approximately 16 as compared with 19 last season. Four forest workers' holdings are being created at this centre.