asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount, in yards,

—				1908.	1922.	1927.
				Linear yards.	Square yards.	Square yards.
Total Imports	…	…	…	72,483,200	13,575,000	41,043,000
Re-Exports	…	…	…	10,192,900	1,394,000	3,926,900
Retained Imports	…	…	…	62,290,300	12,181,000	37,116,100
Domestic Exports	…	…	…	157,088,400	189,923,800	179,656,000

NOTE.—The figures of yardage for 1908 were recorded in linear yards only, while those for 1922 and 1927 were recorded in square yards only.The above figures for 1927 include the trade of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with the Irish Free State and exclude the direct foreign trade of the Irish Free State.

asked the President of the Board of Trade particulars of the numbers of foreign typewriters that were imported into Great Britain for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

The total number of complete typewriters imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the 12 months ended 30th November, 1928, was 60,595, of which 60,466 were consigned from foreign countries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the sum received by the Disposal and Liquidation Commission in 1921 for the herrings sold by them to the agents of the Russian Government; what proportion of this sum was paid when the purchasers took delivery; if the bills drawn on the Russian Government agents were met, and when; and whether all those bills were satisfactorily met within the period?

The Disposal and Liquidation Commission received, in respect of the two transactions concluded with the

The following table shows the total imports, re-exports, retained imports and domestic exports of woollen and worsted tissues; damasks, tapestry and other furniture stuffs; wool and mohair plushes and other pile fabrics; and flannels and delaines into and from the United Kingdom during the years 1908, 1922 and 1927.agents of the Russian Government in the year 1921, the sum of £28,030 5s. paid in cash when the purchasers took delivery, and five bills amounting to £199,781 5s. All these bills were met on the due dates, namely, 31st May, 1922, and 31st March in each of the years 1923 to 1926.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will recommend to all boards of guardians immediately to provide bed boards for all casuals who would otherwise be compelled to sleep on the floor?

My officers have been instructed to press for this provision in all cases in which there is a shortage of accommodation which cannot be better met by inure complete measures.

asked the Minister of Health whether, when James Wilder was sentenced to bread-and-water diet for a week, the clerk was present; if so, has any explanation been given why the clerk did not tell the guardians that they had no power to sentence Wilder to such diet for more than 48 hours; whether he will ask the inspector to report at once as to the Easthampstead Infirmary; and whether the allegations made by Wilder were in whole or in part correct?

The reply to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the third part of the question, the infirmary has been visited by my officers, and as regards the fourth the answer is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has recently made any recommendations to boards of guardians with regard to the improvement of the dietary for casuals; and, if so, will he state what they are?

I have directed my officers to bring to the attention of boards of guardians the importance of exercising their power of supplying raw onions and other fresh vegetables as part of the dietary of vagrants.

Name of Poor Law Union.	Number of persons in receipt of Poor Law relief (excluding lunatics in asylums, casuals and persons in receipt of domiciliary medical relief only) on the last Saturday in November.
	1913.	1925.	1926.	1927.	1928.
Bridgend and Cowbridge	1,878	9,904	33,313	5,070	4,581
Cardiff	5,090	13,521	18,575	13,878	11,314
Gower	240	360	918	356	361
MerLhyr Tydfil	4,080	22,018	65,077	12,621	14,424
Neath	3,027	10,297	29,191	8,662	8,152
Pontardawe	704	1,174	7,422	1,289	1,308
Pontypridd	6,903	30,180	82,389	18,307	20,337
Swansea	3,625	6,057	14,596	8,195	6,457
Totals for Union County of Glamorgan.	25,547	93,511	251,481	68,378	66,941

asked the Minister of Health what decision he has arrived at with regard to the Manchester City Council's project of establishing a tuberculosis dispensary in Denmark Road, Moss Side, and to the local residents' objection thereto?

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the difficulty experiences by boards of guardians with regard to occupations for casuals on Sundays; and, if so, whether he has made any recommendations to boards on this matter?

Yes, Sir. The matter is one which can, I think, be better dealt with by discussion in the several unions than by the issue of a general circular, and my officers have been instructed to make such recommendations as they may think practicable as opportunity offers.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons who are in receipt of poor relief in the County of Glamorgan on the latest available date, and for the corresponding date for the years 1913, 1925, 1926, and 1927, respectively; and will he give the figures for each Poor Law union separately?

The following table gives the information for which the hon. Member asks:

I have not yet given a decision in this matter.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will direct the Registrar-General of Deaths to make a note in his next Annual Report in regard to the deaths from post-vaccinal encephalitis since 1922, which were brought to the notice of the Andrewes and Rolleston Committees but were not so certified at the time the deaths occurred; and whether he will take such steps as will secure that all such deaths are fully certified in future and duly recorded in the Registrar-General's Annual Report?

I may point out that the certification of the cause of death is a matter for the medical practitioner in attendance on the case, or for the coroner if an inquest is held. The classification of deaths in the Registrar-General's mortality statistics is in all cases based upon the cause as certified by the medical practitioner or the

England and Wales.
Percentages of males and females at certain age-groups to the total male and female populations respectively for Census years from 1871 to 1921, together with the mid-year estimate for 1927.
Census Year.	60–64.		65–69.		70–74.		75–79.		80 and over.
	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.	M.	F.
1871	2·66	2·81	1·86	2·02	1·36	1·49	0·74	0·86	0·48	0·64
1881	2·69	2·90	1·83	2·03	1·25	1·44	0·71	0·84	0·44	0·59
1891	2·54	2·78	1·85	2·09	1·32	1·56	0·72	0·88	0·43	0·60
1901	2·61	2·86	1·80	2·07	1·24	1·49	0·72	0·90	0·45	0·64
1911	2·74	2·91	2·10	2·37	1·36	1·70	0·73	0·98	0·45	0·69
1921	3·33	3·44	2·49	2·71	1·55	1·90	0·88	1·18	0·51	0·83
Estimated, 1927.	3·77	3·89	2·69	2·92	1·78	2·09	0·96	1·29	0·56	0·91

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that a telegram sent by a firm of shipbuilders in Hartlepool to London 12 days ago, and handed in at West Hartlepool at 4.8 p.m., was not received at the Central Telegraph Office, London, until 6.6 p.m. and was delivered much later again at its destination, and that as a result, loss of employment resulted; and what steps does he propose to take to remedy these recurring drawbacks?

I will have inquiry made as regards the telegram to which the hon. Member refers, and will write to him as soon as possible. Generally speaking, the telegraph service between London and West Hartlepool is now reasonably prompt.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state, in percentages of the total population, the proportion of males and females, respectively, in this country at 60, 65, 70, 75 and 80 years of age, basing the figures on each Census Return from 1870 onwards, including the estimated population in 1927?

The following table gives the information which it is understood that the hon. Member desires.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is experimenting with, and will adopt, some means analogous to those initiated in Germany for the purpose of making possible telephonic conversation between a number of people together speaking from different places?

The telephone facilities to which my noble Friend refers are already available in this country.

asked the Secretary for Mines what portion of the £2,000,000 guarantee to Messrs. Pearson and Dorman Long for the development of the Kentish coalfields has been spent on the erection of low-temperature carbonisation plant at the Snowdown Collieries, Kent; what monetary advantage the Government are likely to receive arising from the transaction; and the prices per ton of low-temperature carbonisation fuel manufactured by the Illingworth Carbonisation Company, the Coalite Company, and Messrs. Pearson and Dorman Long?

I have no knowledge in regard to the first two parts of the question, which should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As regards the last part of the question, delivered prices of low-temperature carbonisation fuels vary according to district. I have no information about prices at works, as it is not usual to ask any firm to supply contract prices for purposes of publication.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether any of the tin mines which are not being worked at the present time in Cornwall are owned or leased by aliens?

With very few exceptions the owners of Cornish tin mines are limited liability companies, and the names and holdings of their shareholders can be seen at the offices of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will state or give an estimate of the ratio in each post-War year between the number of ex-service men's deaths annually proportionate of the number of them surviving, in comparison with the proportion of the total of all deaths annually to the population of the United Kingdom, in the same age groups as the ex-service men?

So far as I am aware, there is no record of the mortality among ex-service men at large as distinct from the general population. The death rate for the whole body of disabled officers and men is estimated for the current year at about 15 per 1,000. This is probably slightly higher than the death rate among the general male population of similar ages, as would of course be expected from the fact that pensioners are all suffering from disabilities of one kind or another.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the serious shortage of clerks in the prison service; and what action does he propose to take in view of the fact that the clerical staff worked 21,000 hours during the year ended 31st December last in excess of their official hours of duty, and for which overtime no payment has been made?

The numbers of the prison clerical staffs, like those of other branches of the Service, are frequently reviewed with the object of adjusting them to the volume of work, and I invited the hon. Member to send me details of any particular cases that he had in mind. Since that date there has been a further review, and this review does not bear out the suggestion in his question. As regards the number of hours' overtime worked in 1927, I would refer to the reply I gave on 23rd July last to my hon. Friend the Member for Central Wandsworth (Sir H. Jackson). As I then explained, the figure was spread over a staff of 232 stewards and clerks. Work in many prison offices fluctuates, and so far as is practicable overtime at one period is repaid by allowing equivalent time off at another period.

asked the Home Secretary whether in his instructions to registration officers, dated 27th August, 1928, regarding the filling up of the prescribed Form A, it is permissible for such officers to use their discretion in ordering members of their staff to fill in such forms or whether it is incumbent on the householder or occupier to fill in full details regarding the occupants to enable the completion of the new register to take place?

The form itself states that the occupier, on applying to the registration officer, will be given any help needed in filling up the form; but I have not issued any instructions as to the manner in which such assistance should be given. This is a matter within the discretion of the registration officer.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the number of special licensing permits granted in the Metropolitan Police area; whether he is aware that some establishments are almost regularly in receipt of special permits extending the licensing hours; and whether he will consider the advisability of making regulations which will bring the issue of these permits within the official cognisance of the licensing justices?

The answer to the first two paragraphs of the question is in the affirmative. It is a difficult matter to which I pay constant attention. As regards the third part of the question, I have no power to make regulations in this matter. If a change in the powers is to come about it will need legislation.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is satisfied that proper supervision is being exercised by his Department in the matter of assessment and recognition, by the London County Council, of short periods of teaching service up to 31st March, 1927, as laid down in the Second Burnham Report, 1927, Appendix IV, paragraph 3 (b); and whether the Board of Education provides any means of appeal or arbitration in case of dispute between teachers and local education authorities?

I have no reason to suppose that the London County Council are not observing the provisions of the Report referred to, but if the bon. Member has any specific case in mind I should be glad if he would let me have particulars. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to paragraph 22 of the Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of men and women employed at the Cardington establishment of the Air Ministry in each of the last three months?

The numbers of industrial employés on the first day of each of the months referred to were as follow:

—		Men.	Women.
1st October, 1928	…	396	116
1st November, 1928	…	385	121
1st December, 1928	…	389	121

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what orders have been given for the laying down of ships in the shipbuilding programme of 1928; and if he will specify the names of the ships and the firms or Royal dockyards to which they have been allocated?

The orders for the ships of the 1928 shipbuilding programme have not yet been placed. As indicated in the reply given to a question by the hon. Member for East Newcastle (Mr. Connolly) on 5th December [OFFICIAL REPORT, column 1193], the provision in the Estimates being based on the intention to order all these ships very late in the financial year, the orders are not due to be placed until February and March next and all our arrangements have been made on this basis. It is not customary to select names for ships until after the ships are ordered.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men who have resided at Hollesley Bay Farm Colony during the last three years; and how many so trained have found employment on farms?

I have been asked to reply. I am informed that 1,647 men have resided at the colony since December, 1925; 198 have been found farm work or work in rural and other occupations; and 131 are reported to have taken their discharge with good prospects of employment.

asked the Minister of Labour the average number, during the two calendar years 1926 and

AVERAGE NUMBER of INSURED PERSONS recorded as unemployed in certain industries in Great Britain.
Calendar Year.		Coal Mining.			Textiles.*			Engineering.†
		Men.	Women.	Total.	Men.	Women.	Total.	Men.	Women.	Total.
Numbers.
1926‡	…	109,696	723	110,419	76,980	120,207	197,187	133,812	4,542	138,354
1927	…	214,611	975	215,586	45,637	61,729	107,366	88,205	3,658	91,863
Percentages of totals represented by men and women respectively.
1926	…	99·3	0·7	100·0	39·0	61·0	100·0	96·7	3·3	100·0
1927	…	99·5	0·5	100·0	42·5	57·5	100·0	96·0	4·0	100·0
* Includes: Cotton; Woollen and Worsted; Silk and Artificial Silk; Linen; Jute; Hemp Spinning and Weaving, Rope, Cord, Twine, etc., Making; Hosiery; Lace; Carpet Manufacture; Textile Industries not separately specified; and Textile Bleaching, Printing, Dyeing, etc.
† Includes: Engineering, Engineers' Iron and Steel Founding; Electrical Engineering; Marine Engineering, etc.; Constructional Engineering and Construction and Repair of Motor Vehicles, Cycles and Aircraft.
‡ The figures for 1926 are exclusive of persons in the coal-mining industry who were disqualified for benefit by reason of the dispute which commenced on 1st May, 1926.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the imposition of a tax on advertisements in order to provide some relief to the taxes on beer and tobacco?

My hon. Friend's suggestion has been noted.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if it is the intention of the Civil Service Commissioners to hold an examination soon for clerical posts in the Civil Service for boys of the age of 16–17 years; and, if so, when it will be held?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 6th December, 1928; cols. 1399–1400, Vol. 223] supplied the following statement:

An open competitive examination for the admission of boys and girls to the clerical classes (general and departmental) of the Civil Service has men announced to take place on 16th April, 1929.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Southern Railway Company have given notice that the bridge at Eridge carrying the highway over the railway is unsafe for heavy traffic; whether he is aware that the bridge is used by motor omnibuses for the convenience of the district; and what steps he proposes to take in order that this bridge may be brought up to the standard of modern requirements?

My attention has recently been drawn to the restrictions to traffic over this bridge, and I have the question under consideration. My powers in the matter are limited, but, as my bon. Friend is aware, I am anxious to promote legislation, as soon as Parliamentary time is available, to facilitate the reconstruction of weak bridges in private ownership on important roads.