asked the President of the Board of Trade the personnel of the Joint Standing Committee which has been set up to advise the Ministry of Health and the Board of Trade on matters affecting the health of the mercantile marine?

The personnel of the Committee is as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the waiting room provided for seamen at the Board of Trade office at Hull does not provide proper shelter and reasonable facilities for seamen having business with the Board of Trade; and will he cause inquiries to be made into the matter?

I am informed that the waiting room provided for seamen at the Board of Trade office at Hull appears to be adequate for the purpose. No complaints have previously been received, and I should be glad to learn exactly what the hon. and gallant Member has in mind in this connection.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this room is frequently crowded and a great many men have to wait outside in inclement weather?

No, I have had no complaint at all. I have made inquiries, and I find that immediately opposite the Board of Trade office there is the Seamen's Mission, which is a building with splendid accommodation of all kinds.

Is that any excuse for the Board of Trade not providing proper facilities? We all recognise the work of the Seamen's Mission, but does that relieve the Board of Trade of its obligations?

My information is that there are never a great many people waiting in the Board of Trade waiting room and there is this extraordinarily good accommodation exactly across the way.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the room provided at Hull for the medical examination of seamen is unsuited for such purposes; and will he take steps, in the interest of the health of seamen, to cause proper accommodation to be provided?

Medical examinations of seamen at Hull are not carried out at the Board of Trade offices, and no accommodation is provided there for the purpose. Any examination of seamen by the medical inspector appointed under the Merchant Shipping Acts would be held at his surgery, but no application has been received for such examination for some years.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that seamen are examined on these premises, and that the accommodation is very inadequate?

No, that is exactly contrary to the answer I have just given. I have made inquiries, and my information is that examinations are not carried out at the Board of Trade office. If there were any examinations, they would be carried out at the medical officer's surgery, but there has been no examination for some years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade to what extent the Board of Trade inspects the lightships and steamboats of Trinity House and the Northern Lights Commissioners; does such inspection cover the living quarters of the officers and men; and is there any regulation as to the supply of clean water for drinking purposes, with the position of tanks which carry such water?

The lightships belonging to the Trinity House are not inspected by the Board of Trade, and their inspection of the Trinity House steam vessels is limited to the life-saving appliances. At the request of the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses, the Board of Trade have agreed that their surveyors shall supervise the periodical overhauls of the Commissioners' four steam vessels and one manned lightship. The survey covers any necessary repairs to the living quarters of the officers and men. As I informed the hon. Member on 11th December, the requirements of the Merchant Shipping Acts relating to provisions and water, do not apply to the ships belonging to the General Lighthouse Authorities, and consequently there is no Board of Trade regulation governing the supply of water and the position of tanks on these vessels.

Will that part of the reply which deals with the question of living quarters include the inspection of the tanks where water for drinking purposes is kept?

I think it would include inspection at the time the vessel is under repair, but it would not include inspection from time to time.

In view of the fact that these vessels are only under repair once in every three or five years, does the right hon. Gentleman not realise that accumulations in the water tanks may make the water unfit for use?

If the hon. Gentleman asks me about inspection by the Board of Trade, that question, of course, is within my jurisdiction, but, if the hon. Gentleman is going to make suggestions about the condition of vessels that are under the control of Trinity House, he ought to put a question on the Paper, and then I should be enabled to communicate with Trinity House and to publish all the information which Trinity House places at my disposal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has in his Department any estimates as to the amount of steel which would be required for the construction of a Channel tunnel between Dover and Calais?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board Trade the total amount of retained imports of woollen and worsted tissues for the years 1913 and 1927, and for the 11 months ended November, 1928.

The answer consists of a table of figures, with notes. Accordingly, with the permission of the hon. Member, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are respectively, the Brazilian and the Argentine import duties on piece goods of artificial silk and cotton and artificial silk and wool exported from the United Kingdom, and the approximate percentage on the value of such goods which those duties represent; and what were the exports from the United Kingdom of piece goods of artificial silk and cotton during the nine months ended 30th September, 1928, to Brazil and the Argentine Republic, respectively?

The tariff treatment in Brazil and Argentina of the goods referred to is very complicated, especially in the important case of piece goods of mixed cotton and artificial silk in Brazil, and it is, I am afraid, impossible from the statistics available to give any reliable estimate of the approximate average ad vaiorem incidence of these duties on goods of this kind exported from this country. I am given to understand, however, that duties on the goods in Brazil are lower than in the Argentine Republic, and, during the period mention A, 10,158,000 square yards of these goods, valued at £644,243, were exported to Brazil, and 728,000 square yards, valued at £60,354, to the Argentine Republic.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the statement by the Assistant Commissar for Foreign Affairs of the Soviet Government that American trade with Russia was growing rapidly and was unaffected by the absence of official recognition; and what was the volume of export and import trade between the United States and Great Britain, respectively, and the Soviet Union in 1924 and 1927?

I have seen in the Press a statement to the general effect suggested in the first part of the question. As regards the second part, the value of the imports consigned from. Russia to the United Kingdom was £19,774,000 in 1924 and £21,052,000 in 1927, and to the United States £1,849,000 in 1924 and £2,619,000 in 1927. The exports consigned to Russia from the United Kingdom were valued in 1924 at £3,860,000, and in 1927 at £4,509,000, and from the United States at £9,532,000 in 1924, and £13,356,000 in 1927. In addition there were re-exports from the United Kingdom to Russia of the value of £7,212,000 in 1924 and of £6,781,000 in 1927.

Are the figures the right hon. Gentleman has given with regard to £1,000,000 odd and £2,000,000 odd absolutely correct? I am not questioning them. I am only asking him to confirm them.

Those are the figures of exports from Russia to the United States, not from the United States to Russia. The answer is compiled from official figures.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, if there were better relations between the two countries, you could double your trade between this country and Russia?

I really think that is a delusion. If the hon. Member reads the answer, ho will see that Russia has exported more to this country since the breaking off of relations than she exported before.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not see that there is a great difference between never having had relations with a Government and having had relations and violently terminated them?

However that may be, it is perfectly plain that there is no sort of obstacle put in the way of Russia trading here or our trading with Russia. Everyone wants to do all the trade possible, but the sooner it is realised that business is one thing and diplomatic relations quite a different thing the better.

Are we intended from that reply to understand that the Export Credits Scheme will be extended to trade with Russia?

No, that is not so. I was paraphrasing a very admirable statement on Russia made in this House by the hon. Member's leader.

Considering that, according to an answer given by a colleague of the right hon. Gentleman, Russia met all the commitments she was asked to meet on the due date under the previous credits scheme, does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that the Export Credits Scheme should be extended to her?

No. We cannot debate the matter now, but frequently the conditions have been stated upon which must necessarily depend the rehabilitation of credit.

Could the right hon. Gentleman include the figures for Germany in the reply?

Not out of my head. If the hon. Member will put a question down, I will answer it.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the continued depression in the jewellery trade in Birmingham; if he is aware of the extent to which this industry is adversely affected by the importation of jewellery produced under more favourable conditions from countries abroad; and if, after the Easter Recess, he will be prepared to introduce legislation to safeguard the trade descriptions and designations peculiar to this industry?

Representations have been made to the effect stated by my hon. Friend. As regards the legislation which, I understand, he suggests to establish legal definitions of terms in the trade, while I am in sympathy with its objects, I hardly think the matter is one on which the Government could undertake to introduce a Bill.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know that this very important trade in Birmingham has been suffering severely from the fact that these designations and trade descriptions have been used by foreign competitors? Is it not time that some effort was made to safeguard the industry?

If the conditions are more favourable abroad, will the right hon. Gentleman advise his hon. Friend to see that the conditions are made more favourable in Birmingham, so that they can keep their trade?

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that, if anything is done to make these women's decorations more expensive, the women electors will resent it very much?

There seems to be a good deal of misunderstanding as to what is the object of this question. It does not refer to the price of women's decorations, as I understand, or to conditions of labour. All that it refers to is the passing on, as I may call it, or the using of particulars marks to describe goods which do not go through the process of manufacture in Birmingham. On that, the general practice has always been, I think, that where a particular trade wishes within the general ambit of the Merchandise Marks legislation to obtain sanction for particular marks, that trade can promote this legislation.

Will the right hon. Gentleman look at part three of the question?

You will be losing some of the Birmingham jewels at the next election.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has received communications from representative bodies urging the need for the introduction of amending gas legislation; and whether it is the intention of the Government to deal with this question during the present Parliament?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply given yesterday by the Prime Minister to the hon. and gallant Member for Ludlow (Lieut.-Colonel Windsor-Clive).

Has the right hon. Gentleman had any application from the Penistone Gas Company?

The question which was addressed to the Prime Minister and myself was as to whether there would be general legislation. The Prime Minister answering yesterday said that I was referring the case to the representatives of the gas industry to see whether we could agree upon a non-contentious Bill. I do nut think any question of a particular gas company arises.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether his Department has any representation, official or otherwise, at the spring and autumn fairs at Leipzig for the purpose of advising or informing British manufacturers of the prospect of developing British trade by exhibiting goods at these semi-annual trade exhibitions?

The Department has no representative at the Leipzig Fair, but His Majesty's Consul at Leipzig is able to furnish any advice or information that may be required by prospective British exhibitors.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not think that it would help matters considerably if an expert adviser were there during some period of the year, at the Consulate in Leipzig, in order to advise on these matters?

No, I think not. I think that the visit of the Commercial Secretary, who is an extremely able man and knows a great deal about the subject, is perhaps much better.

Is it not a fact that there is already a British section?

Yes.

In view of the fact that the British Consul was prepared to answer questions, would it, not be a good thing to circularise Members about the Fair some time before it takes place, so that information can be given to people if it is asked for?

I should like to consider that question, but I consider that the Leipzig Fair, like the British. Industries Fair, is extraordinarily well known by everyone who is in the least likely to be interested.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state the quantities and values of Chinese eggs in the shell and in the form of dried eggs or egg powder, or otherwise, which have been imported into this country annually since 1921; to what purpose these eggs have been applied; and what steps his Ministry are taking to encourage the substitution of British eggs for those imported from China?

I will circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the statistics desired in the first part of the question. These imports are used for human consumption in some form or other, the eggs not in shell being mainly employed in the confectionery trade. In regard to the last part of the question, the draft Order in Council now before

In the reply will the right hon. Gentleman also include the names of all the companies that import these eggs and the names of the managing director of each company?

I think the hon. Member had better put that question on the Paper.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what is the country of origin of the hens that lay the eggs in China?

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view, of recent representations, he is inquiring into the case of Lance-Corporal Mace, suffering from acute poliomyelitis, said to have been contracted during military service in India?

All the evidence submitted in support of this case has been fully considered, and my medical advisers are satisfied that the disability is not due to military service. In these circumstances, I regret that no award of pension can be made.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that another soldier of the same regiment at the same station and suffering from the same disease—suffering from the same disease three months earlier—has been pensioned by the Ministry of Pensions?

Yes, I believe that that is the case, but each case has to be judged on its own merits. This case has been considered by my medical advisers, and they are quite certain that it is not attributable to service and is not comparable in any way with the previous case to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the fact that pensions have now been stabilised, he will allow disabled ex-service men to reckon in the amount of their bonus when arranging to commute a part of their pension?

It is not proposed to make any change in the sense suggested in the statutory Regulations governing this matter. My right hon. Friend is satisfied from experience that the present Regulations preserve to pensioners no more than the minimum pension which, in their own interests, should be left uncommuted.

Does not the present Regulation in some cases allow commutation of pension above £3 a week, and does not the stabilisation of pensions increase this?

Oh, no. The limit is laid down now at 16s., and has nothing to do with £3.

Does not the stabilisation of pensions mean that a higher sum than 16s. cannot be commuted?

No, it does not make any difference at all.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the personal property taken from Mr. Oscar Slater at the time of his arrest has now been found and returned to him?

I am not aware what particular property the hon. Member has in mind. Personal property taken by the police or the prosecution was disposed of in accordance with Mr. Slater'e directions during his imprisonment, or was returned to him on his release, or (in the case of certain articles which formed part of the production at the trial in 1909) remains in the custody of the Clerk of Justiciary.

Is the right hon. and learned Gentleman aware that Mr. Slater says that a, considerable amount of jewellery was taken from him and that he has not been able to get it back again, and will he make inquiries as to what has happened to that property?

No, Sir. I am riot aware of any such goods, but, if Mr. Slater sends in a letter specifying anything which he alleges has not been returned to him, the matter will receive attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the letter sent by his Department, dated the 4th August, to Mr. Oscar Slater, suggesting a payment of £6,000, contained any mention that this amount should cover costs or expenses, or whether the reply of the 7th August, received from Mr. Oscar Slater, mentioned either of these two items; whether any recent correspondence has passed between his Department and Mr. Oscar Slater with regard to the outstanding costs to which Mr. Slater has been put; and whether any further payment is contemplated by the Government towards the costs of Mr. Slater's appeal?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on the 27th November to the hon. Member for Govan (Mr. Maclean). My right hon. Friend has recently received a letter from Mr. Slater regarding loss and expense alleged to have been incurred by him prior to and in connection with his appeal case. It is not the intention of the Government to make any payment in addition to the ex gratia sum already paid to Mr. Slater, and he has been so informed.

Does not the right hon. and learned Gentleman think it would be better in cases like this that, when making ex gratia payments, to state fully that they cover expenses rather than leave people in the unhappy position of not having their costs defrayed?

No, Sir. I have nothing to add to the statement which has been made, and I do not accept the hon. Member's contention.

Is it not definitely stated in communications which passed between Oscar Slater and the Government relating to this payment of £6,000 that the payment of this sum was because of imprisonment as a result of the sentence passed upon him?

I have nothing to add to the answer previously made on these very points.

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman inform the House why, if he takes up the attitude which he is now doing with regard to expenses, no mention was made in any letter which passed between them that the expenses of cases of this kind were considered to be defrayed out of the money given to Oscar Slater?

The answer has been given, and the right hon. and learned Gentleman has nothing to add.

He has never said anything. Nothing to nothing makes nothing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the area served by the North of Scotland College of Agriculture is, owing to the financial difficulties of that institution, threatened with a severe restriction of the facilities for agricultural education which have hitherto been enjoyed; and whether he is yet in a position to inform the House what arrangements he proposes to make for placing the finances of the agricultural colleges upon a satisfactory basis.

My right hon. Friend has approved arrangements which will avoid the possibility of any serious restriction of the activities of the College during the next three years, and he trusts that if the Local Government (Scotland) Bill is carried into law such reorganisation of the administration of the Scottish Agricultural Colleges may be effected as will ensure in the future a more stable income from local sources.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the two constables who were sent into the Paisley public house to obtain evidence of the sale and consumption of exciseable liquors after permitted hours were in plain clothes, and that it was admitted in court that they had been consuming liquor after permitted hours; and whether he will circularise local police authorities pointing out the undesirability of applying such methods to obtain convictions?

I am informed that the two constables were in plain clothes and that one of them stated in Court that he was sipping beer after the closing hour. The constables were sent to the public house, because the police had reason to suspect that the licensee was persistently selling exciseable liquor after permitted hours and allowing it to be consumed on the premises, and the action taken was necessary to secure evidence of contravention of the law. My right hon. Friend sees no ground for any action on his part.

Considering that the verdict in this case was one of not proven against the licensee, will the hon. and gallant Gentleman consider the desirability of sending some word round to the chief constables asking them not to employ constables in this manner in order to trap publicans or other members of the public into committing crime by themselves asking for drink to be served to them after hours?

I do not think that this matter arises out of the question which was asked by the hon. Member.

Arising out of that reply, is the hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that in this question it states that the constables themselves admitted that they had been consuming liquor after hours, and that they were using that evidence to convict the licensee. In view of these facts, I am asking whether the hon. and gallant Gentleman, or his chief, the Secretary of State for Scotland, will send some circular round deprecating such tactics being used by the police in Scotland or anywhere else in order to obtain convictions against licensees?

Would it not be wise to have teetotal women constables to deal with this matter?

Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman say whether there was anybody else on these premises at the time besides the two constables who were consuming liquor?

That question does not arise.

Is not the best way of avoiding this kind of thing to introduce legislation to lengthen the hours of opening?

asked the Secretary for Scotland if he is aware that in England a booklet is issued containing standard decisions and judgments on decisions arising from the working of both the Health Insurance and the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts; and if he will take steps to provide the same for Scotland in order to guide all persons concerted?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the independent referees set up in Scotland under the Contributory Pensions Act have thought that no good purpose would be served by extending their decisions for purposes of publication. So far as National Health Insurance is concerned, it has never been the practice to publish Scottish decisions, but the whole question of appeal procedure under the Acts will shortly come under review when the hon. Member's representations will be kept in view.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate has been made of the total annual sum that will accrue to the benefit of shipping companies in Aberdeen, by way of de-rating; and if any arrangement has been made with the shipping companies operating from the port that will ensure the benefits so obtained being passed on to the community by way of reduced freight charges?

I have been asked to reply. The hon. Member will observe from Clause 113 of the Local Government Bill that it is intended that harbour authorities shall pass on their rating relief by way of rebates from or reductions in their charges, but I am not in a position to frame any estimate of the share of the benefit which will in this way accrue to shipping companies. With regard to the last part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on the 12th December to the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Sir W. Preston), of which I am sending him a copy.

Can the right hon, and gallant Gentleman say if there is any method by which the Government can be assured that such relief as has been granted will in fact be passed on?

No, Sir. The attitude of the Government is that those paying the dock dues should receive the relief.

Are we to understand from the reply of the right hon. and gallant Gentleman that it is the intention of the Government that any benefits derived from de-rating will be handed on to the consumer?

If the hon. Member will raise his point when Clause 113 comes under discussion, he will receive a reply.

It will not come up for discussion.

asked the Secretary for Mines if his attention has been called to the fact that, notwithstanding the benefit given to the South Wales coal-owners under the Government scheme of railway rates relief, they are asking the miners to concede reductions in their wages; and will the Government make the benefit payable to the coal-owners under the scheme conditional upon the present rate of wages being paid to the miners?

asked the Secretary for Mines if he proposes that any portion of the amount of the money to be given in relief of freights and rates will be earmarked to give an increase in wages to miners in view of the fact that up to the present sacrifices in wages and hours have been made by them to keep the present markets and to secure others?

The policy of the Government was directed to the same end as the sacrifices mentioned by the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring, namely, a reduction in costs of production and delivery of coal for the benefit of the coal mining industry. My right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, stated on 12th December that the Government did not think it desirable or practicable to attempt to control the ultimate distribution of the benefit of the railway rates relief between the producers and the consumers. The division of the proceeds of the mining industry is settled by district wages agreements.

If the coalowners, in addition to the relief which the Government provides for them, are demanding reductions in wages from the miners, will the Government do nothing to prevent it?

The division of the proceeds in the mining industry is, as I have said, supplied by the District Wages agreements.

Then what is the purpose of your scheme so far as the miners are concerned?

The object is to try and revive the industry for the benefit of the miners and the coalowners.

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that in some districts the coalowners avoid breaking the district agreements by attacking the base rates and so lower the wages of the miners. If this benefit is given in this way, why cannot the miners be assured that they are having their share?

If there is a breach of any agreement, there is the independent chairman appointed to deal with it.

I do not say that there is a breach of the agreement, but that the coalowners are avoiding a breach of the agreement by attacking the base rates which are outside the agreement. They are not only taking this amount from the miners, but also reducing the wages they already receive.

Is the Secretary for Mines aware that many men who are working five days a week are in a worse position than those who are unemployed altogether, and that, if there is to be no advantage to these men from this relief, they will have to remain where they are? It would be of no help to them at all. I am sure the hon. and gallant Member—

Will the hon. Member shorten his question?

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that the amount given by way of relief of railway rates will not meet the losses, and that consequently the men will get nothing at all?

No, Sir, the relief given is for the benefit of the whole industry and with the idea of reducing losses.

But the men will get none of it.

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that, as far as the local base rates are concerned, the independent chairman of whom he spoke has no jurisdiction whatever?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will grant to water-borne export and bunker coal conveyed on the canals of this country the accelerated de-rating benefits as applied to railways from the 1st instant?

asked the Minister of Transport whether, seeing that water-export and bunker coal is the only form of coal conveyance which does not benefit by anticipation of rate relief, he will reconsider his refusal to give equal treatment to this form of transport?

I have been asked to reply to these questions. The Government do not see their way to anticipate the relief from local rates which will accrue to the canal authorities under the Local Government Bill as from the 1st October next.

Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman received any representations from any of these canal companies and from a particular canal company in Yorkshire on which several collieries depend for the carriage of their coal. If they are to be put to this disadvantage as compared with the railway companies, it is going to affect deleteriously these collieries?

I have received representations arid they were considered by the Government when they dealt with the proposal as to whether canals should be brought in.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman realise what it Means to a canal carrying coal down to a port in competition with a railway when the railway company has an advantage of 9d. per ton in the carriage of that; Coal?.

May I ask whether the Aire and Calder Canal Company does not convey much more coal for export and bunker than the railway company in that particular area; and should they not he considered?

That aspect of the de-rating proposal has been before the House, and it has been decided by the House. I do not think the case of one particular canal company can he singled out.

Was not the purpose of de-rating, almost exclusively, to encourage the export of coal; and is not all the coal carried on this canal ex-elusively for export?

Yes, and 99¾ per cent, of such coal does get the benefit.

If it is possible to give this relief to 99¾ per cent., why leave out this small company?

Everything possible has been done to reduce freights on the public railways, and if you included one canal, you would probably have to include all, and the machinery would be very complicated.

In view of the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's reply and his treatment of shipping and canals, should not the Ministry of Transport be renamed "Railway House"?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has considered the effect upon the coasting trade of this country of the anticipation of the de-rating scheme in regard to railways, whilst there is no anticipation in respect of docks; and whether he is prepared to set apart a sufficient sum to enable docks, in cooperation with shipowners, to give to the specified industries benefits corresponding to those given by the railways under the Government scheme?

I have been asked to reply. Full consideration has been given to the matter to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers; but the Government does not see its way to anticipate the rating relief to be granted to the dock authorities under the Local Government Bill.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that a large class of miscellaneous goods which go alternatively by ship or rail or coastwise boats it is apprehended will be transferred from shipping to the railways because of the anticipation of this relief? Does he consider that fair as between one form of transport and another?

I do not accept the gloomy view which the hon. Member takes. The Government in their scheme of rating relief are doing what is universally asked for, and, when they have done that, they can do no more.

May I ask whether the Government took all the circumstances of the case into consideration before they decided to ante-date the railway freight relief? Did they have consultations with the shipping companies or the dock authorities?

I do not remember receiving any representations on the question.

May I ask whether this might not work in the opposite direction by affording facilities for getting goods from the interior to the coast and thus increase the coastal trade?

That is a matter of opinion.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not realise that, in reducing the burdens of one section of the community, he is increasing the burdens on other sections?

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the statement made by the coroner at Barnsley on 1st December, after an inquiry into the cause of the death of a colliery official named W. Bennett; and whether it is part of the duty of His Majesty's inspectors, when visiting collieries, to ascertain whether ambulance material and skilled first-aid men are available in case of accident?

I have seen the statement referred to. It is the duty of His Majesty's Inspectors of Mines to see that all regulations, including those relating to first aid, are carried out. There was no breach of the regulations in this case. First-aid material was available, but a qualified first-aid man is not demanded by the regulation as the number of persons employed underground did not exceed 30.

Does not the hon. and gallant Member think that, in view of the results in this unfortunate instance, skilled first-aid men ought to be available at every colliery to deal with accidents?

Collieries employing less than 30 men are not required to do it. Obviously, it would be impossible to have qualified first-aid men at these small collieries.

Why?

Is the hon. and gallant Member aware that in this case, when the man met with a rather serious accident, there was no one present except an office boy to bandage him, and, in view of the fact that this man lost his life, does the hon. and gallant Member not think that legislation is necessary?

New regulations are at present under discussion, and I shall certainly bear this case in mind in dealing with them.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of low-temperature carbonisation systems for extracting byproducts from coal which are receiving Government, assistance; where they are situated; the amount of assistance given; and the amount of coal treated by these plants?

The only low-temperature plants receiving direct financial assistance from the Government are the experimental retorts at the fuel research station, owned and worked by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, and the plant at Richmond (Surrey) erected by the Gas Light and Coke Company, the necessary capital for which has been guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Act. The amount of coal treated in the former since the 1st January last is 1,250 tons; the latter plant has not yet started carbonising. The tax on imported motor spirit is, of course, assisting all carbonisation plants producing this by-product.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number and names of the low-temperature carbonisation systems for the extraction of by-products from coal which are in operation in this country where 200 or more tons of coal are treated weekly; and whether any of these systems are working on a commercial basis?

Low-temperature carbonisation plants for the extraction of by-products from coal, treating 200 tons or more per week, are in operation in this country on the following systems:

• Parker Plant, Low Temperature Carbonisation, Limited.
• Maclaurin Plant.
• Merz and McClellan Plant (or Babcock Plant).
• Illingworth Plant.

If, by "working on a commercial basis," the hon. Member means working at a profit, I regret that I have no information beyond that published by the undertakings concerned.

Plants for treating 200 tons or more per week on the undermentioned nine systems are also in existence, or approaching completion, in this country. Some of these may be in operation at the present time, but I have no definite information that this is the case. Nor can I say that this list is exhaustive, as there may be other plants of which I am not aware:

• Dvorkovitz System (Rational Carbonisation Syndicate, Limited).
• Fuel Research System (Gas Light and Coke Company).
• Fusion Retort, (Fusion Corporation, Limited).
• K.S.G. System (South Metropolitan Gas Company).
• L. and N. System (L. and N. Coal Distillation, Limited).
• Midland Coal Products, Limited.
• Plassmann Plant (Coal Conversion, Limited).
• Sutcliffe System (Leigh Smokeless Fuels Company, Limited).
• Winser Plant (Continuous Goal Carbonisation, Limited).

Is it not of the highest importance that the Mines Department should conduct a searching investigation into all these experiments and processes?

The plants are being put into commercial operation. That is the best test.

If the hon. and gallant Member is interested in the mining industry and its futures why does he not do it?

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will be prepared to present to Parliament, on re-assembly after the Christmas Recess, detailed statements relating to the working of the various co-operative schemes which have been brought into operation in the principal coal areas of Great Britain, and which deal with over-production, regulation of prices and the development of export markets?

There is nothing to ad d at present to the information contained in the White Paper (Command Paper 3214) which I presented to the House in November.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of miners engaged in the mining industry during the first week of each month since October, 1926?

As the reply involves a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to a scheme for the construction of a motor road over Wrynose and Hard Knott, in Lakeland; and whether he proposes to make a contribution towards the cost?

I have seen references to this project in the Press, but have received no application from any local authority in respect of it. I should not regard the proposal favourably, and have no reasons to suppose that the views of the county councils concerned differ from my own.

asked the Minister of Transport when work commenced on the Western Avenue; what is the total length of road contemplated; how many miles have been completed and opened for traffic; and what is the reason for the delay in construction?

The first section in Hammersmith was commenced in 1920 the County Councils of London and Middlesex have since completed other sections and work is still in progress. The total length of the projected road is 13 miles, of which four and a quarter miles are already completed. When two railway bridges now under construction are finished a further length of one and a half miles will be available for traffic. I am unable to give the construction of other sections of this arterial road priority over other important improvements, but I am assisting the Middlesex County Council to safeguard the lines of the road.

In view of the importance of this road to the traders of High Wycombe, can the right hon. and gallant Gentleman state when it will probably be completed—in what year?

I cannot possibly say when, because there are other projects concerned.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman push the work on as fast as he can, and use his influence to get it through?

It is not a question of influence; it is a question of finance.

When the right hon. and gallant Gentleman speaks of priority, does he mean financial priority?

Priority in most cases hinges on finance.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received the report of the consulting engineers on the scheme for the reconstruction of the Penyclip-Penmaenmawr road; and whether, in view of the danger to life on the existing road and the large number of unemployed who could obtain work on the construction of the new road, he will have the scheme put into operation forthwith as a work of national importance?

The report of the consulting engineers is now before me, and has also been transmitted to the Carnarvonshire County who are the responsible highway authority. I am ready to discuss the matter further with the council as soon as they inform me that they are in a position to do so.