asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his attention has been drawn to the sentence of a fine of £15 or, alternatively, 14 days' imprisonment passed on Joshua Townsend, of Harescombe, Gloucestershire, at the Gloucester County Petty Sessions, on 15th December last, for having failed to comply with a magistrate's order for the abatement of a nuisance, namely, the alleged overcrowding of his cottage by reason of his inability to find alternative accommodation; if he is aware that Joshua Townsend is an ex-Service man with a wife and six children, and has made all possible efforts to find accommodation suitable to the size of his family and near his work and within the scope of his wages? and will he make inquiries with a view to a mitigation of this sentence?

My attention has been called to this case. I understand that Townsend has found and has removed to suitable premises. Further inquiry will be necessary before I can consider whether I ought to advise any remission of a penalty inflicted earlier. I may, perhaps, say that the proceedings were taken, not by the police, but by the sanitary inspector.

While thanking my right hon. Friend for the courtesy of his reply, am I to understand that he will still make inquiries as to whether or not this sentence will be mitigated?

Yes, that is exactly what I say in my reply. I thought I ought to let my hon. Friend know that the man has removed to suitable premises.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses under the 1924 Act built in agricultural parishes in each month since the Act came into operation?

As the answer involves a tabular statement I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will, if necessary, introduce legislation empowering or requiring borough councils in London, and local authorities generally, to determine tenancies in subsidised houses where the tenants are clearly not of the genuine working-class type contemplated in the Acts?

Local authorities already have full discretion as to the tenancies of houses erected by themselves.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has recently received any communication from certain insurance companies interested in the property of the Cadogan syndicate in Chelsea as to the possible improvement of its sanitary condition, the use of part of it for children's playground, and the treatment of Feltham Mews, etc., for slum clearance purposes; and what steps he proposes to take?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the case of a certain tenant in Med way Street, "Westminster, on the estate of the Doxford Estates Company, whose house being rendered unsafe by neighbouring building operations was practically uninhabitable; whether he is aware that this tenant has now been compensated for removal, all her expenses reimbursed, and a written guarantee given that she will be treated in all respects as if she were in a rent-restricted house: and whether he will introduce legislation to secure to tenants so situated as a matter of right the advantages given by the landlord in this particular case after friendly negotiations and as an act of grace?

I have no information with regard to this case. I cannot undertake to introduce general legislation on the lines suggested.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether he is in sympathy with the text of the question?

The question seems to be a testimonial to a very generous landlord.

That is not much of an answer.

asked the Minister of Health the number of London County Council houses at Becontree standing empty in January, 1926, July, 1928, and at the present time?

I understand that the numbers of unoccupied houses on the Becontree Estate at the dates in question were 398, 160 and 100 respectively.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make inquiries as to why these houses should be vacant at this time, when the housing problem is so serious in that part of London?

The answer is fairly obvious. It is also obvious that the number of empty houses has rapidly come down.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to the London County Council that, if they find any difficulty in getting tenants for their houses, they will allow people from Greater London to apply for them?

They are not finding so much difficulty as they were, as the numbers are coming down so rapidly.

asked the Home Secretary whether, before the dissolution, he will seek the opinions of courts which exercise jurisdiction under the Adoption of Children Act, 1926, as to the existence of any grounds for amending either this statute or the present procedure there under, and, in particular, as to the desirability of enabling birth certificates to be issued which do not disclose to an adopted person the fact of his adoption in infancy?

The Courts have already been consulted on this subject and some valuable information based on their replies was given in the recently published Report on the work of the Children's Branch of the Home Office, of which I will send my hon. Friend a copy. The Courts reported that, generally speaking, the Act is working well, though some proposals for amendment were made. Amending legislation may eventually be required, but longer experience is desirable before it is contemplated.

asked the Home Secretary the original gravity of the beer brewed by the State management and sold in their districts as winter ale?

As I understand that it is not the practice of brewers to make such information public, and as I look to the State Management Council to conduct the undertaking in accordance with sound business principles, I would rather be excused from answering my hon. and gallant Friend's question.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Committee on the Poisons and Pharmacy Acts has concluded its sittings; and, if so, when the Report is likely to be published?

The Committee has not yet concluded its sittings and no indication can be given as to the probable date of submission of its Report.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the number of prosecutions under the Protection of Animals Act, 1914, for cruelty in connection with prolonged chaining of dogs, and the number of convictions?

I regret that I am unable to find any such information, but perhaps any hon. Friend would help me with references.

May I assure the right hon. Gentleman that great cruelty is often caused by this practice—[HON. MEMBERS: "Speech"!]

I cannot find any cases. My hon. Friend asked me to give the number of prosecutions. I cannot find any up to the present. If he can give me a clue as to any which have taken place, I may be able to obtain some information. At present, I can find none.

I will do my best to help the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the President of the Board of Education if any of the Lord Mayor's relief fund has been, or will be, allocated to the Cleveland iron-stone miners, who have been out of work for seven years and are affiliated with the Miners' Federation of Great Britain?

I understand that the question of making a grant from the Lord Mayor's Fund to the Cleveland district will be decided at an early date.

Is the Noble Lord aware that, of 19 ironstone mines in Cleveland, only five are working to-day, and they are working on short time?

Yes, Sir.

If the local fund which has been raised in that district, is sent to the Lord Mayor's Fund, will the Lord Mayor add to it as has been done in other cases?

That is the point which I answered. That question, I understand, is to be decided at an early date.

Is the Noble Lord aware that a large number of ironstone miners in other districts are out of work?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he can make any statement as to the progress of the organisations responsible for the relief of distress in the mining areas?

I must apologise for the length of this answer. Divisional committees have been formed to control the operations of the Lord Mayor's Fund in the following coalfields: South Wales, Durham and Northumberland, Lancashire, Cumberland, West Riding, Somerset and Gloucestershire, including the Forest of Dean, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Under the divisional committees local committees have been, or are now being, constituted as required on a basis fully representative of all interests, including the voluntary agencies, for the purpose of obtaining information, preventing overlapping, and securing fair and efficient distribution. The intention is to incorporate as far as possible any existing distress committees into the local committees of the Lord Mayor's Fund, and to restrict the areas covered by those committees so as to ensure that their members can come into personal touch with those who will benefit from the fund. In areas where the density of distress is not such as to justify the creation of a local committee it is proposed that the divisional committees should enlist the aid of the local education and public health authorities concerned. As regards the central organisation in London, I would refer my hon. Friend to the Lord Mayor's speech at the Mansion House on the 16th of this month, of which, I am sending him a copy.

Is this list of committees complete, or is there a chance of any additions being made to it? In particular, is there a chance that North Stafford, where distress is extremely great in the coalfields, will have its own committee?

Yes. The list does not pretend to be exhaustive. I gather that the arrangements to be made in the remaining areas will be considered by the committee of the fund on Friday.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, as an alternative to the lesser contributions to the Lord Mayor's fund in cash and kind being ignored, printed postcards of thanks can be sent to all donors?

I am informed that all cash contributions to the fund are acknowledged, but I will convey my noble Friend's suggestion to the Lord Mayor.

I can give the right hon. Gentleman a case where that is not so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decisions have been arrived at with regard to the distribution in Scotland of the fund made available for the relief of the miners; if any relief is being given outside of the necessitous mining areas and, if so, to whom; and, approximately, what proportion of the fund has now been distributed?

The Distress in Mining Areas (Scotland) Fund is being administered by a Central Advisory Committee set up at a Conference held in Edinburgh on the 22nd December. At a meeting of the Central Advisory Committee held last week, various decisions were arrived at in regard to the policy to be followed in the administration of the Fund, and it is hoped to issue a Circular to Local Authorities this week intimating those decisions. In order to secure uniformity of administration as between the different districts, the Committee have fixed a scale of household income to be followed by Local Committees in considering applications for assistance, a discretion being allowed to Local Committees to exceed this scale in exceptional circumstances. Assistance from the Fund may be given either by way of food (which may include feeding of children at school) or clothing, by assisting suitable persons to move to other areas where employment has been found, or by assisting emigration. As regards the second part of the question, the Central Advisory Committee have decided to draw up a list of parishes which, for the purposes of the Fund, may reasonably be regarded as "mining areas." Within those parishes assistance from the Fund will not be limited to miners, and persons in distress in other industries will be entitled to make application for assistance. Outside those parishes, only the claims of mineworkers will be entertained. As regards the last part of the question, the Central Advisory Committee have distributed £20,000 to Local Authorities, representing about one-ninth of the present total of the Fund.

Can my hon. and gallant Friend assure me that the same considerations will be given to distressed miners who live outside the scheduled parishes as is given to them if they reside within?

Yes, Sir.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman have regard to the distress which is prevailing among other workpeople who are not included in what may be described as a mining area?

It is not possible for us to take account of that under the terms for the collection of the Fund.

But in view of the fact that the Government are now making a contribution from the taxpayers' money, ought not this Fund to apply to all cases of distress, and not be specifically earmarked for individuals?

It would take a long time to go into all the reasons for the decisions which have been come to. Those decisions were come to by the Advisory Committee, and workers in certain other industries, as well as the miners, were represented on that Committee.

Is the amount of relief expended, £20,000, not very low having regard to the amount of distress in Scotland?

That was merely the first interim distribution. The remaining distributions will take place as rapidly as the machinery which is set up can deal with applications.

When the hon. and gallant Member speaks of representatives of other industries being on the Advisory Committee, does that mean inside the area? Were representatives from distressed shipyard areas like Leith or the Clyde also consulted with regard to the need in those areas?

The particular industry which I had in mind was that of the steel-workers. The steel-workers are concerned with industries in various parts of the country.

Was any consideration given to the industry most distressed of the whole lot, shipbuilding?

Will steel workers not within mining areas who are suffering from unemployment receive relief from this fund?

According to the decision of the Central Advisory Committee, on which, as I say, the steel-workers were represented, it will not be possible to relieve workers in other industries residing outside the scheduled mining areas.

Arising out of that portion of the reply dealing with the transference to other districts, is it meant that the cost of transferring people under the Ministry of Labour transfer Scheme will come out of this Fund?

Oh, no. This fund, as it has been clearly explained by the Secretary of State, is not to serve as a replacement either of local relief or central relief, but it is to serve in a supplementary capacity to statutory assistance.

Has shipbuilding been considered, in view of the fact that out of 25,000 insured workers, at least 5,090 are out of work at the present moment?

As the hon. Member knows, the question of shipbuilding did not arise either in the Debates in the House or in the appeal for funds which were made.

Is the hon. and gallant Member not aware that I put a question to the Prime Minister myself?

What is the scale of relief which has been decided upon? The hon. and gallant Member mentioned the scale, but he did not give any indication as to what it was.

The scale of relief, along with other relevant facts, will be found in the circular which will be issued this week to the various bodies concerned.

Are the Government going to give pound for pound in Scotland?

At the present time the Government are contributing to Scotland its due proportion of 11/80ths of all money contributed by the Government towards any fund in the United Kingdom, that is 11/80ths of Government subscriptions towards the Lord Mayor's Fund.

asked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been drawn to the advertisements in the official journal of the Association of Education Committees, Education, for 11th January, from the Bridlington and Ipswich authorities for uncertificated assistant mistresses with salaries under Scale 2; and if his Department is prepared to recognise so low a standard of teaching for authorities under its control?

I have seen the advertisements referred to. The employment of uncertificated teachers is allowed by the Code, and it would not be practicable to prohibit their employment.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the offer to supply one-third of a pint of milk in a special bottle for one penny to schools within the Metropolitan area; and whether this proposal has received his support?

I have not heard of the particular proposal to which the hon. Member refers. Any arrangement for the supply of milk to children attending public elementary schools is primarily a matter for the local education authority concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the Report of the Mental Deficiency Committee, which on the 9th. July last he informed the House he hoped would be available before the end of the year, has been signed; and when it will be published?

The Report has just been presented. I hope to publish it as soon as practicable, but I understand it is a very long document, and I should not like to give an undertaking to publish until I have had an opportunity of considering it.

May we know whether "as soon as possible" means well on this side of Easter, because there are important conferences to be held in April which will be attended by many people anxious to know about this matter?

I will certainly do my best. It is a very long document.

Will the Noble Lord give an undertaking that no proposals made by the Committee will be carried into effect, until the Report has been published?

Certainly no proposals will be carried into effect until the direct recommendations have been published.

asked the President of the Board of Education, whether, in view of conflicting medical testimony on the advantage or necessity for the extraction of enlarged tonsils, he will recommend local education authorities to bring to the notice of their medical officers the fact that there is an alternative treatment and advise them not to prosecute parents who desire to follow such treatment rather than have recourse to the operation?

I do not think the course suggested by the hon. Member is necessary. The medical officers of local education authorities are well aware that there are various alternative methods of treatment for enlarged tonsils, of which operative treatment is one, and operative treatment would only be recommended by them when other methods of treatment had been tried and failed. The position of the Board is indicated in paragraph 117 of the Report of their chief medical officer for 1921, which was repeated in paragraph 63 of his Report for 1923. I would also draw the hon. Member's attention to paragraph 118 of the Report for 1921 and to paragraph 64 of the Report of 1923 in which it is clearly stated that

"the Board of Education have consistently advised that operation should not be undertaken except with the full consent of the parents or guardians of the child."

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the conflicting medical testimony on the advantage or necessity for the extraction of enlarged tonsils, he will communicate to all infant welfare centres the fact that there is an alternative treatment and that parents who desire to follow such treatment should not be pressed to have recourse to an operation?

It is not the practice at infant welfare centres to advise the removal of tonsils, but rather to refer children needing treatment to a hospital or private doctor for advice as to the appropriate form of treatment. I see no reason therefore to take the action suggested in the question.

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to see that an adequate supply of radium is available, especially for the treatment of cancer, for the smaller hospitals and at a reasonable price; and if any steps are being taken to obtain radium in commercial quantities from within the British Empire?

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that the treatment of cancer by radium is being seriously handicapped by the difficulty of obtaining supplies, he has any information as to the possibility of an increased supply and a reduction in the present cost?

I am not at present in a position to add anything to the reply given to a similar question on the 5th December, in which it was stated that the whole subject of radium requirements and supplies is under consideration by the sub-committee of the Committee of Civil Research.

In the meantime, is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the matter is very urgent for the smaller and poorer hospitals, in view of the tremendous price that the monopoly is charging for this substance?

Yes, I sum quite aware of that, and I am trying to get the Report as quickly as possible.

Can the right hon. Gentleman, for the guidance of voluntary hospitals, issue a statement of the information in the possession of his Department on the subject?

No, I do not think any useful purpose would be served by doing that.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons in receipt of sick or disablement benefit, whose benefit ceased on reaching the age of 65, though they were not qualified to receive the old age pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925; and if it is proposed to introduce legislation providing that a man eligible for benefit, apart from the age of 65, shall continue to draw disablement benefit until he is qualified for the old age pension?

The information asked for in the first part of the question is not available and could only be obtained by a special examination of the records of every one of the 7,000 Approved Societies and Branches administering National Health Insurance and a comparison with the central records relating to claims for old age pensions. Legislation to the effect suggested in the second part of the question is not in contemplation. On the introduction of the scheme of contributory old age pensions the health insurance contribution was readjusted to cover liability for sickness and disablement benefits up to the age of 65 only, and the extension of the title to benefit beyond that age would necessitate an increase in the contribution.

In view of the large surplus available as the result of two and a half years' working, will the right hon. Gentleman consider an amendment of the law to cover these people?

There are very-few people concerned. These are only people who entered insurance at the age of 63 or 64.

If they are very few, will the Minister explain why the contribution would have to be increased?

Because, generally, they are not covered by the existing contribution.

Is there not a large surplus in the fund?

Not available for that purpose.

asked the Minister of Health the number of old age pensions granted to persons between the ages of 65 and 70 in the 12 months ended 31st December, 1928; the number of applications that were rejected; and the various reasons for rejection?

As regards England and Wales, the number of old age pensions granted to persons between the ages of 65 and 70 in the 12 months ending 31st December, 1928, was 579,626; the number of applications which were rejected was 67,525. The main grounds of rejection were inadequate insurance, age of claimant, or, where the wife was claiming in respect of her husband's insurance, the husband was found not to be qualified.

In the case of a man or woman who is not in a position to produce a birth certificate, what arrangements are made for the purpose of establishing his or her claim?

Perhaps the hon. Member will give me notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Health if persons aged between 65 and 70 years, whose claims to pension under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, were rejected on the ground that their insurance had lapsed owing to unemployment, may submit a fresh claim by virtue of the provision made in the Health Insurance Act, 1928, that insurance shall not lapse if a person is unemployed and is genuinely seeking employment?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension in thinking that claims to pension from persons between the age of 65 and 70 have been rejected on the ground that insurance had lapsed owing to unemployment. Regulations made under Subsection (2) of Section 30 of the Contributory Pensions Act provided for the continuance of insurance where genuine unemployment was established, and that arrangement has been made permanent by the National Health Insurance Act, 1928.

asked the Minister of Health what is the estimated rate which the London County Council will be called upon to levy for Poor Law purposes during the first five years of the de-rating scheme; what is the estimated rate for these county Poor Law-purposes which will fall upon such boroughs as Stepney, Bermondsey, South-wark, Bethnal Green and Poplar after the contributions to the pool for assisting richer boroughs has been paid; and the estimated county poor rate which will fall upon the City of London, the City of Westminster, and the Metropolitan boroughs of Kensington, Chelsea and Holborn?

As the answer contains a table of figures with explanations, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is it a fact that the poorer authorities coming under the new scheme of Poor Law administration in London will have to pay for 19 years double the cost to the richer boroughs for the county Poor Law services?

No. that is not so.

If the right hon. Gentleman has the table there, will he very kindly tell US what the figures really are, as it is a matter of some public importance?

It is a very long table, and I hardly think it would be fair to the House to give the whole of the figures now.

I will take an opportunity of reading it to the House, so that they may know the injustice of the arrangement.

Is there anything in that table to show, as between the richer and the poorer boroughs, whether it is not a fact that the poorer boroughs as a whole lose much more heavily by de-rating than the richer boroughs and to suggest that the equalisation of the rates made for Poor Law purposes tends to be nullified by the loss of rates?

I think the poorer boroughs will have every reason to be thankful for the arrangement made.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give us the figures for Battersea?

Seeing that the heavy de-rating of the poorer boroughs will mean that the loss as regards the penny-rate is proportionately larger in the poorer boroughs than in the richer boroughs, and, if the assumptions on which the right hon. Gentleman made his answer do not work out, will not the poorer boroughs be worse off because they lose more by de-rating?

The scheme and the results of the scheme must be taken as a whole, and as a whole it will be found that the poorer boroughs stand to gain very materially.

Is it not a fact that under the financial arrangement made between the right hon. Gentleman and West Ham the poor rate will go up at least 6s. in the £?

asked the Minister of Health what additional rate in the £ will fall upon the poorer boroughs of London during the longer period of years as a result of his suggested amendments to Clause 76, Subsection (1), of the Local Government Bill, which extends the period from 15 to 19 years, and Sub-section (1) (6) of the same Clause, which extends the years from one to five years?

Under the proposed Amendments mentioned by the hon. Member, any borough in London which, in accordance with the provisions of the Fifth Schedule to the Local Government Bill, is estimated to have gained as a result of the scheme, would be called upon to contribute part of its gains towards reducing the losses of the losing boroughs for a period of 19 years, instead of 15 years as proposed in the Bill, and, for the first five years of this period, the contribution would be at the amount which, under the proposals in the Bill, would have been contributed in the first year only. The total extra contribution from any gaining borough under the Amendment for the whole period of 19 years is accordingly four times the contribution of that borough for the first year. The actual sum, and its equivalent as a rate in the £, cannot be stated with any precision until it has become possible to calculate the amount of the, supplementary Exchequer grant on the basis of the rate-borne expenditure of the standard year 1928–29 and the values in force on the 1st October, 1929, as apportioned under the Rating and Valuation (Apportionment) Act, 1928.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that unemployed men whose benefit is stopped subject to appeal are being given test work by the guardians and relief on condition that they repay the relief if the appeal is subsequently allowed; that in practice this means the men do work, often of a very arduous nature, for no pay at all, and that while doing this test work they are unable to seek employment; and will he look into this matter?

The regulations in force contemplate that task work should be required in every case in which outdoor relief is given to an able-bodied man and permit the grant of such relief on loan at the discretion of the guardians, but in practice boards of guardians do not at the present time generally enforce such a test in the limited class of cases mentioned in the question. Arrangements are invariably made to secure that men who are set to work shall have all reasonable opportunities to seek employment.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Hull Guardians are actually doing it now and that they state that this is by orders from the Ministry of Health?

No, I am not aware of that fact. I inferred from the question put by the hon. and gallant Member that something of the kind was going on in Hull, but I was not aware that it was by order of the Ministry of Health.

Will the right hon. Gentleman look into it, as I was informed of this by a very responsible official in Hull?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his officials are pressing the Lincoln Guardians to impose test work as a condition of relief?

Apparently that would only be in accordance with the Regulations.

Is it not a fact that the right hon. Gentleman has now changed the procedure that has been going on for 10 years, and that he is compelling boards of guardians to administer the law rigidly according to orders?

It is quite true that the Regulations have not been strictly observed, but I think it is time that they were more strictly observed.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that a time when unemployment is increasing and very decent, respectable, hard working families are suffering is a time for tightening up the Regulations?

Does the right hon. Gentleman think these Regulations should be more strictly observed at a time when, from the Government Front Bench, special appeals are being made on account of the distressed areas?

asked the Minister of Health what were the reasons for the letter written by his Department to the Northampton Board of Guardians calling attention to 14 men (13 single and one married) then receiving out-relief; whether he is aware of the number of unemployed in Northampton; by what means these men should live if deprived of out-relief; and whether his Department has made any inquiries to ascertain whether there are any men or women in the area of the Northampton Board of Guardians who are not in receipt of relief and who should be awarded relief?

The letter was based upon reports of my inspector indicating that the relief administration of this union required reorganisation. As is shown by the letter, of which I will send the hon. Member a copy, the cases named were cases in regard to which the information supplied by the guardians did not suggest that there were special reasons justifying a departure from the Regulations. The reply to the second part of the question is in the affirmative. The suggestion made was that if out-relief were continued it should be made conditional on the performance of a task of work. The reply to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Does the Minister think that the Relief Regulation Order of 1911 is applicable to the conditions of the country in 1929?

Yes.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that recently an inspector of the Ministry of Health advised the Hardingstone Board of Guardians to discontinue outdoor relief to Mr. F. Goddard, of 9, Delapre Street, Northampton, and to offer institutional relief; that Mr. Goddard is married, has been working in the garden of the Poor Law institution at Hardingstone, and is a cripple; and if he will state the reasons why, taking into consideration that institutional relief will cost 31s. per week instead of 15s., which is now being paid in this case, this home should be broken up?

As I have already informed the hon. Member in correspondence, Mr. Goddard's name was reported to the Minister by the guardians as being that of an able-bodied man to whom outdoor relief was being given, and had been given over a long period, and it was on this basis that his name was mentioned to the guardians as one in which the continuance of unconditional outdoor relief should be reconsidered.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that these inspectors, instead of going out of their way to deprive cripples of relief, might go into the depressed areas and sec if there are any cases overlooked?

As I pointed out, the report made to me, not by the inspector, but by the guardians, is that this man was not a cripple, but an able-bodied man. If there be a mistake about that, the letter which I wrote to them will not apply.

Should not the inspectors be more careful about the work which they are doing?

If it has been possible to find this man work in the garden of the institution since he came into the institution, was it not possible to find him the same work while he was living in his own home?

The whole case appears to rest upon a misapprehension. If the man is a cripple, the letter which I wrote to the guardians does not apply.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that Poor Law guardians are bound by law to relieve all the impotent poor who need relief and to set on work all who are unable to maintain them selves, although in neither case they are destitute, he will give the reasons for his recent reminder to guardians that they have only to relieve destitution?

I would remind the hon. Member that it is only the duty of the guardians to give such relief as is necessary, or to set to work persons who have no means to maintain themselves. In either case it seems to me that the persons are correctly described as being in a state of destitution.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the guardians did arrange for some work to be done by these people, and that his own Ministry turned it down?

No, Sir, I am not aware of that fact.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that at a recent meeting of the York shire Joint Vagrancy Committee at Leeds it was resolved that keepers of bread stations for casuals be authorized to refuse all supplies to any casual in dulging in abuse and to confiscate his ticket; whether, seeing that those bread tickets are given under the authority of the Casual Poor Relief Order, 1925, Article 10, he has authorised such refusal or confiscation; and, if not, whether he will cause a communication to be sent to the vagrancy committee requesting that the authorisation of such refusal and confiscation be withdrawn and that the keepers of bread stations be at once so informed?

My attention has not previously been called to this matter, but I am making inquiries.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that under the Poor Law Officers' Superannuation Act, 1896, masters and matrons of workhouses and other officials are, on the death or disablement of either of them, entitled to a pension if he or she has attained the age of 50 or has given 20 years' service; and whether he will amend the Clause in the Local Government Bill relating to the superannuation and compensation of Poor Law officers, giving them the option of remaining under the provisions of the Act of 1896 referred to?

My attention has been drawn to the point raised by my hon. and gallant Friend, and I propose to put down an Amendment for protecting the position of officers holding joint appointments.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the large number of unemployed, he can see his way to have the question of the construction of the Lower Thames tunnel reconsidered with a view of its construction being commenced at an early date; and, as the whole case for this tunnel was placed before the Royal Commission on Cross-River Traffic in London by the chairman of the Lower Thames Tunnel Committee and received the support of this Royal Commission, whether he can give the reasons for the delay in commencing this work, which is of great importance for connecting up the South-Eastern counties with the Midlands and (he North, and at the same time relieving much of the London congestion of traffic?

I have been asked to answer this question. As the Prime Minister explained on the, 21st March last in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for the Gravesend Division (Mr. Albery), the London Traffic Advisory Committee considered that the Victoria Dock Road scheme and certain other projects in the Metropolitan area were of more urgent importance than the Lower Thames Tunnel.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the present position as regards the proposal to construct a foot bridge across the Forth?

I have not yet received the report of the consulting engineers on the subject of the suggested road bridge over the Forth, but I hope that it will reach me during, the course of the next two or three months.

Do I understand that two or three months will elapse before the right hon. and gallant Gentleman receives the first report relating to the survey, and is that not a very long time? Is it not possible to expedite the issue of the report?

No. If you leave to a firm of engineers the duty of carrying out a survey, you must allow them to report in their own time.

I accept that, but is it not true to say that this matter has been in the hands of the engineers for 18 months, and is it not about time that they made their report?

Personally, I hope it will be earlier than two or three months, but I put it at that to be on the safe side.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that statements have appeared in the Scottish Press within the last 10 days to the effect that the report has already been made?

No, Sir, I am not aware of that fact. The report has not yet reached me, but I hope it will reach me by the end of this month.

asked the Minister of Transport whether tenders have been invited for the new Lambeth Bridge; if so, will he state the name of the firm who have received the contract and the amount of the tender submitted; and if he is in a position to state when the work is likely to commence?

The construction of the new Lambeth Bridge is a matter for the London County Council. They have, they inform me, accepted a tender of Messrs; Dorman Long and Company of £555,029 6s. 4d. for this work, which will be begun in the course of the next few weeks.

(by Private Notice) asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the increasing burden entailed upon highway authorities by the cost of maintenance of classified roads the Government is prepared to make any increase in the grants from the Road Fund in respect of the maintenance of such roads?

The Government has from time to time received representations from associations of local authorities to the effect that the existing classification grants towards Class I and Class II roads and bridges were inadequate, and that the cost of the maintenance of these through lines of communication by road was unduly onerous upon the ratepayers of the areas through which they passed. In a preliminary review of the allocation of the Road Fund revenue for the coming financial year 1929–30 I have borne these representations in mind, and have decided, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, to increase the classification grants as from 1st April next from the existing level of 50 per cent. to 60 per cent. in the case of Class I roads and bridges and from the existing level of 33⅓ per cent. to 50 per cent. in the case of Class II roads and bridges. Under the provisions of the Local Government Bill classification grants to London and county boroughs will be discontinued as from 1st April, 1930, and will be merged in the general block grant. In order that these boroughs may continue to share in the concession which it is now proposed to make, an Amendment will be put down at once to the Bill providing that the loss on account of grants shall be calculated as though the increased percentages had been operative during the standard year 1928–29.

Has the recent change of mind on the part of the Government any connection with the forthcoming General Election?

On a point of Order. Is it in order for a question of this kind, in which urgency cannot be pleaded, to be put down in the form of a private notice question? How did it come to be put? Was it brought to your notice that there was any inspiration that caused it to be put?

It was certainly brought to my notice. The hon. Member had better leave it to me to be the judge of urgency.

Is the Chancellor of the Exchequer going to make any reparation in the Budget by handing back to the Minister of Transport the £30,000,000 which he has already pinched?

I will deal with that early in April.

If the right hon. Gentleman wished to make a statement of this kind, why could he not have made it without having a question put to him?

The Bill has come to a point where these Amendments must be put on the Paper. In fact, I think this is the last day on which Amendments can be put on the Paper to suit the convenience of the House.

Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman is unable to make any further grant to rural roads? He has only dealt with Class I and Class II roads.

My hon. Friend must carefully study my answer, which is in the nature of a benefit and a concession. When he has realised what is implied, he will feel that this is not the best moment to make further demands.

asked the Prime Minister whether he proposes to allow time during the present Session of Parliament for the passing into law of the Reservoirs (Safety Provisions) Bill?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend in reply to his question of the 17th of July.

Is it not possible for this Bill to be reintroduced this Session in order to deal with a question which is extremely urgent, and concerns imminent danger in many districts throughout the country? It is non-controversial.

The question is urgent no doubt, but unhappily it is also controversial.

This question was addressed to the Prime Minister, and the right hon. Gentleman did not say that he was replying on behalf of the Prime Minister; I am wondering what office he is now occupying.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the adverse effect on the British coal industry of the delivery of reparation coal under the provisions of the Versailles Treaty, he will instruct the British representatives on the Committee of Experts meeting in Paris at the end of the month to discuss and frame proposals for the definite settlement of the reparation problem to press for a change in the conditions now governing reparation coal?

My hon. Friend may be assured that the British members of the Committee of Experts are aware of the position. I should, however, remind him that they are independent experts, and are not appointed en the basis of receiving instructions from me.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to this independent Committee, in view of the very grave state of the coal trade in the country at the present time?

I think that you must trust these highly competent gentlemen who have undertaken this duty to have all the matters which are relevant to their task kept continuously in their view.

Do I understand that no consultation between the Government and these representatives took place?