asked the Secretary for Mines the total output of coal for Great Britain for the years 1910 to 1913 and 1921 to 1928, respectively; and the total export of coal for the same years, stating the average price of exported coal?

The figures are as follow:

Year.	Output of Coal in Great Britain.	Coal exported from Great Britain.*
		Quantity.	Average declared value per ton f.o.b
	Tons.	Tons.	s.	d.
1910	264,353,000	62,085,000	11	8
1911	271,807,000	64,599,000	11	4
1912†	260,326,000	64,444,000	12	7
1913	287,348,000	73,400,000	13	10
1921†	163,163,000	24,661,000	34	10
1922	249,607,000	64,198,000	22	7
1923	276,001,000	77,974,000	25	2
1924	267,118,000	59,179,000	23	5
1925	243,176,000	48,574,000	19	10
1926†	126,279,000	19,563,000	18	7
1927	251,232,000	48,741,000	17	10
1928	237,750,000‡	47,632,000	15	7
* Excluding shipments to Ireland.
† The majority of the coal mines were idle during a considerable period of the years 1912 1921 and 1926 owing to disputes.
‡ Provisional and subject to correction.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that the Main Colliery Company, Skewen, Neath, are dismantling the whole of their pits; and whether he can take any steps to prevent this being done, in order to find employment for miners and the danger to other undertakings through these collieries being flooded?

As I have said in answer to previous questions of this nature, I have no power to interfere with the discretion of mineowners as to whether they will continue to work their pits or not. As regards the possibility of danger to neighbouring collieries through flooding, this will be watched by the divisional inspector.

asked the Post-master-General if he will consider the placing in the main railway stations in the country stamp slot-machines, especially in the Glasgow Central Station?

The question of installing automatic stamp-vending machines at the principal railway stations was considered two years ago and experimental apparatus was actually installed in two large London stations. I regret, however, that it was not found possible to make satisfactory arrangements with the railway companies for the extension of the practice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of elementary schools in Glasgow which still have a two-shift system in operation and when it is expected that this system will be able to be discontinued entirely?

The number of schools in which the system referred to is still in operation has been reduced to four. In one of these cases normal working is being resumed to-morrow, and it is anticipated that the arrangement will be discontinued in the remaining three schools within six weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total amount expended by the Glasgow Education Authority during November and December, respectively, in making provision for feeding necessitous school children and the amount spent in the provision of boots and clothing?

The figures are: November, feeding £616, boots and clothing £6,114; December, feeding £660, boots and clothing £3,276.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount of able-bodied poor relief paid in November and December, respectively, by the Glasgow and Govan parish councils and also the number of applicants in receipt of benefit; and whether, in view of the hardships of the people concerned, he will agree to reconsider the scale which parish councils are allowed to pay?

The amount expended during the period from 4th November to 1st December, 1928, on the relief of outdoor able-bodied poor was £28,918 by Glasgow Parish Council and £19,736 by Govan Parish Council. The corresponding amounts for the period

—				At 15th November, 1928			At 15th December, 1928.
				Poor.	Dependents.	Total.	Poor.	Dependents.	Total.
Glasgow	…	…	…	6,999	16,798	23,797	7,188	17,178	24,366
Govan	…	…	…	5,169	11,131	16,300	5,209	11,026	16,235

As regards the second part of the question, I would refer to the reply on this subject given to the hon. Member for the Gorbals Division of Glasgow (Mr. Buchanan) on 13th November last, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received a resolution from a conference of local authorities held in Glasgow on the question of tubercular and impure milk; and, if so, what steps, if any, he proposes to take to deal with the subject?

I am aware from reports that have appeared in the Press that such a Conference has been held, but I have not received the resolution referred to.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if the new Exchange building in Glasgow has yet been started; the likely time it will take to build; and the probable cost?

As to the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply to his question of the 12th November last. It is hoped that the building will be completed in about two to three years' time. The total cost of the building, which will house other Government Departments, will be about £47,000, of which about half may be allocated to the Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities with a population of 5,000 or under where a penny rate produces less than £100; the number with a population of 2,000 or under where a penny rate produces £20 or less; and what machinery is laid down in the Local Government Bill for reviewing and altering the boundaries?

On 1st April, 1927, there were in England and Wales 430 rating areas (boroughs, urban districts and rural districts) with a population of 5,000 or less where a penny rate produced less than £100, and 39 areas (included in the 430 mentioned above) with a population of 2,000 or less where a penny rate produced £20 or less. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to Clauses 39 to 42 of the Local Government Bill.

asked the Minister of Health the total number, or weight, of refrigerated mutton carcases imported into the port of London for the months of October, November, and December, 1928, and the present month, respectively; and the total quantity which has been seized and condemned for caseous lymphadenitis?

I am informed that the numbers of mutton carcases imported into the Port of London in the months of October, November and December, 1928, were respectively:

October	118,317
November	183,070
December	118,036

asked the President of the Board of Trade the maximum number of passengers which each British cross-Channel steamer at present in service is authorised to carry; the lifeboat seating accommodation on each; the number of crew carried on each British steamer; and if he is satisfied that in the case of a sudden mishap to the steamer when carrying a full complement of passengers

Cross-Channel Steamers.
Name of vessel.		Number of passengers and erew.					Number of boats and total number accommodated.	Number of buoyant apparatus and total number supported.
		First.	Second.	Third.	Total.	Crew.
Alberta	…	340	407	—	747	50	6 for 237	28 for 560
Ardena	…	238	272	—	510	37	6 for 248	15 for 300
Arundel	…	436	366	—	802	47	6 for 159	43 for 698
Biarritz	…	986	414	—	1,400	60	10 for 465	57 for 1,026
Brighton	…	440	360	—	800	50	6 for 162	41 for 696
Dieppe	…	513	341	—	854	52	6 for 160	45 for 746
Dinard	…	835	444	—	1,279	61	8 for 383	48 for 960
Engadine	…	700	547	—	1,247	55	8 for 242	53 for 1,060
Hantonia	…	300	200	205	705	51	6 for 240	26 for 516
Isle of Thanet	…	1,000	402	—	1,402	63	8 for 385	54 for 1,080
Lorina	…	597	386	128	1,111	54	7 for 305	43 for 860
Maid of Kent	…	1,000	399	—	1,399	63	8 for 382	54 for 1,080
Maid of Orleans	…	993	407	—	1,400	60	10 for 451	55 for 1,020
Nomannia	…	535	211	271	1,017	51	6 for 232	42 for 836
Paris	…	529	306	133	968	60	8 for 300	54 for 760
Princess Ena	…	375	125	107	607	41	6 for 234	22 for 440
Riviera	…	732	586	—	1,318	56	8 for 250	188 for 1,133
St. Briac	…	836	442	—	1,278	61	8 for 384	48 for 960
Vera	…	470	135	138	743	50	6 for 237	30 for 600
Worthing	…	580	327	133	1,040	56	8 for 296	40 for 800
St. Helier	…	387	271	—	658	42	6 for 300	32 for 1,044
St. Helier	…	640*	408	—	1,048	42
St. Julien	…	387	271	—	658	42	6 for 300	56 for 942
St. Julien	…	639*	408	—	1,047	42
* The larger numbers apply to voyages to the Channel Islands.

The information asked for in the first half of the question is appended. It will be seen that these steamers carry boats or buoyant apparatus for all, as well as a lifejacket for each person. As regards the last part of the question, it is impossible to say what would happen in ease of accident, but it is possible to reduce the risks to life by securing a proper supply of life-saving equipment. The Board of Trade reviewed the position of the cross-Channel steamers very carefully last year in consultation with the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee, and came to the conclusion, in which they are supported by the Committee, that under the present rules material is available for saving all lives in the event of disaster to the ship; that this is the maximum amount of life-saving appliances which can usefully be carried on these ships; and that there was no reason for altering the present rules relating to the life-saving appliances on these steamers.

asked the Minister of Health if he is in a position to state how many resolutions from organisations and local authorities in favour of the giving of birth control information at maternity and child welfare centres have been received by his department during the period of the present Government?

Resolutions on this subject have been received from 37 local authorities and from 74 other organisations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities of the imports, exports, and re-exports of the various classes of manufactured goods which are subject to safeguarding or other duties during 1928?

A statement is being prepared, and will be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as it is ready.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the police regulation requiring all traffic emerging from Berkeley Street to come to a standstill until the east-bound traffic in Piccadilly has passed; that the arrangement, which is new, often causes a block extending to Hog Hill; and can he see his way to restore the old regulation whereby traffic emerging from Berkeley Street joined in the east-bound traffic in Piccadilly?

There is no new police regulation on the subject. It is still the practice of the police on duty to allow vehicles to leave Berkeley Street to join the east-bound stream of traffic in Piccadilly whenever it is safe to do so.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of steam-propelled vehicles that were on the roads of Great Britain at the last convenient date?

The number of steam-driven vans and lorries used for general haulage with lisences current during the quarter ended 30th September, 1928, was 8,677. Separate records are not kept of the number of steam-driven vehicles in other taxation categories.

asked the Minister of Transport the total number of motor-vehicle licences that were issued during the year 1927?

The number of motor-vehicle licences issued during 1927 was:—

• 818,885 Annual.
• 2,662,380 Quarterly.
• 317,480 Part-year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if he can furnish the Estimates for 1927–28 of the total services in India for Army, Navy, and Air, shown separately, including British and Indian contributions?

The figures are:

Sterling equivalent
	Rs. Crores.	at 1s. 6d. the Rupee.
		£
Army	52.65	39,487,500
Marine	.66	495,000
Air	1.61	1,207,500
Total	54.92	£41,190,000

There is no contribution from His Majesty's Government to defence expenditure in India.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of money allocated out of public funds for agricultural education and research in England and Wales and Scotland during the financial year 1927–28?

I have been asked to reply. The total expenditure during the financial year 1927–28 for agricultural education and research including grants from the Development Fund and from the Empire Marketing Board was £626,521 in England and Wales, and £125,970 in Scotland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that English fanners enjoy the use of a capital estimated at £815,000,000 at rates of interest far below those which Government can borrow, through the expenditure of the private money of landowners in the equipment and maintenance of their farms, he will assist this cheap flow of capital into the industry by the relief of agricultural land from death duties?

I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that when the rates of Estate Duty were raised to their present level in the Finance Act, 1925, special relief was accorded to agricultural property, in that the agricultural value of such property was not made subject to the increased rates, but was left liable only at the rates previously fixed by the Finance Act, 1919. The relief so granted amounted to £144,000 in 1926 and to £237,000 in 1927.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the moneys recovered from the German Government by the Reparations Department in respect of claims of Egyptian seamen who lost their effects as a result of the torpedoing of British vessels upon which they were serving have been distributed to the seamen concerned?

Grants in compensation for damage by enemy action which were made from moneys voted by Parliament were confined to British nationals. No payments were accordingly made to Egyptian nationals, whose claims were transmitted to the Government of Egypt.