asked the President of the Board of Education at what date the Regulation of the Board was issued which requires that the public elementary school in receipt of a grant shall be provided with an adequate supply of drinking water; and whether it is proposed to put those school? on the black list which have not yet complied with the Board's Regulation in this matter?

It was in 1903 that the Board's Building Regulations first provided that new schools should have a supply of drinking water. As regards the latter part of the question, I may refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for West Rhondda (Mr. John), and of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Education what estimate has been made as to the number of scholars leaving school in and around London during each of the seven years 1928 to 1934?

The only figures on which such an estimate, as the hon. Member asks for, could be based are the ages of the children in public elementary schools in 1927 in each education area concerned, as given in "List 45,"a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member. Such an estimate would, however, be complicated by the large movements of population which are resulting from housing developments as well as by other factors. The general trend of statistics of child population is set forth in the memorandum prepared by the Government Actuary on future numbers of children in elementary schools, a copy of which I am also sending the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the formal request of the senate of the University of London and of the expressed wish of the Leathersellers' Company (in whose gift the exhibitions actually are) that certain exhibitions, known as the Elliott, Mosely, Humble and Holden exhibitions, now restricted to the universities of Oxford and Cambridge should be extended to London University, he will reconsider the proposed refusal of the Board of Education to extend the tenure of these exhibitions to include London University?

In view of the legal principles which the Board are bound to observe in making schemes for educational endowments, I am unable to reconsider this decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total number of persons applying for help, until the latest date, in Scotland, under the scheme of miners' relief; the number granted such relief, and the number of dependants they have; and the total sum allocated for relief to date?

I regret that the information asked for in the first and second parts of the question is not available. Local authorities concerned are being asked to supply information on the subject, and I shall communicate with the hon. Member as soon as the information is complete. As regards the last part of the question, £26,000 has been distributed to local authorities, and a further distribution of approximately £30,000 is being made this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now prepared to revise his circular to Scottish parish councils with a view of increasing the allowances for children from 2s. per week; and, if so, to what extent?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the total amount of contributions by employers and workers in Scotland, respectively, under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, the total amount disbursed, and the number of beneficiaries under each part of the Act?

The total amount of contributions paid under the Contributory Pensions Act in Scotland by employers and employed persons in the period 4th January, 1926, to 31st December, 1928, is estimated at £6,753,348. The amounts paid by employers and employés, respectively, are not ascertainable. Having regard to the allocation between employers and employés laid down in Schedule I to the Act, the sum contributed by employers will in the aggregate exceed that contributed by employés. The total amount paid by way of pensions and children's allowances up to 31st December, 1928, is estimated at £4,123,050. Of this sum, £1,361,500 is the estimated expenditure on pensions between the ages of 65 and 70, which did not commence till 2nd January, 1928. Since February, 1928, the weekly disbursements have exceeded the receipts in contributions from employers and employed persons. The numbers of pensions and children's allowances in payment at 1st February, 1929, are as follow:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when the replies to the Welfare Conference of 1928 will be promulgated?

I regret I am not at present in a position to say when the replies will be promulgated, but the hon. Member may rest assured that there will be no undue delay.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the position with regard to the 1928 shipbuilding programme, specifying where the two cruisers, one submarine depot ship, one flotilla leader, eight destroyers, six submarines, one river gunboat, and four sloops have been or are to be laid down?

As stated in reply to the hon. Member's question on 13th December last, the provision in the Estimates of 1928 is on the basis of ordering the ships in February and March of this year, and the arrangements are proceeding. The allocation of the programme is:Portsmouth Dockyard:1 cruiser.Devonport Dockyard:1 cruiser and 2 sloops.Chatham Dockyard:1 submarine and 1 submarine depot ship, the remaining ships to be built by contract.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any application has been made for the inclusion of the British coir mat and mating industry under the Safeguarding of Industries Act; and, if so, with what result?

I am afraid I must adhere to the established practice, which has frequently been referred to in the House, of not stating whether a particular industry has or has not made an application under the Safeguarding procedure, except on the appointment of a committee of inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the attention of the Empire Marketing Board has been directed to the increased importation of foreign tea in certain years; and whether it is intended that the Board shall amplify its propaganda for the consumption of Empire tea?

The Empire Marketing Board are aware of the position as regards tea imports and consumption. Up to 1928 both the importation and the consumption of foreign teas were increasing. In 1928, however, there appears to have been a substantial recovery in the consumption of Empire teas and a decline in the consumption of foreign teas. The Board welcome this change of tendency and will not overlook opportunities for reinforcing it.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many colliery pits have been re-opened during the past six months?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Everton (Colonel Woodcock) on. 6th February. I will send him a copy of the list referred to in that reply.

asked the Secretary for Mines what were the conditions under which the ponies were working at the Clay Cross Company's (No. 7) Park-house pit when the horse inspector visited the pit on 7th January, 1929; how many ponies were declared by the inspector to be unfit to work owing to Bores caused by roofing; what was the condition of the ponies; how many, if any, were destroyed; what action it is proposed to take against those responsible for any cruelty; on what date the inspector of mines visited the pit, following the visit of the horse inspector; has any report been submitted to him; whether the report deals with the condition of the roads in the mine; and whether a copy of such report is obtainable?

The Inspector of Horses made inspections at this pit on the 3rd, 4th and 5th January, and matters then arising as to the condition of the horses and of the roads have been followed up by this and other inspectors. Full reports have been submitted to me. I have sent the papers to the Director of Public Prosecutions and asked him to take certain proceedings. The matter being thus sub judice, I cannot make any further statement at present.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he has any information at his disposal as to the reasons for the short age of supplies of coal for export purposes at the North-East ports; and what steps he is taking to remedy this matter?

I have made inquiries as to the position on the North-East Coast where there has recently been a strong, and to some extent unexpected, but very welcome increase in the demand for export coal. I am informed that in Durham all pits now working are fully employed, and there is no shortage of coal. In Northumberland prompt steps are being taken to cope with the situation by bringing into operation pits and seams that have been partially closed and by taking on additional men. There is no artificial regulation of output in either district.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any statistics showing the number of prosecutions that took place in England and Wales for the adulteration of milk during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; the total number of fines imposed; and how many of the defendants had been prosecuted more than once?

I have been asked to reply. The statistics in question are not readily available, and their collection would involve a large amount of clerical labour. I may say, however, that particulars recently collected for the fourth quarter of 1927 showed that during that period there were 280 prosecutions in England and Wales for the adulteration of milk and that convictions were obtained in 200 of these cases.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give the figures, to the last available date, of the number of deaths from cancer of men, women, and children, respectively?

The most recent figures available are those for 1927, in which year the, deaths from cancer in England and Wales were:—

asked the Minister of Health why the Ministry of Health gave instructions which required the employés of the Morgan Crucible Company, of Church Road, Battersea, to be vaccinated or remain away from work for 12 days, seeing that it is almost three weeks since there was a suspected case of disease at this establishment?

No such instructions have been given by ray Department.

asked the Home Secretary whether factory inspectors take any steps to deal with the discharge of obnoxious fumes from factories where it may cause annoyance to residents in the vicinity or is detrimental to the immediate surroundings?

The factory inspectors are only empowered to take such steps as are necessary for the protection of the persons employed in the factories. I might, however, draw the attention of the hon. Member to the powers conferred by the Alkali Works Regulation Act for preventing the discharge into the atmosphere of noxious or offensive gases from works registered under that Act. These powers are administered by the Minister of Health.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses temporarily secured for overcrowded cases under the 1925 Act in the Metropolitan boroughs of Marylebone, Chelsea, Fulham, Paddington, and Southwark, respectively?

The only information of the nature apparently desired by the hon. Member in my possession is that, under arrangements between the borough councils and the London County Council, the following numbers of cases of overcrowding and special hardship have, independently of cases taken from the waiting list of the county council in the ordinary course, been accommodated in houses on the estates of the county council:

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the Borough Council of St. Marylebone, immediately after the passing of the 1925 Housing Act, prepared and endeavoured to carry out a scheme involving 16 acres of land, 5,000 persons, and a capital expenditure of over £1,000,000; that his Department recommended that the scope of the scheme should be reduced to less than one-half of the above dimensions; and when he will give permission for the reduced scheme to be proceeded with?

I am aware that the Metropolitan Borough Council authorised the preparation of a slum clearance scheme in October, 1926, but I would remind the hon. Member that the Housing Act, 1925, was merely a Con- solidation Act, and that the Borough Council already possessed the necessary powers. The Council originally contemplated an improvement scheme covering a wide area, but such a scheme was clearly outside the Housing Acts and consequently the modified scheme to which the hon. Member refers was prepared, covering 17 acres. It was felt by my Department to be unwise for a council with no previous experience of slum clearance to embark on a scheme even of this magnitude, and it was suggested that they should confer with the London County Council. As a result the Borough Council decided to limit their 3cheme to some 7 acres, including the worst of the insanitary property, without prejudice to their right to deal with the remainder later. Subsequently at the request of the Borough Council the London County Council agreed to submit and carry out the scheme to the cost of which the Borough Council will make a contribution. An Order confirming the scheme is on the point of issue.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is his practice, when approving schemes for the erection by local authorities of working-class dwellings, to require that wherever practicable British materials shall be used in the erection of such dwellings?

Section 10 of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, provides that, in approving proposals for the construction of houses. the Minister of Health shall not impose any conditions which would prevent the materials required being purchased in the cheapest market at home or abroad. The Government have, however, urged local authorities to arrange that all contracts for or incidental to works carried out by them should. in the absence of special circumstances, be placed in this country.

asked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the unemployment existing among brick-makers, quarry men. and others employed in producing building materials in this country, he will consider the desirability of making it a condition of sanctioning loans required by local authorities for public works that British materials shall be used wherever practicable in the execution of such works?

A condition of this kind is imposed in the case of works for which an unemployment grant is given. I do not think that the condition could properly be imposed in other cases, but the importance of using British materials has been impressed on local authorities on several occasions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the desirability of amending the memorandum, issued from his Department on 20th May, 1925, which lays down the method of assessing the additional means permitted to claimants of old age pensions under the 1924 Act; whether he is aware that the present method of calculating the yearly value of savings, investments, or house property, in which the claimant does not live, on a fixed proportion of capita] value causes many hardships, and that frequently the assessed yearly value is far higher than the actual receipts enjoyed by the claimant; and whether he will consider amending paragraph 3 of the memorandum so that the unearned income of claimants shall be assessed at its actual value in receipts to the claimant and not upon a fictitious percentage?

I would point out to my Noble Friend that the memorandum to which he refers does not convey any Departmental directions, but merely re-states the conditions imposed by Parliament itself, and that it is not open to me to modify those conditions.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to protests from the boards of guardians of Conway, Corwen, and other places in North Wales against the closing of the casual ward of the Bangor and Beaumaris Union; and whether he will reconsider this decision?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The Bangor wards have not been closed and I understand that the North Wales Vagrancy Committee do not propose, at present at any rate, to submit any application to me in this matter.

asked the Minister of Health, seeing that an insured person in a mental institution may receive sick and disablement benefit under national health insurance and that, prior to January, 1926, benefit was payable until the age of 70, whether any compensation can be paid to insured persons in mental institutions of the age of 65 who may not receive the old age pension, even though paying patients, and whose disablement benefit ceases on their 65th birthday?

The answer is in the negatives, but the point has been noted for consideration when amending legislation is contemplated.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that messengers at the Horse Guards are being required to perform duties which are usually carried out by house porters, namely, the unloading of firewood; whether there is any shortage of house porters; and whether steps can be taken to keep the messengers to their own specific work in the future?

Some messengers at the Horse Guards are required to assist in the unloading of firewood which is delivered once or twice a month in quantities of ½ ton or I ton at a time. Such unloading is not considered to be work outside the scope of a messenger's duties. The amount of work involved is not sufficient to justify the employment of a porter for this specific purpose.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that the messengers employed at the Horse Guards work a 24 hours' duty on Sundays for which no extra payment is made; whether he is aware that the overtime agreement for messengers is not being applied in the case of those men; and whether he will take steps to see that they are paid at the time-and-a-half rate for all hours worked on Sundays or, as an alternative, give them half a day's pay extra with a day off in lieu?

As regards the first part of the question, a messenger is in attendance and available if required for the whole of Sunday. Under the present arrangement, which was the choice of the staff, one individual in rotation is allowed to take the whole 24 hours' attendance from Sunday morning to Monday morning, and is then released from further duty until the following Thursday morning. All overtime worked is paid for at the rates specified in the agreement dated 23rd December, 1924, but the hours in question are not overtime within the terms of Agreement No. 81 of the Civil Service Arbitration Board dated 20th September, 1920, and cannot be paid for at other than normal rates.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that the last financial statement of the United Services Fund showed that the income exceeded the disbursements by £151,000; and will he explain why the sickness allowances to 18,000 recipients shows that £56,875 less had been paid in comparison with the previous year?

The Charity Commissioners do not know to what "financial statement" the question relates. The last published accounts, i.e., those for the year 1st October, 1926, to 30th September, 1927, show that the disbursements of the fund amounted to upwards of £474,000, whilst the income of the fund from all sources was less than £177,000, the balance being provided by appropriations of capital. During the year 1926–27 the number of cases of sickness assisted by the fund was, the Commissioners are informed, 121,763, land the amount expended on such assistance was upwards of £298,000. The corresponding figures for the preceding year were 101,973 and upwards of £306,000. The slight reduction in the amount expended during the year 1926–27 was due to the fact that certain special capital expenditure was incurred in the preceding year.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps were taken by his Department to inform Scotland Yard of the recent mail-bag robbery at the central sorting office of the General Post Office at Mount Pleasant?

asked the Postmaster-General (1) what system is in operation for the co-operation of the Post Office detective branch and the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police and similar departments of provincial police forces;(2) if he will state, with reference to the recent theft of seven registered parcels, on what date and at what time his Department became aware that the parcels were missing; on what date and by what means the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police were notified of the theft; whether the Post Office detective service or the Criminal Investigation Department, or both, are engaged in tracing the thieves; and, if both are engaged in the task, upon which is the real responsibility for the conduct of inquiries?

A bag containing seven registered parcels was found to be missing at 8 a.m. on 31st January, and headquarters, Metropolitan Police, were notified of the theft of this bag by letter sent by special messenger at 10.30 a.m. on 1st February. My hon. Friend will realise that it was necessary, first, to establish definitely that the bag had not been accidentally mishandled, and, secondly, to gather sufficient evidence as to the facts to enable the effective co-operation of the police. My own officers and the Criminal Investigation Department are co-operating in the investigation of the matter and the responsibility for the conduct of inquiries is joint. The Post Office seeks and obtains the co-operation of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Metropolitan Police and similar departments of provincial police forces whenever necessary.

asked the Postmaster-General how many thefts of mail bags have occurred since January. 1925; in how many cases have the thieves been discovered; and by whom were the inquiries leading to discovery conducted?

Since January, 1925, there have been 109 cases of theft of mail bags. In 39 of the cases the thieves have been discovered. The inquiries leading to discovery were conducted by the Post Office staff alone in 18 cases, by the Post Office staff in cooperation with police in seven cases, by the Post Office staff in co-operation with railway police in four cases, by police alone in six cases, and by railway police alone in four cases. The number of mail bags handled by the Post Office during the period in question would be about 100,000,000.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received information as to the results of the penny post established between Canada and New Zealand and the rest of the Empire; and whether he will consider the possibility of a similar step on the part of this country?

Empire penny postage was reintroduced in New Zealand on 1st October, 1923. There was a fall in postal revenue of about 17 per cent. in 1923–24, but owing to numerous changes in tariff it is impossible to say how much is attributable to penny postage taken by itself. The New Zealand postal revenue did not regain the 1922-23 figures until the year 1926-27; how far the increase was due to normal growth of traffic, to the reduction in the rate, or to other causes, cannot be stated. I am informed by the Canadian Post Office that it is too early for any estimate to be given. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 5th instant.

asked the Postmaster-General what loss or gain it is estimated would accrue to the revenue of the Post Office if a uniform rate of 1d. were charged on all letters, whether open or closed, up to one ounce in weight, and an additional ½d. per ounce on all over that weight?

Any estimate must be speculative, but the cost might be about £2,000,000.

asked the Postmaster-General what would be the financial effect upon the Post Office if the halfpenny post was abolished and a penny made the minimum charge, limited to one ounce; and whether he will consider if such a change from the present charges would be practicable?

Any estimate must be of the nature of a conjecture, but the loss might be about 52,000,000. As regards the second part of the question, I have no evidence that such a change would be generally acceptable.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of applications for unemployment benefit to the latest available date under the present Unemployment Insurance Act and the number refused on the ground of the applicant not genuinely seeking employment?

From 19th April, 1928, to 14th January, 1929, inclusive 7,439,160 fresh and renewal claims to benefit were made at Employment Exchanges in Great Britain. During this period 189,509 claims were disallowed by insurance officers on the ground that the applicants were not genuinely seeking work, while 30,654 claims were recommended for disallowance by courts of referees on the same ground on review after 78 days' benefit had been paid in the previous six months.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has received a resolution passed at a conference held in Derby on 23rd January, representatives being present from five county boroughs, 16 urban district councils, nine rural district councils, 10 boards of guardians, and presided over by the Mayor of Derby, unanimously calling his attention to the additional burdens being placed upon the local boards of guardians, and asking that the Clause in the Unemployment Act, "not genuinely seeking employment," should be waived; and whether he proposes to do anything to meet this view?

My right hon. Friend has received a copy of this resolution. The condition that claimants for unemployment benefit should prove that they are genuinely seeking work is a statutory one, imposed by the Act passed by the Labour Government in 1924. It would clearly not be right to burden the Unemployment Fund with payments in cases where this condition is not satisfied. The right of claimants to an impartial examination of their claims is secured by the procedure set up by the Unemployment Insurance Acts, under which any case of doubt is decided by the statutory authorities, subject to the rights of appeal granted by the Acts. It does not seem to be the case that additional burdens have been thrown upon the board of guardians in this connection. Between November, 1927, and November, 1928, the total number of insured men in receipt of outdoor relief in England and Wales fell from 99,000 to 68,000, although in the meantime the live register of unemployed men had increased by over 153,000.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners sent to Wrexham for employment from Cannock and Walsall Employment Exchanges during the past two months; what number accepted the offer of employment; and how many were deprived of unemployment benefit owing to their refusal to accept?

I am having inquiries made, and will communicate the result to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of local authorities who have applied to have schemes passed for providing work under which they must employ a percentage of miners; the number sanctioned; the total value; and the total number of persons employed as a result?

Seventy-seven local authorities have made application for grants involving the employment of labour from depressed areas in respect of 132 schemes estimated to cost £2,580,373. Thirty schemes of a total estimated cost of £671,838 have been approved by the committee, which it is estimated will provide 27,600 men months of employment.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed resident in Bethnal Green, men, women and juveniles, on the live register at Shore-ditch, Stepney, Hackney and Stratford Employment Exchanges, up to the latest available date?

Precise figures cannot be given, but it is estimated that approximately 3,800 persons, including 2,930 men, 700 women and 170 juveniles on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at Shoreditch, Stepney, Hackney and Stratford, are resident in Bethnal Green.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any information in regard to the rates of pay and hours of labour in match factories in Estonia; and whether he has received any representations from British match manufacturers in regard to the competitive selling prices of Estonian matches, in view of the wage rates in force in this country?

With regard to the first part of the question, I have no information as to the rates of pay or hours of labour in match factories in Estonia, but I have addressed an inquiry to the International Labour Office at Geneva, and will communicate further with my hon. Friend in due course The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of working days lost through industrial disputes in 1927 and 1928?

The number of working days lost through industrial disputes in Great Britain and Northern Ireland was approximately 1,170,000 in 1927 and 1,410,000 in 1928.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present position with regard to the provision of premises adequate for the proper carrying out of the work of the Employment Exchange at Darlington?

Plans of the new building have been approved, and building operations will, it is hoped, be started during the coming financial year.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Government will consider the question of making arrangements whereby the hours of opening and closing licensed premises shall be settled by the Government for the country as a whole, observing the anomalous position which now arises in many districts through the decision being left to the various local benches?

Such a change would require legislation, and there would certainly be diverse opinions on the point raised.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is contemplated that the boys from Surrey at present sent on remand to the Wandsworth Prison will in future be remanded to Wormwood Scrubs or any other penal establishment, or whether such boys will be sent to a home of remand not within a prison or house of detention nor administered by the officials of penal establishments?

As I have already announced, I propose as soon as the necessary arrangements are completed to transfer to Wormwood Scrubs all the prisoners under 21 years of age who are at present accommodated at Wandsworth. As regards the suggestion that persons under 21 when remanded in custody should be sent not to a prison but to some separate establishment, this involves important considerations both of finance and administration. The whole question is under consideration, but I am not in a position to make any announcement.

asked the Home Score tary whether he will consider the desirability of appointing a departmental committee to inquire into and report upon the law relating to the registration of and generally regarding night clubs?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I am giving to-day to a similar question by the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent (Mr. MacLaren).

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether in deciding as to the release or detention of a criminal lunatic, the Home Office is guided solely by medical considerations or if other considerations are likewise included; and whether the opinion of the medical superintendent of the asylum is alone considered or whether that of an independent man is obtained;(2) whether there are periodical or any examinations of criminal lunatics with a view to ascertaining if they are still of unsound mind and, if so, by whom are such examinations made; and how many, if any, criminal lunatics have during the last 10 years been discharged as cured or been transferred to some other home or institution respectively?

The Secretary of State has regard to all the circumstances. So far as medical considerations are concerned, he is guided mainly by the view of the skilled medical authorities at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum or, if the patient be in a local mental hospital, by the views of the superintendent and of his own medical advisers. All criminal lunatics are constantly under skilled medical observation, and reports on each of them are made to me, both periodically and upon occasion, by the superintendents of the asylums. As the Secretary of State has regard to all the circumstances, and not to medical considerations alone, diseharge does not depend entirely upon any single definite factor such as entire recovery or complete cure, nor does transfer from one institution to another necessarily connote cure or recovery. The figures asked for cannot therefore be given.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the difficulties with which the Betting Control Board has had to contend, he will call for an interim Report from the Board and lay it upon the Table of the House for the information of Members?

The Board has not proposed to submit an interim Report, and I see no occasion for calling upon the Board to make one.

asked the Home Secretary the present strength of the mounted branch of the Metropolitan Police in the various grades; the number of horses; and what additions have been made since July, 1914?

The strength of the mounted branch on 1st February, 1929, was as follows:

asked the Home Secretary how many assistant commissioners, chief constables, superintendents, chief inspectors, divisional detective inspectors, detective inspectors, sergeants and constables were on the strength of the Criminal Investigation Department, Control and Special Branch respectively, prior to the War, and at 31st December last?

As the answer is in the form of a tabular statement, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT, but I may add that the totals of all the ranks referred to were 719 and 919 respectively at the dates mentioned.In July, 1914, the strength was 319 men and 343 horses, a difference of 97 men and 103 horses.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received a resolution from the National Union of Teachers' annual conference, asking that more policewomen be enrolled for the special purpose of patrolling public parks, for the protection of women and children, and in the interests of public morals: and will he consider this?

I have received the resolution. The question of increasing the number of policewomen is a matter for the several police authorities concerned. So far as regards the Metropolitan Police District (where the Secretary of State is himself the police authority) I have the whole question under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether cases of sea-wall damage, owing to the exceptional floods last year, are eligible for grants under the scheme for providing relief for people in distressed areas; if so, what are the conditions relating to such grants; are private owners eligible as well as drainage commissioners; and have any applications for grants been made in respect of damage to sea walls in Essex?

Cases of damage to sea walls where they are situated within the jurisdiction of a statutory drainage authority are eligible for grants under the Ministry's scheme for assisting the transfer of unemployed labour from the depressed mining areas. The conditions under which grants are available are set out in certain circular letters of which I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. The only bodies who are qualified to make applications are statutory drainage authorities, and, by virtue of certain powers conferred upon them under the Land Drainage Act of 1926, county coun-

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is his intention to cils. No applications have been received in respect of the sea walls in Essex.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will issue a Return giving the complete census-of-production figures in respect to the output and utilisation of milk, collating the information published in the Report on the Agricultural Output of England and Wales with the information in regard to the output of milk products in England and Wales secured under the general census of production?

The following table shows the utilisation of milk in Great Britain as disclosed by the inquiries undertaken in connection with the last Industrial and Agricultural Censuses of Production. I regret that it is not possible to supply the combined figures in respect of England and Wales alone. The figures given in the table are for the year 1924 in the case of the industrial census, and for the year June, 1924-May. 1925, in the case of the agricultural output. I would explain that the figures of the agricultural output of milk and dairy products do not pretend to complete accuracy, but arc an approximation based on extensive data.increase the rents of the allotment holders at Sutton Bridge on the expiration of the present tenancy; and whether he will state the amount of any proposed increase and the reasons for it?

The allotments on the Ministry's Farm Settlement at Sutton Bridge include a large number let direct by the Ministry as well as others on land let to the local councils, and sub-let by them to the allotment holders. The Ministry has no intention of increasing the rents of allotments let direct; on the contrary, where such rents include the rates they will be reduced by the amount so included as soon as the rates cease to be payable in accordance with the proposals in the Local Government Bill. As regards the land let to local councils; in two instances the land was held under a lease granted before the War at a relatively low rent, and these leases being about to expire the Ministry offered to renew them at an increased rent, comparable with the rent of other allotment land in the vicinity. In one case, where the old rent was £88, the proposed new rent of £135 was agreed to by the local authority. In the other case the council at first declined to pay the increased rent proposed, but subsequently agreed to do so. The old rent in this instance was fixed in 1914, and was £55 per annum for 19i acres, while the rent to be paid as from Michaelmas, 1929, is to be £76 per annum. In both instances the sole reason for the increase of rent is that the rents reserved under the expiring leases were much below the present rental value of the land concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any decisions have yet been made in regard to terms of service for colonial officials serving in West Africa; and whether such decisions include any alteration in the duration of the 18 months' tour?

No decisions have yet been taken on the points referred to.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give any further information in regard to the Dead Sea concession; and whether any contract has yet been endorsed by the Palestinian Government?

As I informed the hon. and gallant Member for Chelmsford (Colonel Howard-Bury) on 28th January, I have been awaiting a reply from the Trans-Jordan Government on certain points of detail in connection with the draft concession. That reply has now reached me and is under my consideration. No contract has yet been executed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the observations of the Committee appointed to inquire into the Colonial Veterinary Service upon the conditions of the buildings and equipment of the Royal Veterinary College, Camden Town; and whether, in view of the needs of the Colonial veterinary service, he proposes to make a grant, or to advise Colonial Governments to do so, towards the needs of the college?

I am at present considering the recommendations of the Committee to which my hon. Friend refers, and I am not yet in a position to make any statement as to the action which will be taken on the Committee's Report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Water Bill for Kenya Colony, under which British subjects, native or immigrant, would be compelled to take out a licence, has yet been received by him for approval;. and, if so, what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. In the circumstances I am unable to reply at present to the second part.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can make any statement regarding the appointment to the Kenya public service of an officer of the Indian Civil Service for purposes of discussion in East Africa of the Report of the East Africa Commission?

I have been asked to reply. For the purpose of the discussion in East Africa of the Hilton Young Re-port, the Governor of Kenya, with my approval, offered to appoint temporarily to the public service in Kenya, with a seat on the Executive Council, an officer of the Indian Civil Service to be nominated by the Viceroy of India. So far as I am aware, it has not yet been decided who will be nominated for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the number of claims submitted to the Grants Committee by Irish Loyalists and the number which that committee has dealt with?

The committee have dealt so far with 3,090 claims out of a total of 4,030.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, in view of his statement on 4th July, 1928, that the question of providing ex-service men resident on the housing estate at Dundrum, County Dublin, with facilities for purchasing their own houses under paragraph 13 of the Irish Soldiers' and Sailors' Land Trust Amending Regulations of 1925 was under consideration, whether he is now in the position definitely to state the particulars of the scheme which has been drawn up, with a view to giving effect to this particular paragraph?

I have been asked to reply to this question. The matter is at present being actively considered: but it is not yet possible to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Report of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies (Part IV) on trade unions, containing statistics for the year 1926, has not yet been published; and whether, in view of the fact that Returns for a given calendar year are required from the unions before 1st June following that year, it is possible to expedite the compilation and publication of these Reports?

I have been asked to reply. The Chief Registrar regrets that, owing to the number and variety of the statistics with which his Department has to deal with the staff available, and in particular additional work which has been entailed in the preparation of another part of his Report, the part referred to, which should normally have appeared in the middle of 1928, has been delayed, but it is hoped to publish it this month. He wishes to point out. however, that an annual summary of particulars is published in advance. The summary of the trade union Returns for 1926 was published in December, 1927.