asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of steel bars capable of being rolled into sheets for the making of hollow-ware that was imported into this country in 1927 and 1928, respectively; and if he can give an estimate of the percentage of this steel that was used for making hollow-are?

The imports of steel sheet bars and tinplate bars amounted in 1927 to 764,649 tons, and in 1928 to 538,935 tons. I believe that any of this material would have been capable of being converted into hollow-ware. But very little of it can have been so used, since, as the hon. Gentleman may remember, the Safeguarding Committee reported that approximately 95 per cent, of the raw material used by British hollow-ware manufacturers was produced in this country.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will arrange for copies of the evidence now being submitted by the applicants for safeguarding in the woollen industry to be available, on completion, to Members of the House of Commons?

The practice which has been consistently followed is that the reports of Safeguarding inquiries are published, but that the evidence, which is often exceedingly voluminous, is not published, as the cost is too great and the utility too questionable to justify this course to the House.

Is it not the fact that the minutes of evidence are taken by shorthand writers and afterwards transcribed, and would it not be possible for an extra carbon copy to be made so that hon. Members of this House might understand the question which they are to debate?

That question has often been raised in debate and has been answered by the Prime Minister and myself. I am merely repeating the answer which has been previously given. I am only following the practice which has been consistently followed in regard to Safeguarding inquiries.

May I ask whether, in view of the considerable development of this policy and the tremendous importance of this evidence, the Government will reconsider a decision which was perhaps quite reasonable at the time it was taken but which is unreasonable now?

I do not know what the right hon. Gentleman means by a "considerable development of this policy." Any inquiry which is proceeding is an inquiry conducted under precisely the same conditions as have been in operation for the last four years.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is an industry affecting 250,000 people; it is the largest application that has been made. In that case, does he not think Members of Parliament, who have to make the final decision, ought to know what has been said at the inquiry?

I do not think the particular size of the application is relevant. All inquiries are public, and I do not think the public advantage would be served by printing an enormous volume of evidence.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any and, if so, what steps are being taken to secure publication of figures of stocks of foodstuffs in cold storage?

I have been asked to answer this question. Legislation would be necessary to secure comprehensive figures of stocks of foodstuffs held in cold storage in this country. The Empire Marketing Board are, however, endeavouring to arrange, by agreement between the interests concerned, for the voluntary publication of aggregate figures of stocks of dairy produce and fruit in cold storage.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can undertake that no action shall be taken with regard to the proposal to reduce the number of examination centres for Board of Trade certificates from 12 to five until the mercantile marine officers' organisations have had a full opportunity of presenting their case to the Board of Trade in opposition to this proposal?

The Report of the Departmental Committee on Examinations of Masters and Mates is now under the consideration of my Department. No final proposals have yet been formulated as to future examination centres, and I shall of course be glad to receive representations from the mercantile marine officers' organisations before arriving at any decision.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make any further statement on the arrangements to be made to prevent overloading of ships; whether he is now in possession of the views of the Chamber of Shipping on the proposed extra safeguards; and what is the nature of these observations?

As stated in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Dundee on 31st July last, a memorandum on overloading was prepared by the Board of Trade and forwarded to the shipowners' associations for consideration. A reply has now been received from the associations, dealing fully with the whole question. It shows a considerable measure of agreement with the Board's suggestions, and promises active co-operation and assistance. This reply is now under consideration, and arrangements will be made as soon as possible for a discussion with representatives of the associations, and thereafter definite proposals will be placed before the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that no safeguards which are considered necessary by the Board of Trade will be held up by a minority of shipowners?

No, Sir; there is no foundation whatever for the suggestion that the shipowners want to hold up anything that is necessary for the safety of ships, and the Board of Trade always refer these matters to the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee whenever they consider that course is necessary.

I was referring to a minority of shipowners. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that it is only a minority of shipowners who break the law by overloading?

I am not at all in favour of minorities ruling.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the terms of the proposal now before the shipowners, if they accept them, will be laid before the House prior to any action being taken?

The hon. Member 'appears to misunderstand the ordinary procedure. The regular procedure is that when the Board of Trade propose any Regulation, it is referred, first of all, to the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee for consideration. That is a statutory Committee. After the views of the Committee have been considered, the Regulation is made in its final form.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that the Members of this House have not more common sense than the Board of Trade?

It would be very invidious for me to answer that question. The practice which has been followed by previous Governments when dealing with these Regulations has been to have them considered very carefully by the Merchant Shipping Advisory Committee. I think it is desirable, if we make Regulations, that they should have the support of all sections of the shipping community.

Is it not a fact that no Regulations are made unless there is agreement beforehand with the shipowners and the Sailors' and Firemen's Union?

All sections interested in British shipping are represented on the Advisory Committee, and that is why I think it is such a very valuable body to which to submit practical questions.

Is the President of the Board of Trade aware that much dissatisfaction has been caused by the Board of Trade in previous years taking action without taking this House into consultation, and that that is the cause of all the dissatisfaction to-day?

No, Sir. There is no foundation for that statement. The House has on many occasions approved of the procedure by which the Board of Trade, before making Regulations, consults the Advisory Committee.

Is it not a fact that when the right hon. Gentleman for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George) was President of the Board of Trade, he altered the load line, without consulting anyone?

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that for the last nine years the Roads and Communications Department, Royal Engineers, Southern Command, has undertaken the making and maintenance of its own roads and parades, 300 ex-soldiers being employed on this work, for which expensive machinery, steam-rollers, lorries, etc., have been purchased; that this work is now to be let out to private contractors, the plant and machinery sold for what it will fetch, and the 300 ex-soldiers dismissed as from 30th March next; and if so, whether he will cause this matter to be reconsidered?

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether it has been decided to close down the Roads and Communications Department in the Southern Command as from 31st March next; if so, whether this means that the work which is now done by direct labour will be given out to contract; and whether he will state the reason for this change of policy?

The work for which the Roads and Communications Organisation in the Southern Command was primarily maintained was the reinstatement of camp sites, the salvage of stone from temporary war roads and the disposal of surplus material. This work is now complete and it would not be justifiable on either administrative or financial grounds to continue a special organisation to look after War Department roads in the Southern Command. The roads work will therefore in future be carried out by contract as occasion requires, but every endeavour will be made when a contract is placed to arrange with the contractors to give a preference to men previously employed by the War Department.

Is all that the Minister for War proposes to do for these 300 ex-soldiers to express the hope that the contractor will engage some of them?

I cannot go on employing them if there is no work to be done. The roadwork will be done in the future by contractors and the most I can do is to provide in the contracts that these men shall get a preference in new work.

Why should this work of repairing military roads have been turned over to contractors at all?

Because it is the common practice that this work should be done by contractors.

What is the reason for this? Is it done on financial grounds?

That was not my answer. I said that there is no justification on financial grounds for maintaining this organisation, seeing that the work for which it was created has been completed except as far as roads are concerned, and these are being done by contract.

Would it not have been in accordance with the terms of the Prime Minister's letter if he had done his best to continue this work?

asked the Secretary of State for War, whether he can give the figures showing the average number of British officers serving in India who were granted indulgence passages on troopships to and from India during the decade 1910–20 and for the year 1928, respectively?

The normal trooping services were suspended during the War and the records prior to 1913 have been destroyed. During the trooping season, 1913/14, the number of indulgence passages granted to British service officers serving in India was 8O homewards and 15 outwards. The figures for the trooping season, 1927/28, were seven each way.

Is it not within the knowledge of the War Office that the number of indulgence passages now granted to British officers serving in India is very much smaller than in pre-War years?

Yes, that is so.

Is not that a hardship?

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether, during the same period, indulgence passages were granted to other ranks?

I cannot say without notice.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that soldiers serving in the Guards are employed at a London theatre: how many hours are they so employed for evening and matinee performances; how many hours and for how many days were they engaged in rehearsals; and if, considering the number of unemployed ex-service men who belong to the theatrical profession, he will make inquiry into the whole question of the employment of soldiers in other capacities?

I have no information regarding the first three parts of the question. As regards the last part, no soldier is excused any part of his military duty on the grounds of a private engagement of the kind referred to, and I see no reason for inter fering with the use that individual soldiers may make of their spare time.

When the right hon. Gentleman says that he has no information, are we to understand that he has not tried to obtain any information on the subject? Has the right hon. Gentle- man tried to obtain any information; has he inquired whether it is a fact that a certain number of guardsmen have been employed for long hours at rehearsals; and, if so, does not that interfere with their obligations to the Army?

As I understand, soldiers are not permitted to have private engagements which interfere with their military duties, but, subject to that, I do not make inquiries, and it would be impossible to interrogate each individual soldier as to how he spends his spare time.

Seeing that at any rate there is some indication of employment which might interfere with their duties as soldiers, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it is worth while to make inquiries?

The commanding officer would prevent any soldier from doing anything which interfered with his military duties.

Are we to understand that it is possible for soldiers to be on the stage every night during a long London run without interfering with their professional duties?

That I cannot tell, but there is no reason why they should not use their spare time on the stage.

Are we to understand that there has been no inquiry into this matter; and is it possible for a man to be employed in this way without the commanding officer knowing of it.

So long as it does not interfere with his military duties, I am not inquiring, nor would the commanding officer inquire, how a man spends his spare time.

The right hon. Gentleman has not replied to the latter part of my question. May I ask whether the commanding officer arranged this, or whether any application was made to him to arrange it?

That I could not say without notice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make the inquiry?

I will.

May we now understand that soldiers in their spare time may be engaged in any private capacity in the way of employment?

I would not say that, but only so long as it, does not interfere with their military duties.

is it necessary to obtain the approval of the commanding officer before a man may be so employed?

No, I think not.

Is it the case that, for long periods some 50 guardsmen were engaged on the stage at a London theatre; and, seeing that this work might be done by ex-service men who are now out of work, will not the right hon. Gentleman regard himself as having an obligation towards them?

That is hardly a matter that arises out of the question on the Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any of the yeomanry armoured car companies are to be equipped with Carden-Lloyd armoured machine-gun carriers; and whether he is now in a position to state when the obsolete Peerless type of armoured car will be replaced by a vehicle capable of more efficient and economical performance?

No, Sir. The carrier is not suitable for an armoured car unit. As regards the second part of the question, although I regret that financial circumstances do not yet permit the provision of modern armoured cars for the Territorial Army Armoured Car Companies, it is proposed to equip each of these units during 1929 with two six-wheeled lorries, which will be increased to four for the annual training period.

Arising out of that reply, may I ask whether it may be taken that all the yeomanry armoured car companies will remain armoured car companies?

My Noble Friend must not read that into my answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what the yield of a penny rate will be in Caithness and Sutherland, respectively, and in each small burgh in those counties, after the Local Government (Scotland) Bill has come into operation, and the de-rating of agricultural, freight transport, and industrial lands and heritages has taken place in accordance with the provisions of the Bill?

As the answer involves a table of figures, I propose, with the hon. and gallant Baronet's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what he estimates will be the annual cost involved in the payment of travelling and subsistence allowances to members of county councils of Caithness and Sutherland under the provisions of the Local Government (Scotland) Bill?

On the experience in connection with the education authorities, I estimate that the annual cost referred to should not exceed, in the case of Caithness, £500, and in the case of Sutherland £400.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any scheme for providing contributions to voluntary associations concerned with the welfare of the blind, such as is referred to in Clause 48 of the Local Government (Scotland) Bill, has been or is under discussion; and, if not, whether an undertaking can be given that the welfare of blind persons will not be prejudiced by reason of the provisions of the Bill?

Until the Local Government (Scotland) Bill becomes law, it would be premature to discuss any scheme under Clause 48 providing for the payment by local authorities of contributions to voluntary associations who carry on services for the benefit of blind persons resident in their areas. I am prepared to give an undertaking that the welfare of blind persons will not be prejudiced by reason of the provisions of the Bill.

Is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to give an undertaking that these associations will be able to obtain the same grants from the local authorities that they have received from his Department in the past?

Certain Amendments will be put down dealing with this Clause, and I think we had better discuss them on the Report stage.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in presenting the Supplementary Estimate for railway freight rebates, it was the intention of the Government that the benefit of reduced freights on timber should go to the coal industry or to the timber trade?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to a question asked on 12th December last by the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Sir W. Preston), of which I am sending him a copy.

It is just the ambiguous nature of that reply that prompted me to put down the question. It is a plain "Yes," or "No." I want to ask which of the parties gets the benefit.

My answer was perfectly plain then and is perfectly plain now—the people who pay the freights.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that there is a dispute at present between certain sections of the timber trade and the coal masters in connection with the matter?

But surely there can be no dispute as to who is paying the freights to the railway companies.

There is a dispute as to who is to get the rebate, and that is why I have put the question. If the right hon. and gallant Gentleman will give an authoritative answer, that will settle it.

I can only repeat that the people who pay the freights get the reduction.

(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any decision has been reached with respect to the pending guardians elections, and, if so, will he furnish the House with full information?

The only step so far taken has been to defer the elections the procedure for which would under the existing Order relating to the election of guardians begin on 1st March. As the Local Government Bill provides that no election of guardians shall be held after its coming into force and in view of the possibility of the Bill becoming law before the present guardians go out of office on the 15th April, it seems to me desirable, after consulting my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health, that the expense and trouble involved in holding elections which the passage of the Bill would render unnecessary should be avoided, if possible. I have accordingly made an Order which provides that the dates fixed in the existing Order shall not apply on the present occasion.

Will the right hon. Gentleman tell me whether he is satisfied with the authority under which he is acting, and would he not have been better advised to have told the House first? Can the House be supplied with copies of the Order?

This is not an Order which has to be laid on the Table of the House. I am satisfied as to my authority; I have consulted the authorities. I sent the Order yesterday to the clerks to the guardians and published it in the Press, and it is now available in the Vote Office.

What number of guardians will be affected by this decision?

I presume all the boards of guardians.

What steps are being taken in case of vacancies occurring?

That is provided for in the Bill. The point is that, if the Bill passes before Easter, as we hope it will, the considerable expenses which would be incurred in elections would be of no value.

(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to take the necessary steps to secure the recommittal of Clause 49 of the Local Government Bill in order to bring that Clause into harmony with the Government's proposals in the Scottish Bill as regards payment of expenses of county councillors?

No, Sir. There appears to me to be no necessity for complete uniformity in mattters of this kind in England and Scotland.

If the right hon. Gentleman is determined to persist in this anomalous state of affairs as between England and Scotland, will he put the whole of England and Wales on the same footing; and is he aware that, so far as London is concerned, Clause 49 does not apply?

That is an entirely different question from the one on the Paper.

The right hon. Gentleman was claiming that there might not he uniformity between England and Scotland. My question was: Will be secure uniformity in England and Wales if not elsewhere?

Is it now the deliberate policy of the Government to accord preferential treatment to Scotland?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the figures to the last available date of the number of deaths from cancer of men, women and children respectively?

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

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the inconvenience that is still being caused to the surrounding villages by the continued emission of dust from the Melton cement works, East Yorkshire; and what action he has taken, and is prepared to take, in the matter?

The district alkali inspector has given constant attention to this matter for some months. He reports that the company are continuing their efforts to find a satisfactory solution of the trouble, and that extensive experiments are in progress; and I understand that the company now propose to erect a high chimney.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the amenities of five villages are affected by this nuisance of the emission of dust and will he ask the company to instal the new process which entirely eliminates the distribution of cement dust?

I know there are many and considerable complaints concerning this matter, and I will see what further can be done to abate the nuisance.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that in many places in South Wales unemployed miners are unable to obtain coal for their own domestic use; and will he take action to remedy this?

Does that mean that these poor, wretched men, owing to some rule or other, are not able to obtain coal for their wives and children?

No, Sir; I know of no case where miners are unable to obtain coal. I do know of cases where special arrangements have been made to enable them to get it, and, in other places, Where it is being provided at the local market rates.

Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman state definitely in this House that these men in no case are deprived of obtaining coal?

I do not understand what the hon. Member means by "deprived of obtaining coal." I am not aware of any case where they are unable to get it.

Does not that mean the same thing?

Is it not the case, that, while miners who are employed do get domestic coal as part of the terms of employment, the question asked relates to unemployed miners?

Both the reply that I gave in the first place and my supplementary replies have dealt with that point.

If you have hundreds of miners unemployed, they cannot get the coal.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the continued complaints of shipowners and others, especially on the Humber, Tyne and Clyde, of the delay in obtaining bunkers and cargoes of coal owing to the artificial restriction of output practised by rings of colliery owners; if he is aware that, in addition to the delays experienced on the Humber, vessels are now being kept waiting on the Tyne for a week and even a fortnight, and on the Clyde for 10 days; that similar complaints come from South Wales; whether, for example, he has been informed of the complaints made at the annual meeting of the Clyde Steamship Owners' Association on 28th January; whether he proposes to take any action in the matter; and the number of ships held up at British ports, owing to the scarcity of bunker coal, on the 5th February, 1929?

I have had inquiries made as to the position regarding coal cargoes and bunkers on the Humber, Tyne and Clyde. I can find no serious cases of delay owing to the scarcity of bunker coal, and on the 5th February at all British ports only four cases of delay were reported, one of half a day at West Hartlepool, one of three hours at Middlesbrough, and two of about two hours in South Wales. As regards coal cargoes, I explained the North-East coal position in my reply on the 7th February to the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson). I am informed that the shortage on the Clyde, to which the Clyde Steamship Owners' Association referred, relates to one particular variety of coal, and is due, not to the operation of the Scottish Coal Owners' marketing scheme, but to a breakdown at two collieries supplying that coal. As regards the Humber, steps have been taken which should ensure larger supplies of coal for bunkers and for export. As I stated in the House last week, I have no reason to doubt that the coalowners will take the necessary steps to meet the welcome increased demand for coal, and no action on my part seems to be necessary.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that, although only one or two cases may have been reported to him, it is common knowledge at these ports that not only are ships held up for long periods—far longer than his Department knows of—but also—

The hon. and gallant Member is apparently giving the information for which he is asking in his question.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many coal mines have been closed in Yorkshire since the 1st of January, 1926, and how many men were thrown out of work as a result of such pits being closed; and will he also give particulars of coal mines re-opened in Yorkshire and the number of men employed at such pits since 1st July, 1928?

Since 1st January, 1926, 95 pits in Yorkshire employing 14,800 wage-earners, have closed and not re-opened. The number of pits which were closed on 30th June, 1928, or have closed subsequently for at least a month, and have since re-opened, is 12, employing 1,600 wage-earners at 2nd February, 1929.

In view of the answer given by the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the previous question as to the shortage of coal and the need for coal, what is the use of his Department if they do not see that something is done in order that coal may be supplied where it is necessary?

I said in my previous answer that I have no doubt that the coal owners will take the necessary steps.

But what are you doing to see that the owners take the necessary steps to supply people with coal? What is the use of a Government Department that does not do that?

asked the Secretary of Mines how many miners in the Durham and Northumberland coalfields are receiving less wages than the minimum wage agreed upon by the minimum wage board of those counties?

No cases have been reported to me in which rates of wages in Northumberland and Durham have fallen below the statutory minima.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman read the report of the Prince of Wales, from which he will find that it is so?

I know of no report by His Royal Highness at all.

Did not the hon. and gallant Gentleman take the trouble to read the reports which His Royal Highness gave to the Press every day?

I read the newspaper reports.

Has it not been brought to the notice of the hon. and gallant Gentleman previously by the Miners' Federation that in almost every county in the country miners are not asking for the minimum wage for fear of being dismissed?

No, Sir. I have stated perfectly clearly in my answer that no case has been reported to me in which the wage has fallen below the statutory minima.

Is it not a fact that the Miners' Federation, at the last deputation that the hon. and gallant Gentleman received, informed him that the Minimum Wage Act was being ignored all over the country?

I would point out to the lion. Member that, as he is no doubt aware, the statutory minimum refers to the Act of 1912, and that at the present time there is a subsistence wage, which is higher than that, and which is a contract as between masters and men.

If the hon. and gallant Gentleman has read the newspaper reports of the Prince of Wales's visit, how can he say—

Order, order!

asked the Secretary for Mines whether any action has been taken on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry, page 95, that, in order to promote the export trade in coal, the establishment should be considered of an official system, internationally agreed, for the specification, sampling and analysis of export coal?

It has proved a matter of considerable difficulty to devise standard methods for the sampling and analysis of coal. This problem is now being considered by a Sectional Committee of the British Engineering Standards Association, which has been set up for the purpose. The Government Departments interested are represented on the Committee and substantial progress is being made.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give the present output of coal per week, giving comparable figures for the years 1927 and 1928?

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

asked the Minister of Transport whether he intends to take any steps, pending the passing of the Road Traffic Bill, so as to ensure that there shall be compulsory and periodic inspection of public service vehicles, in order that the public may be protected and the number of serious accidents due to inferior brake power or other mechanical defects reduced; and whether, if the Ministry of Transport has no such powers, the local authorities, whose business it is to issue licences, may be empowered to make such inspection as a condition of renewing the licence for a period longer than three months?

I have no power to impose or to require local authorities to impose any such conditions.

asked the Minister of Transport what were the equivalent figures for the London traffic area of accidents investigated by officers of his Department, or which came to the notice of the Metropolitan or City Police, for the period 1927 to 1928, which for England and Wales are returned at 586 accidents, involving the deaths of 488 persons and injuries to 1,161 other persons; and what proportion do these figures represent of the total number of similar serious accidents involving death or serious injury and which were reported to the respective police forces in England and Wales?

As the answer is somewhat long, I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Transport (1) whether his attention has recently been called to the growing intensity of the problem of the use of canal bridges in Birmingham and South Staffordshire industrial areas; if he proposes to adopt measures to remedy the inconvenience and financial loss inflicted upon traders in Birmingham and surrounding towns; and if he contemplates early legislation in relation to this matter;

(2) whether he has received reports from the district in which the Birmingham Canal Navigations Company operate of serious injury to canal bridges from fast and heavy motor traffic; and if, seeing that this canal company has suffered damage involving considerable expenditure and that the company has notified him that it cannot undergo risk of further damage in the absence of any steps being taken by the Ministry or local authorities, he will say what action he proposes to take to prevent dislocation of local traffic and safeguard the interests of the canal company?

I am well aware of the difficulties created by the existence of weak bridges on roads in the area to which my hon. Friend refers and elsewhere. A Government Bill which, if passed, will, I hope, go a long way towards providing a solution of this pressing problem, was introduced in another place on Wednesday last.

Can any financial assitance be given, under the provisions of the Bill to which the right hon. Gentleman refers, to enable local authorities or the owners to carry out schemes?

No doubt if and when the Bill becomes law, it will be possible for local authorities to apply to me for a grant, when each case will be considered on its merits.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in South Staffordshire nearly every town has these small bridges, most of them on the main roads, and that there is great difficulty at present in carrying on the traffic?

That is why we brought in the Bill.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us some further information as to what he means by "if and when the Bill passes"?

If the Bill passes both Houses of Parliament.

asked the Minister of Transport the value of the imports of foreign tar imported for use in this country in the construction and maintenance of roads; if he is aware that the gas and coke-oven industries in Great Britain produce annually 2,000,000 tons of tar derived from the carbonisation of coal; and if, as this volume of tar is adequate for all purposes in the construction and upkeep of roads in Great Britain, he will take measures to secure that only tar produced in Great Britain will in future be employed in British road construction and maintenance?

I am informed that in 1928 the imports of coal tar from foreign countries amounted to 295 tons, of the value of £1,967, and from countries within the Empire 1,201 tons, of the value of £3,753. No figures are available as to the proportion of foreign tar actually used in the construction and upkeep of roads; but it is evidently very small. I am constantly impressing upon highway authorities the importance of using British materials, but there appear to be no grounds for special intervention on my part in the present ease.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, under the Road Transport Vehicles Lighting Act, 1927, motorists have been absolved from keepings lights on at any of the recognised parking places in the Metropolitan area?

Under the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, 1928, the power to exempt from the lighting requirements vehicles standing in recognised parking places in the Metropolitan Police area is vested in the Commissioner of Police who, I understand, has not up to the present thought it desirable to exercise his powers in this respect.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, in parking places such as St. James's Square, it is quite an unnecessary expense to make then keep their lights on at night, and will he not represent to the Commissioner of Police that he might exercise his powers; otherwise, it is useless to put powers into an Act of Parliament?

The most appropriate thing would be for my hon. Friend to put down a question to the Home Secretary on the subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in several London parking places you are allowed to put your lights out?

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received any complaints from passengers who have bought return tickets from omnibus companies and find, when the return ticket is presented, that the company has been bought by or merged with another company and the ticket when tendered has been refused; and whether he will take steps to save the public from this grievance?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the death of Richard Claydon, resulting from a motor car collision with unlighted toll gates in Anson Road, Victoria Park, Manchester; and whether he is prepared to order an inquiry into this matter with a view to the securing of some arrangement with the interests concerned whereby these encumbrances can be removed from one of the principal thoroughfares of the city?

My attention had not been called to this accident. I have no power under the existing law to order an inquiry into the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can see his way to make substantial grants during the coming financial year towards the construction of the Western Avenue, seeing that this important arterial road was commenced no less than nine years ago and is urgently need by the manufacturers of High Wycombe?

I am not in a position to add to the information contained in the reply which I made to my hon. and gallant Friend's question on 18th December last.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman bear in mind that the delay in the construction of this road is affecting the expansion of trade and employment in High Wycombe?

I have all those considerations very fully in mind. We will get on as soon as possible, having regard to financial considerations.

Is not nine years an inordinate time?

Ought not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman to remind his hon. Friend that he supported the raiding of the Road Fund?

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the coroner's remarks at an inquest held at Enfield on Patrick Eaton Robinson and James Collins, who were killed by a motor lorry while cycling on the Cambridge arterial road, at which inquest it was stated that the lamps on the lorry were too high to shine on the rear reflectors of the cycles, and the coroner stated he had drawn the attention of the Home Office to this defect in the law; and will he consider introducing amending legislation to have this defect remedied?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the latter part of the question, the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations, 1928, lay down for reflectors such optical requirements as to reflection and dispersion of light as to permit of considerable latitude in the position of the lamps on an overtaking vehicle.

Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman regard to the fact that art enormous number of the general public think that they are absolutely absolved from carrying any reflector at all on their bicycles?

No, I have not heard any statement to that effect.

If the right hon. and gallant Gentleman inquires from the ordinary police force, he will find that is the case.

Is there any prospect of the Road Transport Bill, which was circulated some time ago being introduced in the present Parliament?

I should think it is rather doubtful.

asked the Postmaster-General what number and percentage of girls employed in telephone exchanges in London during the past year have been recorded as suffering from nervous complaints, slight or serious; what is the maximum continuous period of duty during the busy hours of the day; and what is the maximum number of lines allotted to one attendant?

The answer is rather long and involves a number of figures. With the hon. Baronet's permission, I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the right hon. Gentleman state briefly whether he finds there are any of these complaints?

Yes, there are a certain number.

Can the right hon. Gentleman account for the somewhat irritable disposition of some of these ladies?

asked the Postmaster-General if he will state the districts in the country which do not have a delivery of letters at least once every weekday?

There are a number of isolated places in all parts of the country, more particularly in Scotland, Wales and the West of England, which have no daily delivery, e.g., The Shetlands, Orkneys, Hebrides, Scilly, Alderney, Sark and parts of Exmoor. A special return would be necessary to obtain a complete list of these places. This would involve considerable time and cost and under these circumstances I hope my noble Friend will not press for it.

If the right hon. Gentleman receives information with respect to some places in Scotland, will he take steps to see that things are remedied?

Is the right hon. Gentleman hot aware that there are some places even in the Midlands where they do not get these deliveries?

I can only say that applications for daily deliveries in these isolated parts are always sympathetically considered, and will be sympathetically considered, unless the cost is wholly disproportionate to the amount of correspondence.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say what "sympathy" means? I have made several applications, and, while I have had sympathetic answers, I have had no redress.

In most cases the delivery is granted unless it is quite clear, on the facts, that the amount of correspondence dealt with is wholly disproportionate to the cost.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that a private company would be more sympathetic in the matter?

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in connection with the success obtained by New Zealand in establishing a penny post to the rest of the Empire and the promising start made by Canada in the same direction, there has been since 1923 any increase in the volume of postage correspondence between these Dominions and Great Britain?

The net weight of letter mails to and from New Zealand and the United Kingdom has increased since 1923, but how much of the increase has been due to normal growth and how much to reduction in rates cannot be estimated. So far as Canada is concerned, no figures are yet available which would indicate whether or not the traffic has increased since penny postage was restored.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that a similar step on the part of this country would result in increased correspondence, and a consequent diminishing loss of revenue?

That is a question which I would prefer should he addressed to my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Postmaster-General what is computed to be the average amount of loss to the Post Office per letter on unclosed letters delivered and what is the average profit per letter on closed letters; whether the cost of delivering an unclosed letter charged ½d. is less or more than that of a closed letter charged 1½d., and what is the estimated amount of the difference; whether any expense in sorting, inspection, or otherwise would be saved by adopting a uniform rate of 1d. up to one ounce; and whether, having regard to experience in other parts of the Empire and the probable effect on trade, it is considered that the estimated loss of two millions is a maximum figure and might be reduced shortly if a uniform 1d. rate up to one ounce were adopted?

The average loss on a ½d. packet is estimated at rather less than ¼d.; and the average profit on a 1½d. letter at about ¾d. The practice of holding over ½d. packets posted after a prescribed time results in some saving of cost, although the amount cannot be exactly assessed; in other respects an unclosed letter costs about the same to handle as a closed letter. It is impossible to forecast with any approach to accuracy the effect of a uniform rate of 1d. for one ounce, and the estimate of £2.000.000 loss is largely conjectural.

asked the Postmaster-General the value of the seven registered parcels that were stolen from the sorting office at Mount Pleasant on the morning of 31st January; whether the whole of these parcels contained Treasury notes; and whether any insurance of these parcels had been effected with or by the Post Office?

It has been ascertained that the value of the contents of the parcels in question was £15,500, and that all the parcels contained currency notes. The answer to the third part of the hon. Member's question is in the negative.

May I put this question on behalf of my hon. Friend?

I presume the hon. Member has been asked to put this question by the hon. Member whose name is on the Order Paper?

I have a letter from him here.

My hon. and gallant Friend is under a mis- apprehension in thinking that the telephone system at Hyde is automatic. I am very sorry that it is not possible in this, as in other cases of marginal areas, to depart from the strict application of the radial measurement rule. The Hyde exchange is situated outside the seven-mile radius from Manchester telephone centre and accordingly I cannot apply to it the rates proper to exchanges inside that radius. The effect of the change will be to raise the fees for calls to some exchanges in the Manchester area but to reduce the annual rentals by 10s.

asked the Prime Minister whether any scheme will be issued to local authorities and others concerned for the protection of town populations from chemical gases in future warfare; providing for gas-proof rooms, flushing of streets with appropriate chemicals, decontaminating clothing, and providing first-aid and removals to hospitals; and what steps are being taken to provide the necessary preliminary training in these matters?

The problem of the protection of the civil population against gas attack is being closely studied in all its aspects, including those specifically referred to in the question by the hon. Member. The need for the preliminary training of personnel and for the preparation of full and precise instructions to all concerned is not being overlooked.

Does the Prime Minister really expect another war?