asked the Minister of Labour whether miners and others employed on afforestation lose their right to unemployment benefit when this work is terminated; and, if so, whether any action can be taken to ensure that men transferred from insurable to non-insurable employment can be made eligible for benefit if they are normally employed in insurable employment when the casual employment is terminated?

So long as claimants have the full qualifying number of thirty unemployment insurance contributions in the past two years, the nature of their last employment does not affect their title to unemployment benefit. Where this is not so, they have to prove among other things that they are normally employed in insurable employment; in cases of doubt this question is decided by the statutory authorities.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unskilled labourers were registered as unemployed at Metropolitan Employment Exchanges on 12th January; how many men transferred from distressed areas outside the Metropolitan area have been found work in the Royal parks or elsewhere under schemes organised and paid for out of national funds; how many weeks' work is guaranteed the transferred men; what provision has been made to house these workmen; and is it proposed to arrange for the return fare of these men if, when the works are finished, they should find themselves out of employment?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 4th February, 1929, column 1394, Vol. 224], supplied the following information:At 21st January, 1929 (the only date in January for which figures are available), there were 44,115 adult unskilled labourers on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Greater London.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any negotiations have been entered upon with a view to selling to an insurance corporation the policies taken out through the Post Office Savings Bank for life or endowment insurance; if so, what is the present position; and whether every step has been taken to safeguard the interests of policy holders?

No, Sir. An offer was received from an Insurance corporation, but it has been declined.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, for the con venience of the public, he will cause the address of the nearest post office to be affixed to pillar-boxes?

It is my intention to place on pillar-boxes in suitable positions signs indicating the direction of the nearest Post Office. It is obviously desirable that these should be of one standard type, easily recognisable by the public; and I have already experimented with several proprietary makes of sign, in order to select the most suitable for standardisation.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that at the Navy, Army and Air Force Institution, Salisbury, male employés are being dismissed and women substituted; can he state the number of men so displaced and the reason for this action; and whether, before taking this action, regard was had to the desirability of employing men rather than women in canteens catering for military camps?

As regards the first part of the question, the details regarding staff of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes are matters for the Board of Management, and I have no information about the case to which the hon. Member refers. On the general question of policy, it is recognised that for certain duties in canteens such as those of waitresses, women are more suitable than men. Subject to this consideration, I understand that it is the established policy of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes to give preference to ex-service men wherever possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that when persons of 65 or over appeal their claims to a pension of 10s. weekly, they have to appear before a sheriff; that the Scottish Board of Health who are opposing the grant of pension are represented by a solicitor, and that in most cases the old persons are not very able to put their case; and if he will consider it possible to allow the claimant to be represented by a legal person for which the Board would meet the cost?

I see no reason to doubt that under the present procedure claimants for old age pensions under the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act who wish to appeal against the decision of the Department of Health for Scotland are afforded every reasonable opportunity of stating their case to the Referees, and I am not satisfied that the course suggested in the latter part of the hon. Member's question is necessary.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if figures are kept showing the number of deaths in the mercantile marine from year to year, separating officers and men and giving the number of men and officers employed out of which number the deaths take place; and, if not, will he consider the advisability of having these statistics recorded?

Particulars of the number of deaths among members of the crews of merchant ships registered in this country and of the numbers employed on certain selected days in such ships are published annually by the Board of Trade. I am sending my hon. Friend copies of the Returns for 1927. Separate figures are given for the various ratings. The possibility of obtaining more complete information, with a view to computing comparative mortality figures for all seamen, whether employed or not, is being considered by the Joint Advisory Committee on the health of the mercantile marine.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that some ocean-going vessels sailing from ports in Great Britain do not take steps to instruct passengers in life-saving measures by assembling them at boat or muster stations and showing them how to put on lifebelts, he will take immediate steps, by legislation or otherwise, to ensure that such precautions are always taken?

This question was discussed recently with representatives of the lines, and a new edition of the muster regulations is being issued which provides that practice musters of passengers should be held at an early period of each voyage, if this is at all practicable. I am not yet satisfied that it is necessary to ask for power to make musters of passengers compulsory, but the question is one of those which will probably be discussed at the forthcoming International Conference on Safety of Life at Sea. It is possible that some proposal for a definite uniform rule on this subject may be made by that Conference.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether legislation is to be introduced by the Government to give effect to the Royal Commission's Report on mining subsidence?

I am unable at present to make any statement as to the possibility of legislation on this question.

asked the Secretary for Mines the names of the collieries in Monmouthshire that have been re-opened since September, 1928, to the latest, available date, the number of men employed normally at these collieries, and the number at present employed?

The number of collieries in Monmouthshire which were closed on 31st August last, or have closed subsequently for at least a month, and have since re-opened, is 13, employing 7,200 wage-earners at date of closing and 5,200 wage-earners at 2nd February, 1929. I will send the hon. Member a list of them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the fact that, owing to the large number of sunken wrecks in the Channel and around the coasts, men engaged in the fishing industry suffer frequent damage to, or loss of, their gear; and whether he will consider if the Government could, by some scheme of insurance or otherwise, assist this industry?

I am aware that the presence of sunken wrecks off certain parts of the coast, especially between the Start and Portland, leads to frequent loss of gear by fishermen. I have carefully considered whether any method of alleviating this disadvantage, by a scheme of insurance or otherwise, could be devised, but I have been unable to discover any practicable solution to the problem.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of loans and grants that have been made to the fishing harbours of England and Wales during each of the years from 1919 to 1928?

The following statement gives the amount of loans and grants in respect of fishing harbours in England and Wales during each of the financial years ending 31st March, from 1919 to 1928:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to prevent the proposed opening by the Fishery Board of the Firth of Clyde, which has hitherto been closed waters, to trawlers, and so preserve the livelihood of the large number of Scottish fishermen whose native fishing grounds will be destroyed if these water are opened up to the trawlers from all parts of England?

The Fishery Board for Scotland in the exercise of their statutory powers have made and advertised their intention to apply to me for confirmation of a byelaw permitting trawling in a part of the outer waters of the Firth of Clyde during the summer months. The statutory period during which notice of objection to the proposed byelaw may be lodged with the Board has not yet expired and until all objections have been received and considered, I am unable to come to a decision in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, during the last hop season in Kent, the sanitary conditions in some areas were unsatisfactory and were marked by out breaks of infectious diseases; and will he inquire into the matter, with a view to the enforcement of existing by-laws and the framing of additional regulations where necessary, in order to avoid a repetition of these conditions next season?

I have been asked to reply. I am aware that in some areas in Kent the sanitary conditions were, during the last hopping season, unsatisfactory. I am not, however, aware of any evidence suggesting that an outbreak of infectious disease was attributable to those conditions, and in fact the number of eases of notifiable infectious disease reported from the districts in which imported pickers were employed was not abnormal. I have on more than one occasion impressed upon the local authorities, who are responsible, the necessity of adopting and enforcing by-laws necessary to deal with this matter, and I propose in the near future to address a further communication to those local authorities in whose areas further action is necessary. I may add that by-laws based on the most recent model form are already in force in nearly all the affected districts in this country, and it may be anticipated that conditions will, as a result, improve.