asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the refusal of an allowance to Mrs. Burton, of Cherry Tree Farm, Bealings, Woodbridge, in respect of her child Annie, who is over 14 but under 16, because she is not under full-time school instruction; and whether, seeing that this non-attendance at school is solely due to the fact that the child is medically unfit to attend on account of congenital heart disease, in view of the extra burden on the mother thus entailed by the care of a normally invalid child, he will reconsider the attitude of his Department?

I find the facts are as stated in the first part of the question; as regards the second part, I have no power to make an award where the conditions of the Act are not complied with.

asked the Minister of Health the average time which elapses between the receipt of a widow's application for pension and the official decision; and whether in cases of extreme hardship there is any machinery whereby the official decision can be accelerated?

As regards the first part of the question, the average time which elapses between the receipt of a widow's application for pension and the notification of the official decision is 3l days; as regards the second part, it is the aim of my Department to reach a decision in every case without avoidable delay.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to a resolution adopted, at its recent annual general meeting, by the National Federation of Employés Approved Societies, which emphasised the benefit to be derived from osteopathic treatment and recommended such treatment as an additional benefit; and if he is prepared to consider favourably this suggestion provided treatment is given by competent qualified practitioners?

My attention has not previously been drawn to this resolution. A registered medical practitioner is not debarred from giving osteopathic treatment, if he thinks fit, either under a special scheme approved by the Minister for the purpose of additional benefit number 8, or otherwise. If, however, my hon. Friend intends to suggest legislation to encourage the provision of such treatment by unregistered persons, I cannot undertake to regard the suggestion with favour.

asked the Minister of Health the number of prosecutions instituted by his Department, for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date, against employers failing to stamp their health insurance cards of their employés?

During the year ended 31st December, 1928, 735 prosecutions were instituted by my Department in England and 43 by the Welsh Board of Health in Wales against employers for failing to pay contributions under the National Health Insurance Acts in respect of their employés.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to two cases tried at Chester on Wednesday, 6th March, in which it appeared that, while the doctors declared offenders to be insane, they would not sign the certificate owing to a recent High Court case, where heavy costs had been awarded against the doctor for the alleged wrongful certifying of a person; and will he, in view of the state of the law on the subject, consider the introduction of legislation which will clarify the position with regard to such certificates issued by medical officers?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for the Royton Division (Dr. Davies).

asked the Minister of Health whether any experiments have been made at the Government lymph establishment with neuro-vaccine, recently brought into use on the Continent to replace the lymph of Jenner; if so, what conclusions were arrived at; and whether any use has been made of this new variety of lymph for public vaccination purposes in this country?

The answer to the first and last parts of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not, therefore, arise.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, the number of men and youths employed on afforestation work in June, 1924?

In June, 1924, the Forestry Commission were employing 1,350 men, 76 women and 300 juveniles.

asked the President of the Board of Trade upon what date the Government contract, which expires on 30th June, 1930, for the purchase of Australian zinc concentrates was made; what is the estimated loss to the present date; and whether he has formed any conclusion as to the effect of this contract upon the mines of the United Kingdom?

The contract for the purchase of Australian zinc concentrates which expires on 30th June, 1930, is dated 9th April, 1918. The net loss from April, 1918, to 31st March, 1928, the date of the last completed accounts, was £3,900,000. I have no reason to think that the difficulties which British mines have experienced have been affected to any real extent by the existence of this contract.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount, separately, of exports of steel melting scrap, old steel rails, wrought iron scrap, and cast iron scrap from Great Britain for each of the two years 1927 and 1928?

Details of the different kinds of scrap iron and steel exported from this country are not compiled, and I regret, therefore, that I am not in a position to furnish them. For particulars of the total exports of "old scrap iron and steel, fit only for re-manufacture" I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the President of the Board of Trade on 5th March to the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Jenkins), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount in this country of single cotton yarn on hand and produced in 1926, 1927 and 1928, respectively, and how much of this was exported?

I am unable to state the stocks and production of cotton yarn in these years, but it is estimated from figures published by the International Cotton Federation that the mill consumption of cotton in Great Britain was as follows:

Mill consumption of cotton in Great Britain.
Year.	Million lbs.
Year ended 1st January, 1927	1,410
Year ended 1st January, 1928	1,560
Year ended 1st January, 1929	1,420

The quantities of cotton yarns of United Kingdom manufacture exported as yarns from the United Kingdom during the last three calendar years were:

Exports of cotton yarn.
Year.	Million lbs.
1926	169
1927	200
1928	169

asked the Minister of Agriculture what would be the difference in the price of flour sold to the retailer, as compared with the present price, if foreign wheat were imported for milling purposes here instead of entering the country in the form of flour milled abroad?

Imports of flour represent only about 15 per cent. of the flour milled from imported wheat. Imported flour is sold on a strictly competitive basis with home-milled flour, and I am unable to estimate what would be the difference in the price of flour in this country if imported supplies were prohibited.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the average price of each foreign imported safeguarded commodity immediately prier to the imposition of the duty and at the present time?

The following statement shows the average declared import values (c.i.f), excluding duty, of certain descriptions of goods subject to safeguarding duties, in the years 1924 and 1928 and in the year before the imposition of the duty in each case. In view of possible changes in the grades of goods imported, it is doubtful to what extent the changes in average values shown below reflect changes in prices of particular grades of goods.

—	1924.			1925.			1928.
	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.	£	s.	d.
Gloves of Leather and of Fur perdoz. prs.	1	18	2	1	14	8	1	8	4
Fabric Gloves of Cotton	0	12	3	0	13	5	0	11	5
Mantles for Incandescent Lighting per gross	0	19	4	1	1	6	1	13	6
Cutlery:
Knives (including handles, blades and blanks); per dozen	0	3	8	0	4	4	0	3	0
Scissors (including handles, blades and blanks) per dozen.	0	4	6	0	5	11	0	4	0
Packing and Wrapping Paper (excluding tissue paper). per cwt.	1	3	4	1	3	4	1	0	0
	1924			1927			1928
Buttons and Studs per gross	0	1	6	0	1	3	0	1	2
Wrought Enamelled Hollow-ware of Iron and Stool. per ton	58	11	3	55	0	9	52	6	4
NOTE.—In the case of Lace and Translucent Tabloware, corresponding figures are not available.

asked the Secretary for Mines if ho has caused inquiry to be made into the sudden inrush of water which occurred in Fleet's Pit, East Lothian, and which endangered the lives of 50 workmen, on 1st March, 1929?

Yes, Sir. Investigations were put in hand immediately and they will be completed as soon as the water which is being pumped out has been lowered sufficiently to permit of an inspection of the workings.

asked the Secretary for Mines what are the quantities of motor spirit (including benzol) produced to-day from Scottish shale and other various carbonisation processes that have been established for treating coal; what were the corresponding figures for 1928 and 1926, respectively; and what is the anticipated or the probable output for the current year?

It is estimated that the production of motor spirit (including benzol) from Scottish shale, coke ovens, gas works and tar distilleries amounted to approximately 33,000,000 gallons in 1928 and 16,000,000 gallons in 1926, the figures for the latter year are being affected by the coal stoppage. I can give no figures of the anticipated or probable output for the current year.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the number of extensions beyond the age of 60 years, made in accordance with the recognised procedure in Northern Ireland, is abnormally large; that an excessive proportion of such retentions have been sanctioned among outdoor supervising officers at the Belfast office; that no fewer than six inspectors and assistant inspectors of postmen out of a total of 10 such officers have been granted extensions; and whether, in the circumstances, he will take steps to reduce the number of retentions in Northern Ireland and in this or other grades in which it is above the normal level?

I am aware of the circumstances referred to by the hon. Member. I am satisfied that there has been no departure in Northern Ireland from the recognised principles under which extensions of service beyond the age of 60 are granted in the Post Office generally; and I can find no justification for modifying those principles in the present instance.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office why the issue of marriage allowance has been refused to No. 3902958, Sergeant A. Thomas, of the 2nd battalion South Wales Borderers, who is now serving in Aden; and whether he will give instructions for its immediate issue?

I am making inquiry into this case, and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India has taken action in accordance with the decision of the Indian Legislative Assembly, calling for an inquiry by a committee consisting of the home member and party leaders to investigate the charges of assault made against the police in connection with the injury of Lala Lajpat Rai, and to ascertain to what extent police action might have been responsible for causing or hastening the death of Lala Lajpat Rai?

This is a matter primarily for the Punjab Government and the Punjab Legislative Council, and a similar motion was debated at length in that Council and negatived by a considerable majority on 30th November. So far as my Noble Friend is aware, the Government of India have no intention of taking the matter out of their hands.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if it is proposed to recover any part of the cost of the erection and maintenance of India House as the offices of the High Commissioner for India in London by

INDIA OFFICE (including India Audit Office).
Sick leave of Clerical Officers and Established Typing Grades.
Year ended	Average number of days of sick leave per head.			Average number of days per head taken on account of gastric trouble.			Average number of days per head taken an account of nervous trouble.
	Clerical Officers (Men).	Clerical Officers Women).	Established Typing Grades.	Clerical Officers (Men).	Clerical Officers (Women).	Established Typing Grades.	Clerical Officers (Men).	Clerical Officers (Women).	Established Typing Grades.
31st January, 1927.	11·6	18·4	12·4	0·6	2·2	5·0	2·8	0·2	0·4
31st January, 1928.	8·9	9·6	10·1	0·2	1·1	1·5	0·3	2·7	1·3
31st January, 1929.	10·2	15·1	11·4	1·0	0·2	0·2	2·6	1·8	0·2

No, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any action has been taken by the Government of India in respect of the recommendations of the Linlithgow Commission on Agriculture in India in favour of a systematic reclassification of forest lands and the creation of two divisions within the forest departments charged with responsibility for the major protection and timber forests and the minor fuel and grazing forests, respectively?

No action has yet been taken, so far as I am aware, on these recommendations, which fall within the sphere rather of the provincial governments than of the Government of India.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India what was the average number of days of sick leave per head taken by men and by women clerical officers and by members of the established typing grades, respectively, employed in his Department in each of the last three years; and what was the average number of days per head in the case of each grade taken on account of gastric and nervous trouble, respectively?

The following table gives the desired information:

asked the Secretary for Mines what was the average number of days of sick leave per head taken by men and by women clerical officers and by members of the established typing grades, respectively, employed in his Department in each of the last three years; and what was the average number of days per head in the case of each grade taken on account of gastric and nervous trouble, respectively?

The average number of days sick leave per head during the last three years in the case of men clerical officers, women clerical officers and members of the established typing grades is as follows:

—	Year ended 31st January.
	1927.	1928.	1929.
Clerical Officers—Men	6·43	9·77*	6·03
Clerical Officers—Women	9·20	8·00	11·00†
Established Typing Grades	8·82	5·31	5·65
* Includes three cases of sick leave amounting to 64, 67 and 89 days respectively.
† Includes one case of sick leave amounting to 49 days.

The information asked for in the last part of the question cannot be supplied as no detailed record is kept of the types of illness which account for the sick leave.

asked the Home Secretary what was the average number of days of sick leave per head during each of the last three years in the case of women clerical officers, writing assistants, and members of the established typing grades, respectively, employed in his Department; and what was the average number of days of sick leave per head in the case of each of the grades concerned taken on account of gastric or nervous trouble, respectively?

The average number of days of sick leave per head during the three years 1926, 1927 and 1928 in the case of women clerical officers, writing assistants and members of the established typing grades is as follows:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty the number of Admiralty employ¹s who received hurt pay during 1928 and the amount paid?

The number of employés who received hurt pay during 1928 in Admiralty establishments at home was 2,637, and the amount paid was £12,552. The amount of hurt pay issued in establishments abroad during the same year was £1,750, but the number of recipients cannot be stated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give a table showing the number and ages of the seamen, petty officers, chief petty officers and warrant officers, respectively, who were granted commissions as mates in each of the last four years?

The numbers and ages of those promoted to mate during the years 1925–28 were as follow:

Year.	Total number promoted.	Ages on promotion.
		21.	22.	23.	24.	25.
1925	5	—	1	1	2	1
1926	9	2	5	1	1
1927	7	2	2	2	—	1
1928	8	—	1	3	3	1

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the respective pay of boys under and over 16 years under training in His Majesty's ship "Fisgard"; and whether the difference in pay is responsible for the increased charge in railway fares to boys over 16 proceeding home on leave?

Boys in "Fisgard" enter between the ages of 15 and 16 years, and the rates of pay are:

1st year's service	9d. a day.
2nd year's service	1s. 9d. a day.
3rd year's service	1s. 9d. a day.
4th year's service	2s. 9d. a day.

No change in the rate of pay takes place merely as a result of a boy reaching the age of 16. The cheap travelling facilities which these boys enjoy when they proceed on leave are merely concessions by the railway companies, and the distinction which is drawn between boys under and over 16 years of age is in accordance with a general rule applied by the companies to juvenile organisations, unconnected with the naval service, to whom travelling concessions are extended.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many cadets entered the Royal Navy during each of the last four years from the Britannia Naval College and by direct entry, respectively; and how many cadets entered the Royal Navy either direct or through the Naval College from secondary schools, respectively, in each of the last four years?

The number of naval cadets who entered the Royal Navy during the years 1925–28 was as follows:

	Through R.N. College, Dartmouth.	By direct entry.
1925	155	72
1926	151	86
1927	157	82
1928	158	48

Particulars are not available, without a very large expenditure of time and labour, as to the number of cadets entered from each of the different classes of schools.

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to the remarks of the two Judges in the Court of Appeal on the amount of the fees paid to counsel and to the handicap inflicted on poor litigants; and whether he will consider the introduction of legislation for the purpose of limiting fees payable to counsel?

I have seen reports of the remarks of the two Lords Justices in question. The fees of counsel are a matter of arrangement with solicitors. They are subject to taxation, and it by no means follows that the whole of the expense involved has to be borne by the unsuccessful litigant. I may add that a poor litigant admitted to sue under the Poor Persons' Rules enjoys greater advantages at the present time than at any other period of legal history. Not only is he exempt from Court fees, but counsel and solicitors act for him gratuitously. I do not consider any action is necessary.

asked the Home Secretary whether the inquiry into the warning of a proposed raid upon the Lido Club, to which the solicitor for the prosecution called attention at the hearing of the case, has yet been completed; and, if so, whether he proposes to take any further steps in the matter?

Yes, Sir; all possible inquiries have been made and precautions have been taken which will, it is hoped, prevent such information becoming known to the parties affected; but it would clearly be undesirable for me to indicate the nature of those precautions.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of claims received from War Department employés for compensation for injuries met with whilst following their employment during 1928, also the amount paid as compensation during the same period?

Information is not available as to the number of claims presented in 1928, but compensation amounting to some £7,000 was paid in respect of approximately 1,450 cases of injury sustained during that year by War Department civilian employés. The total payments in 1928 in compensation for injuries received in 1928 and previous years exceeded £35,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he will cause to be placed in the Library of the House recent Reports and statements showing the results of the State railroad system in South Africa?

I am placing certain reports on this subject in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Labour what steps are taken to make sure that in the transference of miners from distressed areas to employment in other districts persons living in these districts are not left unemployed through the influx of additional labour?

It is not possible to deal adequately with the wide issues raised by this question within the limits of a Parliamentary answer. Generally, the chief safeguard of the interests of local workers is the careful adjustment by the Employment Exchanges of the numbers transferred to the absorptive capacity of the locality.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can give figures showing the amounts spent and lent, respectively, by the Unemployment Grants (Viscount St. Davids) Committee since its inception, each year shown separately; the amounts spent upon these schemes by the local authorities and public utility companies interested; the estimated values of the works provided; and the estimated amount of employment in man-months provided directly and indirectly, respectively, by these works?

I have been asked to reply. The seventh (interim) report of the proceedings of the Committee to 30th June, 1928, contains nearly all the information requested and all that is readily available. I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what amount of tax has been received for each of the last three years as duty on first-class railway passengers' fares?

The receipts in respect of railway passenger duty for the financial years 1926–27 and 1927–28 amounted to £387,845 and £376,298 respectively. It is estimated that the receipts for the financial year 1928–29 will amount to £370,000. While the greater part of the receipts is in respect of the duty paid on first-class passenger fares, the information available is not sufficient to determine the exact amount.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of Income Tax appeals heard by the Special Commissioners or General Commissioners for each of the last three years, the number of appeals to the Courts from the decisions of the General Commissioners and Special Commissioners by the Crown and by the taxpayer, and the number of decisions given in favour of the Crown and the number of decisions given in favour of the taxpayer?

The information for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks in regard to the very large number of appeals heard annually by the Special Commissioners and by the 700 bodies of General Commissioners throughout the country is not available. Appeals from their decisions to the Courts during the three years 1926–28 numbered 154, namely, 69 in 1926, 50 in 1927 and 35 in 1928. Of these cases, 75 were appeals by the Crown and 79 were appeals by taxpayers. The Crown has been successful in 103 of the cases and the taxpayer in 51.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many inclosure awards containing drainage provisions there were in the proposed Doncaster drainage area, and the number of such awards where the drainage provisions were being properly exercised and observed?

According to the Report of the Doncaster Area Commission there are 25 such awards, a list of which is given in Annex B to the Commission's Report. I am unable to state in how many cases the drainage provisions of the award are being properly exercised and observed, but I understand that in at least 14 cases the drainage provisions of the award are not being operated.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether a decision has now been reached regarding the amount of contribution to be made in lieu of rates in respect of Government properties in the city of Plymouth; and, if so, whether he will give the figures?

Approximately £85,000 will be paid provisionally in the year 1929–30, but the payment will be subject to necessary adjustments.