asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that the damage done to the livelihood of line fishermen by trawlers and seine-net boats has never been greater in the Moray Firth, particularly in the Arroch, Cromarty, and Portmahomack district; and whether he will now put the Mackenzie Report in its entirety into operation and take every step to resist the inroads of all trawlers, British and foreign, into the natural fishing grounds of line fishermen?

The line fishermen of the district mentioned work mainly within the exclusive fishery limits, and I am not aware of any encroachments by foreign trawlers within those limits. Two complaints in regard to operations of British seine-net vessels on this part of the coast have recently been made. One of these has been investigated, but the complaint has not been substantiated. The other complaint is being inquired into. The area has been and will continue to be kept under as close observation as possible. The question of trawling and seining in the Moray Firth was, as the right hon. Member is aware, referred in accordance with the recommendations of the Trawling (Scotland) Committee to a Committee of the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea. The Report of the International Committee which has been made public is receiving consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in view of the provision made in the Local Government (Scotland) Bill, the total amount of rates collected by the collector of rates in Glasgow; the total amount collected by the factors in conjunction with their rents; and the cost of collection to the city in each case?

The total amount of local rates collected by the collector of rates in Glasgow was, in 1928–29, £7,460,562. The total amount of occupiers' rates collectable by owners was £1,062,582. The total cost of collection to the City in each case was £53,861 and £26,499 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the licensees of some private slaughter-houses in the upper ward of Lanarkshire have been recently warned that shortly they may receive instructions to discontinue the use of the free bullet humane killer, at present in general use, and to substitute the Schermer killer; and will he inform the House if the Schermer killer is a British invention and if it is manufactured entirely within the United Kingdom?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the negative. The responsibility for approving types of mechanically-operated instrument to be used in compliance with the Act passed last year rests with the local authority, and I am not aware whether the local authority in question have issued such an invention as the hon. Member mentioned. As regards the second part of the question, I understand that the Schermer instrument is not a British invention and, so far as I am aware, it is not manufactured entirely in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of lunatics in county and borough asylums, hospitals, or licensed houses at the last convenient date?

The total number of lunatics in Scotland at 1st January, 1929, is as follows:

In Royal Asylums	3,616
In District Asylums	12,515
In Parochial Asylum	241
In Private Asylums	42
In Lunatic Wards of Poorhouses	880
	17,294
Under care in private dwellings, including specially licensed houses	1,623
Total	18,917

There were in addition to the foregoing certified and registered lunatics, 909 patients in residence in the respective institutions at 1st January, 1929, on a voluntary basis, and there were also 73 inmates of the Criminal Lunatic Department of His Majesty's Prison at Perth.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many tanks have been ordered during each of the years 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1928?

The following are the numbers of tanks, excluding experimental tanks, ordered during the years in question:

1925	31
1926	8
1927	3
1928	10

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, with a view to assisting the British agriculturist, he will arrange for the Army to be provided with three days' fresh meat each week in lieu of frozen meat during the period July to December when, owing to the lower costs of production caused by the out-feeding of cattle, this killed meat could be purchased at advantageous rates, and when it would be of greatest advantage to British farmers in marketing surplus cattle?

I regret that considerations of expense do not permit of the adoption of this suggestion.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage of unemployment in the pig-iron industry for the year 1928?

The percentage rates of unemployment among insured persons classified as belonging to the pig-iron industry are published each month in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette," to which I would refer the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour what have been to date the numbers transferred from necessitous to other areas under the industrial transference scheme?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any records that will show the number of persons who have been transferred from the depressed areas and have been found employment in other districts through Exchange machinery since the Transference Board came into existence?

I would refer the hon. Members to the statement on this subject which my right hon. Friend made in the House on 27th February in the course of the Debate on the Vote on Account.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims for unemployment

Claims to benefit made at Ripley (Derby) Employment Exchange, 19th April, 1928 to 14th January, 1929.
—	Men.	Women.	Juveniles.	Total.
Total number of fresh and renewal claims made.	4,142	1,013	516	5,671
Claims disallowed by Insurance Officers	27	4	—	31
Claims recommended for disallowance by Courts of Referees on review after payment of 78 days' benefit in presented period.	8	4	—	12

asked the Minister of Labour the number of women who applied for benefit at the Glasgow Exchanges last year and the number granted benefit and refused; and the same figures for men?

CLAIMS TO BENEFIT made at Employment Exchanges in Glasgow, 19th April, 1928, to 14th January, 1929.*
Local Office.		Total number of fresh and renewal claims made.		Number of claims disallowed by Insurance Officers.†		Claims recommended for disallowance by Courts of Referees on review after payment of 78 days' benefit.
		Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.
Bridgeton	…	24,436	10,703	4,178	1,528	246	150
Finnieston	…	14,327	1,805	1,013	317	28	5
Glasgow (Central)	…	15,795	5,626	1,846	604	56	43
Glasgow (South Side)	…	29,550	8,953	3,114	1,221	266	34
Govan	…	17,287	2,796	1,761	521	17	29
Kinning Park	…	10,992	1,886	936	262	55	8
Marybill	…	13,409	2,977	1,761	387	77	44
Parkhead	…	21,109	5,342	1,460	821	108	22
Partick	…	18,380	2,094	1,378	395	47	5
Rutherglen	…	4,804	1,011	402	115	31	6
Springburn	…	18,974	4,724	2,151	488	67	34
Kirkintilloch	…	3,839	931	165	34	13	3
Total Glasgow Area	…	192,902	48,848	20,165	6,693	1,011	383
*Statistics of the disallowance of claims for Standard benefit made at particular local offices are not available in respect of the first three months of 1928.
† In a proportion of these cases the decision was reversed on appeal.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women, respectively, have been found work

The following table gives the information desired:

Statistics of the claims made and of benefit allowed and refused in respect of separate individuals over an extended period are not available. In the following table the figures relate to separate claims and not necessarily to separate individuals:—through the Parkhead and Bridgeton Employment Exchanges, Glasgow, in each of the weeks of January in this year?

The following statement gives the information for which the hon. Member asks:

Persons placed in Employment through the Parkhead and Bridgeton Employment Exchanges.
Week ended.	Parkhead.		Bridgeton.
	Men.	Women.	Men.	Women.
1929.
7th January	37	4	18	29
14th January	32	17	149	28
21st January	29	16	32	58
28th January	48	13	49	41

asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the increase in unemployed farm labourers in the East Hiding of Yorkshire; and if he will consider bringing farm labourers under the National Unemployment Insurance Scheme at such rates as are within their means?

Instances have been reported to me of unemployment amongst farm workers in certain parts of the East Riding of Yorkshire this winter, but they appear to be exceptional, and the position in regard to agricultural employment over England and Wales as a whole does not show any necessity for the re-consideration of the question of the application of compulsory unemployment insurance to agriculture. The question was fully considered in 1926 on reports presented by an Inter-Departmental Committee appointed to examine the matter when the Government decided that no case had been made out for such application.

asked the Minister of Transport how many and what standard voltages it is proposed to adopt for lighting circuits in the Metropolitan area and in the provinces, as a result of the reforms undertaken by the Electricity Commission?

I understand that the Electricity Commission hope to see the eventual adoption throughout the country of a standard supply at 230 volts for lighting purposes.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that heavy lorries are everywhere causing serious damage by vibration to property adjacent to the roads which they traverse; that the combined tare and load weight of such a vehicle with three trailers is frequently 30 tons; that they constantly travel at higher speeds than the maximum allowed by law to vehicles of their class; and, seeing that the police take no steps to prevent this, will he take action in the matter?

I have received complaints that heavy motor vehicles cause serious damage to adjacent property by vibration. Maximum speeds in respect of various classes of vehicles are fixed by the relevant Acts and Orders, but the enforcement of such limits is a matter for the police.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received reports from the provincial cities and towns as to the working of automatic traffic control signals; whether such reports are of a satisfactory nature; and whether it is proposed to experiment with such systems of control in the Metropolitan Police district?

My Department has obtained reports upon the working of automatic traffic control signs in provincial cities, from which I gather that, upon the whole, they can be regarded as working satisfactorily. The hon. Member will, however, appreciate that the traffic conditions where these signs have been erected in the provinces cannot necessarily be regarded as in any way comparable with the traffic conditions in certain of the more congested areas in the Metropolis. It is my intention to endeavour to arrange for experiments with such systems to be tried in the Metropolitan Police district.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what were the numbers of subscribers entered on the special register of his Department on 1st January in the years 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1928, respectively?

The figures asked for are as follow:

1st January, 1925	2,621
1st January, 1926	2,594
1st January, 1927	2,800
1st January, 1928	2,500

I may add that the figures for this year show a slight increase.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of new factories started in this country since the imposition of key industries duties, the McKenna duties, and the safeguarding duties; and the number of people employed in these factories?

Complete information is not available, but statements have appeared in the Press regarding the establishment or projected establishment, since the imposition or re-imposition of the relevant duties, of six factories making goods covered by the key industry duties, 11 motor car factories, five motor tyre factories, 15 musical instrument factories, and one wrapping paper factory. I have no information regarding the number of people employed in these factories.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of new factories started in the silk industry since the duty has been in force; and can he give any information as to the number of additional people employed in that industry during the same period?

I understand that 21 new factories have been started or projected for the manufacture of artificial silk yarn in this country since the silk duties were imposed. It has also been reported that a new factory is making natural silk goods, and that a number of other factories are engaged in further stages of production of artificial silk goods, often in conjunction with other materials. The number of workpeople, aged from 16 to 64, insured against unemployment in the silk and artificial silk industry, as estimated by the Ministry of Labour, was 45,620 in July, 1925, and 70,270 in July, 1928.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Returns relating to trade and navigation contain any exports of military, naval, and Air Force arms, ammunition, stores, or mechanical equipment other than what appears on page 171 of the Returns; if so, under what headings do they appear; and to what countries are they exported?

The only war material specified in the Returns to which the hon. Member refers, otherwise than on page 171, is that given under the heading "War vessels, including their machinery and armament," the exports of which are shown on page 170. But, in addition to these, there are, of course, exports which can be used for military as well as for civil purposes. On the other hand, the articles referred to on page 171 under the heading "Arms, Ammunition, and Military and Naval Stores" include, besides war material, such goods as sporting guns, rifles and ammunition, blasting powder and fireworks. More detailed particulars of all these exports in 1927 and previous years are given in the Annual Statement of Trade of the United Kingdom for 1927.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether arms, ammunition, and military and naval stores are exported under licence; and whether that applies in all cases; and, if not, in what cases does it not apply?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the Arms Export Prohibition Order, 1921, which gives a list of those goods which can be exported only on production of a licence issued by the Board of Trade. I ought, perhaps, to add that though this list includes smooth-bore shot guns and ammunition therefor, exporters are not required to obtain licences for their export except to certain specified destinations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantity of scrap iron was imported into this country in 1920, 1924, 1926, 1927, 1928, and in January, 1929, respectively, and from what countries; what quantity was exported from this country for the same periods and to what countries; and the average price per ton for each of such periods?

—	1920.	1924.	1926.	1927.	1928.	January, 1929.
Imports consigned from:—	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Norway	4,627	14,173	6,352	2,942	2,071	13
Denmark (including Faroe Islands).	7,981	20,331	6,306	935	137	—
Germany	1,901*	74,085	25,620	4,930	2,435	—
Netherlands	104,174	141,669	25,246	4,859	5,002	—
Belgium	62,888	78,613	64,330	8,923	4,222	41
France	128,124	38,200	26,278	12,774	7,602	655
United States of America	110,978	1,696	1,372	1,307	11,322	5
Irish Free State	—	26,942	15,640	26,307	17,095	922
British South Africa	8	18,310	289	210	69	53
British India	—	8,620	9	711	281	—
Canada	8,151	573	604	1,143	381	—
Other Countries	6,869	29,259	4,771	5,729	4,795	1,006
Total Imports	435,701	452,471	176,817	70,770	55,412	2,695
Average value (c.i.f.) per Ton	195s.	86s.	71s.	73s.	61s.	51s.
Exports consigned to:—	Tons.	Tons.	Tots.	Tons.	Tons.	Tons.
Poland (including Danzig)	†	—	—	100,400	150,532	17,417
Germany	2	2,416	5,623	41,443	48,495	4,148
Netherlands	211	13,735	130	19,388	8,191	1,546
Belgium	1,829	562	357	1,782	29,105	6,587
Spain	280	23,140	27,715	62,989	49,249	5,892
Italy	1,015	2,255	4,933	3,481	7,610	7,951
China (excluding Hongkong, Macao and leased territories).	25,456	16,180	11,592	5,191	27,152	2,182
United States of America	—	4,347	6,524	8,461	5,397	48
Hongkong	10,063	5,116	2,486	4,975	4,768	918
Australia	101	17,374	7,793	7,856	5,563	101
Other Countries	5,665	3,241	4,790	4,915	8,155	563
Total Exports	44,622	88,366	71,943	260,881	344,217	47,353
Average value(f.o.b.) per Ton	270s.	94s.	73s.	65s.	63s.	63s.
* The figures for 1920 relate to the former German Empire, except for Alsace Lorraine which is included with France throughout.
† Not separately recorded in 1920—included, if any, with "Other Countries."

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the textile and other material used in waterproofs and similar articles shown in the

The following table shows (a) the weight of iron and steel, old and scrap, fit only for re-manufacture (including old rails) imported into, and exported from, the United Kingdom, registered during each of the years 1920, 1924, 1926, 1927, and 1928, and the month of January, 1929, distinguishing the principal countries from and to which these materials were consigned, and (b) the average import and export values per ton.British industries fairs in London and Birmingham are entirely of British manufacture; and what steps, if any, were taken to ensure that all articles exhibited were of British manufacture throughout?

All goods exhibited must have been manufactured or produced mainly within the British Empire, and every exhibitor signs an undertaking to observe and be bound by this regulation. Where there is any reason to suppose that this regulation is not being observed, my Department may call upon the exhibitor to produce evidence that his exhibit is within this regulation. If the hon. Member will let me have details of any case in which there is ground to suppose that goods outside the scope of this regulation have been exhibited, I shall be glad to investigate the matter.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total amount of the claims made by the applicants under the Sumner Commission; the number of applicants making claims; and the number whose claims were paid in full?

No separate records have been kept either of the total amount claimed by applicants

Year.		Country of last permanent residence.			Country of future permanent resilience.
					British North America	Australia.	New Zealand.	British South Africa.
1922	…	England	…	…	29,636	30,690	8,155	6,826
		Wales	…	…	692	621	214	135
		Scotland	…	…	12,278	6,462	3,282	1,435
1923	…	England	…	…	51,421	31,537	6,123	5,994
		Wales	…	…	1,079	1,004	134	162
		Scotland	…	…	29,070	6,435	2,724	1,214
1924	…	England	…	…	37,439	30,343	7,327	6,074
		Wales	…	…	1,407	899	213	121
		Scotland	…	…	19,136	6,437	3,072	1,245
1925	…	England	…	…	23,235	26,040	7,346	5,582
		Wales	…	…	1,045	1,067	258	163
		Scotland	…	…	11,040	6,501	3,307	1,135
1926	…	England	…	…	26,901	30,356	9,851	6,598
		Wales	…	…	1,649	1,701	364	167
		Scotland	…	…	14,735	10,713	4,852	1,355
1927	…	England	…	…	29,053	27,859	5,167	6,024
		Wales	…	…	2,263	1,654	157	188
		Scotland	…	…	15,473	9,667	2,029	1,215
1928	…	England	…	…	29,948	20,437	3,476	5,566
		Wales	…	…	3,316	1,080	108	191
		Scotland	…	…	15,434	6,053	1,106	1,200
The information regarding the last permanent residence, required to be shewn in the statutory returns, does not include particulars of the county of residence.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the total number of British migrants assisted or the number of applicants whose claims were paid in full. With regard to the second part of the question, 83,600 claims were received, but many applicants made more than one claim.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of British migrants who left permanent residences in Wales and Monmouthshire, England, and Scotland, respectively, to take up permanent residences in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, respectively, in each year, 1922 to 1928, inclusive?

The following figures, which have been compiled from the Statutory Returns furnished to the Board of Trade, show the numbers of British subjects who left permanent residence in England, Wales, and Scotland, in each of the years 1922 to 1928, to take up permanent residence in British North America, Australia, New Zealand, and British South Africa:by grants under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922; and what was the total sum granted to the British migrants who were thus settled from Wales and Monmouthshire, England, and Scotland, respectively, in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, respectively, in each year, 1922 to 1928, inclusive?

Movement under the Empire Settlement Act, 1922.
—		Canada, Number Assisted.	Australia, Number Assisted.	New Zealand, Number Assisted.	South Africa. Number Assisted.	Total Number Assisted.
1922	…	180	5,611	688	—	6,479
1923	…	5,835	24,221	6,086	41	36,183
1924	…	9,609	23,645	7,750	39	41,043
1925	…	8,779	22,527	8,097	126	39,529
1926	…	20,862	32,689	11,795	197	65,543
1927	…	27,113	29,133	4,416	208	60,900
1928	…	27,523	20,619	2,175	197	50,514
Totals	…	99,901	158,445	41,037	808	300,191

It is not possible to furnish information as to the numbers of, or the amount of assistance given to, migrants from the individual parts of the United Kingdom, but the annual expenditure in connection with schemes of assisted migration arranged under the Empire Settlement Act has been as follows:

	£
1922–3	35,464
1923–4	424,882
1924–5	423,662
1925–6	569,875
1926–7	1,128,896
1927–8	1,282,906
1928–9 (nine months ending 31st December, 1928)	783,738

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that at a medical board held at Liverpool on 10th December, 1928, a pensioner was questioned as to whether he was drawing the dole or had ever drawn the dole, and whether he was drawing or had ever drawn health insurance benefit; for what reason do medical officers, who presumably base their assessment on the physical condition of the pensioner, ask questions relating to unemployment insurance benefit and national health insurance

I have been asked to reply. The following table gives the information for which the hon. Member asks.benefit; and if action will be taken to stop questions of this character being put in future?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for the Elland Division (Mr. Robinson) on 4th December last. Assessment of pension is under the Royal Warrants required to be based on the degree of disablement, and this involves ascertainment of the effect of the particular ailment or injury on function. In certain cases the physical symptoms, as evident on a single inspection, are not conclusive on this point, and information has to be sought as to the man's actual experience of disablement. Any questions put by a board as to the man's health or unemployment are directed solely to elucidating the facts as to the extent and character of the disablement or increased disablement claimed to be experienced by the pensioner, and it is obviously as much in the man's interest as in any other that the facts should be evidenced. In no case, I need hardly add, is any inquiry made as to the amount of benefit drawn or wages earned.

asked the Minister of Pensions, (1) the number of disabled men and dependants of deceased men who were in receipt of pensions at the last convenient date;(2) the number of disabled officers and dependants of deceased officers who were in receipt of pensions at the last convenient date, stating the gross amount paid to these persons during the previous 12 months?

The total number of disabled men, together with the widows and other dependants of deceased men of non-commissioned rank, who are in receipt of pensions, is approximately 935,000. The total number of disabled officers, together with the widows and dependants of deceased officers in receipt of pension, is approximately 40,000 and the total amount payable for this class of pensioner in pensions, grants and allowances for the current financial year, which is included in the Vote for the Ministry, is £5,343,300.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will give a list of the collieries in the South Wales coalfield which were closed on 31st December, 1928, but have since resumed work, stating the number of men normally employed in each?

The number of pits in the South Wales coalfield which were closed on 31st December, 1928, and have since reopened, is 36, employing 17,200 wage-earners at date of closing. I will send the hon. Member a list of them.

Year.	Total quantity of coal, coke (in terms of coal) and lignite delivered by Germany on reparation account to:
	France (including Algeria, Tunis, etc.).	Belgium.	Italy.	Luxemburg.	Total.
	Metric tons.	Metric tons.	Metric tons.	Metric tons.	Metric tons.
1919 (September-December)	2,329,088	—	107,413	—	2,436,501
1920	11,926,939	1,405,536	1,521,371	594,655	15,448,401
1921	10,796,814	2,851,252	2,844,172	1,505,110	17,997,348
1922	10,875,397	2,962,490	2,500,168	1,726,108	18,064,163
1923	4,473,137	1,688,296	1,546,808	492,291	8,200,532
1924	9,812,437	4,509,312	4,187,666	1,329,811*	19,839,226
1925	9,483,397	2,979,136	1,909,889	—	14,372,422
1920	10,118,968	2,208,735	2,748,905	—	15,076,608
1927	9,508,787	850,000	3,060,460	—	13,419,247
1928 (Provl.)	10,422,249	1,024,541	4,560,090	—	16,006,880
Totals	89,747,213	20,479,298	24,986,942	5,647,875	140,861,328
* Since the coming into force of the Dawes Plan on 1st September, 1924, all coal, etc., received by Luxemburg has been purchased directly from Germany.

asked the Secretary for Mines the comparative percentage of fatal and non-fatal accidents in mining with respect to the tonnage of coal output by machinery and hand-won coal, respectively, for the years 1927 and 1928?

I regret that the information is not available.

asked the Secretary for Mines in what year the payment of reparation coal was first made by Germany; what is the total quantity of such reparation coal that has been delivered in each year since to the latest available date; what is the quantity delivered or credited to each of the recipient Allied Powers in each of these years; and what was the average selling price fixed in each year for the quantity delivered each year to each recipient Allied Power?

The first delivery of coal on reparation account was made by Germany in September, 1919, in anticipation of the coming into force of the Treaty of Versailles. The quantities of coal, coke (in terms of coal) and lignite delivered by Germany on reparation account each year to each recipient country since the coming into force of the Treaty are as follow:

asked the Postmaster-General the revenue derived from the exhibition of advertisement posters in post offices?

I gave my hon. Friend this information in reply-to his question of 26th February, to which I would refer him.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the practice of recruiting doorkeepers for Post Office buildings in London from ex-service men has been discontinued; whether he is satisfied that it is necessary in the official interests that these posts should be filled by pensioned ex-policemen; and whether he will cause the whole question to be reconsidered, having regard to the high rate of unemployment among ex-service men?

The recruitment of ex-policemen for Post Office doorkeeper posts in London was in force prior to the War, and it was only suspended in order to make pro vision for disabled men. The pre-War practice of recruiting ex-policemen was reverted to in 1926, with the proviso that the selection should be confined to those ex-policemen who are also ex-service men. Experience has shown that ex-policemen, who have been accustomed to control the public and to act, when necessary, on their own initiative are particularly fitted to discharge the duties of doorkeepers.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of inland telegrams that were delivered in the 12 months dated to the last convenient date?

The number of inland telegrams (exclusive of Press telegrams and telegrams originated in the Irish Free State) which were delivered in Great Britain ana Northern Ireland during the calendar year 1928 was approximately 45,300,000.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any further expert investigation into the claim of the Baird Television Company has been made by Post Office officials or by the British Broadcasting Corporation; and whether the latter organisation's offer to make such an investigation when this process has been further improved has been accepted?

Arrangements have recently been made with the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Baird Television Development Company for the use of the London broadcasting station for a private experimental demonstration of television. The demonstration took place to-day and the results are under consideration.