asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can say whether any and, if so, what changes have taken place this year in the shipping freights between Australia and this country; and whether such changes have had any appreciable effect upon the volume of shipping on the routes concerned?

I am informed that the Australian Conference Lines have made no changes this year in shipping freights between Australia and this country except in respect of wheat, the rates on which, as is customary with the lines, have been varied from time to time to correspond to the rates secured by tramp tonnage in that trade. Since January the rates for wheat by both liners and tramps have, on the whole, tended to fall, the fall varying from 15 per cent. to 25 per cent. The number of factors involved make it impossible to say what effect, if any, such changes have had on the volume of shipping on the routes concerned.

Would the right hon. Gentleman endeavour to find some better word than "tramps" for an invaluable type of British merchant vessel?

They are an invaluable type of ship, but they have a historic tradition, and the name of "tramp" is not a term of disrespect, but is rather a household name of which we are all proud.

Is it not a fact that tramp tonnage and liner tonnage for the conveyance of wheat have been operating on an unprofitable basis for many years?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the production of gas mantles in this country in 1925 and 1928, respectively, and what proportion of home consumption was met by the British and foreign producer, respectively, in each of those years?

Complete data of the production of gas mantles in this country in the years specified are not available. From the information supplied to me by the manufacturers, it is estimated that the numbers produced were about 310,000 gross in 1925 and about 355,000 gross in 1928; and that imported mantles accounted for about 40 per cent. of the number available for use in this country in 1925, and for less than 5 per cent. of the number available in 1928.

Is the right hon. Gentleman now in a position to state what is the sum paid by the users of British mantles towards the German combines?

No, Sir, I am not. I can only reply, as I think I have informed the hon. Member previously, that, but for the tax which is now on, there would not be any production of gas mantles at all in this country.

Can my right hon. Friend tell me whether it is a fact that the number of people employed in this industry has risen from 1,700 in the last quarter of 1924 to 2,200 in the last quarter of 1928?

I know that there has been a distinct improvement, but I am not quite sure what the figures are.

Arising out of the answer to the Supplementary Question of the hon. Member for North Aberdeen (Mr. Benn), could not the right hon. Gentleman, as President of the Board of Trade, find out what is the commission paid to the German manufacturers, or is he not able to get the information; is he not competent to obtain it?

If the hon. Member puts a question on the Order Paper, and it comes within the province of my Department—and I am not sure that this does—I will do my best to answer it.

Does the right hon. Gentleman deny that a bonus is paid to the German manufacturers?

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of his recommendation in Circular No. 2,292 (Methods of Treatment), issued on 16th January, 1929, if he is aware that recently lads between the ages of 16 and 21 have been sent to prison for periods of five days and longer owing to their not having been given time to pay the fine imposed; and will he take further steps to put his views on this subject before the magistrates and justices of juvenile and ordinary Courts?

My attention has not been drawn to any case of the kind to which the hon. Member refers. If he will furnish me with particulars of any cases which he has in mind I shall consider whether further action on my part is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what decision he has come to in regard to the recent proposal to permit trawling in an area of the Clyde hitherto closed to trawling?

I have decided that in present circumstances I should not confirm this bylaw. As I have indicated in previous replies the whole question of territorial waters in its international aspects is at the present time the subject of a general review, and I do not think that it would be expedient to take any partial action in the direction of modifying existing restrictions on trawling which might prejudice or complicate the wider issues. Moreover, I am bound to say that the flagrant contraventions of the law which have been committed by a section of the trawlers in recent years in the Clyde area make it very difficult to justify a concession to the trawling interests concerned. I wish, however, to make it clear that a careful examination of the objections to the bylaw reveals no evidence whatever to support the view that the limited relaxation which the Fishery Board proposed after the most careful inquiry would be detrimental to the local fishing. From the purely scientific aspect it appears to me that the Fishery Board were fully justified in submitting this bylaw.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the find mgs of Lord Mackenzie's Committee which, as recently as 1924, went into the whole subject publicly, in every part of Scotland where there are fishing areas; and what contradiction of the evidence then laid has there been in this subsequent evidence which would lead to a private inquiry upsetting the findings of a public inquiry?

The circumstances, of course, are bound to be reviewed from time to time by the Department in making use of scientific research in connection with the matter. Whatever decision the Mackenzie Committee may have come to, the circumstances have to be reviewed.

What evidence was taken from the men engaged in the fishing industry on the Clyde with regard to this inquiry before the Fishery Board came to a decision?

Of course, the Fishery Board are conversant with all the circumstances in regard to every branch of the industry. They make a proposal and publish it so that it may be examined, and they then receive the observations of any parties concerned. In this case, those observations have been received and considered.

Has there not been a unanimous protest from all concerned in the fishing industry on the Clyde; and does the right hon. Gentleman think that the Fishery Board went fully into the matter, since from all parts of the Clyde there are protests against the decision?

Yes, Sir, but, as I have explained, I think those protests are unjustified from the scientific point of view.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Aberdeen trawl-owners do not want this permission and that I have just ascertained from the Lord Provost to-day that he was opposed to it? The Scottish trawlers do not want it; it is a mere invasion of the English trawlers?

Will the right hon. Gentleman reconsider the matter?

asked the Lord Advocate whether his attention has been called to the action of the Glasgow Corporation in refusing recognition to a non-political union of municipal employés and making membership of the political trade union a condition of engagement or retention of employment; and whether he will take action against the corporation for breach of the recent Trade Union Act?

My attention has not previously been called to the matter referred to by my hon. and learned Friend. I am not aware that I have any power to take action regarding it.

If I supply the right hon. and learned Gentleman with particulars of this case, will he go into them? Is he aware of the fact that thousands have left the non-political union and joined the other as a result of the non-political union not getting recognition; and is this not a distinct breach of one of the Sections of the Trade Union Act and will he—

The hon. and learned Member is putting his Supplementary Question at too great length.

Is not the Glasgow Corporation, in refusing recognition to a non-political trade union, merely following the example set by Lord Melchett in connection with the "peace in industry" stunt?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the Glasgow Central Local Employment Committee has not had a chairman for 18 months and that no meetings have been held since April, 1928, and that the Partick, Glasgow, Local Employment Committee has had no meeting since 1927; and what is the total number of local employment committees and how many have had no meetings within the past six months?

The chairman of the Central Glasgow Employment Committee resigned on 30th May, 1928, and a new chairman was appointed on 22nd February last. The committee met on the 13th March. The Partick Employment Committee met on 11th December last. The total number of local employment committees is 329. Of these, 11 have held no meetings within the past six months.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has any available information giving the comparative wages and hours worked by miners in this country, in Silesia on the Polish side, and in the mines located in Germany adjacent to the Polish border; if so, what are the hours and wages in the three places: and if the differences in the hours and labour have been brought to the attention of the International Labour Office at Geneva and have been considered and reported on there?

A Report giving comparative particulars of wages and hours of labour in the coal mining industry at home and abroad was published early in 1928 by the International Labour Office. If the hon. Member will read the Report, a copy of which is available in the Library, I think he will agree that the subject is too complicated to enable me to give the information asked for in the second part of his question.

Is it not a fact that the terribly low wages and long hours of Polish miners as compared with British and German miners is one of the primary causes of the dislocation of the coal industry in this country; and does the hon. and gallant Gentleman not think it would be worth while for his Department to make a report on the subject?

Without doubt, low wages and long hours intensify the competition which our coal industry has to face.

Before the hon. and gallant Gentleman answers this question, may I point out that the two words "what were" have been inserted by error and alter the meaning of the question?

I shall endeavour to answer the question as I understand it. I regret that the information asked for in the first part of the question is not available. It is estimated that the total trading loss in the coal-mining industry in 1928 was between £10,000,000 and £11,000,000.

What I want to know is what was the cost of the agencies and the losses—which last, the hon. and gallant Gentleman has now given. Those two words "what were" divide the question into two parts which was not my intention. Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will look into the matter and give the House some information as to the cost of the agencies.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make any statement in regard to the loss of eight miners' lives in the Coombs Wood pit, Halesowen.

I received a preliminary report of this accident by telephone about 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon. I am informed that a fire occurred about 400 yards from the shaft on an intake road leading into a small district. The fire, which started about 7.30 a.m. yesterday, began at a brattice cloth and spread to the adjacent timber and the coal on each side; the origin of the fire is not at present known. Nine men were at work on the inbye side of the fire and only one of them succeeded in escaping. Immediate steps were taken towards extinguishing the fire in order to reach the men, but two rescue brigades who had been called from the Dudley Station were beaten back by the smoke. Later a fall of roof occurred which partially extinguished the fire, and eventually a road was made over the fall and the fire was finally extinguished with water about 3 p.m. The rescue brigades were then able to enter the district and found the eight men dead. Some of the bodies were in the intake and some in the return airway, and all had been dead for some hours when found. News of the accident reached the office of the Divisional Inspector of Mines about 10.30 a.m. yesterday, and he proceeded immediately to the colliery in company with another inspector and remained there until the fire had been subdued and the bodies recovered. On receipt of his preliminary report I instructed the Deputy Chief Inspector of Mines to proceed to the spot, and he is now at the colliery with the Divisional Inspector, and full investigation is being made into the causes and circumstances of the disaster. I should like to express sincere sympathy with the bereaved relatives.

The hon. and gallant Gentleman mentioned the intake and the return airway. That would mean one way in and another way out. Does the hon. and gallant Gentleman mean that there was a way out, and, if so, what prevented the men getting round to it?

I cannot give details. I think hon. Members will understand that until I have a report from the inspectors on the spot, when I shall in all probability receive a plan of the actual scene of the accident, I really cannot be expected to give the details asked for.

Was this a naked light pit?

Yes, it was.

I want to know whether the men had to pass through the brattice cloth, and what time elapsed before the fire was discovered. The reports we get from the inspectors often leave out most important points. We want to find out what time elapsed before the fire was discovered, and whether the mine was inspected before the men went down the pit?

I think the hon. Member had better wait until the Secretary for Mines has received a report.

I am asking for a statement.

The Secretary for Mines cannot make a statement until he has received the report.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the Department for Scientific Research has undertaken any experiments as to the use of pulverised coal fuel for the Royal Navy; what has been the nature of the experiments; and with what measure of success?

The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research have not been asked to undertake any experiments on the use of pulverised fuel for the Royal Navy.

Did the hon. and gallant Gentleman not hear the First Lord say that investigations were being carried out for that purpose?

No, Sir. My right hon. Friend may have been referring to the activities of the Fuel Research Board and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. That Department is, of course, carrying out fundamental research in the combustion of pulverised fuel which can be used not only for sea purposes, but also on land.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of ships and their categories burning coal fuel?

134 vessels burn coal and seven coal and oil. With the hon. Member's permission I will circulate the details in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the borings for the foundations of the graving dock at Singapore have been successful; and whether the graving dock has been commenced?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Contract for the dock and other works has been let and preliminary work commenced.

Have they actually started on the graving dock?

Everything is in order for the work to begin.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Admiralty whether he can now make any statement as to the provision of Pensions for officers and engineer officers serving in Royal Naval Fleet Auxiliaries which was brought to the notice of the Admiralty in 1926 by Deputation from the Imperial Merchant Service Guild, Mercantile Marine Service Association and Marine Engineers' Association?

Before this question is answered, may I ask you, Mr. Speaker, what element of urgency there is in it in view of the fact that the hour for questions is now passed?

I am not sure that the hour for questions is yet passed, but the matter of urgency I took fully into consideration before allowing the question, and the hon. Member must allow me to decide.

Proposals for making the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service a pensionable one have been receiving consideration, and a scheme has been worked out which is expected to prove satisfactory to all concerned. It is anticipated that the scheme will be brought into operation during the ensuing financial year.

In view of the very long time that this question has been outstanding, will the hon. and gallant Member say whether in making this service pensionable it will be retrospective?

That is one of the matters which has been under consideration, but I cannot give a definite answer at the moment.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman give me an answer on that point when he answers my question to-morrow?

It would be somewhat difficult because the matter is not yet fully arranged. The point which the hon. Gentleman has brought to my attention is one which is receiving consideration.

May I ask if the proposed pensions will be at least equal to those paid for some years by the best firms of shipowners?

I am sure we shall do everything that is right and proper, and the pensions we offer will be in accordance with the usual scale.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that the pay of these officers at the present time is less than in the private shipping firms?

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the fact that workmen employed on the Morley tunnel, near Leeds, only narrowly averted a crowded train from the danger of being wrecked after they had discovered that a large amount of old masonry had fallen and was blocking the main down line, this train only being saved by one of the workmen running to the end of the tunnel and notifying the Morley signal box of the happening; and will he recommend to the various railway companies that some electrical or other arrangement of signalling should be in operation during repairs of a similar nature?

The railway company have informed me of the detailed measures adopted by thorn in order to secure safety in working during the repair of the Morley Tunnel to which the hon. Member refers, and I am advised that these measures are adequate.

Does the right hon. and gallant Gentleman say that the details mentioned in my question are not correct?

No, I do not say that the hon. Gentleman's statements are inaccurate—that would be rude. My information, however, does not agree with the information of the hon. Gentleman, and perhaps he will allow me to send him my information, and then we can talk over the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received a report of an accident which occurred at a level crossing near Wennington, between Rainham and Purfleet, on Sunday, 10th March, in which a train from Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street dashed into a herd of 500 cows; what regulations exist in order that railway companies should have gates closed at all level crossings during the passage of trains; and does he propose to hold an inquiry?

It appears, from the railway company's return, that the accident to which the hon. Member refers occurred at an occupation level crossing. It is not for the railway companies to provide attendance at such crossings, and it is the duty of persons using them to take reasonable steps to see that they can he used in safety. I do not propose to hold an inquiry into this particular accident.

Would not the right hon. and gallant Gentleman then consider insisting that gates should be put across crossings of this kind, so that a large number of cattle could not be slaughtered in this way?

I presume there were gates across this level crossing.

Can the right hon. and and gallant Gentleman say, from his information, whether the gates were open or shut?

Obviously they must have been open, or the cows could not have got on to the line.

asked the Minister of Transport if he can give an estimate of the date when the streets damaged by the gas explosion in Holborn are expected to be again open for traffic?

The borough council have let contracts for the whole of the road reinstatement, but this cannot be commenced until the various statutory authorities have completed the work on their mains and services. The contracts provide for continuous working night and day. It is hoped that High Holborn will be open to traffic in May and the remainder of the streets a month later.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the estimated number of men for whom work would be found on road construction per £1,000,000 of expenditure?

An estimate of this sort is largely governed by various local conditions and by the character of the work itself. If the works were predominantly undertaken in urban areas on the most economical terms, a figure of 2,000 men employed direct upon the work for a year for each £1,000,000 expended would probably be a reasonable estimate. If the works consisted largely of selected schemes in rural areas which admitted of a high proportion of manual labour, the figure of men employed for one year direct on the works might be increased to as much as 2,500. No sufficient data exist to enable a useful estimate to be framed as regards the volume of employment provided away from the actual site of the works, but it is commonly assumed that every man employed on the actual works would entail another man indirectly employed in producing and transporting materials and in other ways, and this assumption may not be unreasonable.

asked the Minister of Transport if the shipping companies have been consulted with regard to the commercial possibilities of a ship canal between the Forth and Clyde; and if they are in favour of the scheme or otherwise?

I have no specific information on the points raised. It would, I think, be for the advocates of the canal, if they desire to learn the views of shipping companies or other parties, to take steps themselves to obtain such information as they require.

What were the names of the shipping companies referred to?

As I did not ask them, I cannot tell my hon. Friend.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman prepared to make some inquiry locally into this matter, in order to find out how much support there is for the project?

It is a question, not so much of what support there is, but of whether the canal would pay, and whether the shipping would ever use it if it were built.

Is not that a matter that could be gone into if there were a local inquiry by the right hon. and gallant Gentleman's Department?

No. So far as the information available goes—I am speaking from recollection—it would cost from £40,000,000 to £50,000,000, and, from all the information I have so far received, there would be no considerable volume of shipping using it if it were built.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is yet in a position to say when a decision is likely to be arrived at regarding the removal of Charing Cross Station to the south side of the river and the building of a new road bridge to replace the existing railway bridge?

At the present time I am not in a position to add anything to the answer which I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member for North Tottenham (Mr. R. Morrison) on the 22nd January last, a copy of which I am forwarding to my hon. Friend.

Is the right hon. and gallant Gentleman doing anything to expedite this scheme, or have we got to wait till there is a change of Government for something to be done?

I should say that, if there were a change of Government, which is most unlikely, that Government would find this scheme in a very advanced stage.

Why cannot the right hon. and gallant Gentleman make a statement to the House, and let us know what the advanced stage is?

The hon. Member must know that, when negotiations are going on between parties, you cannot make the information public.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Chairman of the Southern Railway Company said, at the general meeting of the company, that the matter was now entirely in the hands of the Government?

I have not observed the statement quoted by my hon. Friend, but the matter cannot be entirely in the hands of the Government when two other parties are negotiating.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, owing to the fact that the Tees Conservancy have now decided that an increase of dock accommodation is necessary, he has had any further communication with them with regard to the large natural basin of 604 acres at the mouth of the Tees?

I have had no recent communication with the Tees Conservancy Commission on this subject, but I will inquire into the present position and inform my hon. Friend of the result in due course.

Is my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that this scheme would give employment to thousands in that distressed area over a long period of years?

No doubt I shall know all about that when I have made the inquiry.

Is there not already far more dock accommodation than is demanded?

asked the Minister of Transport whether the engineering reports bearing on she proposed Tay road-bridge are now in his hands; and, if so, what are the findings?

The engineering reports have not yet reached me, but I am informed that their preparation is well advanced.

Seeing that the right hon. and gallant Gentleman admitted that they were not in his hands in November last, can anything be done to facilitate the production of the plans, in order to give the next Government a chance to start with this big undertaking as soon as possible?

I hope to get the reports in May.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the American telegraph companies make no additional charge for the address on a telegram, with the result that the address is invariably given in full and much time, labour, and loss is avoided owing to the absence of incorrectly addressed telegrams; and whether he will consider adopting the same system here in order to further popularise the Post Office telegraph service?

Reversion to the system of free addresses, which was abolished in this country in 1885, might obviate trouble in certain cases, but would entail the signalling of additional words in a far larger number and would involve a considerable sacrifice of revenue. Having regard to the heavy loss on the telegraph service, I could not contemplate it except in conjunction with a substantial increase in the tariff rate for the text, and as I have already stated it has been decided that rates shall not be increased to the public.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say about how much the loss would be?

It is impossible to make anything like an accurate estimate, but in 1871 it was found that the number of words in the addresses had grown to as much as 12.

Is it not a fact that the American telegraph service is run by private companies and that they make no loss?

Is it not also the case that their charges are higher?

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to an inquest held at Hammersmith on Harold Gordon Nash, aged 8, of Oranbrook Road, Chiswick, in which the evidence disclosed the fact that when the Chiswick ambulance was telephoned for the operator stated the line was engaged; and whether he will give instruction that in future all ambulance calls shall be put through immediately?

All ambulance calls are dealt with specially and are at once connected with an ambulance station if this is possible. In the case referred to the first call made at 4.40 p.m. was put through—with the caller's assent—to the Acton ambulance station as the line to the Chiswick station was engaged at the time. A second call made from another number at 4.45 p.m. was connected with the Chiswick ambulance number, which was then free. There was no delay in dealing with the calls.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the evidence given that the line was engaged at the time was correct?

Yes.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise that it would be much better always to put an ambulance call through to the nearest station immediately?

If the station is engaged on another ambulance call, you cannot interrupt that.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the postal authorities have caused great inconvenience and annoyance to the inhabitants of Allerton by altering their address to Mossley Hill; and will he instruct the local postmaster to arrange for the delivery of postal matter in the Allerton district as hitherto?

The district known generally as Allerton has been served for many years from the Mossley Hill Sub-District Post Office of Liverpool, with the exception of a small area which is served from the Woolton Sub-Post Office. No recent change has been made in the local postal arrangements and none is contemplated.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the social advantages of living at Mossley Hill as compared with Allerton far outweigh any physical disadvantages?

asked the Postmaster-General the number of postal franking machines in use in this country; and whether it is proposed to allow a rebate on the postage?

Approximately 2,250 private postal franking machines are in use in this country. For the reasons given on the 14th instant, in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Bradford, Central (Lieut.-Colonel Gadie), I am unable to grant any rebate to users.

If it can be shown to my right hon. Friend that there would be a saving by the use of this machine, will he reconsider his decision?

I will consider any evidence that may be put before me.

Are these franking machines made in Britain?

I could not answer that question.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that during the recent fire at Llandudno Post Office a Post Office engineer prevented a fireman from spraying the switchboard gear with water, thus averting serious explosions; what steps are taken to avoid such a possibility occurring in offices having a large equipment of electrical gear; and will he give an assurance that, since discontinuance of the night telegraph service at Dundee, the head office telegraph department safeguarded against fire by men having the technical knowledge to immediately deal with an outbreak of fire in that department?

The Post Office engineer prevented the fire brigade from spraying the power plant with water in order to minimise damage, but there was no risk of an explosion. At Dundee, as at all telephone exchanges of comparable size, engineers are continuously in attendance. As the Dundee exchange is housed in the head post office, these officers are in a position to safeguard all the plant (both telephone and telegraph) in the building.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that many villages and scenes of natural or artificial beatuy are disfigured by telegraph poles; and whether, in view of the economic value of such places as attractions to tourists, he will circularise local authorities announcing his willingness to consider means for the removal, where possible, of disfigurements for which his Department is responsible upon the receipt of suggestions from the local authorities concerned?

Every endeavour is made to preserve amenities but it is essential to the development of the telephone service that the costs of construction and maintenance should be kept low. I regret I should not be justified in incurring unremunerative expenditure in removing existing pole lines. I am willing to consider any suggestions made by local authorities provided that the cost of removal does not fall on the Post Office.

asked the Postmaster-General why although the head post office in Cardiff is stated to be open for business till 9 p.m., money orders are not isued after 8 p.m., although postal orders are obtainable up to 9 p.m.; and whether this rule is in force everywhere?

The head post office at Cardiff (and at a few-other of the larger provincial towns) is open until 9 p.m. for the more urgent kinds of postal business. Money Order business, however, is not transacted later than 8 p.m. at any offices in the country except the chief office in London. I have had little, if any, public demand for such an extension, which would entail additional staff and give rise to accounting difficulties.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware of a very serious anomaly; for instance, at the Cardiff office is it not a fact that you can apply from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. for a money order, say for £7, on which the poundage is 6d. and it cannot be granted; but if you ask for seven postal orders in £1 denominations, you can get them, and the poundage is 1s. 2d.? Why should the public be inconvenienced in that way?

Answer!

Am I not entitled to an answer?

The question seems too complicated to put as a supplementary question.

With all respect—

If all supplementary questions were of the sort which the hon. Member is now putting we should never get to the end of questions.

Perhaps I may explain quite shortly that the accountancy processes for postal orders and money orders are quite different. Postal orders require much less accountancy than money orders.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephones in use per 1,000 of population of London, Berlin, and New York?

The figures at the end of December, 1927 (the latest date for which comparable statistics are available), were as follow:

asked the Postmaster-General what is the nature of the work given out to private contract in the Edinburgh district; why this work cannot be done by the Post Office engineering staff; and, in view of the number of men, many of them ex-service men, who have been dismissed from the engineering department during the last 12 months, will he consider finding as full work as possible for the men in this department?

Contract work in progress in the Edinburgh district consists of exchange equipment, power plant and duct laying. The contract covers manufacture and installation of equipment and plant. As regards duct laying, the labour is mainly excavation and reinstatement and is in my opinion more appropriate to contractors who regularly carry out work of this character. No Post Office staff is discharged if suitable employment is available.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it would be more in keeping with the Prime Minister's letter if the Department took every effort to conserve and expand the occupation of those who are employed in this particular Department, and is he aware that a great many men have been discharged, and that work is being done by contractors which should have been done by them, and does he not agree that that is a hardship?

Every effort is made, and I can only say that the Department endeavour to avoid the discharge of Post Office labour, but the actual work of duct-laying is not work upon which the Post Office engineering department have been or would be normally employed.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the extension of telephones in rural areas, he will consider the raising of fees paid to village postmasters; and whether, on account of the increase of work, he will have their salaries on telephone account revised more frequently than every three years?

The remuneration of sub-postmasters for telephone exchange working is based on an agreement with the Sub-Postmasters' Federation. The principle of triennial revision applies to the remuneration of sub-postmasters as a whole; but interim revisions are granted where the growth of work is abnormal. I do not think that these arrangements stand in need of modification at present.

If the right hon. Gentleman wishes postmasters to give adequate service, how is it possible for them to afford to pay assistants, which they have to, on the allowance that they get at present?

I have said that the whole question of their remuneration is governed by an existing agreement, and that the remuneration is revised triennially.

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of final awards which have been reviewed since the Government came into office?

In about 6,000 current cases increased grants have during this period been made on review, including cases of second or supervening disability and re-amputation. The total number of cases thus dealt with is less than 1 per cent. of the whole number of final awards which have been made.

asked the Minister of Pensions what procedure he proposes respecting Mr. Ernest Gillett's increased pension claim, having regard to the fact now proved that chronic arthritis, originated in the right leg, injured the knee, spread to the entire right leg, then to the right arm, partially left the right arm and extended to the left leg, resulting in total paralysis of both legs; and, having regard to the fact that Gillett states that he has no knowledge of any statement written by him implying that his accident arose when he was off duty, is he prepared to produce this statement?

The fact alleged by the hon. Member has not been proved. The paralysis to which he refers commenced in the left leg, and not until several years after Mr. Gillett's discharge; my right hon. Friend is advised that it cannot be held to be connected with the injury to the right knee which has been accepted. The statement referred to in the last paragraph of the question is contained in the official records of the War Office. The circumstances of the original disability are not, however, of importance for the hon. Member's purpose, since that injury was accepted for compensation.