asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is intended that any of his staff shall be accommodated in the room in the basement of the offices of his Department, which is over 20 feet below street level; and whether he will provide alternative accommodation to obviate the necessity of this step?

In the interests of the efficient and economical administration of my Department, consideration is being given to the possibility of bringing together into the Head- quarters building, certain Headquarters offices at present housed elsewhere. In this connection the use of the basement courts for staff is under consideration, but no decision has been leached. I would point out that while the floors of these courts are 16½ feet below pavement level, they are lit by natural light through glass roofs and are adequately heated and ventilated. Similar basement courts are used for staff accommodation by each of the other three Government Departments in the same bidding.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of temporary ex-service clerks serving in all departments of the Civil Service who are eligible for consideration for appointment to permanent non-pensionable status under the provisions of the Government Memorandum of 12th January, 1925; the number of temporary Grade IV clerks serving in the War Department out-stations who are eligible for consideration for appointment to permanent non-pensionable status under the provisions of the Government Memorandum of 12th January, 1925; and the number of temporary ex-service clerks serving in all departments of the Civil Service since 12th January, 1925, who are ineligible for such consideration, together with the number of temporary Grade IV clerks serving in, the War Department out-stations since 12th January, 1925, similarly ineligible?

Excluding War Department outstations, the total number of temporary ex-service clerks eligible under the Memorandum of 12th January, 1025, for appointment to permanent non-pensionable status ("P" Class) is approximately 5,500; the total number ineligible for appointment to that class is approximately 3,000. As regards War Department outstations, the number of Grade IV clerks who have not received appointment to permanent non-pensionable status ("P.U." Class) is approximately 1,750. The detailed composition of this figure is not recorded at the War Office, but it is known to include at least 800 clerks eligible for appointment to the "P.U." Class.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of shorthand-typists and typists, respectively, employed by his Department in each town outside the London area where such staffs are employed?

I am sending the hon. Member a list giving the information asked for.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total value of retained imports of safeguarded manufactured goods for the year 1928?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the tables circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 27th February.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for the year ended 31st December, 1928, the quantities and values of tomatoes imported into this country, showing the countries from which the imports were consigned?

The available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount of the existing debts and of the annual debt charges on the respective fishery harbours in Scotland, together with the annual revenues available for the service of the debts for the latest completed year?

I am having a tabulation made for the chief fishery harbours of the available information on the points mentioned in the question, and I shall be glad to communicate it when it is ready to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any statistics that will show the number of houses, under the various Housing Acts, that are at present under construction?

As at 28th February last the number of houses in course of construction under the various Housing Acts was 15,001. In addition 655 houses were in course of improvement under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, as at 31st December last.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the management of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute in Salisbury recently requested the Employment Exchange to supply a female grocery bar assistant; and why, in view of the established policy to give preference to ex-service men wherever possible, this was done?

Details regarding staff of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes are matters for the board of management. But I am informed that the female assistant in question was required for a shop, patronised mainly by women, where the nature of the work was, in the opinion of the board of management, more suitable for a woman than for a man.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of cinematograph pictures that are being made at the present time in which Government ships, material, or men are being used?

No cinematograph pictures are at present being made with naval assistance.

asked the Minister of Labour the reasons for the non-ratification of the International Convention of 1920 on the employment of seamen; and whether it is proposed to ratify the Convention?

The reasons for the non-ratification of this convention were given by the then Minister of Labour (Dr. Macnamara) in the House of Commons on 8th November, 1921, in a Debate, to which I would refer the hon. Member. The main reason was that shipowners and seamen in this country are at present working together in this matter, joint employment facilities having been established, and the expenses being jointly borne by employers and seamen's associations, but that the system is not yet so fully developed as to provide complete compliance with the terms of the convention.

asked the Minister of Health the average number of persons in receipt of out-relief in the borough of Southwark for the four weeks ended to the last convenient date?

The average number of persons in receipt of out-relief, excluding persons in receipt of medical relief only, in the Southwark Union (which is co-extensive with the Borough) during the four weeks ended 23rd February, 1929, was 8,911.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built under the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924, respectively, by the corporation of Oldham and by the City of Westminster'?

The corporation of Oldham have not yet completed any houses under either of the Acts in question, but have let a contract for 200 houses under the Act of 1924. Westminster has completed 77 fiats under the Act of 1924. These figures do not represent the full activities of these local authorities, as houses have been built in connection with other schemes: and in the case of Westminster, it will be appreciated that the large schemes undertaken by the London County Council include provision for the needs of Metropolitan Boroughs.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any statistics that will show the number of houses under the various Housing Acts that are at present under construction?

Yes, Sir. The number of State-assisted houses under construction at 1st March, 1929, was 54,192.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses that have been built either by municipalities or by private enterprise during the six months ended to the last convenient date?

The number of houses completed during the half-year ended 30th September, 1928, the last period for which full information is available, was:

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any statistics that will show the number of persons of the total private family population who are living more than two per room in the borough of Southwark?

The latest available figures are those contained in Table XXVII of the General Report on the Census of 1921.

asked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the decision given in the Court of Appeal in the case of Rex v. the Minister of Health, he is considering or is likely to consider amending the Housing Act, 1925?

My right hon. Friend is considering the position created by this decision, but he is not yet in a position to make a statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Health the number of pensions and allowances which have been awarded to widows and orphans up to and including the latest available date; and whether he can give particulars of the number of pensions that have been refused under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act?

The following particulars relate to England and Wales. Up to 7th March, 1929, 279,177 widows were awarded pensions which included allowances for approximately 332,000 children: 14,019 awards of orphans' pensions were made, covering approximately 19,500 orphans: 62,416 applications for widows' pensions, 3,441 applications for orphans' pensions and 68,812 applications for old age pensions between the ages of 65 and 70 were rejected.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount contributed by the stamp duty on foreign bonds during each of the last three financial years; and what he estimates will be the amount for the current year?

The receipt of stamp duty on foreign bonds amounted to £826,000 for the year 1925, £706,000 for the year 1026 and £897,000 for the year 1927. It is estimated that the receipt for the current year will lie between £800,000 and £850,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount that has been received by the United States of America from Germany under the reparations payment scheme as set out under the Dawes plan?

According to the figures given in the reports of the Agent-General for Reparation Payments the total direct receipts of the United States of America from Germany under the Dawes plan up to the 28th February have amounted to about 242,000,000 gold marks.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated cost of each transaction in the Post Office Savings Bank as compared with the figure of 4¾d. stated by the Postmaster-General on 3rd November, 1911; and what do the expenses of management amount to per £100 of the total standing to the credit of the depositors?

The average cost of each transaction for the year 1927 was 9.29d., as compared with the 4¾d. mentioned for 1911. The expenses of management per £100 of the total standing to the credit of the depositors were 9s. 3d. in 1927. Proved figures for 1928 are not yet available, but it is estimated that the corresponding figures will be 9.18d. and 9s. respectively.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is now prepared to consider thumb slotting in the future issue of the telephone directory; and whether it is considered that this will seriously delay publication?

I have already considered this matter carefully and come to the conclusion that thumb slotting is not desirable, being costly and involving serious delay in publication of the directory.

asked the Minister of Transport what arrangements are being made by the Central Electricity Board for the South-West England scheme; and whether any contracts have already been placed?

The scheme for South-West England and South Wales is in course of preparation by the Electricity Commissioners, but has not yet been transmitted to the Central Electricity Board.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of registered road-motor vehicles in the years 1914, 1919, and 1928, and the number of road accidents, specifying fatal or otherwise, in the year 1928?

Figures are not available as to the numbers of mechanically-propelled road vehicles registered prior to 1921. In August, 1921, there were 856,000 motor vehicles licensed and in August, 1928, there were 1,976,000 licensed. Particulars of the numbers of road accidents in Great Britain during 1928 are not yet available, although they will be ready shortly. In 1927 there were 133,943 street accidents in which persons were killed or injured, of which 5,195 were fatal and 128,748 were non-fatal.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons within the following townships at March of each year since 1926 up to date: Hindley, Horwich, Westhoughton and Wigan?

The following table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges at the towns mentioned:

asked the Minister of Labour if he will give particulars of the work being done by the 54 miners transferred to Plymouth and the three to Devonport?

The work to which these men were transferred was generally of an unskilled nature, but the labour involved in ascertaining the precise occupation which each of them is now following would not be justified.