asked the Under-Secretary of State for India approximately the present number of lepers in India; how many treatment centres are now open; to what extent those centres are State supported as regards initial establishment, maintenance and payment of their medical staffs; and whether the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association receives any financial aid from public funds?

The number of persons in India returned as lepers at the census of 1921, the last official figures available, was 102,513, but it is probable that the number of lepers in India is considerably in excess of that returned. Information is not available as to the number of treatment centres, now open in India. With regard to the remainder of the question, as public health is a transferred Provincial subject, the matter is one for the local governments and legislative councils. The Indian Council of the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association work in co-operation with the Provincial Governments and voluntary agencies and in each Province the local governments either support the leper institutions or make a capitation grant to the institutions under the administration of the Mission to Lepers.

Is the Noble Lord aware that there are more lepers under the British flag than under any other flag?

That is exceedingly probable, in view of the fact that one-fifth of the whole population of the world is under the British flag.

Is it not the fast that the latest remedy for leprosy is greatly alleviating that disease?

Yes, I believe that is so. My Noble Friend has a very distinguished medical adviser at the India Office, who was closely associated with the discovery of that particular remedy.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he has any further information as to the arrests of trade union officials in India who are alleged to have engaged in illegal and seditious activities, and can supply that information to the House; whether, in particular, he can give any information regarding the arrest of the secretary of the jute workers' union at Calcutta; whether any documents, the property of and necessary to the work of the union, have been seized; and where and when the trials of these arrested trade union officials will take place?

As regards the first part of the question, there is little that I can properly add to my statement of the 21st March. I have, however, ascertained that the secretary of the Jute Workers' Association was arrested, though it has not yet been possible to obtain any information whether any documents belonging to the association were seized. The trial of all those arrested on this charge of conspiracy will take place at Meerut, but I am unable to say how soon.

Is the Noble Lord sure that under cover of the arrests of plotters against the King, bona fide trade union officials have not been taken up as well?

Quite obviously, when arrests on this scale take place, it is necessary for the police to seize a large number of documents, and, if any of them have no connection with the case in question, they will be returned to the people to whom they belong.

I am asking about men; is the Noble Lord certain that some of the men taken are not bona fide, trade union officials?

I do not quite know what the hon. and gallant Gentleman means. It does not matter whether a man is a bona fide trade union official or not; if he has committed a crime, he will be arrested like anybody else.

Does not the Noble Lord see that under cover of one thing it is possible to do another?

That is argumentative.

Will the Government urge upon the Government of India the desirability of bringing these men to trial at the earliest possible moment?

Yes, Sir; that is an entirely reasonable request, and of course it will be carried out. As the hon. Gentleman is aware, the practice in India is the same as in this country. It is necessary that the case shall be prepared with some care, and I cannot say what the exact date will be, but there will be no avoidable delay.

Will the Noble Lord explain why people arrested at Calcutta are to be tried at Meerut, which is 700 miles away?

Because the warrants were issued by the magistrate at Meerut.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India in what towns and cities were raids and arrests carried out in India last week in connection with labour or political agitations and how many in each; of the persons searched and of the persons arrested how many, respectively, are definitely members of the Communist party and how many are members of, or are officially connected with, trade union organisations; of the premises raided or searched how many were in the use of registered members of the Communist party; and what was the number of police, magistrates and military force employed, respectively, during the above raids and arrests?

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the arrests on a charge of conspiracy that took place last Wednesday. As I stated on the 21st March, 31 arrests were made in all. I understand that these took place principally in Bombay, Poona, Calcutta, Dacca, Allahabad, Lucknow and Lahore, but I cannot say how many arrests occurred in each place. The nature and extent of the Communist connection of the 31 persons arrested will appear in the course of the trial and I am not prepared to make any further statement about them at present. Seventeen of them are reported to be either officials or members of trade unions. As regards the searching of premises, I have no detailed information. With regard to the last part, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I am giving to Question No. 8.

Will the right hon. Gentleman explain what these men did at Meerut which caused the magistrate at Meerut to issue warrants wholesale over all parts of the country beyond his jurisdiction?

He did not issue warrants beyond his jurisdiction, and the hon. Gentleman makes a very serious charge against the magistrate in question in saying that he did. He issued the warrants within his jurisdiction.

That is not an answer to my question. Will the right hon. Gentleman explain whether these men went to Meerut, and what particular thing they did at Meerut winch caused the magistrate at Meerut to issue the warrants?

That point does not arise out of the question at all.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of troops and police, respectively, that were used in Bombay and Calcutta in making the arrests of last Wednesday; and whether they have since been removed?

As a precautionary measure, military assistance was asked for in Bombay and military pickets consisting of about three companies were stationed in Bombay city from 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning. They were withdrawn on Friday evening. No troops were used in Calcutta, and I have no information as to the number of police used in making the arrests.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India the number of women who were employed in the coalmining industry in British India in each of the last four years; and what proportion of these women miners were employed underground?

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

I am asking the Noble Lord to give the figures for last year, with the proportion.

They are very complicated figures, but I can give the figure for 1927. The total was 47,443.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India is placing any obstacles in the way of the Maharani, the wife of the ex-Maharaja of Nabha, and her children joining her husband during his enforced internment without trial?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Debate on the Motion for the Adjournment on the 19th April last, in the course of which I stated that the Government of India had passed no Orders enjoining on the ex-Maharaja separation from his wife and children.

Does that bear the ordinary interpretation that no obstacles are being placed in the way of her joining her husband?

Does that not look as if she did not want to join her husband?

I am not prepared to say that no obstacle is placed in the way. There is no legal ban on the ex-Maharani joining her husband if she wishes to do so.

If there are obstacles, can the Noble Lord say what is their nature?

It would be impossible to do that within the limits of a Parliamentary answer, but I think that the ex-Maharani has had advice from various quarters as to the inadvisability of returning to her husband.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he will give information concerning the scheme put forward last year by the Army headquarters in India for securing by a system of subsidies the use of private commercial vehicles to reinforce the Army in emergencies?

I am placing in the Library a copy of the memorandum issued on the subject by the Government of India last August.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India if any arrests were made in connection with the raid by the police on the 22nd February on the offices of the Burman Publishing Company and the Vidyodda Press, Calcutta; and whether he will inform the House of the object of the raid?

I have no information on this matter, but will make inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he will consider the advisability of extending the functions of the Empire Marketing Board to developing inter-imperial trade by seeking in its propaganda to inculcate in the minds of the investing public a voluntary preference for investment of capital within the Empire rather than in foreign countries?

On the general question of enlarging the scope of the Empire Marketing Fund I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Anglesey (Sir R. Thomas) on 18th March. But I would point out that statistics show clearly that a voluntary preference such as that referred to by my hon. Friend already exists. I understand that the annual investment of United Kingdom money at home and in the rest of the Empire has since the War been on an average ten times as much as the money invested in foreign countries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether his Department has any information in regard to overseas investments which will show the approximate total of British investments of all kinds within the Empire and in foreign countries;

As stated in the article in the Board of Trade Journal to which my hon. Friend refers, the results of a recent investigation carried out by Sir Robert Kindersley have been utilised in framing the latest estimate of the importance, in calculations relating to the balance of trade, of our income from investments abroad. The particulars published with regard to this inquiry are not sufficient to show, in respect of the whole field of overseas investment, the proportion of the total capital invested within the Empire or the proportion of the total income derived from investment within the Empire.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the question of setting up a committee to consider the desirability of extending the present list of trustee investments, in view of the changed conditions in the investment market as compared with those which were prevalent when the existing list of trustee securities was prescribed?

The matter was thoroughly investigated only last year by the Trustee Securities Committee and I would refer the hon. Member to their published Report (Command Paper 3107), in particular to paragraph 20.

Does not my hon. Friend consider that the time has arrived for the creation of some standing machinery to advise the Government of the inclusion in the trustee list of securities not now comprised in it?

I rather feel that my hon. Friend has not realised that there are already £8,000,000,000 of securities in the Public Trustee List.

Have the Treasury realised that the cost of living is very different now from what it was when that list was compiled and that it may be desirable to consider the inclusion of higher yielding securities of equal stability in the list?

All these matters were taken into consideration when the Lord Chancellor's Committee sat.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the desirability of a provision in his forthcoming Budget whereby it may be possible for an individual taxpayer to take out an insurance policy in the name of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to provide for the payment of the death duties which will eventually be payable on his estate without having the amount of such insurance added on to the estate in question, whereby additional death duties on the amount insured would be payable?

My hon. Friend may rest assured that all suggestions are considered before every Budget.

Does my hon. Friend fully realise the undesirability of having the accumulated capital of individuals used to pay national current expenditure, and does he not see that the suggestion made in the question would enable individuals to make an annual contribution to an insurance office, so that the duty could be paid to the Chancellor of the Exchequer on their death without involving the sale of capital?

I cannot without notice answer that series of supplementary questions, but my hon. Friend may rest assured that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has not lost sight of his suggestion.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state the quantity of Welsh anthracite exported to Canada during the past 12 months to any convenient date; and can he say how Welsh and American anthracite imported into Canada compare as regards average price per ton retail and the average cost per ton of transport from mine to consumer?

For the year ended 28th February, 1929, direct shipments of anthracite to Canada from South Wales ports amounted to 357,980 tons. As regards the remainder of the question, in such a large country as Canada costs of transport and therefore retail prices must necessarily vary so greatly that no general comparison between Welsh and American anthracite can be given.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman not aware that there are 400,000 Canadian homes on the Eastern seaboard and that these householders prefer Welsh anthracite; and is he aware that they would get it if there was better organisation in selling?

No, Sir.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman make inquiries?

That point does not arise out of the question, but, if the hon. Gentleman will put another question on the Paper, I will give him an answer.

Surely my supplementary question does arise. I asked whether the hon. and gallant Gentleman would not take an interest in this matter and use his influence to get a better organisation in selling.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if his Department are prepared to organise a series of exhibitions in the leading cities in the Dominions and Colonies of similar goods as were exhibited at the British Industries Fair to enable Dominion and Colonial buyers to realise the value of British goods?

While my Department is ready to assist such projects to the best of its ability through its home and overseas services, it is unable to finance or to organise a series of exhibitions in the Dominions and Colonies.

Has the Overseas Department endeavoured to secure joint action of all the firms in a particular trade in order that exhibitions of this kind may be held, and can the hon. Gentleman do anything to promote that object?

We do everything that we can to assist in that direction.

Will the hon. Member say what trades have beer advised to adopt this method?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has received any representations from the Ouse Drainage Board regarding the carrying out of the works proposed by the Ouse Drainage Bill, 1927; and, if so, what action he proposes to take in respect to it?

I have received the representations referred to, which are now under consideration. My hon. Friend may be aware that the new proposals would involve a much larger measure of State assistance than was contemplated under the Bill of 1927.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this matter is one of considerable urgency, and, if floods should arise, there is considerable danger that much land will be thrown out of cultivation and more men will be unemployed?

I agree that the matter is very urgent and that is why we did our best to pass the Bill dealing with it two years ago. We are making a grant for certain smaller works within this area pending a settlement of the whole matter.

Would not this work be suitable for unemployed miners?

Yes. In some cases these schemes are suitable for unemployment grants loans.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the acreage in Norfolk which, first, is urgently in need of drainage and, secondly, which is capable of improvement by drainage?

The Ministry is aware of some 80,000 acres of land in Norfolk urgently in need of arterial drainage and of further large areas capable of improvement by arterial drainage, but a complete survey has not yet been made. I am unable to say what area might be improved by field drainage.

Does the right hon. Gentleman intend to introduce any other special drainage Measures in addition to the Doncaster Area Drainage Bill?

No other special Measure will be introduced, but we are preparing for a general Act in whirl Norfolk as well as other counties will be dealt with.

How long will it be before the general Act can be brought before the House?

The survey is being pressed on as fast as possible, but until we get the report I am afraid that I cannot give the date.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the survey will be completed?

I cannot say.

Will the general Act have anything to do with land drainage? Is it not on a much larger scale?

It will probably not deal with field drainage, because that is a matter for the landowner and the occupier, but it deals with arterial drainage and the law of assessment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can state the amount of bounty-assisted German wheat imported into England in January and February last, respectively?

The total imports of wheat from Germany into the United Kingdom in January and February last were 312,979 cwt. and 26,126 cwt. respectively. I have no information as to what quantity of these imports is covered by export certificates granted by the German Government.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in view of the fact that the countries that export meat, are in the southern hemisphere, where it is to their advantage to fatten cattle while British agriculturists are selling, whether he will endeavour to arrange with exporting countries, and the companies concerned, to give British agriculture a close season in the autumn so that it can reap the full advantage of fattening cattle on grass and selling to the butchers at the end of the summer before more expensive feeding commences?

I regret that I cannot see my way to accept my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

Will my right hon. Friend confer with the chairmen of the meat companies in view of the fact that the suggestion was originally made by the Chairman of the Smithfield and Argentine Meat Company?

I am in touch with the various meat companies. My reason for the answer is that, on examining the figures, it is evident that there is not the seasonal variation of imports suggested by the hon. and gallant Member; and to carry out these proposals would mean a fundamental dislocation of the whole of the Argentine meat trade with heavy reactions upon prices in this country.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give details of any Government plans for the clearing of slums in the Metropolitan Borough of Southwark?

The responsibility for dealing with slum areas in the Metropolis rests with the London County Council and the metropolitan borough councils. Schemes for the clearance of three areas in Southwark and the rehousing of the displaced persons have already been confirmed by my Department, and are being carried out by the London County Council, who have also a further scheme under consideration.

In view of the very deplorable state of the inhabitants of Southwark, will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to these other authorities asking them to speed matters along?

I think the hon. Gentleman's Division might take the matter in hand.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this matter has been represented, by myself and other Members, to both of the other authorities, and that, until his Department makes representations, nothing will be done?

No, Sir; I am not aware of that fact.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has seen the Report of the inspector appointed to inquire into the affairs of the New Era Housing Society, Limited; and whether it is proposed to institute proceedings against any person connected with the company?

My attention has been drawn to the Report in question. I am informed that certain proceedings have already been instituted by the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the daily average use of the telephone by existing subscribers?

During 1928, about five calls per line on a full working day.

Does this figure include calls under the heading of "Sorry you have been troubled"?

No, Sir.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any artificial restrictions are imposed upon the work of obtaining new subscribers for the Post Office telephone system?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is now in a position to state the conclusions reached by his Department as a result of the recent demonstration of the Baird television apparatus?

I am in communication with the parties concerned in this demonstration, but I am not yet in a position to announce the result.

Can the Noble Lord say when he is likely to be able to announce this result, seeing that it is some time now since the demonstration took place?

The Postmaster-General hopes to be able to issue a statement in a very few days.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any further progress has been made with the question of granting equal pay for equal work in the postal service?

The question of equal pay for men and women is one which does not concern my Department alone; and I understand that representations on the general question are about to be made to the Prime Minister.

Is there any difference between the work done by the one section and that done by the other as regards quality?

There may be in regard to some classes of work and not in regard to others.

Since there seems to be no doubt that both sexes can do the work with the same efficiency, why should they not benefit to the same extent?

Is it not true that in some cases one sex can do the work much better than the other?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that in three of the destroyers serving on the China station the medical officers have been obliged to see their patients and keep their medical stores in part of the latrine accommodation of the ships; that the same medical officers unable, owing to lack of accommodation, to obtain cabins, have been refused hard-lying or other allowance in compensation or their discomfort; and if he will inquire into the matter?

No, Sir. There is no information at the Admiralty which would support the allegation in the first part of the question. From such reports as are available, it is clear that the best arrangements possible have been made to provide emergency accommodation for the additional medical officers whom it was found necessary to appoint to the destroyer flotillas in China. The only application received for the payment of hard-lying money was in 1927. This was refused, as the conditions which were represented to exist were not such as to justify the grant of extra pay.

Was not hard-lying money instituted for this purpose?

Hard-lying money is not ordinarily payable to officers in destroyers, and the abnormal conditions were not regarded as sufficient to justify a grant of extra pay.

Is it not a fact that this extra work has been going on for some considerable time?

I could not answer that question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Board has yet decided on any alterations to the King's Regulations and Admiralty Instructions with a view to defining more clearly the methods by which the personnel of the Royal Navy can prefer complaints, into which question he promised to inquire after the court-martial of the flag-captain and commander of His Majesty's Ship "Royal Oak"?

Yes, Sir. The revised articles will be promulgated to the Fleet this week.

The First Lord was good enough to say that he would send me a copy. Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman see that that is done?

Anything that the First Lord promises will be done.

asked the Prime Minister what answer he has sent to the resolution received from the Corporation of Hull with reference to the diversion of the proceeds of the taxation of road transport and its fuel from its proper purposes of maintaining and developing roads, and urging His Majesty's Government to provide that the Road Fund should be increased to enable the Minister of Transport to have substantial funds available to finance new road construction on a scale commensurate with traffic requirements and other proposals of a like nature, especially in view of the large number of men at present unemployed?

I have been asked to answer this question. This and other resolutions have been acknowledged and the views expressed in them have been noted. I am not in a position to add anything to the statement recently made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in reply to a deputation from the organisations representing motor users and motor manufacturers.

Will the right hon. and gallant Gentleman send this Resolution from the Corporation to the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps, if any, he has taken to inform the general public of the Regulation that cars may not be left with doors locked at official parking places?

This Regulation was made on the advice of the London Traffic Advisory Committee. Notice of my intention to make it was given in the "London Gazette" on the 29th August, 1927, and the Notice included the statement that copies of the Draft Regulations could be obtained from H.M. Stationery Office. On the 30th August a Press notice was issued giving wide publicity to the fact that the proposed new Draft Regulations were available, and stating that any representations in regard to them should be submitted within 40 days from that dace. The Regulations were actually made on the 24th January, 1928, when a further Notice was issued to the Press, and copies of the Regulations were laid in both Houses of Parliament for 28 days and were available in the Libraries of the two Houses. Further, there is a Notice conspicuously displayed at every authorised parking place to the effect that its use is permitted by and is subject to the provisions of the London Traffic (Parking Places) Regulations, 1928, copies of which may be obtained directly from H.M. Stationery Office, or through any bookseller, price 6d., and also indicates that there is a penalty for breach of the Regulations of £5.

Is not my right hon. and gallant Friend aware that, as a matter of fact, the Regulation to which he is referring does not mention the locking of doors at all, and when he approved of it did he expect that that interpretation would be put upon it?

Yes, certainly it was included in the original Regulations.

Does not my right hon. and gallant Friend realise that the only people who benefit from this Regulation are the sneak thieves?

Has the right hon. and gallant Gentleman considered the point of giving instructions to the attendants or messengers who are in charge of these ranks to inform car owners that this Regulation is in force?

There is a notice on all parking places.

Does my right hon. and gallant Friend consider that anyone having seen that notice is going to the Stationery Office to pay 6d. in order to get a book of Regulations to find out what he should do?