asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of persons in Scotland of the total private family population who are living more than two per room?

The latest information available relates to Census Day, 1921. The number then was 2,037,413.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the failure of the Isle of Wight Rural District Council to supply the information relating to their administration of the Housing Act, 1925, asked for on 24th January, he will now direct an inspector of his Department to make an investigation into that administration?

My right hon. Friend has now received from the local authority the information desired. The following statement shows the action taken by the Isle of Wight Rural District Council under certain Sections of the Housing Act, 1925, during the year 1928:

asked the Minister of Health the death rate per 1,000 of the population for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date in the borough of South-wark?

The most recent figure available is that contained in the Registrar-General's quarterly return for the December quarter, 1928, according to which the provisional death rate for the 52 weeks ended 29th December, 1928, in the Metropolitan Borough of South-wark was 12.5 per 1,000 living (deaths of civilians only).

asked the Minister of Health whether, with regard to the complaint made by the Ross Board of Guardians to the Westbury-on-Severn Board in connection with the death of a casual named Frederick Sevier in the Ross Union, in which ease the house committee of the Westbury Board made an investigation of the ease in the presence of the general inspector of the Ministry of Health, he will state what were the particulars of the case; whether any neglect by any of the officers of the guardians or defective administration was shown; whether all the records prescribed by the Minister had been kept; and what directions were given that further records be kept in connection with the admission of casuals into the infirmary wards?

Frederick Sevier was admitted to the casual wards of the Westbury-on-Severn Guardians on the night of 28th December, 1928. It appears that when he was told on the morning of 29th December that he would be detained and required to perform a task of stone-breaking, he became abusive and said he would do no work until he had seen the doctor. Within half an hour of making this statement, and without any pressure or interference from officers of the institution, he began his task. He made no further application for medical assistance whilst in the casual ward. He was discharged at 10.30 a.m. in the same morning and was apparently taken ill on the way to Ross; he was admitted to the infirmary of the Ross institution at 3.15 on the same day suffering from pneumonia, and, in spite of every care and attention, he died in the institution five days later, on 3rd January, 1929. With regard to the second part of the question, my right hon. Friend considers that the officer of the Westbury institution should have reported to the master the deceased's application to see the doctor, land he has concurred in the action of the guardians in severely reprimanding the officer for this neglect. With regard to the third and fourth parts of the question, there has been failure to comply with the regulations that any application by a casual to see the medical officer, and any action taken thereon, shall be recorded, and directions have now been issued for the proper keeping of this record.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the opening of a so-called employment bureau by a Captain W. H. Williams at Port Talbot; whether he is aware that, as a result, a large number of men in this depressed area have registered at the bureau in the hope of obtaining employment, and have suffered disappointment; and whether he proposes taking any action in the matter?

I have no information about the bureau to which the hon. Member refers, nor have I any power to control the operations of private employment agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is able to state the cost of the administration of the United Services Fund; what portion of this cost applies to Edinburgh and the expenses of the administrator of that area in travelling to London; and whether he is aware that widows drawing allowances from the Fund are not permitted to purchase their supplies in the cheapest market?

This question is a matter for the Charity Commissioners, but in the absence of my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Tonbridge (Lieut.-Colonel Spender-Clay), I am replying on his behalf. The cost of administration of the United Services Fund for the year ended 30th September last, as shown in the published Annual Report and Accounts of the Fund, amounted to £43,961 10s. 11d.; the expenses of administration of the Scottish area during the same period were £1,883 19s. 6d. It has not been found possible in the time available to ascertain what part of the last-mentioned sum represents the expenses of the administrator in travelling to London, but the figures can be supplied later if desired. The Commissioners are informed that during the year ended 30th September last the administrator did not come to London on business of the Fund more than once. It is assumed that the latter part of the question has reference to the relief given by the Fund in the form of orders upon named retailers of groceries, etc. The Commissioners are assured that the managers of the Fund take pains to ensure that the best obtainable value is given by all the retailers on whom such orders are issued.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is in a position to assure the House that the appointment of new entrants to the Civil Service from the approaching open competitive examination for appointment to the clerical classes of the Civil Service will not prejudice the promotion prospects of "P" class clerks; and if he will undertake that the entry into those classes of such entrants from outside will in no way be the means of the discharge of any temporary ex-service clerks?

I give the assurance for which my hon. and learned Friend asks, namely, the appointment of new entrants from the forthcoming examination in question will not be allowed in any way to prejudice the promotion prospects of "P" class clerks or to result in the discharge from the Government service of any efficient ex-service temporary clerk in order to make room for a successful candidate from that examination.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will set out the basic rate of pension of a man who completed full service in the Civil Service before the War, showing the increase under the 1920 and 1924 Acts, respectively, and of a man retiring to-day on a post-War pension?

Under the Superannuation Act, 1909, the pension of a male civil servant is as many eightieths of his final salary or yearly wages and emoluments as he has years of service, the maximum pension being one-half of the

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the feeling of the staff of the Inland Revenue Department, expressed by protest meetings, at the proposed deferment of the payment of salaries due for the period ending 31st March, 1929, until after the Easter holiday; and whether he will state the circumstances which led the Department to take this decision?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 21st March to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Kelly). I am sending him a copy of that reply.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will set out the basic rate of pension of a man who completed full service in the Army before the War, showing the increase under the 1920 and 1924 Acts, respectively, and of a man retiring to-day on a post-War pension?

The difference between the pre-War and post-War rates of soldiers' pensions varies considerably according to rank and type of service. The average pre-War soldier's pension was £30 a year. If increased under the Pensions Increase Warrants, £30 a year would be raised to £49 10s. The average post-War pension is £60 a year.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether there are any guns or weapons of war of foreign manufacture that have been purchased by the War Office at present in use, either by the Regular or Territorial Armies of Great Britain; and can he give particulars?

The only guns or other weapons of foreign manufacture in use either by the Regular or Territorial Army are those which were purchased from America during the War.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in the case of an unemployed pensioner suffering from tuberculosis who is ordered to enter an institution for treatment, and whose sole income is a pension of 16s. a week plus 9s. 5d. for wife and two children, action is taken to give the man a medical board so that the pension may be increased to 100 per cent. during the period of incapacity to obtain employment owing to treatment, seeing that in the case of unemployed pensioners the Ministry does not pay treatment allowances?

The assumption made by the hon. Member in this question is based on a misunderstanding. As my right hon. Friend indicated in the reply he gave to the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Bellamy) on 26th February, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, the fact of temporary unemployment would not of itself be a bar to the grant of allowances, if the patient were otherwise shown to be ordinarily a worker. Each case is judged on its merits.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his Department proposes to adopt the suggestions made by the Commission of Inquiry, which was headed by Mr. L. Simon, to investigate the organisation and methods of the work of the American telegraph companies for the purpose of popularising the telegraph service?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave in the House on Wednesday last to a similar question by my hon. Friend the Member for Acton (Sir H. Brittain).

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to a petition lodged with the postmaster at Halifax for a sub-post office to be opened near the bottom of Horton Street, Halifax; and whether, in view of the inconvenience caused to traders in the locality of the suggested sub-post office, together with the fact that large numbers of old age pensioners, resident in the Horton Street area have now to travel a considerable distance to the head post office, he will agree to the request of the petitioners and open a sub-post office in the Horton Street area?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to an application which has been received from a small number of firms at Halifax whose premises are within 600 yards of the head post office. The proposed office would not be justified under the usual standards in view of the proximity of the head office. There has been no general demand for an additional office and I regret that I cannot see my way to comply with the application.

asked the Postmaster-General the cost to date of administering the Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act, 1926?

The present number of wireless receiving licences issued free to blind persons under the Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act, 1926, is 14,372, representing a remission of licence revenue of £7,186 a year. No statistics are available to indicate the cost to the Post Office, the Ministry of Health and the county authorities of administering the Act.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether any and, if so, how many non-commissioned officers and men have been stationed in India without home furlough for 10 and 15 years respectively?

I presume the hon. and gallant Member refers to those who have elected for continuous service in India. The details are not available here, but I am asking the Government of India whether they can be supplied from the records in India.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has received a representation from the inhabitants of Longstook, Stock-bridge, Hants, with reference to Mrs. Jenkinson, the widow of the late headmaster of Longstock school, who has been discharged without pension after teaching for 42 years in elementary schools; and whether he will reconsider this case, having regard to the long period of her service?

I have received representations on this matter from the managers of the school; but the question of the continued employment of Mrs. Jenkinson is a question for the local education authority, and not one in which I could intervene. I understand that the case of Mrs. Jenkinson has been carefully considered by the authority, and that they do not think that they would be justified in continuing her service at the school.

asked the President of the Board of Education, in view of the modern practice among girls of taking up business or other non-domestic work after leaving school, if he will consider increasing the amount of time allotted to domestic science subjects in the curricula of State schools, in order partially to supply the lack of the training formerly given in the home?

It does not rest with me to prescribe the time allotted to the various subjects of the curriculum, but the attention of the school and local education authorities has frequently been called to the importance of increasing the facilities for practical instruction of all kinds.

asked the President of the Board of Eduation if he will set out the basic rate of pension of a man who completed full service in the teaching profession before the War, showing the increase under the 1920 and 1924 Acts, respectively, and of a man retiring to-day on a post-War pension?

The average pension of male certificated teachers under the Elementary School Teachers (Superannuation) Acts, 1898–1912, now current is £47; the average increase under the Pensions (Increase) Act, 1920, was £20 10s., and that under the Act of 1924 was £25 16s. The average pension awarded to male teachers during the last financial year under the Teachers (Superannuation) Acts, 1918–1925, is £197, with an average lump sum of £542. The pensions under the Acts of 1898–1912 were at a flat rate based merely on years of service, and were limited to teachers in elementary schools. The allowances under the Acts of 1918–1925 are based on years of service and on average salary, and teachers in secondary and technical schools are included.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is aware that five boys were asked to go from Bargoed to a colliery in the Midlands, the colliery having stopped at which they had been working; that the wages to be paid were 18s. 4d. per week, although they had been in receipt of 25s. per week, which was the legal minimum; that they refused to go because of this and their unemployment benefit was stopped; that the official form from the board of referees showed that 18s. 4d. was to be paid by the colliery company and that 7s. per week was to be paid from the Lord Mayor's Fund; and whether he will take steps to see that this fund is not used as a subsidy for wages?

I understand that employment in the colliery at Highley, near Kidderminster, was offered to and accepted by a number of boys from the distressed mining areas, and that the rate of wages offered, though less than that obtaining in Bargoed, is the standard rate at Highley. Under arrangements agreed between the Trustees of the Lord Mayor's Fund and the Ministry of Labour, particulars of which are more fully set out in a printed memorandum (a copy of which I will send to the hon. Member), the difference between the rate of wages and the cost of maintenance away from home has been met by an additional payment which is being made partly by the employer and partly by the Lord Mayor's Fund.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, as representing the First Commissioner of Works, if he will consider the desirability of placing on sale a floor plan of the House of Commons as a guidance to new Members, who at present have no means of acquainting themselves with the general lay-out of the building?

Guide books containing a plan of the Houses of Parliament are already on sale at the stall in the King's Robing Room. The First Commissioner of Works is in consultation with Mr. Speaker and the Lord Great Chamberlain as to possible additional facilities for the sale of such literature, and my hon. Friend's suggestion will doubtless be considered.

asked the Minister of Transport if he has received a Report from the civil engineer with reference to the proposed Forth road-bridge; and, if so, whether he has any statement to make with reference to the scheme?

I have not yet received this report, but am told that it will be forthcoming by the end of May.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total wheat production in England and Wales during 1928?

The production of wheat in England and Wales in 1928 was 1,266,000 tons.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the annual sum spent by county councils on schools of agriculture; and whether he has considered the advisability of running three such schools, one in the North, one in the South, and the other in the Midlands, instead of the existing county council schools?

The net expenditure during the financial year 1927/28 by-county councils on the 14 farm institutes situated in England and Wales which are aided by the Ministry under its Educational Grant Regulations was £21,057. This figure does not include expenditure on the 13 demonstration farms attached to these institutes, or the salaries and expenses of the technical staffs, who spend a considerable portion of their time on county work outside the institutes. The present scheme, which has been in operation for a limited period and which is devised to suit local circumstances and to meet local needs, is developing satisfactorily, and there does not appear to be any sufficient reason at the present time for a reconsideration of the scheme on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend.