asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of houses, as for England and Wales, completed with State assistance from 1919 till 1st October, 1928; the total capital cost of these houses; and the amount of State subsidy paid in respect thereof?

The total number of houses completed in England and Wales with State assistance from 1919 to 1st October, 1928 was 789,037. Information as to the total capital cost of the houses is not available. The amount of the Exchequer contributions paid to the same date is £68,247,114.

asked the Minister of Health how many public inquiries have been demanded under the Housing Acts of 1925, 1926, 1927, and 1928, and how many have been granted?

There ate no Housing Acts of 1926, 1927 or 1928, except the Housing (Rural Workers) Act of 1926, which contains no special provisions for public inquiries. The power given to the Minister of Health to hold public local inquiries in connection with housing matters is derived from Section 116 of the Housing Act, 1925, but I am not aware of any authority to demand such an inquiry. I have no record of the actual number of requests made for public local inquiries, but the number held in connection with various matters under the Act of 1925 since the Act came into operation is 285.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to a Report of the Alcester Board of Guardians, with reference to casuals who came to their institution from the Stratford-on-Avon institution, that they were very ill and died within a short time of their admission; and will he, in view of these facts, call for a Report from the Stratford-on-Avon Guardians?

My attention has not previously been called to this Report, but I am making inquiries.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the fact that Frederick Sevier, who died in the infirmary at Ross on 3rd January, 1929, had been given a task of stone-breaking at the Westbury-on-Severn casual ward, and that his request to see the doctor had been ignored, although it subsequently transpired that he was suffering from double pneumonia, he will make inquiries as to the position of this man and order compensation to be paid to his dependants, if any?

I am not aware of any powers vested in me which would enable me to take the action suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health the number of by-laws made, and the number applied for, under Section 2 (1) of the Pubilc Health (Smoke Abatement) Act, 1926; the number of by-laws made or applied for under Section 5; the number of local authorities combining for the purposes of the Act as under Section 6; and the extent to which local authorities have made use of the powers to conduct researches as under Section 10?

51 by-laws have been made and confirmed by the Minister under Section 2 (1) of the Public Health (Smoke Abatement) Act, 1926, and 37 more are under consideration; no application has been received for the confirmation of any by-laws under Section 5. One committee has been formed, so far as I am aware, with administrative powers under Section 6, representing two authorities; five regional advisory committees have been formed representing some 300 authorities. As regards the last part of the question, I have no exact information, but I am informed that 40 local authorities are co-operating in systematic observations of the extent of atmospheric pollution, and 33 authorities are contributing to the cost of the central services of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research for supervising and co-ordinating the observations and towards research for improving the methods of making these observations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, by the working rules made under Section 6 (4) of the Finance Act, 1924, in relation to the Entertainments Duty and interpreted under Leaflet 14, are casting exceptional difficulties on bona fide operatic and dramatic associations solely concerned in raising money for charitable purposes; and whether he will instruct them to consider each case on its merits from year to year without necessarily enforcing any percentage basis?

As regards the first part of the question, I am not aware that the position is as stated. As regards the second part, I would remind my hon. Friend that the working rules in Leaflet 14, including the institution of a percentage basis, were drawn up in consultation with the interests affected, and agreed by them. I regret that I cannot see my way to issue instructions in the sense desired.

asked the Minister of Labour the amount of money spent on relief works year by year since the War; and the largest number of men employed on such schemes at any one time in each year?

I will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT as soon as possible such information as is available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed of both sexes who have transferred from the Employment Exchanges in Monmouthshire and who have been found employment in other areas; and the number on the Employment Exchanges unemployed at the latest available date, giving the number for each Exchange?

I am obtaining such statistics as are available, and will send them to the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as at the last convenient date?

The estimated number of persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain and Northern Ireland at July, 1928, was 11,881,500.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can make a statement as to the circumstances in which he issues permits under Article 1 (3) (b) of the Aliens Order, 1920, to enable employers to recruit labour abroad?

This cannot be dealt with adequately within the limits of a Parliamentary answer. My right hon. Friend will have a statement prepared for publication as a Parliamentary Paper.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of coal mines in Monmouthshire that have been re-opened during the year 1929; the names of the mines; and the number re-employed?

The number of pits in Monmouthshire which were closed on 31st December, 1928, and have since reopened, is 16, employing about 6,000 wage-earners at the present time. I will send the hon. Member a list of them.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many mines have been re-opened since the enactment of the Coal Mines Act, 1926; and the number of men now in employment in those mines?

My hon. Friend will remember that the Coal Mines Act, 1926, was passed at a time when practically no coal mines were working.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what relation the expenditure on assisted migration during 1928 bears to the maximum expenditure authorised by Parliament for the purpose; and what relation the actual number of assisted migrants during 1928 bears to the maximum number which could have been assisted?

The amount voted by Parliament under the Empire Settlement Act for the 12 months to 31st March, 1929, was £1,298,500. The actual expenditure was £1,126,150. Under the terms of the Act, the aggregate expenditure in any one financial year may not exceed a statutory maximum of £3,000,000. The total number of persons assisted under the Act during the 12 months to 31st March, 1929, was 41,633. It is, I fear, impossible to answer the hypothetical inquiry contained in the second part of the question; but my hon. Friend will readily recognise that the numbers assisted must depend upon the number of applicants in this country and upon the numbers for whom openings are available overseas and to whom the Dominion authorities are prepared to approve the grant of assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the cost of the operations of the Empire Marketing Board to date; and the total sum the Board has received from the Treasury?

The cost of the operations of the Empire Marketing Board, brought to account up to the 24th April, 1929, is £1,011,703 11s. The total sum issued from the Exchequer is £1,400,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further statement to make about the difficulties that have arisen in Jerusalem over the use of the Wailing Wall for their devotions by Jewish worshippers and the disturbance of the status quo by the putting in hand of masonry additions to the wall by the Moslem religious authorities?

So far as I am aware, no trouble of any kind has arisen in connection with this question during the past six months. The hon. and gallant Member may be aware that in March last the Council of the League of Nations endorsed the view of the Mandates Commission which had expressed the hope that the Mandatory Power would succeed in allaying public feeling on this question. That hope, I need hardly say, is fully shared by His Majesty's Government; but I am satisfied that I should not contribute to its fulfilment by making a general statement on the subject at the present stage.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that business men wishing to get into telephonic communication with the Argentine are forced to go over to Paris to do so; why, when this service is working perfectly between Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and Buenos Aires, it is not yet initiated here; and what it is proposed that the cost should be when introduced into this country?

A limited radiotelephone service has recently been opened between one radio station in Buenos Aires and one station in France and in Germany, respectively. The service in both cases is at present open daily for a short period. In Buenos Aires it is linked only to certain public call offices, while in Europe it has been extended to the normal subscribers' service in a number of cities. I am in communication both with the French and German administrations with a view to linking up this country with these services, and tests are being made. I am not in a position to say anything as to rates and conditions.

asked the Postmaster-General whether it is on his instructions that £24 is being demanded as deposit for an election circuit connecting a telephone for use at committee rooms and similar offices during the election; and, if so, will he consider whether this amount could be substantially reduced without risk of public loss?

The deposit required is based, as in other telephone agreements, on the estimated user, and accordingly varies in different cases. I do not think that exceptional treatment can properly be accorded to any particular class of circuit. I am not aware of the particular case referred to by the hon. Member, but, if he will give me the details, I shall be pleased to inquire into it.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that the sum of £1,750,000 will be expended during the next six months for the establishment of public telephone call boxes at rural post offices and railway stations, a definite scheme has been prepared; and, if so, can he give the number of such public call boxes to be established in the Holland-with-Boston Division of Lincolnshire?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Monday to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool (Sir W. de Frece).

asked the Postmaster-General whether, seeing that con- siderable telephone extensions in rural districts are now being made, he will bear in mind the imperative need of such means of communication with the island of Stroma?

The only practicable means of giving the Island of Stroma telephonic communication with the mainland would be by wireless, and I regret that the expenditure involved would be prohibitive.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) which rural railway stations in Caithness and Sutherland are to be equipped with telephones in accordance with the Budget proposals;

(2) what proportion of the post offices in Caithness and Sutherland, respectively, which have no telephone facilities at present will be equipped with call boxes, in accordance with Budget proposals; and if he will give the names of the post offices which are to be so equipped?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply on Monday to my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool (Sir W. de Frece).

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of men and women employed in the Enemy Debts Department?

The staff of the Enemy Debts Department at home and abroad consists at the present date of 457 men and 30 women.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department as representing the First Commissioner of Works whether the First Commissioner has agreed to grant a site in the Victoria Tower Gardens for the erection of a statue of Mrs. Pankhurst, to be designed by Mr. A. G. Walker, A.R.A.?

A request has been received for the allocation of a site in the Victoria Tower Gardens for the statue referred to and, the site suggested having been approved by the Royal Fine Art Commission, the First Commissioner proposes to grant the request. A photo- graph of the model and a plan indicating the position of the site will be placed on exhibition in the tea room.

asked the Home Secretary the number of youths at present in the collecting centre at Wandsworth who are awaiting removal to Borstal institutions, and the number of these youths who have been awaiting transfer for a period exceeding six months?

There are at the present moment 108 lads who, having been sentenced to Borstal detention, are awaiting removal to a Borstal institution. No lads at Wandsworth await transfer to a Borstal institution for as long as six months.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether officers and men serving in His Majesty's Territorial Forces are entitled to attend and take part in political meetings in uniform; and the terms of the King's Regulations which govern their position?

Territorials when not embodied are governed by the Regulations for the Territorial Army. Under those Regulations, when not training in camp, they are not allowed to take part in or attend any political meetings or demonstrations in uniform. When training in camp they are forbidden to institute meetings or to institute or take part in demonstrations for party or political purposes in barracks, quarters, camps or their vicinity.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the soldiers' menu of food at the barracks at Chester is being displayed to the public outside the barracks; whether this is done according to Regulations; and if the same practice obtains with regard to other military depots?

I have no information on this matter, but I am making inquiries and will communicate with the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the requirements with regard to vaccination of visitors proceeding from this country to France; whether these requirements are to continue throughout this year and in future; and whether these matters will in future be arranged through the International Committee of Public Hygiene, at Paris, or through the Health Organisation of the League of Nations, at Geneva?

The Regulations with which travellers proceeding from this country to France now have to comply provide that:

(1) All persons in possession of certificates to the effect that they have been vaccinated within the last five years and not more recently than 10 days will be allowed to land without hindrance;

(2) Those without such certificates will be required to fill in a sanitary passport, giving their names and addresses and their destination, so that they may be subject to medical supervision during the next 14 days;

(3) There will be no compulsory vaccination on disembarkation.

I understand that at Dieppe holders of certificates are also being asked to submit their arms for medical inspection. At Havre the special regulations introduced by the Mayor, and announced in the Press, are still being enforced. With regard to the second part of the question, the length of time which these regulations will remain in force must necessarily depend upon circumstances. With regard to the third part of the question, it is not, in the opinion of His Majesty's Government, possible to leave the details of administration in such matters to an international body. I would, however, draw my hon. and gallant Friend's attention to the fact that the French Government have acted in the present case in accordance with Article 42 of the International Sanitary Convention signed at Paris on 21st June, 1926.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can make any statement as to the progress of the proceedings at the Preparatory Disarmament Conference at Geneva in favour of the reduction of naval armaments, indicating the exact nature of the proposals which have been put forward up to the present?

I would refer the hon. Member to the speeches by the United States and British representatives at Geneva on 22nd April which have been fully reported in the Press, and to the statement which my right hon. Friend made yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy).

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether he has now received information as to whether any arrests were made in connection with the raid by the police on 22nd February on the offices of the Burman Publishing Company and the Vidyodda Press, Calcutta; and, if so, whether he will inform the House of the object of the raid?

I have asked for, but not yet received, official information. According to a Press report, no arrests were made.

asked the Undersecretary of State for India whether a detailed Report has been received from the Government of India relating to the discussions between the controller of labour in Malaya and the Government of India during the former's visit to Delhi; and whether he is able to give further information as to the subject of the discussions?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second part, my Noble Friend has nothing to add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Rochdale (Mr. Kelly) on 25th March.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether the Maharani, the wife of the ex-Maharaja of Nabha, is prevented from joining her husband during his enforced internment by an official prohibition; and, if so, on what grounds?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle) on 25th March, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Air whether he can give the House the latest figure of aeroplanes in Germany licensed for air traffic; how many of these belong to Luft Hansa; what is the comparable number licensed for air traffic in Great Britain; and what possibilities can he hold out of an increase in the near future?

As regards the first and third parts of the question, the latest available figures for German and British commercial aircraft, to which I assume that my hon. Friend refers, were given in my reply to the hon. Member for Stourbridge (Mr. Wellock) on 13th March. As regards the second part, the; number of aircraft owned by Luft Hansa on 30th November last was 216. As regards the last part, I have every hope that the result of the extended activities of Imperial Airways, Ltd., of the inauguration of National Flying Services, Ltd., and of the increase expected in the general use of aircraft for commercial purposes will be a marked improvement in the British figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Air how many machines or engines have been handed over by the Air Ministry to Imperial Airways, Ltd., during the five years from April, 1924; what particular machines or engines have been handed over; what was the cost of each to the Air Ministry; and how much was paid for these machines or engines by the company?

One aircraft without engines (the "Argosy"), and one aircraft complete with engines (the "Hamilton"), have been sold to Imperial Airways since April, 1924. It would be contrary to the established practice to disclose the prices paid or received by the Air Ministry in these cases. In addition, by a special arrangement accompanying the recent agreement for the England-India service, two flying boats each complete with engines ("Calcuttas") have been handed over to the company at a valuation of £40,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Air when the sum of £25,000, representing the increase of subsidy to Imperial Airways, Limited, for the fifth year of operation, was paid over to the company?

The £25,000 became part of the subsidy for the year, which was thus maintained at the rate for each of the previous four years, £137,000, instead of being reduced to £112,000, and was paid as usual by monthly instalments.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if the full formal agreement which came into force on 1st April between the Air Ministry and Imperial Airways, Limited, has been signed; if this agreement supersedes all existing agreements; and when the exact terms of this agreement will be presented to Parliament?

The answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part, the essential points of the Agreement have been brought to the notice of the House in Command Paper 3143 of 1928, and it is not customary in such cases to incur the expense of issuing a second White Paper. I would refer the hon. Member, in this connection, to the reply given to the hon. Member for Shoreditch (Mr. Thurtle) on 25th July last.

asked the Secretary of State for Air what subsidy is paid to Imperial Airways, Limited, for each completed flight Cairo-Basra; and what subsidy is paid for each completed flight Basra-Karachi?

The subsidy is payable on the basis of 100 completed through flights between Egypt and Karachi and is £110,000 per annum for the earlier years. Flights on the sections Egypt-Bagdad, Bagdad-Basra, and Basra-Karachi are allowed, however, to reckon for subsidy as 50, 15 and 35 per cent. respectively of a through flight under certain conditions when the full number of 100 completed through flights have not been performed in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Air the number of men and women who have been discharged or have resigned from the Air Force canteen at Martlesham; and the reasons given for such discharges or resignations?

The particulars to which the hon. Member refers are details of administration of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes, and do not come within the purview of the Air Ministry.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many claims have been received since the revision of the rules and principles relating to the assessment of attributability of tuberculosis since February, 1929; in how many cases a disability pension has been awarded; how many claims have been reconsidered in the light of fresh medical evidence submitted since the revision of the rules; and in how many cases a disability pension has been awarded?

Since February, 1929, 65 cases of invaliding for tuberculosis have been dealt with. In 36 of these cases disability pensions have been granted and 21 of the cases, which have only recently been received, are still under consideration. Since the reply to a similar question which I gave to the hon. Member on 20th February, 14 cases have been reconsidered on appeal, but in 12 of these no fresh medical evidence has been submitted to warrant any alteration of the original awards, and the remaining two cases are still being investigated.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any decision has yet been reached with regard to raising the rates which may be compulsorily deducted from the pay of each grade of naval rating for the maintenance of his wife?

It is the Admiralty intention to assimilate the rates of deductions from naval pay for this purpose to those now authorised by the Army and Air Force Annual Bill passed this Session; but this will involve legislation in the new Parliament.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will now consider bringing his Department into line with the Army and Royal Air Force in providing indulgence passage facilities for the wives and families of naval ratings similar to those now in force in the other Services?

Conditions under which ratings of the Royal Navy serve abroad differ from those affecting the other Services, and the Admiralty are unable to introduce an indulgence passage system similar to that in force in the Army and Air Force.

asked the First Lord to the Admiralty what class of British warship would, as a single unit, be capable of taking on the new German ships of war "Ersatz Preussen" and "Konigsberg," respectively?

The conditions under which vessels meet in war vary so greatly that an exact reply cannot be given. It will be clear that a submarine or a single destroyer might sink either of these vessels. I hesitate therefore to match British against foreign ships in duel.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many new schools have been built, or are in course of building, or have been arranged for since the beginning of the year 1925 in East Hull?

Since 1925 one council school has been opened and two sites acquired in addition to one already in the possession of the authority. Notices for the provision of schools on two of these sites have been received. A site for a Roman Catholic school has also been acquired and the plans are likely to be approved shortly. I may add that at the Board's suggestion the authority have recently made a systematic survey of the needs of this part of their area, and in March last the resulting proposals were approved in principle by the Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether under the Improvement of Land Acts he is prepared to authorise loans for the purpose of electrical equipment of farm buildings and the provision of electrical machinery for milking, refrigerating or pasteurisation, or for threshing, crop-drying, cutting and blowing of ensilage or similar purposes which the rural electrification scheme will render practicable?

The provision of electric power apparatus for buildings (which would include farm buildings) and other works required or used in connection therewith are among the purposes for which loans may be sanctioned under the Improvement of Land Acts subject to compliance with the conditions imposed by those Acts. One of the conditions is that a proposed improvement must effect a permanent increase of the yearly value of the lands proposed to be improved exceeding the yearly amount proposed to be charged thereon. The cost of machinery fittings and appliances which are movable could not be included in a loan, and it would be necessary to deal with each individual case on its merits before deciding whether or not a loan could be sanctioned.