asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, with regard to the duty on packing and wrapping papers, any consideration has been given to the proposal to amend the Section of the Finance Act which imposes the duty by the addition of a condition that, for the purpose of calculation by the Customs of the one-sixth-proportion, any non-dutiable paper which would be dutiable if within the prescribed weight limits should not be included in the calculation?

Representations in the sense indicated by my hon. Friend have been made to me and are under consideration, but I am unable to make any statement on the matter at present.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has or can obtain information as to the amount of royalties per ton paid upon the raw materials necessary to produce a ton of steel in Germany, Belgium, and France?

As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, the Royal Commission on the Coal Industry (1925) made certain investigations in regard to the question of mining royalties in different countries. The results of these inquiries are summarised in the Commission's Report, Volume 3, Appendix No. 24. I regret that I am not in possession of later information, which would require a detailed technical investigation of costs of production in the steel industry in the countries named.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the quantities and values of the imports of carpets into this country for the past five years; from what countries these imports were received; and how the wages in the carpet trade in these countries compared with those ruling in the United Kingdom?

The following table shows, in respect of (1) carpets, carpeting and rugs of wool, and (2) jute carpets and rugs, the quantities

Year.					Total Imports.		Retained Imports.
					Quantity.	Declared Value.	Quantity.	Declared Value.
					Carpets, Carpeting and Rugs of Wool (including Carpets and Rugs on a Wool or Jute basis).
					Thous. Sq. yds.	£'000.	Thous. Sq. yds.	£'000.
1924	…	…	…	…	4,406	2,624	3,543	1,254
1925	…	…	…	…	4,529	2,637	3,743	1,323
1926	…	…	…	…	4,467	2,516	3,705	1,394
1927	…	…	…	…	6,574	3,472	5,503	1,804
1928*	…	…	…	…	6,809	4,151	5,784	2,361
					Jute Carpets and Rugs.
					Thous. Sq. yds.	£'000.	Thous. Sq. yds.	£'000.
1924	…	…	…	…	1,774	285	1,747	280
1925	…	…	…	…	2,007	287	1,964	280
1926	…	…	…	…	1,749	262	1,715	256
1927	…	…	…	…	3,419	323	3,389	318
1928*	…	…	…	…	2,321	257	2,288	251
* Figures for 1928 are provisional.

Among the principal countries from which these carpets, etc., were consigned, are the following:Carpets, carpeting and rugs of wool: British India, Belgium, France, Turkey, Persia, Russia, Czechoslovakia, Germany and Iraq.Jute carpets and rugs: Germany and Czechoslovakia.As regards the last part of the question, the available information is being collected, and I will forward it to my hon. Friend as soon as it is ready.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of all the successful and unsuccessful applications made under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926?

The following is a list in summary form of the applications made to the Board of Trade under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, which have been reported upon by the Standing Committee.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he will consider the advisability of requiring motor boats, burning petrol, carrying 12 passengers or under to have a Board of Trade licence;(2) if he will consider the advisability of imposing a speed limit for speed boats except in restricted areas, in view of the damage likely to be cause to harbours, estuaries, rivers, and parts of the coast where there are floating balks or drift or such other nets?

As at present advised, I doubt whether there is sufficient ground for the alterations of the law suggested by my hon. Friend, but if he will furnish me in greater detail with his reasons for thinking these changes necessary, I will consider them.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that fishermen operating to the eastward of Plymouth would be much helped if a light were placed on the Shagstone so as to enable them to use the Channel to the eastward of the Plymouth breakwater; and whether, as Trinity House are not legally able to pay for the whole cost of erecting and maintaining such a light, he could arrange for the cost to be met jointly between his Department and Trinity House?

Under the Merchant Shipping Acts the Trinity House, as the General Lighthouse Authority for England and Wales, are able, with the sanction of the Board of Trade, to defray the cost involved in the provision of lighthouses from the General Lighthouse Fund, this being the only fund available to them for the purpose. I have been in communication with the Trinity House, who inform me that the suggestion for placing a light on the Shagstone was before the Elder Brethren some time ago, and they decided that, as a light in that position was not required for general navigation, it would not be a justifiable charge on the General Lighthouse Fund. The Board of Trade have no funds at their disposal for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that widows who have attained the age of 65 years and who are not in receipt of pensions, but whose late husbands had been contributors to this scheme for an agreed period, are not now pensionable; and that widows on attaining the age of 65 whose late husbands had been in receipt of pensions are also not now pensionable; and whether he is prepared to make such persons pensionable?

My hon. Friend would appear to be under a misapprehension. The widow of every man who has been a contributor to the pensions scheme is entitled, subject to the usual conditions, to a widow's pension on the death of her husband.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the number of towns which have reduced their outlay on the provision of milk under the child welfare schemes as a result of the curtailment of the State grant?

The reduction in grant which was made in the year 1928–29 applied to 214 local authorities in England, but I have as yet no information showing how many of these authorities

Year ended 30th September.		Successful Primary Vaccinations.	Successful re-vaccinations.	Total.	Year ended 31st March.		Expenditure of Guardians.	Grants from Exchequer Contribution Accounts.	Total.
							£	£	£
1923	…	415,549	316,641	732,190	1923	…	181,172	10,244	191,416
1924	…	331,522	89,600	421,122	1924	…	223,924	11,753	235,677
1925	…	270,755	40,939	311,694	1925	…	179,027	3,050	182,077
1926	…	279,721	54,221	333,942	1926	…	161,889	4,366	166,255
1927	…	305,005	113,117	418,122	1927	…	170,728	8,338	179,066

It will be observed that the figures of expenditure and of vaccinations, respectively, refer to different periods and cannot, therefore, be strictly related to one another.

asked the Minister of Health what response he is sending to the resolution passed at the annual meeting of the British Hospitals Association recently held in London offering the advisory services of the Association to the Ministry and the Radium Sub-Committee as to the best and most convenient centres for radium treatment?

This resolution has not yet been formally submitted to me, but I propose to bring its terms to the notice of the bodies through whom the new supply of radium will be administered as soon as they are set up.

asked the Minister of Health what was the total cost of vaccination from the rates and taxes in England and Wales for the years 1923 to 1928; and the number of persons vaccinated and re-vaccinated at the cost of the rates during those years?

The particulars required, so far as they are at present available, are given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Health how many public inquiries concerning housing have been asked for, and how many have been refused, since 1924; and why private instead of public inquiries have been held in some cases?

As I informed the hon. Member in reply to his previous question on the 25th ultimo, I have no record of the number of requests made for public local inquiries: nor have I a record of the number of requests refused. With regard to the last part of the question, I am not sure what the hon. Member has in mind. The administration of the Housing Acts is carried on principally by means of correspondence, interviews, and, where necessary, informal inspections. A formal local inquiry is held only when such a course appears to be necessary or desirable, having regard to all the circumstances. Such inquiries are open to the public.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he can state the number of persons who are at present in receipt of pensions which were granted for war services prior to August, 1914; and can he give the yearly amount?

The approximate number of persons in receipt of pensions granted for disablement or death resulting from War service prior to 4th August, 1914, is approximately 7,000, and the annual value of these pensions is about £370,000.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether it is intended to take any steps to amend the present law and enable the pay or pension of an officer in His Majesty's Forces, either on the active list or retired, to be attached for aliment?

It is not proposed to amend the existing law on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for War what contract there is between the War Department and the Army, Navy, and Air Force Canteens and Institutes regarding the provision of canteens; and if there is any fair contracts clause in such contract?

There is no contract between the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes and the War Department. The War Department are represented on the council and board of management of the corporation by nominees of the Army Council, in accordance with the memorandum and articles of association.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has considered the full statement of the case of Mr. F. Wenham, of Maidstone, submitted to him in correspondence by the hon. Member for the Maidstone Division; whether, in view of the fact that Mr. Wenham's injuries have been incurred in the public service and that he has been totally incapacitated from 19th March, 1927, inquiry has been made into his injury allowance being reassessed at only 7s. 10d. a week and into the allegation of being kept waiting for long periods for any payment; and whether directions will be given for a complete settlement on an adequate basis?

Mr. Wenham first suffered from occupational disease in December, 1923, and he has been given treatment in a naval hospital on more than one occasion since that date. It is not admitted that he has been totally incapacitated since the 19th March, 1927, but compensation allowance has been paid at varying rates according to the degree of incapacity. The rate of 7s. 10d. a week has been authorised as from the 28th November, 1928, in the view that the incapacity remaining was slight, but in the absence of agreement with the man and his advisers, the question has been referred recently to the Treasury medical referee, whose report is awaited.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what contract there is between the Admiralty and the Army, Navy and Air Force Canteens and Institutes regarding the provision of canteens; and if there is any fair contracts clause in such contract?

There is no contract between the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes and the Admiralty. The Admiralty are represented oh the Council and Board of Management of the Corporation by nominees of the Board of Admiralty, in accordance with the memorandum and articles of association.

asked the Secretary of State for Air if he now has any further statement to make regarding the development of African air services?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Acton (Sir H. Brittain) on 6th May.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the number of prosecutions which have been instituted against persons for the breach of Regulations in Hyde Park for the three months ended to the last convenient date; and can he give particulars?

The following return shows the number of proceedings taken during the quarter ended on 31st March for offences in Hyde Park against the Parks Regulations.

—	Number of Proceedings.		Number of Persons.
	Apprehensions.	Summons.
Offences involving indecency.	34	1	56
Other Offences	5	8	14

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the report of the inspector of mines who visited the collieries of the Babington Coal Company on Monday, 18th February, has yet been issued as to the conditions under which the pit ponies are being employed; whether he has found the roads of sufficient height for the ponies; and whether the condition of the ponies and the roads they had to use are such as to justify any action being taken against the proprietors of this colliery?

I have asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to institute proceedings for alleged contraventions of the Coal Mines Act in regard to the horses employed at this company's Shady Birchwood Colliery. As the case is now sub judice, it would obviously be improper for me to express any opinion on matters of detail.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his Department has received information as to the vaccinal condition of the small-pox cases reported from Glasgow; and, if so, whether he will state the age and vaccinal condition of each case?

I am sending to the hon. Member a statement giving the information 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?

A.—Unemployment Grants Committee Schemes.
Totals to 31st March, 1929.
Financial Years.		Wages Schemes.			Loan Schemes.
		Estimated Cost of schemes approved.	Grants Paid.	Estimated Cost of schemes approved.	Amount of loan approved for grant.	Grants Paid.
		£	£	£	£	£
1920–21	…	4,666,484	26,636	Nil.	Nil.	—
1921–22	…	4,833,686	1,698,311	17,609,747	16,579,107	—
1922–23	…	2,376,691	486,593	11,868,414	11,059,080	83,453
1923–24	…	2,263,782	544,131	19,307,826	18,066,267	490,205
1924–25	…	1,889,046	669,353	17,985,846	16,000,208	1,080,749
1925–26	…	1,074,844	530,293	15,348,037	13,313,830	1,601,949
1926–27	…	93,942	238,255	2,225,137	2,361,255	2,151,175
1927–28	…	27,306	68,717	1,356,513	1,054,732	2,630,581
1928–29	…	36,650	16,389	3,114,201	3,008,590	2,678,349

The largest number of men employed on the schemes assisted by the Unemployment Grants Committee on any day for which returns are rendered by Authorities is shown in the following Table:

Calendar Year.					Men employed.
1924	…	…	…	…	42,717
1925	…	…	…	…	44,400
1926	…	…	…	…	33,799
1927	…	…	…	…	15,799
1828	…	…	…	…	9,549

NOTE.—Figures prior to 1924 are not available on a comparable basis.

B.—Ministry of Transport Schemes.
Payments during Financial Year.				Road Fund.	Exchequer.	Local Authorities (Estimated).	Total.
				£	£	£	£
1920	…	…	…	395,200	130,000	502,400	1,027,600
1921	…	…	…	1,305,800	529,490	1,492,600	3,327,890
1922	…	…	…	2,042,268	561,015	1,871,700	4,474,983
1923	…	…	…	2,919,129	109,368	2,222,393	5,250,890
1924	…	…	…	3,804,059	43,675	2,185,103	6,032,837
1925	…	…	…	4,927,283	21,457	2,412,377	7,361,117
1926	…	…	…	4,873,383	—	2,124,445	6,997,828
1927	…	…	…	4,276,009	—	1,872,904	6,148,913
1928	…	…	…	2,279,620	—	979,668	3,259,288

Separate figures are not available of men employed on schemes put in hand to relieve unemployment and assisted by the Ministry of Transport.

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 25th April, 1929; col. 1071, Vol. 227] supplied the following statement:

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons, specifying men, women, boys and girls, on the Devonport and Plymouth Employment Exchanges, respectively, for the month of April, 1929?

Date.				Men.	Boys.	Women.	Girls.	Total.
Plymouth.
8th April, 1929	…	…	…	3,677	91	371	70	4,209
15th April, 1929	…	…	…	3,583	103	359	81	4,126
22nd April, 1929	…	…	…	3,666	112	366	95	4,239
29th April, 1929	…	…	…	3,605	85	388	67	4,145
Devonport.
8th April, 1929	…	…	…	1,829	78	188	56	2,151
15th April, 1929	…	…	…	1,690	97	181	64	2,032
22nd April, 1929	…	…	…	1,632	85	174	68	1,959
29th April, 1929	…	…	…	1628	103	176	101	2,008

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total number of unemployed persons from distressed areas, men, women and boys, respectively, who, during the period 1926 to the present time, have been transferred by his Department to work in their own occupation in other places; and the numbers who have been trained for different work, have been trained and placed in situations in this country, and have emigrated, respectively?

I regret that statistics are not available which would

The following table shows the number of persons on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at Plymouth and Devonport, respectively, on each Monday of April, 1929:show the number of persons from distressed areas transferred to work in their own occupations in other places. During the period 1926 to the present time, 8,312 men have satisfactorily completed a course of training for employment in this country, of whom 7,816 are known to have found employment During the same period 13,301 women and girls were trained in domestic work at the home training centres conducted by the Central Committee of Women's Training and Employment. Information is not available to show, over the whole period, the proportion placed in employment, but statistics for the financial year 1928–29 show that 86.49 per cent. of the women and girls who completed their training were placed in domestic service. 5,607 men have completed courses of training for overseas, of whom 5,394 have already-emigrated and 213 are now awaiting embarkation. Statistics showing what proportion of these men came from depressed areas are not available. Twenty-one women and 16 boys have recently sailed for the Dominions after receiving a course of training at one of a number of hostels recently established with financial assistance from my Department (as distinct from the hostels and similar institutions financed under the Empire Settlement Act). At these hostels 29 women and 40 boys are now in training and a further nine women have completed their training but have not yet sailed. Precise information is not available as to the number of boys transferred from the distressed areas to employment elsewhere in this country prior to 17th February, 1928. Since that date 2,870 boys have been so transferred; the great majority of these had been prepared for employment by attendance at Juvenile Unemployment Centres and were usually placed in occupations other than those (if any) in which they had previously been employed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that Mr. A. Adams, of No. 155, Manor Place, Walworth, who had been in regular employment in the borough of Southwark for the past 15 months, was dismissed from his employment for the purpose of filling the position he had occupied by a person who had been transferred through the machinery of the Ministry of Labour into the borough of Southwark area; and has his Department been supplied with any reasons for Mr. Adams's dismissal?

I have no evidence that the dismissal of Mr. Adams was for the reason suggested by the hon. Member. In notifying Mr. Adams's discharge to the local Employment Exchange his employer stated that he wanted a man to live and sleep in. I may add that Mr. Adams has since found work elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that David Harris, of 3, Clifton Crescent, Aberaman, Aberdare, who was unemployed and succeeded in obtaining employment at Tremsaran, near Kidwelty, Carmarthenshire, applied for and was refused the subsistence and removal allowance paid to unemployed persons transferred from the distressed areas; and will he give the reasons for the refusal of the allowance in this case?

Mr. Harris transferred from one scheduled depressed mining area to another. He was, therefore, not eligible to receive assistance under the Government removal scheme, the purpose of which is to facilitate the removal of persons from depressed to non-depressed areas.

asked the Minister of Labour what was the amount of the contributions paid into the Unemployment Insurance Fund during the past year; and what was the total amount of benefit paid out during the same period?

The total contributions paid into the Unemployment Fund during the year ended 31st December, 1928, amounted approximately to—

	£
Contributions from employers and employed persons	30,780,000
Contributions from Exchequer	11,760,000
Total	£42,540,000

The total amount of unemployment benefit paid out during the same period was approximately £44,260,000.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of registered unemployed at the Stockton and Thornaby Employment Exchanges, respectively or jointly, on the following dates: November, 1924; April, 1926; June, 1926; January, 1927; January, 1928; January, 1929; and at the present time?

The following Table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at Stockton and Thornaby on the last Monday of each of the months mentioned:

Date.			Stockton.	Thornaby.	Total.
26th November, 1924	…	…	4,187	1,855	6,042
26th April, 1926	…	…	5,067	2,175	7,242
28th June, 1926*	…	…	7,071	2,602	9,673
31st January, 1927	…	…	5,035	2,253	7,288
30th January, 1928	…	…	3,560	1,414	4,974
28th January, 1929†	…	…	4,985		4,895
29th April, 1929	…	…	3,568		3,568
* Affected by the general dispute in the coal mining industry.
† In April, 1928, the Thornaby Employment Exchange was closed and its work was transferred to the Stockton Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been called to the case of men dismissed from work on nearing the age of 65, or earlier, who cannot obtain employment; and whether he will take steps to grant unemployment benefit in such cases?

I have not had specific cases of the kind mentioned brought to my notice. Such persons, if insured under the Acts, may apply for unemployment benefit. The decision on claims rests, of course, with the statutory authorities and not with me. As my hon. Friend is doubtless aware, persons of the age of 65 or over are not insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government will take care that any ratification of the minimum wage convention adopted at the International Labour Conference of 1928 will not have the effect of preventing this country from adapting or limiting its Trade Board machinery on the basis of the Report of the Committee presided over by the late Lord Cave in 1922?

The answer is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Labour how many disputes involving a stoppage of work have taken place in Great Britain since the passage into law of the Trades Disputes and Trades Unions Act, 1927; and whether he can give comparable figures for a similar period preceding its passage?

The following Table shows the number of disputes involving stoppages of work begun in Great Britain from the passage of the Trade Disputes and Trade Union Act, 1927, up to the end of March, 1929; the number of workpeople involved in these disputes; and the number of working days lost by these workpeople; together with corresponding figures for a similar period before the passage of the Act:

—	From passage of Act to end of March, 1929.	Similar period before passage of Act.
Number of disputes begun.	473	523
Number of workpeople involved in those disputes.	190,000	2,820,000
Number of working days lost in those disputes.	1,860,000	162,170,000

Small disputes involving less than 10 workpeople or lasting less than one working day are not included in these figures.The figures in the last column include 2,630,000 workpeople involved in the "General Strike" and the general coal stoppage of 1926, and 160,200,000 working days lost by such workpeople in those disputes.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he can give any indication of the effect, up to date, of the new £10 passage rate on the movement of British settlers to Canada?

The new £10 rate applies to British settlers proceeding to Canada as third-class passengers from Great Britain and Northern Ireland by British lines. The total number of such passengers during the four months ended 30th April, 1929, was 23,559, as compared with 16,514 during the same period of 1928, or an increase of approximately 42 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a consignment of liquor was sent out to Lagos, the chief port of Nigeria; that the Nigerian Customs authorities declined to receive it; and that the spirit merchants concerned in these shipments appealed to the Colonial Office, with the result that they were released and admitted; and if he can inform the House as to the grounds given by the Customs authorities for stopping the consignment and his own reasons for securing its admission?

I have been asked to reply. The facts are that the Nigerian Government decided without notice to prohibit the importation of certain brands of Dutch gin, described as pot-still gin, on suspicion that they contained patent-still spirit, although no question had previously been raised. In view of the sudden dislocation of commerce caused by this action, it was suggested that shipments of these brands which were already at sea might be allowed to enter without protest, and the Colonial Government so decided. It has since been ascertained that the reason adduced by the Colonial Government for the suspected presence of patent-still spirit (namely, the presence of traces of copper arising out of manufacture) has no real foundation, so that the spirits were permissible imports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can give the amounts expended by the Crown Agent for the Colonies to consulting engineers during the years 1926 and 1927 for advice relating to harbours, ships, railways and roads?

The amounts expended in 1926 and 1927 were about £29,700 and £46,000 respectively. The figure for 1928 was £51,000, as stated in my reply to the hon. Member's question on the 29th April, not £61,000 as shown in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to make a state-men about the proposals of the railway companies for the utilisation of the capitalised value represented by the saving on the passenger duty; and what schemes for reconstructing and modernising the railway plant and equipment have been put before him?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. Detailed schemes have not yet been put before me.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the average cost per mile of making modern arterial roads?

There is no precise definition of an arterial road, and the cost per mile depends so largely upon such factors as width, situation and the engineering difficulties which have to be surmounted, that I fear there is no basis upon which an average could be usefully calculated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the road traffic congestion in the approaches to Blackpool; and whether, in any plans he may be forming for road development in the near future, he will take into consideration the particular needs of this district?

I am aware that the approaches to Blackpool are congested on occasion by seasonal traffic, and my officers are in frequent consultation on the subject of the amelioration of these conditions with the county council and other authorities concerned.

asked the Minister of Transport the distance and the average width of the Wolverhampton-Birmingham arterial road; and the cost?

The length of the road is 9¾ miles; the width is 100 feet, of which the carriageway is 40 feet; and the cost was about £570,000.

asked the Minister of Transport if a decision in regard to the Battersea super-power station has yet been reached?

I would refer the hon. Member to the full statement on this subject which I gave on the 18th April in reply to a question asked by my Noble Friend the Member for Shrewsbury (Viscount Sandon).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will make a statement on the present military situation in China; and is there reason for apprehension regarding the safety of British subjects in any district?

Since my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wimbledon on the 24th of April there has been an appreciable improvement in the situation in the Middle Yangtze Valley, which is now entirely under the control of the National Government. Three of the defeated Kwangsi generals expressed their willingness to leave Hupeh if they were given a safe conduct under the British flag; Marshal Chiang Kai-shek formally requested that this should be done in order to hasten the termination of hostilities, and they have accordingly been conveyed to Shanghai in a British warship.In Shantung Chang Tsung-chang has been definitely beaten and has left the province. Marshal Feng Yü-hsiang's forces have been withdrawn from Shantung into Honan, and the control of the former province has been given to a Nanking general. Nanking troops are being transferred from the Tientsin area to North Honan; Shansi troops are being withdrawn to their own province from Peking and sent to reinforce the Shansi-Honan border. The relations between Feng Yü-hsiang and Chiang Kai-shek are obscure. All of Marshal Feng's adherents have left Nanking, where his quarters have been occupied by local troops.On the 4th of May Kwangsi troops advanced into Kwangtung; the local authorities of Canton have sent gunboats to check the invasion.The reports that I have received do not indicate anxiety regarding the safety of British subjects. Except for one missionary who elected to remain, all British subjects have been safely evacuated from Changten.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet received a note from the Nanking Government on the question of extraterritoriality in China; and whether he can make any statement on the general attitude of the British Government in this matter?

A note in this sense has been received and the reply to it is at present under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Commission set up by the Convention, dated 23rd November, 1923, for reparations for damage caused to British, French, Italian, and Japanese subjects on Ottoman property has sat; if so, what findings it has made and on what basis; whether any distribution has been made; whether he has received complaints of preference of other nationals over British subjects; and whether he can give any information as to a final settlement of claims?

The Commission for the assessment of damage suffered in Turkey provided for by the Convention of 23rd November, 1923, was duly set up and has since its appointment been continuously engaged in the assessment of over 16,500 claims submitted to it: it has paid a dividend of 40 per cent. of the damage assessed and hopes to complete the assessment of the claims and the distribution of the fund at its disposal shortly. Complaints of the kind referred to in the fourth part of the question have occasionally been received but such complaints are impossible to substantiate, and in any case His Majesty's Government are bound by decisions of the Commission, even if taken by a majority vote.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the amount of revenue derived from the Entertainments Duty for the months of April, 1929, and April, 1928, respectively?

The approximate amounts of Entertainments Duty received in April, 1928, and April, 1929, were £523,800 and £557,100 respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position to furnish the following particulars as to old age pensions for the year ended 31st March, 1929, namely: the total amount of pensions paid; the cost of administration; the total number of pensions in force, men and women, respectively; the numbers at 10s., 9s., 8s., 7s., 6s., 5s., 4s., 3s., 2s., and 1s.; the number of applications for pension; the number of applications rejected, giving various sources of rejection, i.e., age, poor relief, means, and other causes, respectively; the number of pensioners of whose death notice has reached pension officers; the number of paupers over 70 years of age in England, Scotland, and Wales in institutions, with the average cost per annum, and the number of persons over 70 years of age in receipt of outdoor relief, with the average cost per head per annum, men and women separately in both cases; the number of old age pensioners in receipt of outdoor relief and institutional relief, respectively; and the total amount so expended; the number of old age pensions paid to persons over 70 years of age under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, i.e., without means test, men and women, respectively; the cost per head per week of a convict in penal servitude and the prisoner in local prisons: how many persons over 70 years of age are in prison and penal servitude; and the number of old age pensioners who have been proceeded against for the violation of any of the provisions of the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1924?

I am having inquiries made, and I will communicate such information as is available to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is now in a position, as a result of inquiry, to state whether it would be possible for the British Museum to house provincial newspapers at some point nearer to the centre than Hendon; and, if not, whether a reading-room can be provided at Hendon for the use of readers who wish to go out there and consult the files immediately instead of waiting several days for the volumes to be brought in to the British Museum?

It is impracticable on grounds of cost to provide more central accommodation for provincial newspapers. With regard to the second part of the question, the provision of a reading-room at Hendon was among the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Museums and Galleries which have been accepted by the Government, and provision for beginning the work has been included in the Estimates for the current financial year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give a list of all the successful and unsuccessful applications made under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, as far as his Department is concerned?

The successful applications for Marking Orders under the Merchandise Marks Act, 1926, have been in respect of the following imported goods:

(1) Fresh apples.

(2) Honey.

(3) Currants, sultanas, raisins.

(4) Eggs in shell and dried eggs.

(5) Oat products.

(6) Rose trees.

Orders in Council have been made in all these cases.Applications have been made in respect of imported meat, bacon, ham and lard, but they were subsequently withdrawn before an inquiry took place. The apples application was framed so as to include pears also, but the part relating to pears was withdrawn during the inquiry. An inquiry into the application for the marking of tomatoes was held in March last, but the Committee have not yet reported. The only unsuccessful application has been in respect of imported natural oats.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now in a position to make any further statement with regard to the findings of the Royal Commission who investigated and reported on the question of land drainage; and can he state whether his Department has issued any orders to deal with problems in special areas?

The surveys which are a necessary preliminary to any legislation on the lines recommended by the Royal Commission are being pressed forward. As recently announced by the Prime Minister, the Government propose to introduce such legislation as soon as practicable. In reply to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Doncaster Area Drainage Bill now before Parliament, which provides for the setting up of a drainage authority over the area in and around Doncaster, where there are special problems of land drainage consequent upon the mining operations in that area.