asked the Postmaster-General whether he has ascertained that the firm of Messrs. Knee Brothers, Temple Street, Bristol, who have secured the contract for conveyance of mails by motor vehicles, pay their employés in conformity with the fair wages resolution and at agreed trade union rate?

Messrs. Knee Brothers are under the usual obligations with regard to the payment of fair wages. I have no information suggesting that those obligations are not being observed, but I will make inquiries.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. A. J. Kohler, of 22, Shelton Road, Wimbledon, who was employed by the Post Office in an unestablished capacity for three and a half years, and during that period worked full time and gave every satisfaction, so much so that he was eventually singled out for consideration for an established post; whether he is aware that this man was examined as to his fitness for the established post, was found unfit owing to his war wounds, and was thereupon informed he could no longer be employed in any established or unestablished capacity; and whether, having regard to the fact that this disabled ex-service man has lost his employment through being selected for advancement, he is prepared to offer him further temporary employment?

I am aware of the case referred to by the hon. Member. Mr. Kohler was one of a number of ex-Service men employed in a temporary capacity who were considered for establishment. Unfortunately, the nature of the medical evidence obtained in his case was, in the opinion of the Chief Medical Officer to the Post Office, such as to render Mr. Kohler definitely unsuitable, even under the modified standards applicable to disabled ex-Service men, not only for an established post, but also for Post Office employment of any kind. I have carefully reconsidered Mr. Kohler's case, but I regret that I am unable to offer him further employment.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will arrange for the installation of a telephone and telegraph service at Leafield, in the county of Oxford, in view of the fact that there is a population of 800 persons in the village and district and that the nearest telephone and telegraph station is three miles away?

The question of the provision of a telephone call office at Leafield is being considered, in conjunction with the proposals outlined by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget speech. The question of providing telegraph facilities will also be considered.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can state the approximate number of letters received by the Post Office for transmission by the through air mail route to India since its inception?

The number of items sent is not recorded. The total weight of correspondence sent to India by air since the service began is about 1,800 lb.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that if a man is dismissed on reaching the age of 65 and has the old age pension, his wife if she is not then 65 gets no pension, and their joint income is reduced to 10s. per week until she attains the age of 65; and whether he can suggest a mode of redress for this hardship?

A wife who is not herself insured derives her pension from her husband's insurance, and is, therefore, not entitled to an old age pension at an earlier age than he is. The position is as stated if it is assumed that the man remains out of work until his wife reaches the age of 65, and that they have no other source of income. There is nothing in the Contributory Pensions Act which requires a pensioner to refrain from seeking employment.

asked the Minister of Health, whether he is aware that in the country districts of Wales there are many old houses which are directly instrumental in spreading tuberculosis owing to their having been inhabited in the past by tuberculosis patients and also on account of seriously inadequate lighting and ventilation; and whether he will press forward the rebuilding of such houses?

I am advised that houses which have been inhabited by tuberculous persons can be freed from infectivity by proper cleansing and disinfection. In all cases of this class in Wales into which inquiry has been made by my Department it has been found that disinfection has been carried out as a routine procedure. As regards the last part of the Question, a special rate of subsidy is available in respect of houses erected in agricultural parishes, and any proposals submitted to me by the local authorities concerned for building new houses or in connection with the improvement or reconditioning of existing houses under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, will be sympathetically considered.

asked the Minister of Health, if he will state the number of houses completed in England and Wales in each of the years ending 31st March, 1920 to 1929, in each of the calendar years 1919 to 1928, in the first three months of 1929, and in each of the years ending 30th September, 1920 to 1928, distinguishing between the 1919, 1923, and 1924 Housing Acts, and between local authorities, private enterprise with State assistance, and private enterprise without State assistance?

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

asked the Minister of Health, what was the revenue of the National Health Insurance Fund during the past year; and what was the total amount paid out during the same period?

The approximate total receipts and payments of the National Health Insurance Fund in England and Wales during the year ended 31st December, 1928, were £34,670,000 and £33,740,000 respectively. The payments include about £810,000 cost of Central Administration.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state in actual figures and in percentage form the incidence of unemployment in the engineering industry generally, and also in detail, for the following branches of the industry: engineers, iron and steel founding, electrical engineering, marine engineering, and construction and repair of motor vehicles, cycles, and aircraft for each month, commencing January, 1928, until the last available month in 1929?

The following Table gives the numbers and percentages of insured persons aged 16 to 64 classified as belonging to the under-mentioned industries recorded as unemployed in Great Britain in each month from January, 1928: