asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that the institution of an independent appeal tribunal to whom naval ratings and Royal Marines who are invalided and who are dissatisfied with the decisions of the naval invaliding board may state their case was submitted at the welfare conference of 1928, and can therefore be regarded as the general desire of the lower deck, he will consider the establishment of such a tribunal?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of the 17th July last [OFFICIAL REPORT, Columns 417–8], to the hon. Member for Portsmouth North (Sir Bertram Falle).

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of pensioner naval r6tings on the pension roll for the financial year ended 31st March, 1929; and how much money was paid to them in pensions for the same financial year?

The number of Naval Pensioners on the rolls on 31st March, 1929, was 59,800. The amount paid in Naval pensions during the year ended on that date was £4,153,700, exclusive of payments made from the funds of Greenwich Hospital which amount to a further £125,000 approximately. These figures do not include War disablement pensions paid by the Ministry of Pensions.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the Government's refusal to amend Section 24 of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, to permit the widows of naval ratings to draw the contributory pension as well as the service pension, he will consider the addition of 10s. per week to all scales of pensions for widows of naval ratings killed on service as well as the appropriate additions to the children's allowances?

The attitude of His Majesty's Government in regard to the amendment of Section 24 of the Act of 1925 has been explained by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Health, in reply to a question by the hon. Member on the 7th November, 1929 (OFFICIAL REPORT, Column 1270). The scale of pensions and allowances payable to the widows and children of naval ratings killed on service is common to the three Service Departments and was adopted only after the fullest consideration. I regret that I can hold out no hope of any addition to the existing scale.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the Government are prepared to restore the war widows' rate of pension in cases where men are killed on service when doing duty in submarines and other naval craft?

The scale of pensions payable to the widows of naval ratings killed on duty after the termination of the War period is common to the three Service Departments, and was adopted only after the fullest consideration. In the circumstances I regret that I cannot hold out any hope of action in the direction suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the latest information in the possession of her Department regarding the weekly average earnings of boys and girls, respectively, in the age groups 15 to 16, 16 to 17, and 17 to 18?

No statistics are available for any recent year as to the average weekly earnings of workers in various age groups, but particulars as to the recognised standard time rates of wages for workers at each year of age from 14 upwards in a large number of industries are given on pages 166 to 209 of the Report on Standard Time Rates of Wages and Hours of Labour at 31st August, 1929, which has recently been prepared by the Ministry of Labour and published by His Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Minister of Labour what trades are now under consideration with a view to the possible setting up of a Trade Board therein?

Inquiry is now being made into working conditions in the various branches of the catering trade in order to ascertain whether any extension to this trade of the provisions of the Trade Boards Acts is expedient.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air when it is expected to put the airship R 101 in commission for active service; and what is the nature of the services upon which it will be engaged and the routes to be served?

It would be premature at this early stage to formulate any definite programme of routes and services for the R 101—or for the R 100, which has not yet left her shed. When the trials of both vessels have been completed, and any modifications consequent on these trials introduced, the intention is to use them for experimental and demonstration flights, from which it is hoped to obtain the data required before commercial airship services can be established.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government is prepared to accept the proposals of the Royal Commission on National Museums and Galleries?

The proposals made in the recent Report of the Commission affect a number of institutions. The trustees or other governing bodies of the institutions are considering the proposals, and the Government must await their recommendations and receive an estimate of the total cost involved before arriving at definite conclusions on the Report generally.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is the intention of the Government to introduce a measure to grant pensions of 20s. per week to all on attaining the age of 60; and what would be the approximate cost of such a proposal?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The total cost of a pension of 20s. a week to all persons over 60 years of age is estimated at £264,000,000 in 1930 rising to £395,000,000 in 1960, and to £440,000,000 in 1980. In order to arrive at the additional cost involved in such a proposal it would, of course, be necessary to deduct the estimated cost of Old Age Pensions and of pensions to widows over 60 years of age under the existing schemes as extended by the Bill recently passed by this House, due allowance being made for the fact that under a system of universal pensions at 60 it would no longer be possible to collect contributions in respect of such pensions from the persons covered by the existing contributory scheme. On this basis the extra charge in 1930 would be about £220,000,000 rising to roughly £370,000,000 by 1980. In giving these approximate figures I have not attempted to explore the reactions which such a scheme would have upon the finance of the Health and Unemployment Insurance Schemes.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any agreement has been reached with the Irish Free State whereby civil servants transferred to the Irish Free State who reach the retiring age of 65 during the transitional period (seven years) come under the ruling of the Privy Council in the Wigg-Cochrane case as regards pension rights?

The rules governing the application of the judgment of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in the Wigg-Cochrane case to officers transferred to the service of the Irish. Free State and entitled to the benefits of Article 10 of the Articles of Agreement of the 6th of December, 1921, are set out in the Agreement of the 27th of June, 1929, scheduled to the Irish Free State (Confirmation of Agreement) Act, 1929. There has been no separate discussion with the Irish Free State authorities on the particular point referred to in the hon. Member's question.

asked the Postmaster-General, if he is aware of the inadequacy of the postal services in the Woodbridge and Diss areas and of the lack of telephone facilities; and if he will increase the number of sub-post offices with telephone boxes and the number of deliveries and collections per day, and expedite the delivery of telegrams, which often contain prices and other market information of importance to farmers?

I am having inquiry made and will write to the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will furnish a return, giving numbers and percentages, showing, at 31st March, 1927, 1928, and 1929, the occupations of fathers of pupils, boys and girls separately, at grant-aided secondary schools?

I regret that I cannot furnish the return asked for. Statistics of the occupations of fathers of pupils in secondary schools are compiled quinquennially, the latest date for which they are available being the 31st March, 1926.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he proposes to set aside a portion of the Royal Parks in the Metropolitan area for games; and can he give the House particulars of what his decision is with regard to it?

Facilities for the playing of organised games are already provided in the majority of the Royal Parks. The old Exhibition ground in Hyde Park is to be developed as a sports ground, and a gift of £5,000 for the purpose has been received from Sir Howard Frank through the National Playing Fields Association. Three football pitches are being provided there, and, in addition, it is proposed to construct a bowling green, a putting green and a pavilion.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any information in his Department showing the number of firms in this country which publish works magazines?

The Chief Inspector of Factories knows of over 60 such firms, but he thinks that this is probably considerably below the total number. A selection of these magazines has been placed in the Welfare Section of the Home Office Industrial Museum in the Horseferry Road. I have no other information.

asked the Home Secretary if he proposes to make any statements as to the general closing hours of shops on New Year's Eve, or whether the decision in this matter will be left to the local authorities?

I do not propose to use the powers conferred on me by the Act to suspend the general closing hours of shops on New Year's Eve. It will be open to the local authorities to consider, if they think fit, the question of the exercise of their powers of suspension on this occasion.

asked the Home Secretary how many sentences of death have been passed upon persons accused and found guilty of murder since 1st June, 1929; of these how many have been put into effect; and how many commuted to penal servitude?

Eight, of which three have been put into effect and three commuted; two cases are at present subjects of appeal.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is prepared to take effective steps to provide employment for persons on leaving prison in order that they may have an opportunity of becoming good citizens?

There is at every local prison a Prisoners' Aid Society of which one of the main functions is to find employment for prisoners on their release: and there are also two Associations for rendering similar assistance to men and women on discharge from penal servitude. The difficulties which confront these organisations, especially in the present condition of the labour market, are obvious, but despite these difficulties a large measure of success is achieved. If the hon. Member has any proposals to make for improving the existing organisation I shall be pleased to consider them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provisions of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918, are not in operation?

The provisions of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1918, which have not yet been brought into operation are Sections 4 (2), 14, 15, 16 (3), 16 (4), 17, paragraph 2 of the Fifth Schedule, and the following repeals in the Sixth Schedule:—Section 40 of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1872; Sections 68 to 72 of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901; Sections 9 and 10 of, and the First Schedule to the Education (Scotland) Act, 1908.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he can state the amount of grants made by his Department for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date to approved beneficiaries; and how many beneficiaries have participated in these amounts?

The total number of pensioners and their dependants during the current financial year may be taken as approximately 1,480,000, and the total expenditure on pensions and other benefits in cash or kind during the same period will, it is estimated, amount to 52½ million pounds.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he is aware that Mr. J. J. Webb, of 15, Victoria Square, Portishead, Somerset, has been refused permanent employment in the Post Office, owing to his being medically unfit; and whether, in those circumstances, he will reconsider this case with a view to the grant of a pension?

This case has been repeatedly investigated and considered at the instance of the Noble Lord and others. I am satisfied as at present advised that the final award as fixed by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in October, 1928, represents adequate compensation for any remaining disablement which can properly be ascribed to war service, but further inquiries are being made.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware of the number of border-line cases of ex-service men which have been dragging on for the entire period since the war; and whether he proposes, in order to clear these up definitely one way or the other, to conduct a special medical examination whose decision will be accepted by all parties?

Many cases are brought to my notice and in all in which it is necessary or desirable a proper medical examination is carried out. If the hon. and gallant Member has a particular case in mind in regard to which he is in a position to submit further evidence affecting a previous decision, I shall be quite willing to consider it if he will let me have particulars.