asked the Minister of Labour if she can give the names of the London Metropolitan Boroughs and other public bodies connected with London which have so far not accepted the Ministry's terms of assistance in regard to work schemes to absorb numbers of the unemployed; and the total amount of employment which would have been provided had these terms been accepted?

It will perhaps be more convenient if I give the names of the London Metropolitan Borough Councils and other public authorities connected with London which have accepted the Government's terms of assistance to relief works. They are as follow: The Borough Councils of Bermondsey, Bethnal Green, Finsbury, Hackney, Hammersmith, Poplar, Stoke Newington and Wandsworth, the London County Council, the Lee Conservancy Board, the Metropolitan Water Board, the Port of London Authority and the Thames Conservancy Board. I have no information which would enable me to answer the last part of the question.

Has the Minister any powers by which she can bring pressure to bear on any of the boroughs that have not adopted the scheme, in the interests of the unemployed?

We have only the power of moral suasion.

Can the right hon. La say if the borough councils that have n accepted the scheme have refused to cooperate or have not answered!

Can the Minister say whether the borough councils are objecting to the importation of what is called rationed labour?

I should like to have notice of the question put by the hon. Member for South-West Bethnal Green (Mr. Harris), in order to give a complete reply. Broadly speaking, certain borough councils, very few in number, have objected to the transference conditions, but in other cases that objection has been removed after an interview, when the matter has been properly discussed.

Does the right hon. Lady propose to take this matter up again with the councils which are not falling in with the general arrangements?

We shall do our best to get them to agree.

asked the Minister of Labour if she is aware of the conditions of service applying to caretakers at Employment Exchanges; that men are engaged on an agreement which requires them to work not less than 48 hours per week; that their hours are usually exceeded by as much as 20 hours per week; that the total wages paid are £2 7s. 8d.; and that for temporary women cleaners the wage is 18s. 9d. for 30 hours' employment; and will she look into the matter?

As the reply is necessarily long and contains a number of figures I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour if it has been brought to her notice that coal miners are being sent from Atherton Employment Exchange, Lancashire, to Bilsthorpe collieries, Nottingham, to work under conditions that are unacceptable to unemployed miners in Nottingham and who refuse to go to Bilsthorpe; and will she cause inquiries to be made so as to prevent men being made to accept employment such a long distance away from their homes while there are unemployed miners in the locality to which they are sent?

I am informed that all local colliery workers below the age limits specified by the employer and able to pass the requisite medical examination having already been placed, vacancies at this colliery amounting to 73 in the last six months have been filled by men from other districts. Eleven of these men came from Atherton and 41 from Nottingham. The second part of the question therefore does not arise.

Can the right hon. Lady say whether the local Exchange officials made inquiries from the trade unions in the locality as to whether they could supply the men, before they sent outside the district?

If the hon. Member will give notice of that question, I will inquire. My impression is that inquiries were made.

Is the right hon. Lady aware of the fact that there is a proposal at this moment to transfer unemployed miners from this area to the Thorne colliery in Yorkshire?

I shall be very glad to see my two hon. Friends on this matter, if they will come to see me.

Is it not a good thing that these men from outside should be employed, if they can get full employment and good wages?

I think it is a very bad thing, if there are miners available in the district to do the work, that people should be brought in from outside.

I thought the right hon. Lady said that there were no men available in the district.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of miners who have been transferred from other areas to Snowdown colliery, Kent; how many have settled; how many have returned; and of those who have returned the number who have had their return fares paid, within the period from 1st July, 1929, to 1st February, 1930?

I am having inquiries made and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of people for whom work was found under the transfer of labour scheme in the last quarter of 1928 and of 1929?

During the period 18th August, 1929 to 20th January, 1930, approximately 12,250 persons were transferred from depressed areas under the industrial transference scheme as compared with approximately 11,000 in the corresponding period a year before.

Can the right hon. Lady tell me whether the trade unions and the Trade Union Council have been enthusiastic in giving their support to the Government scheme for finding work for these men?

That does not arise out of this question.

asked the Minister of Labour what unemployment, if any, there is in the slate industry in Scotland?

At 27th January, 1930, the number of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, classified as belonging to the slate quarrying and mining industry recorded as unemployed in Scotland was 27, or 10.8 per cent. of the number of insured persons, namely, 250, in that industry in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured persons in Lanarkshire disallowed benefit on the grounds of not genuinely seeking work since the establishment of the boards of assessors, and for the comparable period a year ago?

During the period 10th September, 1929, to 13th January, 1930, 3,424 applications for benefit made at Employment Exchanges in Lanarkshire were disallowed by insurance officers on the ground "Not genuinely seeking work" and 1,025 cases were recommended for disallowance on the same ground by courts of referees on review after payment of 78 days' benefit. The corresponding figures for the period 11th September, 1928, to 14th January, 1929, are 6,906 disallowances by insurance officers and 1,449 by courts of referees.

asked the Minister of Labour whether her attention has been called to the fact that a person whose claim for unemployment benefit has been disallowed during the previous two years on the ground of not genuinely seeking work is regarded as not having had a reasonable period of insurable employment during that time, and consequently is refused all benefit; and whether, seeing that the law on this subject has been changed, she can review the present position in order that persons claiming benefit may no longer be penalised on this ground?

I am aware of the decision to which the hon. Member refers. It was given by the Umpire and I have no power to vary it. The position will be changed as from 13th March when the new Act repealing the conditions to which the decision relates comes into operation.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in the county of Carnarvon who were refused unemployment benefit on the grounds of not genuinely seeking work for the six months ended 31st December, 1928, and for the six months ended 31st December, 1929?

During the period 9th July, 1929, to 13th January, 1930, 102 applications for benefit made at Employment Exchanges m the county of Carnarvon were disallowed by insurance officers on the ground "not genuinely seeking work," and 78 cases were recommended for disallowance on the same ground by courts of referees on review after payment of 78 days' benefit. For the period 10th July, 1928, to 14th January, 1929, there were 257 disallowance" by insurance officers and 100 by courts of referees on the same ground.

Can the right hon. Lady explain why there is such an increase?

There is a decrease.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers and the percentages of the unemployed on the registers of the local Exchanges in the county of Carnarvon at the end of January, 1929, and at the end of January, 1930?

At 13th January, 1930, there were 3,037 persons, representing 13.1 per cent. of the insured population, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Carnarvonshire as compared with 2,498 (or 11.0 per cent. of the insured population) at 14th January, 1929.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present indebtedness of the unemployment insurance fund; and how much the debt will increase each week if the live register increases by 100,000 over the present figure?

The debt of the unemployment fund on the 8th February, 1930, was £36,770,000. If the live register were 100,000 higher than it is now, the total excess of outgoings over revenue, so far as can be estimated at present, would be about £300,000 per week on the average, excluding interest accruing due, which is paid half-yearly in September and March.

Can the right hon. Lady say how long it will take, if the extra 100,000 unemployed materialises, for the extent of the present borrowing powers to be reached?

I must have notice of that question.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons who are over 60 years of age who are receiving unemployment benefit and also the number over that age who are signing on but have been disallowed benefit through the term not genuinely seeking work or through not being able to satisfy a reasonable period of employment as laid down by the Court of Referees?

The latest date for which statistics of the age distribution of persons in receipt of benefit are available is 14th October, 1929, when an analysis was made by way of a 10 per cent. sample. At that date it is estimated on the basis of the sample that there were approximately 53,000 men and 3,000 women aged 60 to 64 inclusive on the register whose claims had been authorised for benefit. Corresponding figures in respect of persons whose claims had been disallowed are not available.

Would it be possible to get the number who have been disallowed?

I will endeavour to get the figures.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she has received any representations from the South Wales Miners' Federation respecting the number of decisions of chairman of Courts of Referees which are reversed on appeal; and, if so, whether she has caused these charges to be investigated, and with what result?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the increasing unemployment figures, she can state how many of these are due to married women, who have done little or no work since marriage, who have now come on the register?

There is no reason to suppose that the increases in the unemployment figures in the past two weeks have been due to this cause. These increases took place mainly in the Northwestern and North-Eastern Divisions and were due principally to further discharges or short-time working in the cotton and the woollen and worsted industries.

Seeing that the figures are already 135,000 more than they were this time last year, can the right hon. Lady say to what it is due? Is it due to the uncertainty caused by the action of the Chancellor of the Exchequer?

asked the Home Secretary whether, with regard to ex-Constable J. Allsopp, ate of the Metropolitan Police Force, who was required to resign as an alternative to dismissal by Admiral Royds, president of the disciplinary board at New Scotland Yard, and was subsequently reinstated in the service on full pay, he will say whether the charges which, in the first instance, were the cause of his being requested to resign or suffer dismissal were withdrawn; and what conduct certificates Allsopp received on finally leaving the service?

Ex-Constable Allsopp was found guilty by the Discipline Board and was required to resign. He appealed to the Commissioner, who allowed him to resign forthwith, the charges remaining on his record. He was given a certificate stating that his conduct in the Force had been "generally good."

If the certificate of conduct is marked generally good, is not that rather inconsistent with a request to resign or a dismissal?

A man's record may be good generally, but there may be a serious single blemish involving dismissal.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is his intention to increase the number of women police?

Yes, Sir. I contemplate an increase from 50 to 100 in the number of the Metropolitan Police women as soon as certain questions of organisation now pending have been settled.

Are there any women police outside the London district?

Yes.

; In view of the fact that they have fully justified their appointment will the right hon. Gentleman consider their appointment in other large industrial areas?

That is a matter which rests largely with the local watch committee.

asked the Home Secretary whether it is his intention to change the uniform now worn by the women members of the Metropolitan Police, and to extend their duties so as to cover the work of the Criminal Investigation Department?

There has been no decision as to any change in the uniform worn by the women police or the duties they perform in connection with the work of the Criminal Investigation Department; but the whole subject is still under consideration, as I have stated in reply to other questions.

asked the Home Secretary the number of motor drivers against whom proceedings were taken in the Metropolitan area for driving in a dangerous manner during the year 1928–29, and the number of convictions?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the figures for 1929 which I gave on the 5th instant in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Everton (Mr. Hall-Caine). Figures are not separately available for the financial year 1928–29, and those already given do not include any cases of private prosecutions.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Metropolitan Police are supplied with any instrument by which they can ascertain when the noise of motor vehicles is excessive?

No, Sir.

Is any such instrument available, and will the right hon. Gentleman consider the matter owing to the excessive noise that exists?

An instrument has been subjected to certain tests, but as yet without satisfactory results.

Is the right hon. Gentleman still following up the matter, and can anything be done?

What is the present basis of assessing whether it g excessive noise or not?

That is one of the difficulties. There is no basis.

asked the Home Secretary what percentage of the deaths of persons over 65 years of age in Greater London were caused by road-traffic accidents during the year 1929 or for the last 12 months for which figures are available?

In the last year for which the figures are available, namely 1928, 0.8 per cent. of the deaths of persons over 65 years of age in Greater London, namely, City of London and the Metropolitan Police District, were due to road traffic accidents.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will limit the size of classes to a maximum of 30 in the final school year when the leaving age is raised to 15?

Difficulties of organisation would make it impracticable to prescribe a lower limit for the last year of the school course than for earlier years; but it is likely that a large number of classes during the last year will, in fact, fall below the limit of 40.

Will the Minister keep in mind the fact that an additional strain will be imposed both on the teachers and the children after the new school-leaving age has come into force; and will he see to it that everything possible is done to supply the necessary teachers and to prevent larger classes?

Certainly, and in the senior schools measures are being taken to have smaller classes than at present.

Will the Minister see that the limit on the size of classes in the schools in the last year will be the same as it is for the secondary schools?

We cannot be expected to get to that stage at once.

asked the President of the Board of Education the additional cost that would be involved by removing the means test in connection with the proposed allowances of 5s. per week to children between 14 and 15 years?

The increase over the estimated cost given in the Memorandum on the Education (School Attendance) Bill would be, approximately, £2,000,000 per annum for England and Wales.

Does the Minister not think that it would be very cheap at the price?

That is a question for discussion.

asked the President of the Board of Education the maximum maintenance grant contemplated under the Education (School Attendance) Bill?

I do not propose to settle the conditions governing the payment of maintenance allowances by the various local education authorities until the Committee advising me upon this question have made their recommendations.

Has the right hon. Gentleman consulted with the Minister of Health as to the effect upon his housing proposals of the extra burden that will be cast upon the rates by the proposed arrangement?

Are we to understand from that answer that the Minister has now abandoned the maximum limit of 5s. which he had previously announced in the House?

There is nothing in my answer which suggests that.

asked the President of the Board of Education when he expeots a Report from the committee of representatives of local authorities who have been invited to make recommendations as to scales of need and the procedure for determining eligibility for maintenance allowances for school children; and will the final decision be his responsibility alone?

The Committee are meeting again to-morrow, but I cannot yet say when their Report may be expected. The final decision will, of course, be my responsibility.

In view of the grave uncertainty caused to local education authorities by the delay in the publica- tion of the findings of this Committee, will the right hon. Gentleman do all in his power to expedite the matter?

As a matter of fact, I think the Committee has been very prompt.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of elementary schools in England and Wales which are provided with playing fields?

I regret that the figures are not available; but there has been a considerable increase during the last few years, and in the year ended the 31st December last the Board approved, approximately, 220 sites for playing fields.

Are playing fields included in the plans which are now being drawn for new schools?

A playing field is not always included, but it is beginning to be a very common feature.

What proportion of the cost of playing fields is provided by the Government?

I must ask for notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many of the 346 men and 296 women, giving the figures for each sex separately, now holding State scholarships attended a public elementary school for some part of their education?

The numbers are 268 men and 190 women.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many of the 96 men at Oxford and of the 171 at Cam bridge holding State scholarships attended a public elementary school for instruction during the earlier part of their education, giving each university separately; and how many of the 80 women at Oxford and of the 61 at Cam bridge holding State scholarships attended a public elementary school for instruction during the earlier part of their education, giving each university separately?

The numbers are: for men, 70 at Oxford and 132 at Cambridge; for women, 41 at Oxford and 29 at Cambridge.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has noticed that, approximately, 27 per cent. of the State scholarships awarded to both men and women are held at Oxford; that over 49 per cent. of the State scholar ships awarded to men, and under 21 per cent. of those awarded to women, are held in Cambridge; if there are any difficulties through lack of accommodation in the women's colleges or otherwise, in the way of women desiring to hold their scholarships at Cambridge; and if his Department has any information as to how many women State scholars have applied to the colleges at Cambridge for admission and have been refused?

I am aware of the facts stated in the first part of the question. While the total number of full time students is considerably greater at Cambridge than at Oxford, the proportion of women to men is higher at Oxford than at Cambridge. I have no information as to the number of women State scholars who may have applied for admission at Cambridge and have been refused.

asked the President of the Board of Education approximately the total number of fully trained and/or certificated teachers in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, who have, during the last five years left colleges and universities, and have failed to secure permanent employment in their own vocation?

For the last five years an average of nearly 200 students from training colleges in England, and of about 70 from colleges in Wales, have failed to obtain posts within 18 months of leaving; but I have no information as to the number of these who are still without permanent employment. With regard to Scottish teachers, I must refer my hon. Friend to the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he is seeing that the representatives of the Free Churches are being given an adequate opportunity of representing their views to him regarding the question of religious education in schools?

Yes, Sir.

Who are speaking in the name of the Free Churches; and is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that they command the confidence of Free Church opinion?

I am confident that I can find what Free Church opinion is from discussions with those with whom I am in communication.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer the other part of my question. Who are speaking in the name of the Free Churches?

No, Sir; I think it is desirable, when conversations of this sort are going on, that they should be kept confidential until a certain stage has been reached.

Is the right hon. Gentleman also discussing the matter with the teachers?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the fact that the Rationalist Press Association and the Secular Education League represent the point of view of a large and increasing number of parents in regard to the question of religious education in schools, he will give these organisations an opportunity of participating in any consultations which may take place on this subject?

If these associations make any representations to me on the question referred to, it will be my duty to consider them.

Can the right hon. Gentleman see any difference between the expenditure of public money on religious training, and the expenditure of money out of local rates on the teaching of birth control?

asked the President of the Board of Education if his estimate of £5,500,000 as the additional cost for the raising of the school age is for the year 1931–32 alone; if so, what is the estimated increased cost for the three succeeding years; and upon what basis has the estimate been formed?

The estimate does not relate to the year 1931–2. With regard to the latter part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the financial memorandum attached to the Education (School Attendance) Bill.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he is aware that a percentage of children leave school at the age of 14 unable to read or write; and if some standard will be required before children of that age are allowed or forced to spend another year at school?

Inability to read and write does not seem to me to afford any good ground for early exemption from school attendance. Such inability frequently arises from causes such as ill health or irregularity of attendance, which make continued education specially desirable. I may remind the hon. Member that mentally defective children are already required by law to remain at school until the age of 16.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that once a child reaches the age of 14 and is unable to read or "rite, for any reason except mental deficiency, it is almost impossible to teach him because he is unwilling to go into the lower class where reading and writing are taught?

Will the right hon. Gentleman take special steps to afford special education to those children who find particular difficulty in learning to read and write?

I think the local authorities, more and more, give special attention to children under these conditions.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he has received any communications from local education authorities or associations thereof with regard to the urgency of passing the Education Bill into law; and whether, in view of the widespread uncertainty that exists on the subject, he will state what action he proposes to take?

I have received a number of communications from local education authorities and their associations urging the importance of passing the Education (School Attendance) Bill, and, as the Prime Minister stated a fortnight ago, the Government intend to secure its passage into law before the end of the year.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman now realise the urgency of passing this Bill into law at the earliest possible moment, in view of the perfectly genuine anxiety that is felt all over the country on the subject?

We are perfectly aware of the urgency of the matter,

Has not the right hon. Gentleman also received letters which exactly negative that point of view?

Very few indeed.

asked the President of the Board of Education if, in engaging retired teachers to fill the shortage occasioned by the compulsory raising of the school age in 1931, the amount of pension will be taken into account in fixing their remuneration, or will they receive the standard rate of pay for their status in the profession in addition to their pension?

Where teachers in receipt of pensions return to service, the Teachers' Superannuation Act, 1925, provides that their pensions shall cease during their employment. Pensions would not, therefore, be taken into account in fixing their remuneration.