asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is now in a position to state what reply has been returned to the suggestions offered by British shipping companies engaged in the Chinese coastal trade as regards the provision of armed guards or other protection against Chinese piratical attacks on British merchant vessels?His Majesty's Dockyard, Chatham.—Particulars of Repayment Work undertaken by Dockyard (Vote 8).

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to his other question on this subject.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what reduction would be involved in the cruiser programme if battleships were completely abolished?

If battleships were abolished, it does not necessarily follow that there would be a reduction of cruisers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what was the amount of repayment work done in Chatham dockyard during the years 1924 to 1929, inclusive?

The information requested is shown in the following statement:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will supply complete figures of production, prices, imports and exports for the years 1920 to 1929, inclusive, in respect of those parts of the fine chemical, scientific glassware, mathematical instruments and magneto industries, the products of which are, on importation, liable to duty?

Figures showing the imports of the articles mentioned, comparable with those available for the years subsequent to 1921, are not available for the years 1920 and 1921; particulars regarding exports of these articles are also not available. As regards figures for subsequent years, I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply given to a. similar question by the hon. Member for East Willesden (Mr. D. G. Somerville) on 4th February. As regards production and prices, I regret that no comprehensive information is available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will supply complete average figures of production, prices, imports, and exports for the years 1926 to 1929, inclusive, in respect of that part of the pottery industry the products of which are, on importation, liable to duty?

So far as relates to particulars of imports and exports, I would refer the hon. Member to the figures given in columns 1997–98 of the OFFICIAL REPORT for 27th February, 1929, and to the reply given to the hon. Member for East Willesden (Mr. D. G. Somerville) on 4th February last. I regret that I am not in a position to supply complete figures of production or of prices during; the period specified in the question.

asked the Secretary of State for War for each of the last 10 years for which statistics are available the total number of medical officers in the Army, the number who joined, and the number who left the service in each year?

The figures are as follow:TABLE showing the total number of Regular Officers, Royal Army Medical Corps, serving in the Army by years from 1923 inclusive, together with the number who joined and the number who left the service each year.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he has received information from the Government of India as to whether the terms of reference of the Indian delegation which is proceeding to the Malay States to investigate the conditions of the Indian community in Malaya are such as to enable it to inquire into and make recommendations concerning the position of the Indian community in the matter of political status and civic rights?

I have not yet heard.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses constructed during the year ended 31st December, 1929, by local authorities under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924?

The number of houses completed during the year ended 31st December, 1929, by local authorities in England and Wales under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, was 54,529.

asked the Minister of Labour if she will give for Slough and district, for each of the past, 18 months, the average number of registered workers, the average number of unemployed, and the number of workers transferred from depressed areas?

The number of insured persons is computed once a year and at July, 1929, the estimated number of insured workers, aged 16 to 64 in the area of the Slough Employment Exchange, was 10,610, as compared with 9,000 at July, 1928.The following table gives the other information desired:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the total number of quarries now being worked in Trinidad; the number which are private or Government quarries; and whether he has any statistics that will show whether the Government quarries are remunerative?

The exact number of Government-owned quarries in Trinidad is not stated in the records available at the Colonial Office, but the total number of quarries worked in the island was 76 in the year 1928. During the same year the daily average number of per- sons employed was, in private quarries, 431, and in Government quarries 382, a total of 813. I am not aware whether the Government quarries are remunerative, but the value of the products obtained from them in 1928 was £9,613.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what are the nature and duration of the facilities granted to Pan-American Airways for the operation of American air services in Trinidad; whether he is aware that while American machines are flying over British West Indian routes not a single British machine is in operation; and What steps are being taken to amend this state of things?

As regards the first part of the question, the Governor of Trinidad has granted for a period of six months, subject to renewal, a special and temporary authorisation permitting aircraft of Pan-American Airways to fly over and land in the Colony on flights from the United States of America to the Colony and to South America and back. Permission to erect and operate a wireless telegraph station, to extend the jetty at Cocorite and to reclaim a portion of the foreshore has also been given. As regards the second and last parts of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my remarks during the course of the Air Estimates Debate on 18th March [OFFICIAL REPORT, Columns 1999, 2022–3], and would add that the possibility of establishing a British air service in that area is still being explored.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has recently considered the sentence passed on Norman Dinsdale, of Blythe Street, Listerhills, Bradford, aged 10 years, who was sentenced to be detained in an industrial school for a period of six years; and whether, in view of this boy's previous school record, he will consider any modification in his sentence?

The attention of the Home Office was called to this case in May last, when the boy referred to was ordered to be sent to a residential school under the provisions of the Children Act. Careful inquiry was made, with the re- suit that there was found to be no reason for interfering with the decision of the Court. Further inquiry has been made as to the boy's progress at school and he appears to be improving both in physical condition and in other respects, but it is too soon for the managers to be able to say when the boy can be allowed to leave the school. This will depend on his future progress, which will be carefully watched.

asked the Home Secretary the number of accidents that have occurred in tunnels and on bridges during each of the last 10 years, together with the number of casualties and fatalities in each case; and any other relevant information?

Accidents in tunnels and on bridges do not come under the Factory Acts and are not notifiable to my Department. I regret, therefore, that I am unable to supply this information.

asked the Minister of Transport the amount of money borrowed by temporary loans by the Central Electricity Board under the Electricity Supply Act, 1926; and whether the Board has so far issued any loans under the above Act?

The Balance Sheet of the Central Electricity Board as at 31st December, 1929, is not yet available. The previous Balance Sheet showed that at 31st December, 1928, the amount of money borrowed temporarily by the Board was £339,000. Since that date, the Board has created and issued £3,000,000 Central Electricity 4 per cent. Stock 1959/1989 and £7,000,000 Central Electricity 5 per cent. Stock 1950/1970.

asked the Minister of Transport whether in view of the delay in the negotiations between the Northumberland County Council and the Wylam Bridge Company, he can see his way to offer arbitration between these two parties and so expedite proceedings?

I should be happy to do what I can to facilitate these negotiations should my intervention be desired by both parties.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the discontinuance of the passenger service by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company on the single line system from Knott End to Garstang; and whether he will take steps, in view of the public inconvenience and the protest of the Presall Urban District Council, to get this decision modified?

I am informed by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company that in consequence of the development of competitive road services the volume of passenger traffic on this line has been reduced to such an extent that its continuance would be uneconomical. The company have decided, therefore, to withdraw the passenger train service as from 31st March, but they state that arrangements have been made for an adequate road service for passengers. I have no powers to require the company to continue their rail service.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to announce the results of the preliminary engineering survey by the electricity commissioners of Northern and Southern Scotland; and whether a scheme for extending the main transmission lines into the Highlands and other rural areas of Scotland has yet been framed or is now in course of preparation?

The Electricity Commissioners have informed me that they have riot yet come to a conclusion as to whether a scheme under the Act of 1926 for extending the main transmission lines into the Highlands and other rural areas of Scotland will be-economically practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual liability falling upon his Department or upon the Treasury to meet public expenses in connection with the Agricultural Credits (Scotland) Act, 1929; and what is the amount of public money that has been expended to date under that Act?

Provision is made in the Estimate of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland for £1,750 as the annual contribution towards the cost of the administration of the company to be formed under Part I of the Act to undertake the making of loans in terms of the Act. The company has not yet been formed, and no public money has so far been expended under the Act.