asked the Minister of Health whether he will provide a Return showing the results of the working of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, with particulars of the public expenditure incurred, recoverable, and not recoverable, and giving the figures for the various counties separately?

I am having a statement prepared and will send it to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health, up to the latest date for which figures are now available, the number of dwellings in England and Wales for which assistance has been promised under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, and the number of houses completed each month during 1930 to date under the same Act in agricultural parishes?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the figures given in reply to a question on the subject of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act by the hon. Member for Hereford (Mr. Owen) on the 27th ultimo. The particulars for which he asks are not yet available for any period subsequent to 31st, December last.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can furnish any information giving typical instances of the rents which are now being paid in town and country of houses erected by local authorities under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924?

Particulars of rents charged for houses provided under the Housing Act, 1924, are not furnished to my Department and I am, therefore, unable to give anything like an average figure of rent. I can say, however, that rents round about 7s. or 8s. a week exclusive of rates seem to be fairly common in town areas. Rents charged in country areas vary considerably and no general figures can, I am afraid, be given.

asked the Minister of Health the average superficial area for A-type houses erected by local authorities in England and Wales under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, during January and February, 1930?

The average superficial area of A-type houses included in contracts let by or in direct labour schemes of local authorities in England and Wales during January, 1930, was 749 square feet and during February, 1930, 772 square feet.

asked the Minister of Health the average price of parlour and non-parlour houses let by or in direct labour schemes by local authorities during January and February, 1930, and the number of houses completed and the number authorised for the same months under the Housing Acts, 1923 and 1924, and the number of houses erected without State assistance of a rateable value not exceeding £78, or £105 in the Metropolitan police district, erected during the six months ended February last, or other convenient period, without State assistance; and also in respect of all such matters the same information for similar periods 12 months previously?

The following statement gives the desired particulars in respect of State assisted houses in England and Wales. Returns as to houses erected without State assistance which fall within the limits of rateable values specified are obtained half-yearly only to March and September respectively. The number of such houses erected during

Month.		Number of houses included in schemes under the Housing, etc., Act, 1923.		Number of houses included in schemes under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924.		Average price of houses included in contracts let by or in direct labour schemes of local authorities during each month.
		Completed during the month.	Authorised during the month.	Completed during the month.	Authorised during the month.	Non-parlour houses.	Parlour houses.
1929.						£	£
January	…	3,198	2,360	3,932	5,279	341	422
February	…	2,785	6,306	2,299	4,882	344	393
1930.		*	*
January	…	—	—	3,073	4,273	321	434
February	…	—	—	4,009	4,283	346	416
* NOTE.—Assistance under the Housing, etc., Act. 1923, was, by Order dated 19th December, 1928, discontinued except for houses completed by 30th September, 1929.

asked the Minister of Health the number of new houses which have been erected since the 2nd April, 1919, to the cost of which no grant of public money is contributed under any of the Housing Acts?

Complete particulasr for the whole of the period in question are not available, but the estimated number of houses of a rateable value not exceeding £78 (or £105 in the Metropolitan Police district) erected between 1st January, 1919, and 30th September, 1929, without State assistance is 484,225.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons who now live in Lancaster in houses in respect of which closing and demolition orders have been made respectively?

I am informed that the number of persons living in Lancaster in houses in respect of which closing and demolition orders have been made is in each case 31.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to a resolution which was unanimously passed by the parish the six months ended 30th September last was 38,298, and the corresponding number for the six months ended 30th September, 1928, was 31,955.council of West Wickham on the 6th instant regarding the proposed erection of shops on and adjoining to the Kingston-Swanley traffic road at Park Langley, West Wickham; and whether he proposes to take any action on this resolution?

A copy of the resolution has been sent to me. As intimated in my reply to a question by the hon. Member on the 30th January last, I understand that the Bromley Rural District Council have given permission for the erection of the shops, and I do not consider that I can take any useful action in the matter.

asked the Minister of Health when a public inquiry was held into the preliminary statement of the Bromley Rural District Council, under the Town Planning Act; where the inquiry was held; whether public notice of the inquiry was given; and whether any copy of the evidence given and the conclusions arrived at can be obtained or inspected?

The public inquiry into the preliminary statement of the Bromley Rural District Council was held at the Council Offices, Orpington, on 20th July, 1927, and public notice was given in the local Press and posted in the district. I do not know of any publication of the evidence except what was contained in the Press. Comments on the proposals were communicated to the Council in March, 1928, and further consideration and negotiations on a number of matters have since been proceeding.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in many parts of London pressure has been exercised by employers of labour to get their employés vaccinated and that in several instances this action has been taken at the request of the local medical officer of health; and whether, in view of the fact that the cases of small-pox notified this year are for the most part so mild that in other countries they would not be diagnosed as small-pox at all, he will issue an order requesting medical officers of health not to press vaccination as they have been doing hitherto?

I have no information as to the first part of the question, but I am aware that it is the practice of medical officers of health to advise the vaccination or revaccination of persons who have been in contact with small-pox, and it is probable that they have given this advice to employers of labour. As regards the second part of the question, I do not think that I should be justified in taking any action to interfere with the discretion of medical officers of health in this matter.

asked the Minister of Health how many death certificates were received during the year 1929 on which were the words "vaccinations," "vaccinia," or "post-vaccinal encephalitis"; what were the ages of these cases; and in how many other cases was vaccination associated with the cause of death without that fact being mentioned on the death certificate?

During the year 1929, 23 deaths were registered in England and Wales in which the words "vaccination," "vaccinia," or "post-vaccinal encephalitis" appeared in the medical or coroner's certificate. In one of these cases, however, the reference on the certificate to these conditions takes the form of a statement that they were not responsible for the death. The ages of the deceased were respectively four weeks, two months, four months, five months (four cases), six months (two cases), seven months, two years, five years, eight years, nine years, 10 years, 12 years, 14 years (two cases), 16 years, 17 years, 26 years, 31 years and 46 years. 14 other cases were brought to the notice of my Department in which death occurred within four weeks of vaccination. In at least nine of these there is no reason to think that vaccination contributed in any way to the fatal issue.

asked the Minister of Health whether in view of the possible danger in the practice of vaccination as disclosed in Official Reports and medical articles and speeches, he will introduce a Measure that will make the practice of vaccination entirely optional?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave him on this subject on the 13th instant.

asked the Minister of Health whether seeing that there is an increase in the number of persons in receipt of unemployment benefit, there has been a corresponding decrease of the numbers of persons in receipt of out-door Poor Law relief; and can he give the numbers of persons in receipt of out-door Poor Law relief at the end of February, 1929, and at the end of February, 1930?

From January, 1929, to January, 1930, the average number of persons in receipt of outdoor Poor Law relief decreased from 902,840 to 870,428, the lowest average number (807,812) during that period being recorded in September, 1929. Corresponding particulars for February, 1930, are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Health whether in connection with the provisional grants he has recently approved as calculated to be paid under the Local Government Act, 1929, in respect of the year ending 31st March, 1921, to the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich there is any loss to the borough; whether the amount of the gain for such borough resulting from the operations of Part I, V and VI of the Act, apart from the guarantee under Section 100; and whether, in connection with such grants so paid to such borough, due consideration has been given to the cost of vaccination, registration, quinquennial valuation, assessment committee, and maternity and child welfare work in the borough?

The provisional calculations which have been made under Section 100 of the Local Government Act, 1929, disclose that the operation of Parts I, V and VI of the Act would, apart from Section 100, result in a gain in each of the three separately rated areas comprised in the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich. The aggregate gain of those areas, apart from Section 100, is £8,300 approximately. In the provisional calculation of the amount of the Exchequer grant payable under the Act to the council of the Metropolitan Borough of Woolwich due account has been taken of functions transferred under the Act to the Council as from 1st April, 1930, and of changes made by the Act as respects maternity and child welfare work.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to introduce a Bill for the further equalisation of rates in London?

The introduction of such a measure is not in contemplation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received complaints regarding the delay in paying out sickness benefits in respect of national health insurance; and is he aware that it is the practice of certain approved societies to instruct their agents in small districts to wait until they themselves have collected the necessary money in the ordinary course of their business before paying claims, in- stead of submitting the necessary claims to their society which should send them the money directly the claims are allowed?

Isolated complaints of delay in the payment of sickness benefit are received from time to time, but I have no reason to think that in general there is any avoidable delay in paying to insured persons the benefits to which they are entitled. As regards the second part of the question, I have no knowledge of any such practice as is referred to by the hon. and gallant Member, but if he will send me particulars of any case which may have come to his notice I will have it investigated.

asked the Minister of Health, for the year ending December, 1929, the number of applications which have been received for admission to the insurance section of the deposit contributors' fund in accordance with Section 11 of the National Health Insurance Act, 1928, and the number of such applications which have been accepted and rejected, respectively, with details of the causes of such rejection?

During 1929 the number of applications received for admission to the insurance section of the Deposit Contributors Fund, in England and Wales, was 12,697 of which 6,176 were accepted and 6,521 rejected. Figures are not available as to the number of rejections in each of the various categories, and considerable labour would be involved in extracting such information. Examination of a sample of the rejected cases shows, however, that about 90 per cent. of the applicants furnished no evidence that the state of their health was such that they were unable to obtain admission to an approved society, while the remaining 10 per cent. were found to be ineligible for admission by reason of not satisfying the qualifying conditions.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what educational courses are provided at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich; the maximum number of students which can be taught at each course; the number of entries for each course; the total cost of such courses for each of the last three years for which statistics are available; and if the vaccines used in the Navy are produced at this establishment?

The following courses of an educational or partly educational nature are held at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich:

	Number in course (1929–30 Session).
Advanced course for senior engineer officers	10(estimated)
Advanced course for engineer officers, 2nd year	5
Advanced course for engineer officers, 1st year	6
Advanced course for gunnery officers	4
Advanced course for torpedo officers	4
Advanced course for signal officers	4
Advanced course for constructors officers, 1st year	2
Advanced course for constructors officers, 2nd year	5
Advanced course for constructors officers, 3rd year	3
Advanced course for probationary assistant electrical engineer	3
Advanced course for school masters	12
Qualifying course for gunnery officers	11
Qualifying course for torpedo officers	4
Qualifying course for acting temporary instructor officers	*
Qualifying course for probationary 2nd lieutenants, Royal Marines	8
Qualifying course for candidates for corps commissions, Royal Marines	*
Qualifying course for acting mates (E)	4
Qualifying course for mates (General Service)	5
Course for acting sub-lieut-tenants:
(First term)	77 (5 classes)
(Second term)	49 (3 classes)
*No course being held this session.

NOTE.—Qualifyinc courses for signal and anti-submarine officers are also formed. when required.The numbers undergoing courses in the present session are shown against each course. So far as instruction is concerned, a maximum of 15 officers could be taken at each of these courses, except the acting sub-lieutenant's courses, at which a maximum of 18 could be taken in each class. The total number under instruction at any time would, however, be limited by the accommodation available at the college. In addition to the courses mentioned above, professional courses are held at the Royal Naval War College, Royal Naval Staff College and the Royal Naval Medical School, all of which are accommodated in the same group of buildings. The amounts included in the Estimates for the courses at Greenwich, exclusive of the Staff and War Colleges and the Medical School for the years 1928, 1929 and 1930, are as follow:

					£
1928	…	…	…	…	78,500
1929	…	…	…	…	78,130
1930	…	…	…	…	77,900

Vaccines used in the Navy are produced at the Medical School, Greenwich, except the anti-small-pox lymph.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of further reductions being made in the personnel of the Royal Navy, he will give an opportunity to those ratings who so desire, and who have employment in civil life to go to, voluntarily to take their discharge, which they otherwise have to secure by purchase?

It is anticipated that the necessary reductions of personnel can be effected by ordinary wastage, and that the need for any exceptional discharge scheme will not arise.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware of the delay, often running into months, of the promotion of certain naval commissioned officers from warrant rank into vacancies for the rank of lieutenant caused by death or retirement; and if he will cause steps to be taken to see that the military and shipwright commissioned officers from warrant rank are gazetted to vacant lieutenancies with the same promptitude that applies when vacancies are filled in the other branches of the warrant rank?

I am not aware of any such delays as the hon. Member refers to. No promotions are or will ever be made without proper consideration being given to each case and when made are dated back to the date of the vacancy.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many chief writers of the Portsmouth Port Division were drafted to foreign service and Atlantic Fleet during the year 1st January to 31st December, 1929?

The answer is, 13 to foreign service, four to Atlantic Fleet.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty on what principle home service is carried out when Portsmouth chief writers who are tenth, twelfth and sixteenth on the roster for sea service are drafted before those who are first to ninth, and so on, on the same roster; and when the man who is fifteenth on the chief writer's roster for sea service will be drafted to the Atlantic Fleet, and how much longer he will serve at home than the rating who was sixteenth on the roster and was drafted out of his turn to foreign service?

The principle on which drafting is carried out from the roster is to ensure that all ratings receive as far as possible a fair share of each description of service. I am afaid that it is not possible to answer the last part of the question, as drafting requirements are governed by unforeseen vacancies which arise from various causes.

asked the President of the Board of Education if any instructions are issued by his Department to local education authorities generally with the object of promoting athletic associations among elementary and secondary school children?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a pamphlet which I have just issued, impressing upon authorities the importance of providing adequate facilities for games and sports for all school children, and containing suggestions for their organisation. As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, playing fields are regarded as a normal adjunct of new senior schools.

asked the President of the Board of Education the names of the 53 areas in which, but for the provision in Article V of the Grant Regulations, the grants would have fallen short of one-half of the net expenditure?

The following are the names of the 53 areas in which, but for the provision in. Article V of Grant Regulations, No. 1, the elementary education grants for 1927–28 would have fallen short of one-half of the net expenditure:

Counties.
London.	Surrey.
Herts.	Sussex, East.
Middlesex.	Westmorland.
Rutland.	Radnor.
County Boroughs.
Blackpool.	Huddersfield.
Bournemouth.	Manchester.
Bradford.	Oxford,
Brighton.	Southend-on-Sea.
Eastbourne.	Southport.
Halifax.	Wallasey,
Hastings.
Boroughs.
Acton.	Reigate.
Aldershot.	Richmond.
Bedford.	Royal Leamington Spa.
Bexhill.
Bridlington.	Scarborough.
Bromley.	Sutton Coldfield.
Buxton.	Torquay.
Ealing.	Tunbridge Wells.
Folkestone.	Wimbledon.
Guildford.	Winchester.
Harrogate.	Worthing.
Hornsey.	Urban Districts.
Hove.	Beckenham.
Lytham St. Annes.	Brentford and Chiswick
Margate.
Morecambe and	Finchley
Heysham.	Hendon.
Nelson.	Stretford.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many additional teachers will be needed if the school-leaving age is raised to 15; how many additional teachers will have passed through the training colleges or the university training departments by 1st April, 1931, by 1st July, 1931, and by 1st July, 1932, respectively; and how many additional teachers can be obtained by the retention or recall of married women teachers, and the retention of teachers over 60 years of age, in April, 1931?

The information received from local education authorities is not 3 et sufficient to enable me to give an estimate of the total number of additional teachers that will be needed when the school-leaving age is raised to 15. No additional teachers will have passed through the training colleges or university training departments by 1st April, 1931; but the raising of the leaving age as from that date will not create any appreciable demand for additional staff until after the summer holidays. The output of trained teachers in the summer of 1931 is expected to exceed the output for 1930 by about 1,400, but it is not yet possible to give the numbers for 1932. Although the number of additional teachers who can be obtained by the retention or recall of married women teachers and the retention of teachers over 60 years of age cannot be given, the Board's records show that there must be a considerable number available. A large number of women teachers give up teaching for causes (including marriage) which do not involve a superannuation award, and while a certain number resume service after a break, the excess of the former number over the latter has been more than 2,500 in each of the last few years. Further, between 1,100 and 1,400 certificated teachers (men and women) have retired on pension each year before the age of 65.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of permits granted to aliens to follow remunerative employment in this country during 1929 and up to date, if possible, and their nationality?

The number of Ministry of Labour permits granted to aliens to enable them to follow remunerative employment in this country during 1929, was 8,770, and during 1930 up to 21st March, was 1,728. The country of origin is shown in the following statement:

asked the Ministry of Labour what number of permits have been issued in 1930 to nationals of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics for the purpose of instruction with British industrial concerns; and what number are in Great Britain at the present time?

No permits have been issued by my Department in 1930 to enable nationals of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics to receive in- struction with British industrial concerns, and, so far as is known, there are no nationals of that Government at present in this country with Ministry of Labour permits for the purpose referred to.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in respect of the alien women and girls admitted into this country for domestic service, any system of supervision and inspection of the conditions under which they live and work is in force; and, if so, whether any complaints or adverse reports have been made?

Special investigation of the conditions under which a female alien domestic servant would work

The number of bands composed of alien musicians to whom permission has been given to enter this country since the 1st June, 1926, together with the number of weeks covered by the permissions (including extensions) given are shown in the following statement:
Period.	Stage Bands.		Restaurant and Dance Bands.		Total.
	No.	Weeks covered by permission granted period.	No.	Weeks covered by permission granted in period.	No.	Week covered by permission granted in period.
1st June, 1926 to 31st May, 1927.	4	61	5	132	9	193
1st June, 1927 to 31st May 1928.	1	13	7	121	8	134
1st June, 1928 to 31st May, 1929.	4	64	5	137	9	201
1st June, 1929 to 22nd March, 1930.	6	45	6	132	12	177

There has been no change in the rules applied in this connection. It is the rule not to admit foreign bands to play in this country unless they present some special feature or evidence of outstanding ability. In general they are admitted for limited periods only, in some there are at present in the country only three foreign bands admitted under permits. An employer desiring to bring in a complete band to play for dancing is required to engage, or to continue to engage, a British band of equivalent size, and the augmentation of a British dance band by the introduction of alien musicians of outstanding ability is permitted up to only about 25 per cent., and subject to the condition that no British player is discharged to make room for is made before a permit is issued when circumstances indicate that such a course is desirable. There is no system in operation of regular inspection aster the issue of a permit and the last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister of Labour now many bands composed of alien musicians have been permitted to enter this country since the present Government came into office; and what were the corresponding numbers in the previous three years?

, pursuant to her reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 30th January, 1930; col. 1153, Vol. 234], supplied the following statement: the aliens. According to my information, British entertainment artistes obtain engagements to a very considerable extent in foreign countries and it is necessary to have regard to this fact in deciding the limits within which alien musicians are to be admitted into this country.

asked the Home Secretary the number of undesirable aliens who have been deported since the beginning of this year, giving some indication of the causes for which they have been deported?

From, the beginning of this year to the end of February, the latest date for which figures are available, 22 undesirable aliens had been deported. They had all been convicted by a Court, 10 for irregularly entering the country and 12 for various other criminal offences.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of establishments that were on the trade board list at 31st December, 1929; the number of these establishments that have been inspected during 1929; and what was the percentage of the total inspected establishments during that period?

The number of establishments on trade boards lists at 31st December, 1929, was 101,330; the number of these establishments inspected during 1929 was 15,289, the percentage of inspected establishments thus being 15.1 per cent. of the total.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in receipt of Poor Law relief but not in receipt of unemployment benefit who are on the live register; and whether there is any understanding between the Employment Exchanges and the boards of guardians that recipients of Poor Law relief shall be included in this total?

It is estimated on the basis of a 10 per cent. sample that at 17th February, 1930, the latest date for which figures are available, there were approximately 51,000 unemployed men ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation in receipt of outdoor Poor Law relief but not in receipt of unemployment benefit on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain. Poor Law authorities in general require such applicants for outdoor relief to register for employment at an Employment Exchange.

asked the Minister of Labour if she is aware that Mr. William Paton, Inchinnan, Renfrewshire, has been deprived for seven weeks of unemployment insurance benefit, of 24s. a week, on the grounds that he had accepted spare-time employment at a weekly remuneration of 14s. 8d. as village lamp- lighter under His Majesty's Office of Works; that the manager of the local Employment Exchange office had assured him before he accepted the job that such spare-time work would not deprive him of benefit; and that the court of referees at Paisley had upheld the disallowance and has refused the applicant leave to appeal; and what action she now proposes to take in the matter?

Unemployment benefit was disallowed in the case on the ground that the claimant was not unemployed as the subsidiary occupation could not be performed by him in addition to and outside the hours of his normal occupation. and I have no power to intervene in the matter. The statement in the second part of the question is not in accordance with my information. I understand that the claimant was informed that the decision was a matter for the statutory authorities.

asked the Minister of Labour the nature of any decisions given by the statutory authorities in the case of unemployed union workers who have refused to take up non-union work of a precisely similar character to that on which they are usually engaged; how many such cases have been decided in favour of the men; and in how many the benefit has been withheld on the ground that the employés are not genuinely seeking work?

It has been held by the Umpire, whose decisions are final, that employment which is otherwise suitable is not rendered unsuitable merely because it is employment with a firm employing non-union workmen. The employment would, however, be unsuitable if it was one of the conditions that the worker should relinquish trade union membership. With regard to the second and third parts of the question, no statistics are available.

asked the Minister of Labour whether her attention has been drawn to the fact that insurance officers are refusing unemployment benefit to persons who have been dismissed from their employment because they refuse to work overtime at a period when so many people are unemployed; and whether she proposes to issue instructions prohibiting refusal of benefit on this ground?

My attention has not been called to any such cases. The question whether a worker who is discharged for refusing to work overtime is entitled to receive unemployment benefit has to be determined in accordance with Section 8 of the Act of 1920, as interpreted by the decisions of the Umpire. Important considerations are whether there was real need for the services of the workman and whether liability to work overtime was part of the implied contract of service; but the decision must depend largely on the facts of the individual case. With regard to the last part of the question, I would remind my Noble Friend that I have no authority to issue instructions to insurance officers.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any juvenile labour from distressed areas has been placed in employment in the Rochdale, Oldham, and Manchester area; and, if so, will she give the figures and the work in which they were placed?

Six boys and two girls have been transferred from the de-

AVERAGE NUMBERS of PERCENTAGE of INSURED WORKPEOPLE, aged 16 to 64 inclusive, unemployed in Great Britain in certain industries during the years 1924–25 and 1928–29.
Industry.	Average number unemployed.		Estimated numbers insured at July, 1924.	Average percentage unemployed, July, 1924, to June, 1925.	Estimated numbers insured at July, 1928.	Average percentage unemployed, July, 1928, to June, 1929.
	July, 1924, to June, 1925.	July, 1928, to June, 1929.
Motor vehicles, cycles and aircraft.	15,419	17,090	199,600	7·7	232,560	7·3
Musical instruments	1,357	1,532	19,220	7·1	26,130	5·8
Lace	3,617	1,430	19,380	18·7	17,070	8·4
Silk and artificial silk	2,792	7,152	40,370	6·9	69,770	10·2
Watches, clocks, plate, jewellery, etc.	5,297	3,065	46,430	11·4	42,650	7·2

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware that unemployed women living at Walker, Newcastle-on-Tyne, have to go to the Wallsend or Heaton Exchange in order to register; that this involves many of these women walking in going and returning a distance of four to six miles; and whether she will make arrangements whereby pressed areas to employment in Rochdale; of the boys, four were placed in hotel service as page boys and two as little piecers in the cotton industry. The girls were placed in domestic employment. No boys have been transferred to Oldham but one girl was placed there in domestic employment. Three boys and 16 girls have been transferred to Manchester. Two of the boys were placed in the electrical trade and one in bedding manufacture. The girls were placed in domestic employment.

asked the Minister of Labour the average monthly number and percentage of insured persons unemployed in the 12 months July, 1924, to June, 1925, and in the 12 months July, 1928, to June, 1929, in tie following groups of industries: construction and repair of motor vehicles, etc., musical instruments, clocks, watches, plate, etc., lace, silk, artificial silk respectively?

Tie following statement gives the in formation for which the hon. and gallant Gentleman asks.women may be allowed to register at the Employment Exchange at Welbeck Road?

Owing to the nature of the industries in the Walker area, women residing there must for the most part go to Wallsend or Heaton in order to obtain employment. There has not hitherto been a women's department at the Walker Exchange and for reasons of space such a department could not be opened in the present premises. In the circumstances, I do not feel justified in opening new premises for the purpose.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of British ships is now laid up and how many individuals normally employed as crews for these ships are now unemployed?

The information available does not enable me to state what percentage of British ships is now laid up, but the following figures may assist the hon. and gallant Member in his inquiry. On 31st December, 1929, 18,062 vessels of 12,388,876 tons net were registered under Part I of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1894, at ports of the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands. On 1st January, 1930, according to information furnished by the Chamber of Shipping, 157 British vessels of 347,052 tons net were laid up in ports of the United Kingdom. It is understood that substantial additions to these totals have since been made, but definite figures for later dates are not available. No information is available as to the number of persons who would normally be employed on these particular vessels. On 24th February, the number of wholly unemployed seamen, aged 18 years or over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain was 21,143.

STATEMENT showing the numbers of animals used for experimental purposes at the Chemical Warfare Experimental Station, Porton, since 1921, and the number of such animals who were killed as a result of the experiments.
Numbers used.
Animals.		1921.	1922.	1923.	1924.	1925.	1926.	1927.	1928.	1929.	1930.	Totals.
Rabbits	…	5	103	256	445	474	385	86	190	134	32	2,110
Rats	…	1	173	85	166	11	—	—	—	—	—	436
Goats	…	—	41	24	3	38	3	2	5	40	6	162
Guinea	…	—	83	101	251	89	193	259	138	128	8	1,250
Cats	…	—	31	56	68	35	20	11	14	13	3	251
Monkeys	…	—	16	9	4	—	—	1	—	1	—	31
Mice	…	—	118	106	64	36	31	26	123	29	—	533
Horses	…	—	—	—	—	5	12	—	—	—	—	17
Canaries	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	24	16	—	40
Pigeons	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	30	16	—	46
Fowls	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	30	—	—	30
Sheep	…	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	—	2

asked the Minister of Labour whether she can state the number of ex-service men employed as temporary officials in the Employment Exchanges; the total number of temporary officials (male) employed; and the number of ex-service men whose applications for such positions are still before the Department?

The temporary male staff in Employment Exchanges on 14th March was 3,553, of whom 3,487 were ex-service men. Statistics of applications from ex-service men for temporary posts in Employment Exchanges are not kept. In filling these posts, recourse is first had to the lists maintained by the Joint Substitution Board.

asked the Secretary of State for War the numbers and kinds of animals that have been used in each year for experimental purposes at Porton chemical warfare laboratory since the establishment of the laboratory; and the number that have been killed each year as a result of the experiments?

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 259, Vol. 237], circulated the following:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the War Office is making experiments with poisonous gas on living animals; and, if so, what is the nature of the tests, on what animals are they made, and where is the experimental station?

Experiments with animals have been carried out for many years at the Chemical Warfare Experimental Station, Porton. The tests involved are designed to ascertain the efficacy of methods of defence against poisonous gases, and to evolve efficient methods for treating gas casualties. I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a Table showing the numbers and kinds of animals used for experimental purposes at Porton.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will supply complete quarterly average figures of prices in the silk and rayon industry, respectively, for the years 1924 to 1929?

I am afraid that the information available is incomplete and is not suited for comparison from period to period.

asked the Minister of Labour how wages paid in the artificial silk industry in France, Italy, Belgium, and Czechoslovakia compare with those paid in the British industry?

I regret that I have no recent statistics of wages paid in the artificial silk industry of France, Italy, Belgium and Czechoslovakia; but I will make inquiry of the International Labour Office and forward to the hon. and gallant Member any information that office may have available.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of ports in this country at which, on arrival of vessels, telephonic communication with such vessels can be immediately established?

A number of ship-owners in London, Belfast, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle and Southampton make use of the facilities described by the hon. Member.

asked the Postmaster-General the figures on which he bases his estimate that the all-in annual cost of a telephone in this country is £9.17, and the all-in annual cost of a telephone in the United States is £10.97?

The figures mentioned were derived from the annual report of the American Telephone and Telegraph Company for 1928, and from the Post Office Commercial Accounts for 1928–29. The mean number of telephones in the year was:

American Bell system	14,125,000
British Post Office system	1,665,000

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has inquired into the circumstances surrounding the cashing of a crossed cheque, value £5 10s., at the Charing Cross post office on 3rd September, by Albert Beer, who was subsequently convicted for forgery in respect of this and other transactions; whether he is satisfied that the post office officials did not, by their action in this case, infringe the regulations in force regarding the cashing of cheques; and, if not so satisfied, whether he will compensate the drawer of the cheque for his loss?

I am advised that in receiving payment of the cheque in question, on behalf of Albert Beer, my officers acted in good faith and without negligence, and, having regard to Section 82 of the Bills of Exchange Act, 1882, I am under no liability to the true owner of the cheque.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that, under the Hispano-American Postal Convention, postal rates between various South American countries and the United States are appreciably less than the corresponding rates between those countries and Great Britain; that these rates have stimulated correspondence between the United States and South America and the circulation in South America of printed matter, periodicals, etc., of United States origin; that Germany, France and Belgium have recognised the propagandist value of similar facilities and have taken advantage of Article 34 (1) of the Universal Postal Convention to reduce by 50 per cent. the printed paper rate on newspapers and periodicals posted directly by the pub- lishers to South America; and whether His Majesty's Government will take some action of this kind in order to assist British trade?

I am aware of the facts to which the hon. Member draws attention. The question of participation in this optional arrangement for granting a reduction of postage in favour of newspapers and periodicals posted directly by the publishers has been carefully considered on more than one occasion. The application of the reduced rate would, however, involve appreciably lower charges on newspapers, etc., despatched to distant foreign countries than on newspapers in the Inland Service, which are already unremunerative. The adoption of Article 34 (1) of the Postal Union Convention would also necessitate the application of the cheap rate not only to those countries in South America, which have adopted it, but to all the countries in the Union in which it is in force.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of paid calls and the revenue received from the wireless telephone service conducted by the Post Office with the liners "Majestic" and "Olympic" since the opening of the service?

As regards the "Majestic," there have been 44 paid calls, with a total revenue of £241 10s. The service to the "Olympic" commenced on Thursday, the 20th instant.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has any statistics and can state the number of letters sent and received by air mail during the six months ended to the last convenient date?

I regret the figures are not available in the form desired by the hon. Member; but for the six months ended 31st December, 1929, the carryings outward amounted to approximately 39,000 lbs., and inward to about 25,000 lbs.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of mail bag robberies that have taken place within the previous three months; whether any additional precautions have been introduced by his Department during the last six months for the protection of mail bags travelling by rail; and will he give particulars?

The number of mail bags lost or tampered with in course of transit during the three months ended 28th February was 23. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made on this subject in the course of the Debate on the Supplementary Estimate for the Post Office on 6th March.

asked the Postmaster-General if any steps can be taken to re-direct letters in accordance with the formal notification of change of address, as the present practice of delivering letters into the common letter-box of the building from which the addressees have removed frequently leads to their loss and consequent inconvenience to the firms concerned?

The standing practice of the Post Office is to limit official re-direction to cases in which the addressee is unable to make other arrangements for the redirection of his correspondence. I do not see my way to modify this general practice; but if the hon. Member will give me particulars of any cases he has in mind, I will have inquiry made

asked the Postmaster-General if he will provide telegraphic and money order facilities at the Post Office at Richard's Castle, Shropshire, in view of the distance of that place from any Post Office where these facilities can be obtained?

The amount of telegraph and money order business likely to be dealt with at Richard's Castle is extremely small, and I regret that the cost of providing the facilities asked for would not be justified. There is a telephone call office from which telegrams can be dictated.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the subject of Empire economic unity will form an item of I he agenda of the second Colonial Office Conference of Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories in June next?

The Colonial Office Conference will be occupied with questions of administration, and questions of policy such as that referred to by the hon. Member will be outside its functions.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the estimated annual cost to the British taxpayer involved in giving effect to the recommendation in paragraph 50 of Lord Olivier's Report on the West Indian sugar industry for purchase of the British West Indian sugar imported into this country at a guaranteed price of £15 per ton c.i.f.?

The Report of the West Indies Sugar Commission contemplated that the cost of this recommendation would fall on the British consumer and not on the taxpayer. The cost would vary with the current price of sugar and the quantity of sugar which the guaranteed price attracted. At present prices and for the whole crop of the West Indies and British Guiana alone the cost would be about £1,250,000. But the scheme obviously could not be confined to sugar from those territories alone to the exclusion of home-grown sugar and sugar from other parts of the Empire and the ultimate cost might well reach £5,000,000 or £6,000,000 a year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the estimated annual cost to the British taxpayer involved in giving effect at the present time to the recommendations of Sir Francis Watts For maintaining the sugar industry in Mauritius?

I have no reason to question the estimate given by Sir Francis Watts in paragraph 9 of his Report of the immediate cost of his recommendation, viz., about £235,000 for the present year. His recommendation included, however, a continuance of the payment for five years, and it is difficult to forecast either the amount of the production in the subsequent years, or the market price. Moreover, of course the subsidy could not be confined to the product of Mauritius to the exclusion of other Empire sugar.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the difficulties of inducing men to stay in the Kenya police force owing to the lack of prospects; and whether he will consider recommending the adoption of a pension system?

It appears from the latest Kenya Police Annual Report that a large number of African ranks take their discharge on becoming time-expired, and that the Commissioner of Police had put forward proposals with a view to increasing the popularity of police service and inducing the African ranks to remain in the force during the active years of their lives. One of these proposals was that pensions should be granted after long and satisfactory service, and a Bill has recently been introduced in the Legislative Council of Kenya which will make provision accordingly.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether it is the intention of the Government to appoint women on the committees of the Empire Marketing Board; and, if so, whom it is proposed to appoint?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am not yet in a position to announce the names of those whom it is proposed to appoint. There is already a woman representative on the Board's publicity committee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the large number of British subjects resident abroad for more than six months in the year, he will adopt the principle of distinguishing unearned from earned income of residents abroad and collect full tax from British subjects whose residence abroad is voluntary and not a result of employment abroad?

I am not sure that I appreciate the precise meaning of the hon. Member's question. But I may remind him that a British subject does not, by residence abroad for more than six months in the year, necessarily cease to be chargeable to Income Tax as a person residing in the United Kingdom in respect of his total income, wherever arising, and that, in general, income arising in the United Kingdom is chargeable to tax wherever the recipient is resident.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total net revenue derived from the taxation of tea, coffee, cocoa, and sugar for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and what would be the approximate increase on Income Tax and/or Super-tax that would be required to make up the loss of revenue if these duties were repealed?

The approximate total amount of revenue derived from the duties on tea, coffee, cocoa and sugar during the twelve months ended 28th February, 1930, was £14,857,000. My hon. Friend will find the latest available figures of the produce of Income Tax and Super-tax in the 72nd Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue which has just been published (Command Paper 3500).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether convent schools at which fees are charged for board and education are assessed for Schedule A property tax; and, if not, whether he will consider taking steps to place them on the same basis as other private educational establishments?

The Income Tax Acts draw no distinction between convent schools and other educational establishments.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Income Tax which is represented approximately by the national outlay on social services?

The hon. Member will find figures relating to expenditure on social services in House of Commons Paper 101 of 29th April, 1929. The yield of 1d. Income Tax for the year 1928–29 was £4,850,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been drawn to the practice of certain collectors of taxes in assessing the annual values of properties outside the London area for the purposes of Income Tax under Schedule A upon the valuations carried out under the Rating and Valuation Act, 1925; and whether he will take steps to make it clear to these officials that this is a breach of Section 1 (3) of the Finance Act, 1929?

If the hon. Member will furnish me with particulars of any cases in which he considers that a breach of the law has been committed, I will cause inquiry to be made into them.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what sums have been paid by this country on account of the debt to America since 31st March, 1929; and whether any further sum will be paid during the present financial year:(2) what sums have been received by this country since 31st March, 1929; and whether any further sums are expected to be received during the present financial year, on account of War debts from France, from Italy and from other countries, and on account of reparations from Germany, respectively?

The sum of £33,000,000 has been paid by this country on account of the British War debt to the United States Government since 31st March, 1929, and no further sum is payable during the present financial year. To cover this payment £10,000,000 has been received from France, £4,000,000 from Italy, and £1,000,000 from other countries on account of War debt, or £15,000,000 in all, and £18,000,000 in respect of German reparation under the Young Plan. In addition, £1,415,000, making a total of £34,415,000, has been received from France, Belgium and Italy under the Hague Protocol of 31st August, 1929. There will be no further such receipts during the present financial year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the yield of the Stamp Duty on foreign bond issues for each of the last three financial years?

The net receipt of Stamp Duty on foreign bonds amounted to £706,000 in the year 1926, £897,000 in the year 1927, and £935,000 in the year 1928. These figures cover not only foreign issues in this country but also foreign bonds issued abroad and subsequently negotiated in this country.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give particulars as to Albert Smith, aged 18, who died in prison whilst on remand, having been arrested with others for sleeping out on the Embankment towards the end of February?

Yes, and I will send particulars to my hon. Friend.

asked the Home Secretary if he is considering the introduction of legislation to deal with the practice whereby Justices of the Peace receive payment for loss of time entailed by their magisterial duties from organisations of which they are members?

Not at present.

asked the Home Secretary how many accidents occurred by the use of cranes during the years 1927, 1928, and 1929, respectively; how many proved fatal; how many were due to overloading; and what action he proposes to take to avoid such risks in the future?

The total number of accidents caused by lifting machinery of all kinds is given each year in the tables published at the end of the Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Factories, but I regret that the number of accidents due to use of cranes in particular cannot be separately given. Cases of crane failures have, however, been specially tabulated during the last three years, and are set out in the following table:

Year.		Number of Crane failures.	Cases causing fatal accidents.	Failures definitely assigned to overloading.
1927	…	75	16	2
1928	…	77	13	4
1929	…	90	19	7

Both the Building and the Docks Regulations contain special provisions relating to cranes; and as regards the building industry, steps are about to be taken by means of amendments to the existing Regulations to adopt further precautions, which have been agreed at recent conferences with the employers' and workers' representatives and with the crane manufacturers, and in particular to apply the specified standard of the British Engineering Standards Association to new cranes used on building operations, and to bring up existing cranes, so far as practicable, to the same standard. As regards other industries, the association are engaged in drawing up specifications relating to other types of cranes, and these standards, when available, should lead to a general improvement. Certain precautions against accidents from cranes, which will be applicable to all industries, will also be included in the Factories Bill.

asked the hon. Member for Houghton-le-Spring, as representing the Charity Commissioners, what steps, if any, are taken by the Charity Commissioners to secure the payment of such moneys as appear to be due to the Yaxham Parish Council from those administering such charities prior to the making of the recent award?

The Charity Commissioners have no knowledge of any sums due to the Yaxham Parish Council from those administering the charities prior to the establishment of the recent scheme, and have therefore taken no steps to secure their payment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered the scheme submitted to him by the Billinghay North district drainage authority; and what decision has been arrived at?

The scheme to which the hon. Baronet refers has been approved, and a grant of 75 per cent. of the wages bill will be made from the funds of the Ministry, subject to the scheme being carried out to the satisfaction of the Ministry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has had any applications for the improvement of English fishing harbours by dredging; and what steps is he taking to help these harbours?

Inquiries have been received by the Ministry from time to time as to the possibility of financial assistance for the dredging of Whitby Harbour, but I am afraid that a Government grant-in-aid of such work there could not be justified on fishery grounds, Dredging has also been included in applications for assistance from Bridlington and Newlyn. The application from Newlyn is at present under consideration. In the case of Bridlington, a grant not exceeding £7,000 has been sanctioned in aid of the reconstruction and extension of a jetty, and the construction of a landing shelter at the south pier, but it was considered that the cost of dredging should be defrayed by the Harbour Commissioners.