asked the Minister of Labour if she will supply complete quarterly average figures of wages in the silk and rayon industry for the years 1924 to 1929, inclusive?

In connection with the special inquiries into earnings, made by the Ministry of Labour in respect of the weeks ended 18th October, 1924, and 27th October, 1928, information was secured relating to a large part of the silk (including artificial silk) industry. The particulars obtained are set forth in an article which appeared in pages 352–354 of the October, 1929, issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. I regret that comparable figures for other years are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured persons classified as belonging to the building industry classified as unemployed in Great Britain at the last convenient date and the same figures for a year ago?

At 24th February, 1930, the number of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, classified as belonging to the building industry recorded as unemployed in Great Britain was 147,306, as compared with 199,330 at 25th February, 1929.

asked the Lord privy Seal what schemes for the relief

Nature of Scheme.	Estimated total cost.	Amount approved for Grant.	Approximate Exchequer Grant.	Still under consideration.	Refused	Remarks.
	£	£	£	£	£
Loan (Non-Transfer)—
Park	92,639	18,400	13,400	—	—	Full details of part of scheme estimated to cost £74,239 not yet available.
Water026;	82,000	64,000	24,000	—	—	Part of scheme estimated to cost £18,000 not accelerated.
Road ‖	7,500	6,268	3,745	—	—	Contributions amounting to £1,232 received from outside sources. Amount ranking for grant reduced accordingly.
New Gas Holder.	35,700	—	—	—	35,700	Not accelerated.
Recreation Ground.	2,450	—	—	—	2,450	Not accelerated.
Electricity	20,000	—	—	—	20,000	Not accelerated.
Wages (Non-Transfer)—
Aerodrome …	2,300	—	—	2,300	—	—
	242,58	88,668	41,145	2,300	58,150

As regards roads, the Plymouth City Council have submitted to the Ministry of Transport since June last eight schemes of road work estimated to cost £274,856. Grants amounting to £39,864 have been issued in respect of six of these schemes estimated to cost £74,056. The details of one other scheme estimated to cost £4,800 are awaited, and the Council have been informed that the remaining scheme estimated to cost £196,000 is not suitable for assistance from the Road Fund and have been advised to apply to the Unemployment Grants Committee.

The position in regard to the schemes of works submitted by the Plymouth City Council to the Unemployment Grants Committee since the 1st June, 1929, is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the Spey Bridge, Grantown-on-Spey, was closed for traffic on 21st August, 1929: that on 28th August last he received a resolution of the town council of Grantown-on-Spey asking him to issue an order to reopen the bridge for light vehicular traffic; that an application was also made to him by the County Councils of Inverness and Moray for an Order to reopen Spey Bridge to light vehicular traffic; and that on 24tb. October last the Ministry held a public inquiry in Gran- town-on-Spey on the said application; and why his decision has not been made public and communicated to the town council of Grantown-on-Spey, who were represented at the said public inquiry.

I decided in this case to make an Order in accordance with the application, and my decision was communicated to the County Councils of Moray and Inverness on the 11th February. A formal Order will be issued as soon as possible after the Department has been informed that the necessary warning boards are ready for erection at places to be approved, and, in accordance with the usual practice, copies of the Order will be sent to the County Councils, the Town Council of Grantown-on-Spey, and other interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can give any figures showing the amount of unemployment in India; whether there is any national unemployment or health insurance scheme in operation; and whether any is contemplated?

I am sending my honourable Friend a copy of a circular letter sent by the Government of India to the Provincial Governments in May, 1926, and a copy of questions and answers in the Indian Legislative Assembly on 25th September, 1929, which contain the latest available information on the subject of unemployment in India. There is no unemployment or health insurance scheme in operation. The Government of India have recently been in communication with the Provincial Governments as to the possibility of introducing a health insurance scheme, but, as far as I know, no early action in the matter is contemplated.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many separate transfers in connection with the sale of stocks and shares in joint stock companies in the United Kingdom were stamped for revenue purposes during the 12 months ended 31st December, 1929; of the total transfers stamped for revenue how many were special transfers whereby nominees were registered by companies for the nominal stamp duty of 10s. irrespective of the value of the shares; and what was the value of shares transferred to persons acting as nominees?

I regret that I am unable to furnish this information. The only particulars available in regard to the Stamp Duty on transfers are those published in the annual reports of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, the latest figures of which will be found in the table on page 44 of the 72nd Report just published (Command Paper 3500).

asked the Minister of Pensions the number of widows and orphans in the Irish Free State in receipt of British War pensions; and the aggregate amount of such pensions at the latest convenient date?

The records of the Ministry are not kept on a geographical basis and the information asked for in the question cannot, therefore, be given with any degree of precision. It has been estimated, however, that there are about 6,000 widows and children in receipt of War pensions in the area of the Irish Free State and that the aggregate amount of their pensions is in the neighbourhood of £325,000 a year.