asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of officers, men, and boys on the books of His Majesty's ships or in training as at the last convenient date?

The numbers borne on Vote A on 15th March, 1930, were as follow:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of men promoted each year under the new mate scheme of 1920; the number who have left the service; and for what reasons?

The particulars are as follow:

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the construction of the Western Avenue during the current year; and what progress he hopes to make during the financial year 1930–31?

The section of the Western Avenue between Acton and Greenford, 4.83 miles in length, was completed and opened to traffic during the financial year 1929–30. It is expected that the construction of a second carriageway between Old Oak Common Lane and the Approach, Acton, will be put in hand at an early date. In addition, the county council are preparing plans for the construction of a further section of this road west of Greenford.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make representations to the Eton Rural District Council to accelerate the widening of the road in the parish of Burnham, known as Windsor Lane, as this matter has been under consideration for three years, the lane is without a proper footpath, and has been the scene lately of serious accidents?

Plans had been prepared by the Eton Rural District Council for the widening of the greater part of Windsor Lane. The responsibility for the maintenance of this section of the road passed yesterday, however, to the Slough Urban District Council, and I understand that this authority will give early consideration to the question of proceeding with the work.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will consider the desirability of making Bond Street, London, a one-way street?

This point has already been considered but, having regard to the existing lay out of the area and the traffic movements within it, I do not think that it would be practicable or desirable to make Bond Street a one-way street. I understand that the Westminster City Council are of the same opinion.

asked the Minister of Transport the aggregate number of schemes laid by local authorities since June last before his Department for assistance in respect of the relief of unemployment; the aggregate outlay entailed by such schemes; the aggregate number of men who would be employed under them; and the number of such schemes sanctioned to date, their value, and the total number of men who will be employed?

I would refer the hon. Member to the information given in the White Paper (Cmd. 3519) which has recently been issued.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give particulars of the slum clearance schemes completed under the Housing Act, 1923, showing in each case the number of houses pulled down, the number of houses built, and the annual loss of the scheme per house built?

The following statement shows the desired particulars, so far as they are available, in respect of each completed slum clearance scheme

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that application has been made for the granting of a licence to sell intoxicating liquors in premises known as Riemy's Buildings, Princes in England and Wales which ranks for financial assistance under the Housing, etc., Act, 1923.Street, Suva, Fiji; that there are already five licensed houses in Suva; that a memorial, signed by a number of the inhabitants, objecting to a licence being granted was presented to the presiding magistrate of the licensing court; and whether arrangements will be made that this matter, which affects the native interest, shall not be carried through without the consent of the Secretary of State for the Colonies?

The Secretary of State was informed during last year that a conditional certificate for a licence had been granted by the acting chief police magistrate to an applicant in respect of a building in Princes Street, but has no more recent information. The licence, if granted, would not, of course, allow the sale of liquor to natives, which is prohibited under heavy penalties; and my Noble Friend is not prepared to interfere with the discretion of the local authorities in regard to the facilities to be granted for the purchase of liquor by non-natives.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the surplus in British Guiana at the end of the last financial year; and what is the estimated cost of repatriating those East Indian immigrants still entitled to return passages to India?

There was no surplus in British Guiana at the end of the last financial year. The total East Indian population remaining in British Guiana as at 31st December, 1928, was 126,964,

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what sums were received in payment of stamp duties on patent medicines during each of the last 10 years?

The figures for the 10 financial years ended 31st March, 1929, are given in Table No. 3, page 11, of the Twentieth Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (Com- including women and children. 520 East Indians, including women and children, were repatriated from British Guiana during 1929. As regards the cost of repatriating the remainder, which would, of course, depend on the number desiring repatriation and the willingness of India to receive them, the hon. Member has, perhaps, in mind the statement recently made by Lord Olivier in another place to the effect that this has been carefully calculated at £800,000. I am not in a position to substantiate this figure, but particulars will be obtained from the Governor and sent to the hon. Member, if he so desires.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the number of applications received from families for assisted passages to Canada and Australia for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and the number of approvals and sailing during the same period, including the number of individuals?

The following particulars cover applications from families for assisted passages to Canada and Australia during the 12 months ending 31st October last, which is the latest date up to which figures of sailings are available:mand Paper No. 3435). A provisional figure for the year ended 31st March, 1930, will appear in the Budget White Paper.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many persons visited the Palace of Westminster during the hours it was open to the public on each of the Saturdays in the current year; and the number of persons who were conducted personally by Members of the House of Commons over the Palace of Westminster on the same days?

I am informed by the Lord Great Chamberlain that the answer to the first part of the question is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture what answer, if any, he has received from the Freebridge Lynn Rural District Council to his letter informing them that he was not prepared to give his consent to their application to enclose common land at Gaywood, Norfolk, for the purpose of a refuse pit unless they add an equal area of land to the common and make that area available for a public recreation ground; and what further action he has taken in the matter since 27th January, 1930?

No reply has yet been received to the letter to which my hon. Friend refers, and consequently I have taken no further action in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any records, and can give particulars, of convictions recorded against omnibus drivers in the Metropolitan police district for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

During the 12 months ended 31st December, 1929, 419 convictions were recorded in the Metropolitan police district against stage carriage drivers for 18 different kinds of offences connected with driving their vehicles.