asked the Minister of Health the estimated annual amounts by which, in virtue of the Local Government Act, values in respect of agricultural hereditaments, industrial hereditaments, and transport hereditaments, respectively, have been reduced in the county boroughs

Name of County Borough.		Estimated loss of rateable value due to the operation of Part V of the Local Government Act, 1929.				Estimated loss of second half of 1929–30
		Agricultural hereditaments.	Industrial hereditaments.	Freight transport hereditaments.	Total.
		£	£	£	£	£
Birmingham	…	9,008	690,138	78,981	778,127	280,000
Bradford	…	6,375	366,975	26,184	399,534	140,000
Bristol	…	4,949	211,236	64,731	280,916	85,000
Leeds	…	7,737	299,265	32,568	339,570	130,000
Liverpool	…	4,807	334,203	255,873	594,883	210,000
Manchester	…	1,587	408,900	138,075	548,562	180,000
Newcastle-on-Tyne	…	1,268	155,892	49,704	206,864	60,000
Sheffield	…	5,423	348,498	36,288	390,209	160,000
Cardiff	…	2,900	83.310	91,194	177,404	44,000
Swansea	…	2,445	90,258	49,752	142,455	47,000

asked the Minister of Health whether his Department has been officially notified of any increase in the rates levied by the Bucks County Council for the ensuing years due to the operating of the Derating Act, 1929?

A copy of the estimates of the Bucks County Council has been received by my Department, but no official notification of any rates levied in the various areas of the county has yet been received.

asked the Minister of Health what is the present aggregate gross estimated rental and net rateable value of the County of London; what is the gross estimated rental and net rateable value, respectively, of the agri- of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Sheffield, Leeds, Bradford, Cardiff, and Swansea; and what is the loss to the local rates in each case as the result of so reducing the gross values to arrive at the reduced net rateable values?

The following statement, based on figures furnished to my Department, gives the desired information so far as it is available. The figures are necessarily provisional and subject to revision.cultural, the industrial, and the transport hereditaments benefiting under the Local Government Act; and what reduction in the London County Council and Metropolitan borough rates is allowed to these classes of hereditaments by the operation of the Act?

According to information furnished to my Department, the unreduced rateable value (as defined in Section 134 of the Local Government Act, 1929) in the Administrative County of London on 1st October, 1929, was £58,691,000, and the reduced rateable value thereof (as defined in the same section) was £54,958,000. These totals include the following sums in respect of agricultural hereditaments, industrial hereditaments (so far as apportioned to industrial purposes) and freight transport hereditaments (so far as apportioned to transport purposes):

asked the Minister of Health whether returns are available showing the amount of rates levied by county authorities during 1929 and the proposed rates for the ensuing year?

Returns which would enable the desired comparison to be made are not at present available. My hon. Friend will appreciate that owing to the duties transferred to county councils by the Local Government Act, 1929, a crude comparison of the county

Year ended 31st March.	Union Counties in England (excluding Monmouth).		Union Counties in Wales (with Monmouth).
	Amounts expended on out-relief in money and kind to —
	Persons ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation and their dependants.	Other persons.	Persons ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation and their dependants.	Other persons.
	£	£	£	£
1928	6,186.064	7,543,337	508,609	908,869
1929	4,770,578	7,345,482	423.107	931,678
1930 (to 25th January)	3,457,950	5,853,889	368,886	733,111
It is impracticable to give any estimate of the saving to poor relief which will result from the operation of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1929.

asked the Minister of Health the totals of those receiving Poor Law institutional relief and out-door relief, respectively, now and at the end of June, 1929?

asked the Minister of Health (1) what is the estimated total sum for each of the last three financial years expended by the Poor I aw authorities for England and Wales, respectively, in the relief of able-bodied unemployed persons, including their dependants; and what is the estimated sum by which these figures will be reduced for the coming financial year by reason of tae operation of the last Unemployment Insurance Act;(2) whether he can give figures for each of the three last financial years for England and Wales, respectively, distinguishing the amounts paid to able-bodied unemployed persons and their dependants and the amount expended on the relief of those who cannot be classed under this category?

Returns based on the classification of able-bodied are not obtained.The following statement shows the amounts expended by Poor Law authorities in England and Wales. respectively, on out-relief in money and kind (i) to persons ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation and their dependants and (ii) to other persons in receipt of domiciliary relief.

The following statement shows the number of persons in receipt of Poor Law relief in England and Wales on Saturday. 29th June, 1929, and 15th March, 1930.

asked the Minister of Health how many boards of guardians had exhausted their working balances before the transfer of their assets and liabilities to counties and county borough councils?

This information is not at present available.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been called to the steady growth of shop robberies in London; whether he is aware that in the latest fur robbery the thieves sawed through padlocks which were fitted in front of the shop; and how crimes of this character elude the observation of the regular police patrol?

My right hon. Friend is aware that there has been some increase in this class of crime in recent years. In the particular case referred to the padlock appears to have been quickly wrenched off, not sawn through. It would not appear that the commission of this particular offence could have occupied any length of time. In organising the system of patrols all possible measures are taken to prevent such crimes, but complete prevention is, I fear, impracticable.

asked the Minister of Health the number of dwellings in the Tyneside area which are scheduled as unfit for human habitation or regarded as fitting to be dealt with, in any slum-clearance scheme?

I regret this information is not in my possession.

asked the Minister of Health the number of families living in one room and two rooms, respectively, in the Tyneside area?

No figures are available except those collected at the Census of 1921, which are as follow:

Area.	Number of private families each living in
	1 room.	2 rooms.
Gateshead C.B.	3,333	7,484
Newcastle-on-Tyne C.B.	6,900	15,242
South Shields C.B.	2,580	8,737
Tynemouth C.B.	1,917	3,523
Blyth M.B.	395	1,550
Jarrow M.B.	886	2,434
Walls M.B.	881	2,327
Blaydon U.D.	258	1,581
Cramlington U.D.	180	504
Earsdon U.D.	122	616
Felling U.D.	423	1,761
Gosforth U.D.	112	296
Hebburn U.D.	497	1,817
Longbenton U.D.	121	517
Newburn U.D.	150	612
Ryton U.D.	85	598
Seaton Delaval U.D.	96	416
Seghill U.D.	8	156
Weetslade U.D.	127	584
Whickham U.D.	152	862
Whitley and Monkseaton U.D.	203	485
Castle Ward R.D.	97	495
South Shields R.D.	178	751
Total	19,701	53,348

NOTE—It is pointed out in the Census. Tables that. "any person or group of persons included in a separate return as being in separate occupation of any premises or part of premises is treated as a separate family for Census purposes." It will be seen, therefore, that a private family may consist of one person only.

asked the Home Secretary if he has now come to a decision in respect to the appointment of a committee of inquiry into the question of London subways?

Not yet.

asked the Home Secretary whether, seeing that experiments on living animals are being performed in King's College for household and social science, he will say whether the college is licensed for such work; and, if so, why?

If the hon. Member will refer to the Annual Return of Experiments he will see that the Physiological Laboratories, Household and Social Science Department of King's College for Women are registered under the Act. The registration was made on the application of the department for the purpose of research.

asked the Home Secretary the number of persons apprehended or summoned in the Metropolitan Police District during the 12 months ended to the 31st December, 1929, distinguishing between indictable and non-indictable offences, and, if possible, give the result of the proceedings?

In the Metropolitan Police District during 1929, 125,170 persons were arrested or summoned for non-indictable offences and 11,332 for indict. able offences. The 125,170 charged with non-indictable offences were dealt with as follows: 8,918, charge withdrawn or dismissed; 11,828, charge proved and order made; 103,052, convicted; 1,372, disposed of otherwise. The 11,332 persons charged with indictable offences were dealt with by Courts of Summary Jurisdiction as follows: 457, discharged; 744, case withdrawn or dismissed; 4,485, charge proved and order made; 3,594, convicted; 2,004, committed for trial; 48 disposed of otherwise. The statistics of results of proceedings at Courts of trial are not in such form as to enable the figures for a given police district to be stated. All the above figures are provisional.

asked the Horne Secretary whether he has received any recent resolutions passed by conferences held in Lancashire and Cheshire, or from any other body, asking him to consider amending the, Workmen's Compensation Act so as to bring tile victims of the disease known as silicosis within the scope of that Act; and can he give the House particulars of his reply?

This disease is already within the scope of the Workmen's Compensation Act. Power is given by Section 47 to make Schemes of Compensation for industries or processes involving exposure to silica dust and schemes applying to a large number of such industries or processes are already in operation. It has been stated in the Press that a resolution was recently adopted by the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation in favour of a certain amendment of the terms of the Various Industries (Silicosis) Scheme, but I have not received this resolution or any other recent resolution on this point from any other body.

asked the Home Secretary the grants paid to local authorities in respect of police services in the years 1928–29 and 1929–30, respectively?

The aggregate sums paid by way of Exchequer contributions towards the cost of the police were as follow:

				£
1928–29	…	…	…	10,198,464
1929–30	…	…	…	10,331,304

These figures include contributions in relief of the Metropolitan Police Fund as well as grants to local authorities in respect of the county and borough and the City of London police forces.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet received the report on the conditions of employment in the boot industry in the East End of London, prepared by Dr. A. D. Denning for the Boot Manufacturers' Federation and the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives; and, if so, what action he proposes to take?

Yes, Sir. I have now received and perused this report. I find that it draws a most unfavourable picture of the conditions under which this industry is carried on in the East End of London, but that, so far as concerns matters within the purview of my Department, the conclusions appear to be based not on facts ascertained by personal observation of the conditions at the works concerned but almost entirely on impressions derived from unverified ex parte statements. I understand that though Dr. Denning was offered facilities by the Factory Department for the purposes of his investigation, he has never discussed the position with the Department and the Chief Inspector informs me, after consulting the whole of the staff in the districts concerned, that they are unanimously of opinion that the report gives a very exaggerated account. I find also that the report contains statements conveying serious reflexions not only on the competency of the factory inspectors, but also on their attention to duty and even on their honesty—as, for example, that the inspectors have favoured Jewish as against British employers, and that they are open to accept bribes. These allegations, which, unless supported by detailed and reliable evidence, ought never to have been put forward, are strongly repudiated by the staff, and I cannot but express my surprise and regret that a report containing such allegations and compiled on the basis I have indicated should have obtained currency before any attempt had been made to subject the accuracy of the statements it contains to an independent test. I understand that the report has now been considered jointly by the Federation of Boot Manufacturers and the National Union of Boot and Shoe Operatives, and that a committee has been appointed to consider what steps should be taken. The Chief Inspector informs me that he has been invited, and has agreed, to attend a meeting of this committee, and I propose to await the result of that meeting before considering what action, if any, it behoves me to take.

asked the Home Secretary what steps have been taken to carry out the Report of the Ministry of Labour Committee on Domestic Service in 1923, with regard to the recommendation that every possible administrative action should be taken by the Home Office to urge upon competent local authorities the necessity for making by-laws under Section 85 of the Public Health Acts Amendment Act and, in the event of their continued failure to do so, that legislation should be promoted making the exercise of such powers compulsory; and that the by-laws made by local authorities under this Section should in all cases include provisions regulating the payment of booking fees and the publication of advertisements relating to vacant situations or persons requiring employment?

The Section referred to is an adoptive provision which I have no power to put in force except on application by a local authority; neither have I any power to compel a local authority which has adopted it to make by-laws under it. I have no reason to suppose that local authorities generally are not aware of their powers, and it is difficult to see what further action can be taken without legislation. As regards the question of legislation, I would refer to the answer which I gave on 6th February.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the cessation of assistance to Territorial cadet units includes the withdrawal of the permission accorded to recognised units to use drill halls and the loan of Army camp equipment provided the unit pays the carriage both ways?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what amount of fees was paid to the Attorney-General for the financial year ending 31st March, 1929?

The information desired by my hon. Friend is as follows:

		£	s.	d.
Sir D. McG. Hogg	…	2,473	5	10
Sir T. W. H. Inskip	…	7,854	2	4

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the net amount received in respect of Entertainments Duty for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

The net amount of Entertainments Duty received in the 12 months ended 28th February, 1930, was approximately £6,599,000.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is now in a position to state whether the Government of India propose to take any action following the endorsement by the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research in India of the proposal in the interim Report of the sugar committee that the present ad valorem duty on low-grade sugar should be converted into a specific duty and also of the recommendation of the sugar committee that the general question of import duties on sugar should be referred by the Government of India to the Tariff Board for investigation?

The Finance Act recently passed substituted for the 25 per cent. ad valorem duty on low grade sugar a new duty of 25 per cent. ad valorem plus Rs. 1½ per hundredweight. This change was consequential on an increase by Rs. 1½ per hundredweight of the duty on higher grade sugar, and I do not know whether it was in any way connected with any recommendation of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research. As regards the latter part of the question, I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend on 18th February.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any negotiations have recently taken place, or are in course of taking place, in regard to a railway and a pipe line, or either, from the coast of Palestine to Iraq, or vice versa, involving any concessions by any of the Governments concerned to British interests or to interests other than British?

Yes, Sir. I understand that the international corporation which is interested in the question of constructing a pipe line across the desert has been in recent communication with the local Governments. The whole matter is still under consideration.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether there are at present any self-contained survey parties at work in Nigeria, Northern Rhodesia, and Somaliland; and can he give particulars of any other colonies or protectorates where survey parties are at present employed for topographical and trigonometrical work?

Apart from Boundary Commissions and the ordinary activities of Government Survey Departments (a list of which was included in the reply given by my Noble Friend's predecessor to Sir R. Thomas on 4th March, 1929), special survey parties are at work in the following dependencies: Nigeria, Gold Coast, and Johore.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the murder of a British subject at Peitaiho, in the north of China; whether he has made representations to the Chinese Government to ensure full investigation of the crime; and whether he is satisfied that the protection of British subjects, particularly in the north of China, is adequate?

I have received a report from His Majesty's Consul-General at Tientsin of the murder of Mr. Scarlet, a British subject, by armed robbers at Peitaiho. The body was to be brought to Tientsin on the 4th instant and an inquest opened. I am confident that His Majesty's Minister will make any necessary representations without delay. Public safety is obviously and necessarily less assured in China than in more settled countries. I am satisfied, however, that every practicable measure has been taken to ensure the protection of British subjects.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in the interests of smoke abatement, it is the policy of the Government to substitute central heating for open fires in Government offices; and, if so, what progress is being made with the substitution?

It is the policy to instal central heating in all new Government buildings and gradually to substitute central heating for open fires in existing buildings in cases where, after taking into account interest and sinking fund charges in respect of the capital expenditure involved, some considerable economy would result. Provision has been made in the Estimates (Class VII) for 1931 for several cases of the latter type.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if he will consider the possibility of restoring the castle at Llanstephan; and, if so, when the work could be put in hand?

This castle is not in the charge of my Department; the question of doing any work to it is therefore a matter for the owner and not for the Department.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if he will take steps to prevent any extension of the book and picture stall in Westminster Hall; and whether his attention has been called to the fact that easels have been erected which seriously detract from the beauty of the Hall?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the affirmative, except that I do not regard the disfigurement as serious. I am, however, arrang- ing for the use of the easels to be discontinued.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount collected in the last year as light dues for the three general lighthouse authorities?

the amount of light dues collected in respect of lights, &c., in Great Britain and Ireland in the financial year ended 31st March, 1929, was £999,968 8s. During the financial year just ended the amount collected up to 28th February, 1930, was £987,199 17s. 7d. Particulars of the amount collected in March are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount expended by Trinity House for electrical communication with lighthouses and light vessels during the last year?

The amount expended by the Trinity House on electrical communication with lighthouses and light vessels during the financial year ended 31st March, 1929, was £1,981 13s. 3d. During the financial year just ended the amount expended up to 31st December, 1929, was £1,361 14s. 4d. Particulars of the amount expended in the March quarter are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can give figures showing the relative increase or decrease of British and German export trade in recent years, showing trade to the British Empire separately?

The following statement shows for each of the years 1927, 1928 and 1929 (a) the total value of merchandise exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland, distinguishing the value of merchandise consigned to British countries and to Germany respectively, and (b) the total value of domestic merchandise exported from Germany, distinguishing the value of such merchandise exported to Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to other British countries respectively, so far as the particulars are available from the official trade returns of Germany.

(A) Value of Merchandise exported from Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
—	1927.	1928.	1929 (provisional figures).
	(i) The Produce and Manufactures of the United Kingdom.
	Thousand £	Thousand £	Thousand £
Total	709,081	723,579	729, 555
Of which consigned to:—
British countries (including Protectorates and Mandated Territories).	326,650	327,668	324,465
Germany	41,879	40,947	37,120
	(ii) Imported Merchandise.
	Thousand £.	Thousand £.	Thousand £.
Total	122,953	120,283	109,742
Of which consigned to:—
British countries (including Protectorates and Mandated Territories).	22,044	22,779	23,070
Germany	27,538	26,392	23,271

(B) Value of Domestic Merchandise exported from Germany.
—	1927.	1928.	1929 (Provisional figures).
	Thousand £	Thousand £	Thousand £
Total (including Deliveries on account of Reparations).	528,169	591,211	659,920
Of which exported to:—
Great Britain and Northern Ireland	57,580	57,989	63,902
Other British Countries (see note 2 below).	28,756	28,308	31,142

NOTES TO TABLE (B).

1. Deliveries on account of Reparations amounted to £28,246,000 in 1927, £32,507,000 in 1928 and to £39,116,000 in 1929. According to the Official German Trade Returns there were no deliveries on this account to Great Britain and Northern Ireland or to any other British Country in these years.

2. The figures relating to the exports from Germany to "Other British Countries" exclude the value of any Merchandise exported to the following British countries and Mandate.] territories, etc., particulars in respect of which are not separately recorded in the Official Trade Returns of Germany: Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, British Togoland and Cameroons, Aden and Dependencies, Wei-bai-Wei, Hong Kong, Fiji Islands, Nauru and Samoa, and part of British Guiana. The value of the exports to these countries does not appear to be substantial.

3. Conversions from the original currency intro sterling have been made at the following rates, namely:—

20·43	gold marks	=	£1	(1929) (par rate).
20·39	gold marks	=	£1	(1928).
20·45	gold marks	=	£1	(1927).

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, 1927, 1928, and for the second quarter of 1929, respectively, of gas mantles?

Complete data regarding the production of gas mantles in this country during the periods specified are not available. Particulars of the output of the members of the Manufacturers' Association, representing, it is claimed, about 95 per cent. of the output of the whole industry, have been furnished periodically to my Department, and show the following totals for the periods specified:

—			Quarterly Average.	Second Quarter.
			Gross of Mantles.	Gross of Mantles.
1925	…	…	74,195	62,407
1927	…	…	84,862	79,141
1928	…	…	85,044	71,580
1929	…	…	89,816	73,304

Comparable information for the year 1926 is not available. The particulars furnished by the Association indicate that prices were generally increased in 1926 as compared with 1925, were reduced in 1927 and again in 1928, and have since been raised to a level higher than that of 1925 for most of the descriptions of mantles for which information has been supplied. With regard to imports and exports, I would refer the hon. Member to the figures given in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 27th February, 1929 (columns 1995 and 2007), and to the reply given en 4th February last to the hon. Member for East Willesden (Mr. D. G. Somerville).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of employés engaged at the Royal Aircraft Factory at Farnborough and the number who are below the age of 21 years?

The number of industrial employés shown in the latest re- turn as serving at the Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, was 810, of whom 49 were under the age of 21.

asked the Minister of Labour if she will supply complete half-yearly average figures of wages, employment and unemployment for the years 1927 to 1929, inclusive, in the enamelled hollow-ware industry?

I regret that information is not available as to average wages in the years 1927 to 1929, nor as to the numbers or proportions of workers unemployed,, this industry not being separately distinguished in the statistics of employment and unemployment among workpeople insured against unemployment. Minimum rates of wages have been fixed, however, for workers in the hollow-ware trade, by Statutory Orders under the Trade Board Acts, and these rates remained unchanged during 1927, 1928 and 1929. As regards employment in the wrought enamelled hollow-ware industry, returns supplied to the Board of Trade by most of the manufacturers concerned, through their trade association or otherwise, show the following numbers of persons employed in 1928 and 1929:

			1928.	1929.
First quarter	…	…	3,003	3,966
Second quarter	…	…	3,027	3,903
Third quarter	…	…	3,532	3,796
Fourth quarter	…	…	3,855	4,058

Comparable figures for 1927 are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour if she will supply complete quarterly average figures of wages, employment and unemployment for the years 1924 to 1929, inclusive, in respect of that part of the cutlery industry the products of which are, on importation, liable to duty?

I regret that information is not available as to average wages for the years 1924–29, nor as to the numbers or proportions of workers unemployed, this industry not being separately distinguished in the statistics of employment and unemployment among workpeople insured against unemployment. I am informed, however, by the Board of Trade that particulars supplied to that Department by the Sheffield Cutlery Manufacturers' Association, relating to firms covering between 50 and 60 per cent. of the aggregate output of the whole industry, show the following average numbers of workers employed by those firms:

Year.					Average number of workpeople employed.
1926	…	…	…	…	>3,805
1927	…	…	…	…	3,560
1928	…	…	…	…	3,737

I am informed that comparable figures are not available for earlier years, and

Industry.		Estimated numbers insured at July, 1929.			Insured persons unemployed at 24th February, 1930.
		Males.	Females.	Total.	Males.	Females.	Total.
Silk and Artificial Silk	…	32,320	41,160	73,480	6,580	9,860	16,440
Lace	…	6,500	10,420	16,920	776	920	1,696

asked the Minister of Labour how many girls from mining areas were placed in domestic employment away from home between March and October, 1929, inclusive?

The number of girls under 18 years of age transferred from depressed mining areas to domestic employment away from home between 1st March and 31st October, 1929, is 1,182.

asked the Minister of Labour the approximate amount paid, respectively, in unemployment benefit and Poor Law relief, in money or kind, to able-bodied persons and their dependants for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

For the year ended 31st January last, the amount of unemployment benefit paid in Great Britain was approximately £45,290,000; during the same period the amount of that figures for 1929 have not yet been received.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men and women registered as employed in the artificial silk industry and in the plain net and lace trade?

Separate statistics for the artificial silk industry and for the plain net branch of the lace trade are not available, but the following table shows the numbers of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, classified as belonging to the silk and artificial silk, and lace industries respectively, in Great Britain at July, 1929, and the numbers of such persons recorded as unemployed at 24th February, 1930:domiciliary relief in money and kind allowed to persons in England and Wales who are ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation and their dependants was about £4,786,000 and the amount of outdoor relief allowed to destitute able-bodied unemployed persons in Scotland was about £1,103,000.

asked the Minister of Agriculture approximately the number of agricultural labourers unemployed during the first three months of 1930 as compared with the first three months of 1929?

While statistics are not available which would enable me to state the numbers of agricultural workers unemployed, the reports show that in certain districts. though not generally, there has been an increase this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that potatoes are being sold in Covent Garden Market produced by convict labour and grown in the French colonies; and whether he will make representations for the enforcement of the convention with regard to articles produced by convict labour?

In the first part of this question my hon. Friend is presumably referring to the potatoes which are imported from Algiers. The great majority of the potatoes imported from Algeria are grown by smallholders who never employ convict labour, and, so far as I am aware, convict labour is only employed in potato growing on one large estate in Algeria, where the convicts are paid a daily wage of 18 francs as against the 13 or 14 francs usually paid to free Arab labour. With regard to the last part of the question, there is no legislation which could be enforced since, as I pointed out in my answer to the hon. and gallant Member for Maid-stone (Commander Bellairs) on 17th March, the Foreign Prison Made Goods Act only applies to goods "made or produced wholly or in part in any foreign prison, gaol, house of correction or penitentiary."

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has any information as to the German system which makes compulsory the use of native wheat in all millers' grists; how long this system has been in operation; what is the proportion of native wheat; if it is regulated from time to time; and if he will consider the introduction of a similar system in this country?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Under the system to which the hon. Member refers and which has been in operation in Germany since 1st August, 1929, the proportion of native wheat to be used in milling is fixed month by month, and has been maintained at 50 per cent. since 1st October last. The system is being examined, but I am Unable at present to add anything further to previous statements on the question of the compulsory use by millers of a definite quota of home-grown wheat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to what extent the recommendations of the Council of Agriculture for England adopted on 31st October, 1929, have been accepted and acted upon; whether any further action is contemplated; and whether it is proposed to set up area selling organisations as suggested in the economic series published by the Ministry?

The report on the marketing of home-grown wheat, barley and oats adopted by the Council of Agriculture for England at its meeting on 31st October, 1929, covers a wide field, and it is only possible to give a general indication of the position in reply to the hon. and gallant Baronet's question. Seven principal recommendations were put forward. The first two are in the nature of advice to farmers to limit varieties of cereals sown and to seedsmen to limit new varieties put upon the market. The third recommendation relates to improved methods of marketing. The fourth is for a campaign carrying to the British public the information that home-grown wheat flour for bread-making, malting barley for malt, malt flours, and malt extracts, and home-grown oats for feeding are the best to be obtained; the Ministry has already set such a campaign on foot, and no opportunity of carrying forward such propaganda is neglected. The fifth recommendation, for farmers to combine for the purposes of the first, second and third recommendations above, and for the sale of bulked grain, is addressed to the industry itself. The sixth recommendation, for the Government to provide storage for home-grown grain to help any farmers' scheme of orderly marketing, is incidental to the wider question of marketing organisation, as a whole, which is being carefully considered by the Government. The seventh, that the Government should set up an inquiry into the feasibility of requiring a maximum moisture for bread and as to the need for the use of bleaching and other chemicals in flours, is one which is being considered with other suggestions for increasing the use of all-English flours. The question whether any action to facilitate the setting up of area selling organisations can usefully be taken by the Government is receiving careful attention, but I am not in a position to make a statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state, according to the most recent returns, the total acreage held for the purpose of small holdings in England and Wales, and the number of tenants concerned?

According to the Annual Returns collected by the Ministry in 1929 the number of agricultural holdings in England and Wales exceeding one acre but not exceeding 50 acres in extent on 4th June was 258,328. This figure includes a number of pieces or parcels of land which were separately returned but which, especially as regards those under 20 acres, are not what are usually understood as agricultural or small holdings. The exact number of these cannot be given. A special tabulation of the annual returns collected in 1924 showed that the number of holdings over one acre and not exceeding 50 acres was 268,330 and covered an acreage of 4,196,243 acres.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is prepared to advise the repealing of Section 12 of the Agricultural Credits Act, 1928, in order to advance immediate credit to enable farmers to survive the acute peak of the depression in the industry?

I have not received any information which shows that farmers whose financial position would otherwise justify it, have been unable to obtain credit from the banks under Part II of the Agricultural Credits Act, 1928, in consequence of the provision of Section 12 of the Act. This Section ceases to operate on 1st January, 1931. In these circumstances I do not propose to take any action with a view to the repeal of this Section.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what assurance he has given to the various bodies representing agricultural interests with whom he has been in touch with regard to the introduction of legislation for the assistance of arable farming during the present year?

I have given no pledge with regard to the introduction of such legislation.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will take an early opportunity to pass an Act repealing Section 5 of the War Pensions Act, 1921, and thereby remove the anxiety of many ex-service men who fear that their position in regard to claims of more than seven years standing may not he maintained unless sanctioned by legislation?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant. Member for Hexham (Colonel Clifton Brown) on 26th November last, of which I am sending him a copy. I would add that there is no reason for such anxiety on the part of ex-service men, as is suggested in this class of grant, any more than in that of any other similar State grant to which public faith has been pledged.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the hold-up of traffic on the high road between Darlington and Glasgow on 2nd April owing to the conveyance of a ship's rudder by motor lorry; and what action he proposes to take to prevent a recurrence of such incidents?

My attention had not been called to the holdup of traffic to which my hon. Friend refers. The movement of such article's by road is occasionally unavoidable.