asked the Postmaster-General at what intervals mouthpieces of telephones in public telephone cabinets are cleaned and disinfected?

Telephone mouthpieces and earpieces at attended cabinets are cleaned daily by means of a cloth moistened with suitable disinfectant; at other cabinets the frequency depends on local circumstances, e.g., in London kiosks, the telephones are cleaned at least once a week.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the total amount deposited in the Post Office Savings Bank through post offices in Bristol for the years 1928 and 1929, respectively?

The total amount deposited in the Post Office Savings Bank through post offices in the Bristol town delivery area was £781,375 in 1928 and £779,286 in 1929.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has had any recent Reports, since the last census, of the present number of lepers in India; whether he has any information that will show whether the present number of lepers is in excess of the last official figures; to what extent the provincial Governments work in conjunction or cooperation with the India Council of the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association; are there any capitation grants made to the various institutes; and can he give particulars?

No, Sir. There is no reliable information available as to numbers. The provincial Governments are all in touch with the India Council of the British Empire Leprosy Relief Association. They receive grants from the Association approximately in proportion to the original subscriptions of each Province to its central fund.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India have come to any decision in regard to a provisional arrangement for guaranteeing Indian medical degrees pending the introduction of legislation in the Indian Legislative Assembly to establish an all-India medical council?

The Government of India made proposals having the object indicated in the question, but these proved unacceptable to the General Medical Council. They have made no further proposals since the decision of the General Medical Council to discontinue recognition was announced.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the probable minimum and maximum cost to the British Exchequer of the proposals made in the Reports of the Commissioners on the Sugar Industry in the West Indies and Mauritius?

The estimated cost to the Exchequer of the increased preference recommended by the West Indian Sugar Commission would be, approximately, £1.1 million a year if it had no effect on the quantity of Empire sugar imported. The maximum cost would depend on the additional quantity of Empire sugar attracted here by the larger preference. If this were (say) 50,000 tons, the total cost would be increased to about £1.3 millions a year. It may be added, as was pointed out in a reply given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies to the right hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Ormsby-Gore) on 27th March, that the Report of the Commission contemplated that the cost of their proposal for the establishment of an Import Board with a guaranteed price for Empire sugar would fall on the British consumer and not on the taxpayer. The cost of a subsidy on the lines recommended by Sir Francis Watts for Mauritius sugar was estimated by him at £235,000 for that Colony for the first year on the basis of the average price during 1929. For next year the cost on the basis of current prices might be about £600,000. I am not in a position to estimate the cost of applying the same principle to other Colonies, but it would, of course, be greatly increased.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what sums have been expended by the Treasury upon legal costs in connection with the rate reliefs under the Local Government Acts in England, Wales and Scotland?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to proceedings which have been taken in the Courts in connection with the Rating and Valuation (Apportionment) Act, 1928. The net amount expended upon such legal costs, to 4th April, 1930, is £15,152 7s. 8d., of which sum £13,378 17s. 7d. is attributable to cases in England and Wales, and £1,773 10s. 1d. to cases in Scotland.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give the figures showing approximately the balances of the funds of each of the State health and unemployment insurance and pensions schemes at any given date in 1929, showing which are in debt and which have sums to their credit, giving the amounts separately in each case?

The latest available figures are

	£
National Health Insurance Fund balance at 31st December, 1928	125,000,000
Contributory Pensions Fund balance at 31st March, 1929	42,700,000
Unemployment Insurance Fund debt at 5th April, 1930	39,180,000

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of

Scheme.	Estimated Cost.	Grant.	Labour Conditions.
	£	Per cent.
London—Pitsea—Southend Road. Erection of fencing at Vange.	260	50	Nil.
Ferry—Leigh Beck Road (Canvey Island). Widening and reconstructing.	58,102	50	Nil.

Other schemes of improvement on classified roads in South-East Essex which have been approved for commencement are as follow:
Scheme.	Estimated Cost.	Grant.	Labour Conditions.
	£	Per cent.
Thames Haven Road. Construction of ditches and erection of fencing, etc.	2,704	60	Nil
White Bridge By-Pass. Acquisition of land, fencing, etc.	1,294	60	Nil
London—Pitsea—Southend Road. Acquisition of land, fencing.	160	60	Nil
Pitsea—Wickford Road. Widening, Constructing footpath, fencing.	179	50	Nil
London—Wickford—Rayleigh Road. Widening at Baptist Chapel.	340	60	Nil

No precise figures can be given of the amount of the national savings available for investment in any particular year. The best information on the subject will be found in paragraphs 45–60 of the Report of the Colwyn Committee on National Debt and Taxation (Command Paper No. 2800), which estimated the figure in 1924 at between £450,000,000 land £500,000,000.

asked the Minister of Transport what road or badge schemes are either sanctioned or in operation in South-East Essex; and what are the respective financial and labour conditions attached?

Schemes of improvement on classified roads in South-East Essex which are known to be in operation are as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport whether any recent recommendations have been made through his Department with reference to automatic train control on railways; and what action has been taken with reference thereto?

The question of automatic train control is being investigated by a committee appointed by my predecessor which has not yet reported.

asked the Minister of Transport the present position as to the widening of Eltham High Street, S.E., including the acquisition of Barclay's bank premises; and the amount of the financial assistance that can be given towards the purchase of the land and the cost of the property and works?

I am advised that negotiations are still proceeding for the acquisition of the necessary properties, including the bank premises; but until I know what is to be the cost of acquiring the properties, I cannot state what amount of financial assistance will be given to the scheme.

asked the Home Secretary whether he proposes to introduce any Measure to increase the rates of compensation under the Workmen's Compensation Act?

I do not contemplate the introduction of any such Measure during the present Session.

asked the Home Secretary whether the French Government have now published the decree providing for direct limitation of the manufacture of narcotic drugs referred to in the Report on the work of the Advisory Committee on traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs of the League of Nations, held at Geneva in January and February this year?

The decree was gazetted in the "Journal Official" of 25th March.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether, in view of the success of the Austrian Economic Exhibition in London in drawing attention to Austria's economic recovery and resources, he will consider the advisability of organising similar exhibitions abroad with the object of advertising the productive resources of Great Britain and the British Empire?

I understand that the exhibition to which the hon. Member refers was not organised by the Austrian Government, but by the Vienna Chamber of Commerce. I am in full agreement as to the effectiveness of the method adopted for economic propaganda, and I would certainly welcome similar efforts in responsible quarters to organise British exhibitions of this character abroad. I propose to consult the committee under the chairmanship of Lord Chelmsford which has recently been appointed to report on matters of this kind.

asked the Lord Privy Seal in how many of the 24 schemes of harbour and clock authorities which have been approved for grant since 1st June, 1929, under Part II of the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act, 1929, the grant has been made by way of assistance in defraying charges both for interest and sinking fund?

Approved works in connection with docks and harbours rank for grant on the revenue producing basis, and the grant therefore is a proportion of the interest charges only on the loan. In one of the 24 schemes referred to by the hon. Member, however, where no charge is to be made for the service rendered, a grant has been approved on the non-revenue producing basis, and therefore includes a proportion of the sinking fund charges as well as the interest charges.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the average number of hours lost owing to short time per head of all lace workers declined from 5.5 hours per week in October, 1924, to 1.6 hours per week in October, 1928, she can supply the corresponding figures for October, 1929?

The particulars relating to October, 1924, and October, 1928, were obtained by special inquiries, which have not been repeated in respect of any later date. I regret that figures are not available, therefore, for October, 1929.

asked the Minister of Labour if any persons have been transferred to the borough of Southwark during the previous six months under the industrial transference scheme; and, if so, whether all these persons are still in the original employment which they obtained on their transference?

Twenty-seven persons were transferred to the area of the

Local Office.			1929.		1930.
			7th January.	8th April.	6th January.	3rd February.	3rd March.	31st March.
Grays	…	…	587	545	585	769	735	824
Rayleigh	…	…	203	138	278	269	263	232
Southend	…	…	1,339	942	1,517	1,579	1,295	1,311
Stanford-le-Hope	…	…	224	149	134	132	64	65
Tilbury	…	…	637	532	459	721	663	709
Total	…	…	2,990	2,306	2,973	3,470	3,020	3,141

asked the hon. Member for the Gorton Division, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, the number of men and women employed in the catering department of the House of Commons who are insured under the Unemployment Insurance Act?

There are no members of the staff of the Refreshment Department, House of Commons, insured under the Unemployment Insurance Act.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated number of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, in employment on, approximately, the following dates: 21st January and 25th March, 1930? Borough Employment Exchange during the six months ended 31st March. Detailed records are not kept of the industrial history of persons subsequent to their transfer. I regret, therefore, that it is not possible to answer the second part of the question.

asked tha Minister of Labour the total figures for adult males in each of the Employment Exchanges in South-east Essex for the first week in April, 1930, the first week in March, 1930, the first week in February, 1930, the first week in January, 1930, the first week in January, 1929, and the first week in April, 1929?

The following tables show the numbers of males, aged 18 and upwards, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in South-east Essex at various dates:

The estimated numbers of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, in employment in Great Britain were 9,998,700 at 27th January, 1930, and 9,888,400 at 24th March, 1930. These figures are provisional, and in arriving at the estimates, deductions from the total estimated numbers insured have been made of the numbers unemployed and the numbers directly involved in trade disputes, together with an allowance of 3½ per cent. in respect of sickness and other forms of unrecorded unemployment other than temporary holidays.

asked the Secretary for Mines what was the estimated cost in labour per ton of coal raised in the various coalfields in 1913 and in 1929; the numbers employed; the total wages paid; and the total output of coal in those years and in those districts, respectively?

District.	Wages cost per ton of saleable coal raised (excluding value of allowances in kind).		Total Wages Bill (excluding value of allowances in kind).	Number of persons employed (including clerks and salaried persons).	Total Output of saleable Coal.
1913.
	s	d.	million£		Tons
Scotland	Information not available			139,424	42,456,516
Northumberland				60,627	14,819,284
Durham				165,246	41,532,890
South Wales and Monmouth				232,800	56,830,072
Yorkshire;				160,398	43,671,243
North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.				95,885	29,282,807
South Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Cannock Chase and Warwickshire.				54,677	15,248,447
Lancashire, Cheshire and North Staffordshire.				138,109	31,220,070
Other Districts (Cumberland, North Wales, South Staffordshire, Shropshire, Bristol, Forest of Dean, Somerset and Kent).				57,240	12,268,019
Great Britain	6	4	91·0	1,104,406	287,329,348
1929.
Scotland	7	8·58	13·2	99,676	34,175,864
Northumberland	6	6·82	4·8	49,459	14,547,425
Durham	7	4·14	14·3	138,782	38,988,694
South Wales and Monmouth	9	3·25*	22·5*	178,295	48,149,613
Yorkshire	8	6·92	20·1	172,832	46,405,402
North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.	8	5·86	12·1	105,587	28,936,957
South Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Cannock Chase and Warwickshire.	9	1·63	6·3	55,949	13,805,217
Lancashire, Cheshire and North Staffordshire.	10	5·91	11·3	107,593	21,548,279
Other Districts (Cumberland, North Wales, South Staffordshire, Shropshire, Bristol, Forest of Dean, Somerset and Kent).	9	4·63	5·3	47,940	11,330,100
Great Britain	8	6·03	109·9	956,113	257,887,551
* Figures for year ended January, 1930.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number of small holders settled in the county of Shropshire under the Small Holdings Acts of 1919 and 1926, respectively, together with

The particulars, so far as the information is available, are as follow:the number who have abandoned their holdings up to date?

The number of men at present in occupation of small holdings provided by the Shropshire County Council since the War is 176, of whom 156 are settled on land acquired under the Land Settlement (Facilities) Act, 1919, and 20 on land acquired under the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926. The number of tenants who have given up their holdings is 63, but of these 21 are known to have moved to larger holdings, 16 left in order to take up other occupations, one died and three gave up on account of ill health.

asked the Minister of Agriculture in which centres the system of marking beef, under the national mark beef scheme, has been adopted; whether it is proposed to open up any further centres in England and Wales in the near future; and can he give particulars?

The National Mark beef scheme is at present limited to fresh beef for London and Birmingham. In conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary for Scotland, I have recently appointed a committee to review the progress made and to make recommendations in regard to the future extension of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amounts paid in subsidies under the Corn Production Act in 1921 for wheat and oats, respectively?

The total amount paid in subsidies under the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act, in respect of wheat and oats produced in England and Wales in 1921, was £13,983,135. Of this amount approximately £5,700,000 was for

—			British Empire.	U.S.A.	Japan.	France.	Italy.
Built	…	…	45,534	58,610*	66,068	36,866	27,263
Building	…	…	14,750	5,460	11,774	49,783	9,825
Authorised	…	…	3,040	4,650	—	11,226	—
Total	…	…	63,324	68,720	77,842	97,875	37,088
* Does not include 21,300 tons now on the disposal list.

The figures given for the British Empire, United States of America, Japan, France and Italy are in the standard ton- wheat and £8,000,000 for oats, the remainder being paid in respect of mixed corn.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of awards made to officers and men of the British Mercantile Marine during the year 1929 by the Governments of this country and of the Dominions; and whether he has any particulars and can state the number made by foreign Governments?

During the year 1929, 25 awards were made by he Government of this country in recognition of services rendered by officers and men of the British Mercantile Marine in saving life at sea. Ten such awards were made by Governments of the Dominions and 11 by foreign Governments.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total tonnage of the submarines of the Royal Navy, taking the Washington method of calculation: the total submarine tonnage of the United States, Japan, France, and Italy, respectively; and the combined total tonnage of the other navies of the world, all based on the same method of calculation?

The totals in submarines, built, building and authorised, as stated at the beginning of the London Conference in January, 1930, by the five Powers concerned were:mage for submarines as defined at Geneva in August, 1929, and adopted at the London Conference. The combined total tonnage of submarines of the other navies, based on Navy List displacements, is 80,504 tons (built, building and authorised) to 31st March, 1930. Geneva tonnages are not available for these vessels.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number

PASSPORT OFFICES.
Returns for year ended 31st December, 1929.
—					London.	Liverpool.	Total.
Passports Issued	…	…	…	…	182,423	42,837	225,260
Fees Received	…	…	…	…	£68,142	£16,060	£84,202
Other Issues—
Renewals	…	…	…	…	69,133	9,556	78,689
Endorsements	…	…	…	…	71,996	9,187	81,183
Visas, etc	…	…	…	…	7,525	128	7,653
Total Services Rendered	…	…	…	…	331,077	61,708	392,785
Total Fees Received	…	…	…	…	£91,240	£18,505	£109,745

I attach a list giving full particulars of services rendered and fees received by the Passport Offices in London and Liverpool during the year ending 31st December, 1929: