asked the Secretary of State for India the figures of the number of persons arrested for breaking the salt laws in India?

The Government of India reported on 13th April that the number of arrests since 6th April had been, at a rough estimate, 150. I cannot say whether all the arrests were made in respect of direct breaches of the Salt Laws.

asked the Secretary of State for India under what Act have arrests been made in India for contravention of the Salt Laws; and what are the terms of the section or sections of the Act authorising such arrests?

The applicable Acts are the Indian Salt Act, 1882, the Bombay Salt Act, 1890, and the Madras Salt Act, 1889, copies of which are in the Library. Powers of arrest are contained in Section 17, Section 39 and Section 49 of these Acts respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he was consulted with regard to the policy of the Government of India or the provincial governments in exercising discrimination when making arrests for contravention of the salt laws?

I have throughout been in the closest touch with the Government of India as regards the campaign against the Salt Law.

asked the Secretary of State for India what are the present functions of labour commissioners in the several Indian provinces; and what are their names and salaries?

I am sending to my hon Friend a memorandum containing the information asked for.

asked the Secretary of State for India what orders have been issued in the several provinces since 1st January, 1930, under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, in dealing with industrial disputes; and whether the Government of India was first notified of the issue of orders?

I have no information, but will inquire.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he has any further information with reference to the arrest of Mr. Vallabhbhai Patel and, in particular, under what Act or Regulation was Mr. Patel arrested, convicted, and imprisoned, and his condition of imprisonment enforced or varied; and what are the terms of the Sections under which action was taken in each instance?

Mr. Vallabhbhai Patel was sentenced under Section 71 of the Bombay District Police Act to three months' imprisonment and a fine of Rs.500 for attempting to make a speech in the Borsad Taluk of the Kaira District in defiance of an order passed by the District Magistrate under Section 42 of that Act. A copy of the Bombay District Police Act will be Found in the Library. The conditions of his imprisonment are governed by the Prison Rules in force in Bombay.

asked the Minister of Health the number of beds available in the county council of Kent institutions for pulmonary tuberculosis; the number of patients awaiting admission for this disease on 1st January, 1st February and 1st March, 1930; if the proportion of waiting subjects to available beds is considered satisfactory by the Ministry of Health; and, if not, whether he will take steps to improve this state of affairs?

The average number of beds available in the year 1929–30 under the scheme of the Kent County Council for the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis was 364, of which 155 were in institutions provided by the county council. The numbers of persons suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis who were awaiting admission to residential institutions were 74, 60 an 72 on the 1st January, 1st February and 1st March, respectively, but the number so waiting had been reduced to 50 on the 1st of this month. The proportion which that number bears to the number of available beds is slightly higher than for the country as a whole, but I am informed that the average waiting period in Kent is approxi- mately one month only. I understand that the county council are giving consideration to this matter and that they propose, as a temporary measure, to reduce the waiting list by the use for suitable cases of accommodation in the Poor Law institutions which were transferred to them on the 1st of this month.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is yet in a position to make any further statement relative to the sewerage difficulty at Birchin Lane, Willaston, in the Nantwich Rural District, to which his attention has been previously drawn; and whether, in view of the danger to public health owing to the existing sanitary conditions in this rapidly growing district and the fact that the householders' petition to the Nantwich Rural District Council has received no acknowledgment, he will cause an immediate inquiry to be held, with a view to the existing danger being rectified at an early date?

I am informed that the Nantwich Rural District Council have prepared a scheme for sewering Birchin Lane, but that they have not yet been able to secure a site for the disposal of the sewage. One of my Inspectors will be in the area shortly, and will investigate the matter.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that payment of the old age pension to Mr. R. W. Stone, of 47, St. Luke's Avenue, Ramsgate, was discontinued by the authorities at Ramsgate over six weeks ago without any previous notification to the pensioner; that no explanations for this action have been given and that payment of the pension has not yet been recommenced; and whether such stoppage under such circumstances is a customary practice and if and when payment will be resumed?

Once in every 12 months a pensioner has to complete a certificate as evidence that he is still entitled to the pension, and this certificate is bound in the book of weekly pension orders about eight orders from the end of the book. A pension order book expiring on 10th January, 1930, had been issued to Mr. Stone, and the certificate which was bound therein should have been completed about the end of November and returned to the Ministry. When the period of the order book expired the certificate had not been returned, but nevertheless a new order book was issued, and on 12th February a duplicate life certificate was sent to Mr. Stone, who was informed that unless the certificate was completed and returned within seven days payment of pension would have to be stopped. As the certificate had not been returned by 24th February, the Department had no alternative but to stop payment of the pension. On 17th March the certificate was received unsigned, and was returned for signature. A properly completed certificate has now been obtained and the order book has been re-issued to Mr. Stone.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of a continuous increase in the claims for health insurance benefit; and whether, with a view to ascertaining the cause, he will set up a Departmental Committee to examine the problem?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to my reply on the same subject given to the right hon. Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood) and the hon. Member for East Willesden (Mr. D. G. Somerville) on the l0th instant.

asked the Minister of Health what steps, if any, he proposes to take to deal with the steady rise in the sickness experience shown in the returns of approved societies; and whether the increase reflects a general deterioration of health or whether bad housing or unemployment are contributory causes?

I am not at present in a position to add anything to my reply on the same subject given to the right hon. Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood) and the hon. Member for East Willesden (Mr. D. G. Somerville) on the 10th instant.

asked the Minister of Health the total sums granted by the Government, for the last available complete year, under each of the three Housing Acts, namely, 1919, 1923, and 1924?

In the year ended 31st March last the total amounts of Exchequer subsidy paid under the several Acts mentioned were:

asked the Postmaster-General how many public telephone call offices are in process of establishment in Lindsey?

The number is 30.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has investigated and found the causes of the recently reported unsatisfactory express letter service to Guildford given to the public in return for the express letter extra fee?

I do not appreciate the grounds for the hon. Member's complaint. In the case which he brought to my hon. Friend's notice the letter was posted in London just too late to connect with a despatch and was necessarily delayed until the following despatch. The fee paid covered only express delivery after arrival in Guildford and this service was duly given.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the uncertainty of the attitude of the police towards sweepstakes, he will undertake that before any prosecutions are conducted, either in the Metropolis or elsewhere, against persons conducting such sweepstakes, the facts shall first be laid before the Public Prosecutor for his opinion as to the desirability of legal action?

My right hon. Friend could not give such an undertaking. A chief officer of police who is in real doubt or difficulty can always consult the Director of Public Prosecutions should he desire to do so.

asked the Home Secretary what action he proposes to take in regard to the evidence in possession of Scotland Yard of control of Communist activities from Moscow in defiance of treaty obligations?

My right non. Friend does not know what particular evidence the hon. and gallant Member may have in mind, and after inquiry he has not found anything which seems to call for action.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that a Russian monarchist organisation has been established in London with the aim of kidnapping the diplomatic representatives of a Power with which His Majesty's Government is in diplomatic relations; and whether he is in a position to state what action it is proposed to take in the matter?

My right hon. Friend has seen a certain statement in the Press to this effect. He has no furher information on the subject at present.

asked the Home Secretary the number of passports he has vised for Russian subjects desiring to enter this country within the last six months, and how many he has refused: and how these two totals compare with the similar totals for the previous six months?

During the six months ended 14th April, 1930, visas have been authorised to enable 222 Soviet citizens to proceed to the United Kingdom, and 23 applications for visas have been refused. For the previous six months, 128 visas were authorised and five refused.

asked the Home Secretary what steps he is taking to induce local authorities to standardise the materials and patterns of police uniforms and equipment in respect to which a grant is made to local authorities out of public funds?

Some years ago police authorities were recommended to select their materials for police uniform from a list prepared by an interdepartmental committee on which the Home Office was represented by one of His Majesty's inspectors of constabulary. The question of adopting standard patterns of uniform has been discussed more than once, but has not been pressed in view of difficulties experienced and the strong local preferences for articles of one pattern or another.

asked the Home Secretary how many applications have been received by the London area police authorities for permission to hold meetings, demonstrations, or processions on 1st May; and whether those making application are required to contribute to the cost of the extra police employed?

The answer to the first part of the question is none, and to the second no.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the statement of the Recorder of Manchester complaining of the lack of accommodation for Persons on remand; and will he take steps to remedy this deficiency?

I have not seen the statement to which my hon. Friend refers, and shall be glad if he will send me particulars.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the latest quarterly and yearly figures respectively, available of the prices and production of the various makes of motor cycles?

According to the "Review of the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Industry" issued by the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers and Traders Union, the average retail prices of motor cycles made by the leading British manufacturers and sold under their own proprietary trade marks, were as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that the average weekly earnings in the lace industry for the week ended 27th October, 1928, were 37s. 8d., as compared with 34s. ld. for the week ended 18th October, 1923, she can state the increase in real wages in that industry, taking into account the fall in the cost of living; and whether she can supply corresponding information for October, 1929?

The earnings figures quoted in the question show an increase in the ratio of 100 to 110, due to a reduction in the amount of short-time working; and between October, 1924, and October, 1928, the cost-of-living index figure, which, it should be noted, does not relate specifically to lace workers, changed in the ratio of 176 to 166. If these two figures are combined, they show a change in the ratio of 100 to 117.

[on, 23rd July, 1929] asked the President of the Board of Trade, whether, in supplement to the question answered in the House of Commons on 27th February last, he can state the value and quantities of safeguarded manufactured goods and non-safeguarded manufactured goods imported into this country and retained for domestic consumption for the first half of 1925 and 1929, respectively, and the value and quantities of exports of safeguarded manufactured goods and export of non-safeguarded manufactured goods for the same two periods?

[on 4th February] asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he can state the

[on 4th February] asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can state the value of silk goods subject to duty imported into and exported from Great Britain during 1924 and 1929, respectively?

now supplies the following statements: