asked the Minister of Transport whether he proposes to consult all the interests using the roads before he brings the highway code into operation; and whether, for this purpose, he will circulate it when drafted?

It is my intention to consult with representative organisations of road users in the preparation of the proposed highway code, if and when the Road Traffic Bill becomes law, but I have not yet decided on the procedure which it will be most desirable to adopt to this end.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of those receiving benefit who are employed on a short-time basis in such a way as to enable them to receive it under the Unemployment Insurance Acts; and what type of workers they mostly are?

The only figures available are those giving the numbers of persons temporarily stopped and not at work at the date of the return. These include persons on short time not at work on the date of the return. The total on 14th April was 416,421. The workers concerned are drawn from a large number of industries, but are predominantly from the textile, metal and coal mining industries.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any portion of the equipment, other than weapons, of the British sailor is purchased abroad; and, if so, what are the articles in question?

The answer to the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any statement to make on the negotiations with the Egyptian Government?

I would refer the hon. Baronet to the reply returned to the hon. and gallant Member for Gainsborough (Captain Crookshank) yesterday, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can now make any statement as to the personnel of the Russian trade delega- tion; and whether the diplomatic immunity will extend to their secretarial staff?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Gravesend (Mr. Albery). The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the number of British and foreign citizens, respectively, who have been captured by bandits or murdered in China within the last nine months; whether redress has been secured in any case; and what action the Chinese Government has taken to bring the offenders to justice?

According to my information, 13 British subjects have been captured by bandits since the end of June, 1929, and of these three have been murdered. I have no official record with regard to other foreigners. His Majesty's Minister and Consular Officers in China have made strong representations to the Chinese authorities in all these cases and, except in the three instances of murder and four pending cases, have secured the release of the captives. The Chinese authorities do not appear yet to have succeeded in bringing any of the offenders to justice, nor to have obtained any compensation for the victims. I should, however, make it plain that most of these outrages have been committed in remote places, where the Chinese Government does not at present exercise any effective authority.