asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any information from the British Ambassador that the Soviet Government have recently issued a special decree ordering a renewed mass attack on religion?

The answer is in the negative.

Has not the right hon. Gentleman received any information about the new official decree which was published in the official Soviet Press only a few weeks ago ordering a fresh mass attack upon religion?

I think I have already said that I have not received any information.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received a report from His Majesty's Ambassador in Moscow on the subject of forced labour in the Soviet Union?

No, Sir. I have received no report dealing specifically with this subject, although His Majesty's Ambassador at Moscow has furnished me from time to time with information on labour legislation in the Soviet Union.

As this matter is of great importance to our workers, especially in the timber trade, will the right hon. Gentleman cause inquiries to be made in regard to this matter?

I think I will take this matter into consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has yet considered by what methods legal disputes between British subjects and members of the Soviet trade delegation in enjoyment of diplomatic immunity may be settled?

Any legal disputes arising out of commercial transactions entered into in the United Kingdom by the trade delegation will, in accordance with the provisions of Article 2, paragraph 6, of the Temporary Commercial Agreement, and the additional protocol attached to that Agreement, be determined by the Courts of the United Kingdom in accordance with British law; and the privileges and immunities conferred on the head of the trade delegation and his two deputies may not be claimed in connection with such disputes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will consider the appointment of a chaplain to the British Embassy in Russia?

No, Sir. I do not feel called upon to consider such a suggestion at present.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why the question should be treated differently in the embassy during the Soviet Government from what it was in the embassy during the Tsarist Government?

No, I have nothing more to add.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) when he will be able to announce the decision of the Government with regard to the article in the issue of the "Daily Worker" of 8th May;

(2) whether he is aware that the Communists have taken steps to prolong the dispute in the wool trade and to provoke disorder among the pickets; that leading Communists have been drafted into Yorkshire; that Isador Dreazen, alias Jack Mills, was sent from Moscow as supervisor and organiser in the dispute; and, seeing that the Communists are acting under orders from Russia, will he make a protest to the Soviet Government?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the attitude of the Soviet Press towards the situation in India, he will say when he will be in a position to make a statement as to whether he has decided to make any representations to the Soviet Ambassador respecting the revolutionary opinion therein expressed, having regard to the absolute control which the Soviet Government has over the Press in Russia?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the issue of "Pravda," the official organ of the Soviet Government, of the 12th instant, stating that the events India are encouraging and the events in Peshawar, Karachi, Bombay and Calcutta prove that the masses are winning, that they are beginning to defeat the counter-revolutionary forces, and that in the whole country there is only one cry, Down with the imperialists and long live the revolution; and what action he is taking in the matter?

As I informed the right hon. Gentleman, the Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood) on Monday last, various questions connected with Communist propaganda are receiving my serious consideration.

When is the right hon. Gentleman going to take some notice of this ceaseless propaganda which is going on? Has he seen two cartoons in this week's "Punch"?

I do not know why the hon. Member puts the question. I have already told him I am giving the matter my serious consideration.

What we want is some action taken.

Can the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the urgency of this matter and the fact that this propaganda is causing considerable anxiety in this country as well as in India, give a date when he will be able to make a statement?

No, I cannot give any date. This matter is receiving my most careful and serious consideration. These matters are appearing in the Press, and I have to consider them as they arise, and I cannot say definitely when I shall be able to make a further statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, seeing that a claim, in respect of debts due to the late Tsarist Government, was made by the Soviet Ambassador in the formal declaration made by him which is attached to the recent trade agreement with this country, signed on 16th April, he will ascertain and inform the House of the reasons given by the Soviet Government for claiming the benefit of debts due to their predecessors while disclaiming the payment of debts incurred by them?

The declaration by the Soviet Ambassador, attached to the Temporary Commercial Agreement of the 16th of April, is a statement of the claim of the Soviet Government to the ownership of certain property, and does not refer to debts due to the former Imperial Government of Russia. As I informed the hon. Member on the 5th of May, this declaration by the Soviet Government does not connote any recognition of this claim on the part of His Majesty's Government.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that similar claims have recently been made by the Soviet Government against China in regard to the Eastern Railway? Does he not see that it is the practice of that Government to make claims for debts, although they themselves disclaim liability?

I do not see that that has any connection with the question which I have tried to answer.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has any information concerning the action of the Soviet Government in transferring certain of their naval forces from the Baltic to the Black Sea?

No, Sir, I have no information other than a Press notice that the battleship "Paris Commune" and the Cruiser "Profintern" arrived at Sevastopol on the 18th January, 1930.

Is it not a fact that the Straits Commission have intervened and issued an order forbidding the passage of any additional Russian warships?

I have no official information.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I put a question to the Foreign Secretary? Will the right hon. Gentleman consult him in regard to it?

On any question affecting the Foreign Office my right hon. Friend and myself are always in close consultation.

Can the right hon. Gentleman explain the movements of these ships?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether it is intended that Sir Cecil Hurst, as a judge of the Permanent Court of International Justice, shall also remain a member and the only member of the British national group entitled to nominate candidates for the court; and whether he will consider if it is desirable for this situation to continue?

I am considering the present situation, which appears to me to be somewhat anomalous, as regards the composition of the British national group.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government, when giving a general assent to the amendments proposed by the League of Nations Committee on the Covenant and Pact of Paris, intended to reserve their right to reject or alter particular amendments?

His Majesty's Government think it desirable that the Covenant of the League of Nations should be amended so as to bring it into harmony with the Pact of Paris. The Committee referred to in the question was appointed to propose amendments with this object, and His Majesty's Government are of opinion that, generally speaking, their proposals are satisfactory. But they reserve to themselves the right to make suggestions for modifying details.

As the adoption of the Amendments will extend the obligations of His Majesty's Government, when does the right hon. Gentleman propose to take the judgment of the House upon it?

It is a matter of debate as to whether they extend the obligations of His Majesty's Government. There may be a slight technical extension, but I think the Amendments as a whole have the effect of making much more remote any possibility of conflict.

The right hon. Gentleman says that it is a matter of debate, and I agree. When does he propose to give the House an opportunity of debating it?

If the right hon. Gentleman desires to proceed through the usual channels and ask the Leader of the House to give a date, I am quite prepared to agree.

That is not what I proposed. I assumed that the Government were going to follow their often proclaimed course of not committing this country to any such obligations without first taking the judgment of the House?

It all depends upon the obligations. In this case we are only putting into one document what the previous Government agreed to in a second document. We are only agreeing to try to put the Briand-Kellogg Pact of Paris into the Covenant of the League of Nations. If the right hon. Gentleman dissents, surely he knows that his Government accepted the Briand-Kellogg Pact, and all that we are doing is to try and harmonise the two documents.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman see that the effect of putting into the League Covenant what is novel in the Briand-Kellogg Pact is to extend the obligations of this country under Article 16, and does he propose to bring the matter, on a Motion of the Government, before the House?

I have already said that it is a question of debate as to whether it is really an extension, and I have also said that if right hon. Gentlemen on the Front Bench opposite desire a day they know the usual way to obtain it.

Does the right hon. Gentleman propose to go to Geneva, where this matter is to be discussed in the autumn, before he has received the approval of this House?

I do; and, when the document is laid for ratification, the House will have an opportunity of debating it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many Consuls-General there have been in Kashgar since 1918; and whether he is satisfied that the system by which these Consuls are appointed for a maximum term of two years is the best?

Since 1918 there have been five Consuls-General at Kashgar. There is no fixed maximum period of tenure of the appointment.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the present system is very unsatisfactory by which young Indian Army officers are appointed without any knowledge of Turkish, Chinese or Russian, and can he not go back to the old system under which they had to remain there for a large number of years?

That is entirely a different question.

No, it is not.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the number of British and Russian Consulates in Chinese Turkestan?

There is one British Consular establishment in Chinese Turkestan, the Consulate-General at Kashgar. According to the latest information available, there are two Soviet Consulates-General and three Soviet Consulates.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a very important province, and should not we be represented in the capital of that province, seeing that the Russians have no less than five Consulates, with 10 to 12 Russians in each?

asked the Prime Minister whether he can state the precise nature of the duties at present allotted to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster?

The duties of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster are to control the management of the Duchy Estates and Revenues and also, within the County Palatine of Lancaster, to appoint justices of the peace and county court judges and to direct the administration of the estates of persons dying intestate and without kin and to perform various duties which in other counties devolve upon the Lord Chancellor and the Home Secretary. On several occasions recently the Chancellor has, however, been used for special work, which is not clearly assigned to any particular Department.

Will the right hon. Gentleman inform the House whether the Chancellor of the Duchy has resigned?

I understand that that is coming on later.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can make a statement as to what ships of His Majesty's Navy it is intended to place upon the sale list during the current financial year?

On the assumption that the London Naval Treaty will be ratified in the near future, the list of ships to be disposed of during the current financial year is under consideration, but no further statement can be made at present.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he will be in a position to make a statement?

I think the hon. and gallant Member had better reserve his questions about ships for disposal until the House has had an opportunity of dealing with the new programme.

May we know when we shall have the new programme before us?

As soon as it is ready.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of captains who have been retired since 1st January, 1929, after holding flag rank for one day only; and the total extra yearly cost entailed in pensions to these officers over that payable had such promotions not taken place?

22 officers have been retired since 1st January, 1929, after holding flag rank for one day. At current rates their total annual pensions are £19,523. If these officers had continued to be employed as captains on the active list until they reached the age for compulsory retirement their pensions at current rates would have been £846 per annum apiece, a total of £18,612 or £911 per annum less than that actually awarded.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a good deal of dissatisfaction among officers of lower rank on this question, and will he consider the possibility of extending to junior officers the rights of senior officers in this matter?

I cannot promise that. All I can say is that we are considering how far we are justified in having such a large number of flag officers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the appropriate number of destroyers that should be laid down annually in order to provide us with an efficient destroyer fleet; and how many destroyers of the 1929 programme he has cancelled?

The destroyer programme originally presented to Parliament for 1929 consisted of a flotilla leader and eight destroyers. The programme as now amended is correctly stated in another question standing in the hon. Member's name as a leader and four destroyers. The question of future construction in this category is now under consideration.

As the right hon. Gentleman has not been able to formulate the appropriate number of destroyers required annually, why did he complain of the inadequate programme that he inherited? Was it merely that he wanted to have more ships to cancel?

The inadequacy of the provision left to us makes all the greater difficulty for us in settling what our programme should be.

Then why did the right hon. Gentleman cancel ships in a programme which he says was inadequate?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether work has begun on the 6-inch-gun cruiser, destroyer leader, and four destroyers of the 1920 programme; and whether a decision has been come to with regard to the construction of the three submarines of that programme?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when the three submarines of the 1929 naval construction programme, the building of which was suspended pending the conclusion of the Naval Conference, are to be laid down?

Orders have been given for work to proceed on the 6-inchgun cruiser ("Leander") to be built at Devonport and on the two destroyers to be built at Portsmouth; the preparation of material for construction has already commenced. Tenders for the leader and the two remaining destroyers which will be built by contract, are now under consideration. It is proposed to proceed forthwith with the building of the three submarines. Two will be of approximately 650 tons each and one of approximately 1,800 tons. The two smaller submarines will be built at Chatham Dockyard and the larger one by contract.

Are we to understand that the Admiralty are making every effort to get on with this work?

The Admiralty always does its work quickly.

Is this the new programme of construction that was foreshadowed in the presentation of the Navy Estimates?

No. I have explained more than once to the hon. and gallant Member that this is part of the 1929 programme which was not cancelled. A considerable portion of that programme was cancelled, and this is the remainder.

Are not these submarines in addition to the 10 already building?

These three submarines are three of the six which were approved by Parliament in 1929 of the 1929 construction programme. Three were cancelled and the remaining three are now being proceeded with.

Are we to understand that there is a further shipbuilding programme awaiting presentation?

I have explained to the House already that the Government must consider what necessary replacements must take place in accordance with the terms of the Treaty.

Can the right hon. Gentleman or the Prime Minister give us any idea how soon we may have the full naval programme of the Government?

That question has been put already to-day. I cannot say more at present than that I will inform the House as soon as the programme is ready.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider the question of private dockyards as well as naval dockyards when the new programme is put forward?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether netlayers of efficient type are classified as miscellaneous vessels exempt from limitation under the provisions of the Naval Treaty?

Under the provisions of the London Naval Treaty naval surface vessels are exempt from limitation, irrespective of their duties, if they conform to the limitations enumerated in Article 8 of that Treaty. It is considered that efficient netlayers can be constructed within those limitations.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if assent will be given to the suggestion of representative British West Indian bodies that Lord Olivier be chosen as one of the representatives of the sugar Colonies at the proposed conference in London this autumn on Colonial affairs?

No such suggestion has been brought to the notice of my Noble Friend. The form of re-representation of the Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandated Territories is not yet decided, but the hon. Member may be assured that the interests of the West Indian Colonies will be adequately represented.

May we take it that if they desire to have direct representation it will be taken into consideration?

As I say, we have had no representation to that effect.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if representations have been received from the British West Indian Colonies asking for direct representation at the Empire conferences to be held in London this autumn?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will act upon the proposals put forward by representative British West Indian bodies and approach the Empire Marketing Board to secure financial accommodation for West Indian sugar estates, which will otherwise be unable to carry on after the end of the current crop, and enable them to market their sugar with British refineries or otherwise?

I am not aware that any such proposals have been put forward. His Majesty's Government have already made certain offers to assist West Indian sugar estates to cultivate their crops and any further offer of financial assistance of the kind indicated would not be a matter within the scope of the Empire Marketing Fund.

Has it not come to the knowledge of the Under-Secretary that in the opinion of the best authorities in the West Indies the proposals of the Government do not begin to meet the absolute necessities of the case?

We have certainly had a number of representations to that effect.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the crisis in the sugar industry in the West Indies, his Department has given attention to the manufacture from sugar-cane pulp in Florida and Louisiana of a new material known as celotex, which has proved so valuable as a lining for buildings that the extract of sugar from the cane is becoming a secondary consideration?

I am obliged to the right hon. Member for raising this question. Celotex is known in the West Indies and has been manufactured from the fibres of British West Indian sugar cane. Up to the present, however, it has usually proved more profitable to employ the residues of pressed cane as fuel in the sugar factories. The further possibilities of profitable development of this secondary industry will, however, be kept in view.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in view of the desire recently expressed on all sides of this House that the McMahon correspondence should be published, he will now reconsider the question of publication?

In the light of the expression of hon. Members' views, this matter is now receiving further examination.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies how many men and women are now on hunger-strike in Palestine prisons; how many are in Jerusalem; how many in Jaffa; and how many in Haifa; on what charge these persons have been imprisoned; what is the nature of the demands in support of which they are hunger-striking; and whether any deaths have recently occurred in prison attributable to the effects of hunger-striking?

I would invite reference to the reply given yesterday to a question in similar terms by the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Freeman).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that a girl named Hannah Milstein, aged 18, has recently died in gaol in Palestine from the effects of hunger striking; why she was not removed from gaol to hospital when it was evident that she was in a critical condition; and whether he will take steps to ensure that special treatment is accorded to political prisoners in Palestine?

My hon. Friend has been misinformed. At no time did Hannah Milstein take part in a hunger strike in prison: and during the term of her sentence she was in fact admitted to the Government Hospital. She suffered from chronic valvular disease of the heart, and died of heart failure more than three months after her discharge. So far as I am aware there is no discrimination in the law of this country between political and other prisoners, and I see no reason why such discrimination should be exercised in Palestine.

May I ask whether any steps are being taken in Palestine to put an end to flogging in gaol.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information concerning the tender for the construction of the railway workshops at Haifa; whether the contract will be financed from the proceeds of the Palestine Loan; and, if so, whether a fair-wage clause will be included in the form of tender submitted to the competing contractors?

I have no information with regard to the first and third parts of the question. It is contemplated that the contract will be financed from Loan funds, which would involve the application of the provision in the Palestine and East Africa Loans Act, 1926, as regards fair conditions of labour.

Will the Under-Secretary answer the last part of the question with regard to a fair wages clause?

I have explained that the money has been advanced from the Palestine and East African Loans Act, and there is in that Act a Section dealing with fair wages.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement regarding the action of the Palestine Government in cancelling the certificates for 2,300 Jewish immigrants previously authorised to enter Palestine?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the Jewish Agency for Palestine recently applied for 3,300 immigration certificates on the basis of the actual requirements of each Colony; that the Palestine Government granted the application; and if he will explain why the Colonial Office has since instructed the Palestine Government to cancel these certificates and to suspend all immigration until Sir John Hope Simpson has completed his inquiry.

There has been no general stoppage or prohibition of immigration. The Secretary of State is aware that, owing to a misunderstanding a schedule of 3,300 persons was approved early in May by the High Commissioner for the half-yearly period ending 30th September next. This figure included 950 persons whose admission bad been sanctioned in advance. His Majesty's Government have taken the view that, having regard to the criticisms made in the Shaw Commission Report and the consequent mission of Sir John Hope Simpson to Palestine for the special purpose of examining questions relating to land and immigration, it is desirable, pending the receipt of Sir J. Hope Simpson's Report, that further arrivals should in the meantime be restricted. It has accordingly been decided to confine the issue of certificates for the present to the 950 persons whom I have mentioned. No certificates have been cancelled, nor has a final decision been reached as to the Labour Schedule covering the whole period to 30th September next.

How many people will be affected by the suspension of this provision to enter Palestine?

I think that about 2,000 people will be affected in the meantime, but there is no reason why they should be ultimately affected.

If the economic capacity of Palestine is insufficient to absorb these 3,300 people, why were these certificates granted by the High Commissioner? If, on the other hand, Palestine is capable of absorbing these 3,300 immigrants, is it not contrary to the terms of the mandate that the Government should stop these people going in?

The position is really this: The situations to which these people were going were all of a temporary kind, in the orange groves and so on. We have been attempting to carry out the policy as stated in the Command Paper in 1922, of only allowing immigration into Palestine according to the economic capacity of the country to absorb it. A Commission was recently appointed, as hon. Members are aware, in connection with the disturbances of last autumn. That Commission criticised, not the principle of our immigration policy, but the way in which it had been carried out, and they made the suggestion that an expert should be sent out in connection with the land question. That expert has been sent out, and surely it only seems ordinary discretion that in the meantime the immigration should be restricted, so that we should not be accused of making the mistakes which the Commission said we had made in the past?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if it is the intention of the Government in Kenya to effect reductions in the number of Indians employed in the Government services, including the railways?

There is no present intention to reduce generally the number of Indians employed either in the Government service or the railway and harbour administration. In the case of the former, the annual expansion of the service has necessitated during the last five years addition to the Asian staff. In the case of the latter a few reductions have been made on the score of economy and it may be necessary to carry out certain further reductions of the same nature in the future. As it is the policy to train African natives for Government employment, the proportion of Indians employed may be expected to decrease in course of time.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any information showing that the recent murders of a missionary lady and a settler in Kenya were due to propaganda among the natives; and what steps the Kenya Government are taking to protect the settlers and their wives in isolated districts against similar occurrences?

No, Sir. My Noble Friend believes these to be isolated and exceptional cases, and he has no grounds for thinking that the Government of Kenya would consider it necessary to take any special steps of the kind suggested.

Does the Under-Secretary not know that there is considerable unrest among the natives which is causing apprehension on the part of the settlers?

I know there has been some apprehension on the part of settlers, but our latest information is that the native reserves are very quiet and that there is no sign of anything which will justify apprehension.

Is not the apprehension among the natives that the settlers will take their land away from them?

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies why the Home Government have refused to allow Kenya to have a defence force; and what is the reason that they have disallowed a sum of £9,000 for the defence force which was duly passed by the Legislative Assembly in their recent budget?

The hon. and gallant Member appears to be under a misapprehension. The Kenya Defence Force has not been abolished. On the draft Kenya Estimates for 1930, as first submitted to the Legislative Council, larger provision than that approved for 1929 was made for the Force, but in Select Committee a further sum of £9,000 was added mainly to provide a capitation grant. My Noble Friend took the view that the provision made in the draft Estimates should suffice, and he therefore asked that the figure originally proposed to the Council should be restored.

How does this figure compare with the amount spent on native education in Kenya?

I have not the exact figures, but I think this amount bears only a small relation to the amount spent on education.

If the white settlers themselves consider it necessary to have a defence force for the protection of their wives and children on farms in distant parts, is it for the Government at home to veto their wishes?

I should like to point out that what happened was that my Noble Friend considered that this £9,000 might be more profitably spent in other directions.

asked the Prime Minister whether the report of the sub-committee of the Economic Advisory Council on the iron and steel industry will be made available to the public?

It is not possible for me to say whether this report will be published until His Majesty's Government have had an opportunity of studying it.

What conceivable reason in principle can there be against the publication of the report upon this economic question, in which there is great interest taken by all parties?

Just the reason that the right hon. Gentleman must be acquainted with, that these reports are primarily private. Exceptions have been made with regard to publication. We are perfectly willing to make that exception if the report is of such a nature as to allow it, but until we see the report we cannot say what will be done with it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman undertake to publish the report, whether the Government intend to act on its recommendations or not?

I can assure the hon. and gallant Member that that will not be one of the considerations. It will depend on the nature of the report itself.

Will the right hon. Gentleman expedite the report?

We have expedited it as much as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he can give information in regard to the project for scientific research which was recently placed before the Empire Marketing Board on behalf of India; if any decision has been taken in regard to this project; and, if so, the total expenditure from the funds of the Empire Marketing Board involved?

Two projects relating respectively to tea research and lac marketing have been submitted to the Empire Marketing Board with the approval of the Government of India and have been sanctioned. The maximum amounts involved in grants for the Empire Marketing Fund in support of these projects are, in the first case, £3,125 on account of capital and £687 per annum for five years on account of maintenance, and, in the second case, £500 per annum for five years. The first grant is designed to meet half the cost of establishing and maintaining a Laboratory of Tea Plant Physiology at Tocklai. The second grant will meet half the cost, for a period of five years, of an expert to promote the marketing of Indian lac.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that one of the cinematograph films made under the auspices of the Empire Marketing Board is being shown in America with American captions, and in such a manner as to give the impression that the film represents the production of American articles; can he state whether there are any restrictions in the contract made for the sale or production of this film in America which would restrict American exhibitors from altering this film in this manner; and can he say what action has been taken?

I am making inquiries into this matter, but have not yet received the necessary information. I will communicate further with my hon. Friend as soon as it is available.

Did my hon. Friend not admit on 16th April that he had knowledge of this matter?

The only knowledge I had was from Press cuttings that I had received, that the film had been made to apply to a fishing village named Gloucester, on the coast of Massachusetts.

In future contracts will my hon. Friend make provision so that the films made by the Empire Marketing Board are not made to apply to America?

The hon. Member had better wait until I have information as to whether that was done in this case, before asking me to decide as to the future.

Will the hon. Gentleman be good enough to make a statement to the House when in a position to do so, instead of merely communicating privately with his hon. Friend, because this is a matter of public interest?

I agree with the right hon. Gentleman.

If this is a North Sea fishing film will the hon. Gentleman see that our fishermen get the credit for it?

That is the whole intention of the Empire Marketing Board

asked the Minister of Transport whether any correspondence has recently passed between his Department and the railway companies which will have as its object the replacement of non-corridor stock by corridor stock on all their passenger trains; and can he give particulars?

No correspondence has recently passed between my Department and the railway companies on the subject.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider making representations in regard to having space provided in non-corridor trains between compartments?

If my hon. Friend will communicate with me on the point, I will see if it is desirable to take any steps.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can make any statement as to the attitude of the Government in relation to the present position of the London County Council (Charing Cross Bridge) Bill?

The action now to be taken in relation to the Charing Cross Bridge Bill rests with the London County Council. I can only say that in the event of the Council deciding to ask for a recommittal of the Bill in order that Parliament may have a further opportunity of expressing its views, the Government, while leaving the matter to a free vote, would advise the House to adopt that course.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, however much one may want this bridge, to recommend the House to overthrow one of its Committees is a very grave constitutional precedent? I hope the Government will take that point into consideration.

Yes, that has been taken into account, but the fact cannot be ignored, particularly by Members of the late Government, that what the London County Council has done has been done particularly at the request of the late Government in connection with the Charing Cross Bridge Bill and Waterloo Bridge. We have continued the policy of the late Government on this matter, and we do not feel that we are entitled lightly to throw aside the arrangements in that way without, if the council desires it, giving an opportunity to the House of a further expression of opinion.

May I ask the Minister of Transport a question arising out of the matter which passed earlier as to what exactly is the Motion which he proposes to make in respect of the Charing Cross Bridge Bill, and to what Committee does he propose to recommit it?

The right hon. Gentleman is under a misapprehension as to what I said. There is no intention on the part of the Government to bring forward a Motion to recommit the Charing Cross Bridge Bill. I said in my answer that, in the event of the London County Council deciding to ask for a recommittal of the Bill—that is to say, they would promote the recommittal Motion in order that Parliament might have a further opportunity of expressing its views—the Government, while leaving the matter to a free vote, would advise the House to adopt that course. Therefore, the question as to which Committee the Bill would be referred is entirely premature at this stage, and no doubt the county council will have to be influenced in their consideration of the chances of success by the attitude of Members of the Opposition, who urged them to go into this policy when they were a Government, as well as by the attitude of His Majesty's Government.

I will not go into past history, for my share in which I take full responsibility, but I am concerned with the constitutional practice of this House, and for the respect which we owe to our Committees. I am obliged to the hon. Gentleman for his answer. I had understood that the Government were going to make a Motion, but they have only undertaken to support the Motion if made. I presume that it will be a condition of their support that the Bill should be recommitted to a Committee which could hear evidence, as the previous Committee did, before undertaking to reverse that Committee's decision?

Clearly. That would certainly have to be the case.

Thank you.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of consignments of potatoes landed in Scotland during the present year for domestic use and the total quantity of potatoes represented by these consignments, giving the countries from which they were exported?

During the period 1st January to 30th April, 1930, 1,171 cwts. of potatoes imported into the United Kingdom were registered as landed at ports in Scotland. Of this quantity 1,167 cwts. were consigned from the Netherlands and re-exported, the remaining 4 cwts. being consigned from the Irish Free State. The total quantity registered at ports in Scotland during this period was entered by eight landings, but it is not possible to state the number of consignments represented by these landings.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the proportion of the 973 certificates issued by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland in 1929 in respect of potatoes destined for export which applied to seed potatoes and ware potatoes respectively; and the total quantities of each class exported under these certificates?

I regret that I am unable to give the desired information. The certificates referred to are issued in compliance with the requirements of the importing countries in respect of freedom from disease or infection, and do not differentiate between seed and ware potatoes.

Can the right hon. Gentleman not ascertain from the Department of Agriculture for Scotland how many of these consignments represent seed potatoes and how many ware potatoes? Is the Department not in a position to give that information?