asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can now state the full arrangements that have been made for the adequate representation of this country at the Empire Exhibition to be held at Buenos Ayres?

I am satisfied that the industry of this country will be adequately represented at the exhibition. Also His Majesty's Government are supporting the enterprise and are organising an official exhibit. The range of trades which are showing their products is extensive, and already more than 80 per cent. of the available space has been taken.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the reasons why he has permitted 330 public companies to continue for a period of five months to disregard the Act of Parliament which requires public companies to file annual accounts and balance sheets on a certain date?

I would refer the hon and gallant Member to the full answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 6th May to the questions asked on this subject by the hon. Member for Ilford (Sir G. Hamilton) and the hon. and learned Member for East Grinstead (Sir H. Cautley), a copy of which I am sending him.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the difficulty experienced by his Department in obtaining annual accounts and balance sheets, as is shown by 330 public companies being in default five months after the statutory date, he will consider the advisability of delegating to the committee of the London Stock Exchange the duty of obtaining in January and July of each year these particulars from companies whose securities are quoted on the London Stock Exchange, so as to avoid it being incumbent upon a shareholder to take police court proceedings under the Companies Act, 1929?

The returns have to be filed with the Registrar of Companies, and I have no power to delegate responsibility for obtaining them to the committee of the Stock Exchange. As the hon. and gallant Member appears to be under some misapprehension as to the kind of companies still in default, I take this opportunity of stating that of the cases outstanding, which have now been reduced to about 280, none are companies whose shares are quoted on the Stock Exchange, although dealings are permitted in the case of 11.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can issue a White Paper setting forth a statement of the various commercial treaties now in operation between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and foreign countries the provisions of which operate against the control by His Majesty's Government of imported food and raw materials and the imposition of import restrictions or duties against foreign countries, with a view to preferential treatment of His Majesty's Dominions, Colonies, and Dependencies?

There is no treaty which would compel His Majesty's Government to extend to any foreign country any privileges in the matter of customs duties, prohibitions or restrictions, or in any other matter, which are accorded to another part of the Empire. There are, however, certain instruments which limit the freedom of His Majesty's Government to impose import prohibitions or duties on foreign goods. The freedom of His Majesty's Government to impose prohibitions on foreign goods is restricted by the International Convention for the abolition of import and export prohibitions and restrictions which is in force under a Protocol signed at Paris on 20th December last, and by the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between the United Kingdom and Germany signed on 2nd December, 1924. It will also be limited by the Anglo-Persian Tariff Autonomy Treaty signed on 10th May, 1928, which embodies the substance of the corresponding provisions of the International Convention above referred to. This Treaty though not yet ratified is provisionally in force. Under the Commercial Convention signed at Geneva on 29th March last, and now awaiting ratification, His Majesty's Government will be precluded from increasing any existing protective duties or imposing new protective duties. The only other Treaty which limits existing duties on foreign goods is the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation between the United Kingdom and Greece signed on 16th July, 1926, which limits the duty which may be imposed on currants to 2s. per cwt.

asked the Minister of Labour the numbers registered as unemployed at the North Shields Employment Exchange in January, 1929, January, 1930, May, 1929, and May, 1930, nearest comparable dates, respectively; and the trades and categories of the various persons so registered at these respective dates?

The following table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of the Employment Exchange at North Shields at various dates:

Date.	Number on Register.
6th January, 1930	3,626
13th January, 1930	3,732
20th January, 1930	3,773
27th January, 1930	3,921
7th January, 1929	4,045
14th January, 1929	4,096
21st January, 1929	4,202
28th January, 1929	4,245
5th May, 1930	3,898
12th May, 1930	4,068
6th May, 1929	3,309
13th May, 1929	3,254

The industries in which the greatest number of insured persons were recorded as unemployed at each of these dates were:—Shipbuilding; Shipping Service; Coal Mining; Distributive trades; dock, river and harbour service; and the building industry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed registered at the Castleford Employment Exchange live at Airedale?

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he can, now make any statement as to the further proposals of the Government for the relief of unemployment?

The hon. Member will have an opportunity of hearing the policy of the Government on Wednesday.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Committee under the Chairmanship of Sir Howard Frank has yet reported?

The Committee has not yet reported.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury for each of the last five years for which figures are available the number of jewellers' plate and pawnbrokers' licences issued, respectively?

The figures for the five financial years ended 31st March, 1929, are given in Tables Nos. 115 and 116, page 125, of the 20th Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (Command Paper No. 3435), to which I would refer my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has received a communication from the Wolverhampton Town Council on the question of the sterilisation of the unfit; and what action he proposes to take, either as a temporary or permanent measure?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the second part of the question, I consider that a full inquiry must necessarily precede any action; and as indicated in the reply which I gave the hon. and gallant Member for the Abingdon Division (Major Glyn) on 14th February, I cannot undertake to initiate such an inquiry at the present moment.

asked the Minister of Health how many public vaccinators are now paid by salary and how many by fees?

On 31st March last, which is the latest date for which complete particulars are at present available, 28 public vaccinators had contracts which provided for payment by salary, and 4,293 had contracts which provided for payment by fees.

asked the Minister of Health which county of England and Wales has had the lowest and which the highest percentage of primary vaccinations to births during the past 10 years; and how many cases of small-pox per 1,000 of the population have been reported in the counties in question during the same period?

During the years 1919 to 1928 inclusive, the counties in England and Wales with the lowest and highest percentage of primary vaccinations to births were Leicestershire and Anglesey, respectively. The total number of cases of small-pox notified during the same 10 years per 1,000 of the average population was 0.63 in Leicestershire (including the county borough of Leicester), and 0.02 in Anglesey.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Government were officially represented at the International Congress on Mental Hygiene recently held in Washington; if so, by whom; and what report has been received of the proceedings?

His Majesty's Government were represented at this Congress by Sir Hubert Bond, a Medical Commissioner of the Board of Control. Sir Hubert Bond has not yet returned to this country, and no report has yet been received.

asked the Minister of Health the number of rural labourers' dwellings that are at present condemned in England and Wales; and has he any statistics that wilt show the number of occupants of these houses?

I regret that the desired information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received any communications from the Woolwich Borough Council as to the necessity of a high level bridge at Woolwich, particularly in view of the construction of the north circular and south circular arterial roads?

I have not received any communications from the Woolwich Borough Council as to the necessity for a high level bridge at Woolwich, and I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave to the right hon. Member in reply to a similar question on 4th November last.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what are the respective estimated amounts which will be paid to the royal naval dockyards and private contractors, respectively, in connection with the construction of the "Leander," destroyer leader, four destroyers, and the three submarines of the 1929 programme?

The total estimate for dockyard labour on the ships of the 1929 construction programme, including four sloops not mentioned in the question, is approximately £775,000. It is not advisable to give the other information asked for at present.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the desirability of placing the order for the construction of at least one of the destroyers and the larger submarine, as well as that of the two smaller submarines of the 1929 programme, with the royal naval dockyard at Chatham instead of with private contractors?

The question of providing work for Chatham Dockyard was given very full consideration in connection with the 1929 programme before the distribution of the orders was decided on.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the approximate amount which will be expended in wages in Chatham Dockyard in connection with the construction of the two smaller submarines of the 1929 programme; and what number of men will be employed and over what period in connection with such construction?

The approximate amount which will be expended in wages in Chatham Yard on the construction of the two submarines in question is £180,000. This will give employment for a period of two years to an average of about 550 men. The number of men actually employed on these vessels will of course vary as the work progresses.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the amount of wages paid in the Royal Naval Dockyard at Chatham during each of the four months ending 30th April, 1929, and each of the four months ending 30th April, 1930, respectively?

The amount of wages paid at Chatham Dockyard during the months mentioned is as follows:

	1929.	1930.
	£	£
January	92,990	89,111
February	95,581	90,535
March (five weeks)	118,396	115,488
April	95,322	84,533

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what number of men have been discharged from Chatham Dockyard during the past two months?

Apart from natural wastage and the discharge of men who were entered for temporary service, three men have been discharged from Chatham Dockyard during the two months ended 10th May, 1930.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether suitable provision will be made for the widows and other dependants of the Indian policemen recently killed in the discharge of their duties?

I have no doubt that the provincial Governments, who have power to make grants of this nature, will consider such cases sympathetically.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether his attention has been called to the issue by the Government of India of £7,000,000 6 per cent. bonds, 1933–35, and which has now been subscribed for in this country; if the object of the issue is to provide funds for the development of railways and other public works in India; and if he will make representations to the Government of India that contracts which arise as a result of the issue shall as far as possible be placed in this country?

Yes, Sir; the object of the issue is to provide funds for capital expenditure on railways in India and for general purposes. As regards the third part of the question, I have already on more than one occasion explained to the hon. Member the considerations that govern this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will authorise the use of tear gas as a humane method of controlling riots in India?

The Government have considered this proposal, but decline to make use of this weapon.

asked the Secretary of State for India the amount of revenue (both central and provincial) derived from taxes on income and land revenue for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

The revenue receipts in 1928–29 from taxes on income were Rs.17,05,64,619, of which Rs.16,70,33,999 was retained by the Central Government and Rs.35,30,620 was allocated to Provincial Governments. The land revenue receipts in the same year were Rs.33,16,20,977, of which Rs.38,31,605 was received by the Central Government and Rs.32,77,89,372 by Provincial Governments. The above figures take account of refunds, but not of charges, nor of assignments and compensations in respect of land revenue.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is now in a position to state whether the Government of India propose to accept the recommendation of the Haj Inquiry Committee to the effect that a centralised agency should be set up to keep the Government in close touch with the problems relating to Haj pilgrims?

I have not yet heard what the intentions of the Government of India are.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the nature of the duties of the officer attached to the Prime Minister's Department of the Government of New Zealand; and whether there are in other Dominions similar officers of the British Government?

The duties of the officer referred to in the hon. and gallant Member's question were set out by the former Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs in a reply given on 14th February, 1928, in the following terms:

"Arrangements have been made for a member of the staff of the Foreign Office to be seconded for attachment to the Department of the Prime Minister of New Zealand in a consultative or informative capacity, especially in relation to foreign affairs. He will not exercise executive or administrative functions, nor will he be in any sense a representative of His Majesty's Government in Great Britain."—[OFFICIAL REPORT, 14th February, 1928; col. 706, Vol. 213.]

The period of secondment of the officer appointed to this post in 1928 terminated in March last, and I understand that the question of a fresh appointment is being held over by the New Zealand Government pending opportunity for discussion at the time of the next Imperial Conference. There are no officers of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom employed in a similar capacity in other Dominions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, taking the average small holding, he can state the average income derived from it by the smallholder, assuming that he cultivates under the best and most industrious conditions?

I regret that I am unable to supply the desired information, as the necessary data are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any cases of natural cow-pox have been recently brought to the notice of his Department; and what steps are taken to prevent the spread of the disease?

The only cases of cow-pox brought to the notice of the Ministry in recent years were reported in November, 1929, from the county of Dorset. Cow-pox is a disease which normally responds readily to treatment. It is usually confined to individual herds and does not become epidemic in character. It is not a source of serious loss to the owner, and a herd can be protected against infection by isolation of newly purchased cows or by the demand of a guarantee when cows are being bought. No administrative measures exist under the Diseases of Animals Acts, with regard to this disease. Having regard to its nature such measures would result in greater inconvenience and loss than the circumstances warrant.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total number of cattle, sheep, and pigs killed in public, private, and registered slaughterhouses, separately, during 1929?

I regret that this information is not in the possession either of my Department or of that of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, whom I have consulted.