asked the President of the Board of Trade the countries which discriminate against the shipping of other countries and in what way such discrimination is shown?

I am not in a position to state what countries discriminate against shipping of countries other than Great Britain. The two countries which discriminate in important matters against British shipping are Portugal and Chile. Portugal charges lower dues to national than to British vessels and allows a 10 per cent. reduction of Customs duties on goods carried in national vessels. Chile allows a 50 per cent. rebate to national vessels in respect of certain consular and pilotage charges.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the terms of the intimation he has received from the head of the Soviet Trade Delegation in Great Britain that it is not the intention of the Soviet Government to export any cotton goods to the United Kingdom or the British Empire?

I understand that the head of the Soviet Trade Delegation has made a statement to this effect to the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and I am asking my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to secure official confirmation through the diplomatic channel.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what are the total sums that have been guaranteed under the export credits guarantee scheme and under the Trade Facilities Act; what is the amount of advances or guarantees that is not likely to be recovered; and what is the actual or probable loss falling upon public funds?

The total loans guaranteed under the Trade Facilities Acts amounted to £72,253,767 and the net losses to date amount to approximately £680,000. Some part of these losses may ultimately be recovered but I am unable to give any estimate of the amount. Nor am I able to say what further losses, if any, are likely to be incurred in respect of the outstanding Exchequer liability under these guarantees which at present stands at £64,122,574. As regards Export Credits, I am informed that from the introduction of the present Export Credits Guarantee scheme in July, 1926, up to the end of March, 1930, the Export Credits Guarantee Department had entered into contracts guaranteeing the payment of bills of exchange for a maximum amount of £12,763,638, on which its maximum liability was £8,062,043. Losses written off to that date amounted to £5,555, in addition to which there was outstanding a sum of £93,694, representing the difference between payments made under guarantee and recoveries from defaulters. I cannot say how much of this sum will be recovered, nor what further losses will be incurred in respect of the liability then outstanding.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department which countries maintain state-subsidised tourist bureaux in Great Britain for the purpose of encouraging British subjects to spend their holidays abroad; and in what countries similar bureaux are subsidised by the British Government?

Directly or indirectly State-subsidised tourist bureaux are maintained in Great Britain by Austria, Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland. In addition, the Dominions and some Colonies also maintain such bureaux. As regards the last part of the question, no such bureaux are subsidised by the British Government abroad, but the Travel Association of Great Britain and Ireland has opened an office in Buenos Aires and is about to open one in New York. At a later date it is hoped to have offices also in Paris and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the amount of money spent on the encouragement of tourist traffic, during the last year for which figures are available, by the Governments of Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden, respectively?

His Majesty's Government last year made a grant of £5,000 to the Travel Association of Great Britain and Ireland. I understand that last year France allocated 1,000,000 francs (£8,000) for national publicity services. In Italy and Sweden the sums available are 500,000 lire (£5,350) and 300,900 kronor (£16,650), respectively. As regards Germany, I have no information at present, but will let the hon. Member know when I have any.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the committee set up by the Government of India to inquire into and report on the conditions of Indians returning to India under the South Africa assisted emigration scheme has presented its report; and, if so, whether he will inform the House of the terms of the committee's findings and recommendations?

I have received no information on the subject, but will inquire if my hon. and gallant Friend so desires.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will give information as to the action that has been taken on the recommendations of the Civil Justice Committee?

I regret that I could not conveniently detail in answer to a question the action taken on the recommendations of this Committee which were over 300 in number.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to make a statement regarding the existence in Sind of a traffic in girls kidnapped from the neighbouring territories of Katchh, Kathiawar, Gujrat and Marwar; and whether he can give any information as to the steps that are contemplated with a view to bringing this traffic to an end?

I have ascertained that there is no regular traffic in the kidnapping of girls from the areas mentioned, but that the demand for marriageable girls in Sind is often met by marriage-brokers who obtain low-caste girls—often by purchase from their parents—from these areas, and dispose of them in marriage. The police authorities in Sind and in the States are on the watch to prevent the activities of these persons, but the task of prevention is not easy, as it is usually found that the girls show no desire to leave their husbands and return to their parents.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the fact that the obstacle to any early decision on the proposal for the establishment of a regular air mail service from Karachi to Bombay is the absence of an all-weather landing round at Bombay, he can give information as to the steps that are being taken to remedy this deficiency?

A substantial provision has been made in the Budget for 1930–31 for work in connection with the raising and draining of the Government civil aerodrome at Juhu, near Bombay, and it is hoped that it will be possible to provide additional funds in 1931–32 to complete the work.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether a decision has been arrived at in regard to the date of the elections to the Indian Legislative Assembly and the Indian Provincial Legislative Councils?

The Governor-General announced on 16th June that elections for the two Chambers of the Central Legislature will be held in September next. The dates for the elections to the Provincial Legislative Councils have not yet been fixed definitely; probably most of them will be held also in September.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in view of the isolation of the military post at Chitral-Kila Drosh, any recent efforts have been made to provide a suitable landing ground for aeroplanes or to make the Malakand-Kila Drosh road suitable for motors or motor cycles?

I understand that there is a landing ground near Kila Drosh, and that the Malakand-Kila Drosh road is already being improved and can now take motor lorries for certain distances.

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the present strength of the British garrison at Chitral or Kila Drosh?

The garrison at Chitral consists of one company of the 4th/6th Rajputana Rifles and one detachment of No. 5 District Supply Company, Indian Army Service Corps. That at Kila Drosh consists of the Chitral Mountain Artillery Section, the Chitral Section Bengal Sappers and Miners, the 4th/6th Battalion Rajputana Rifles (less one company), and detachments of No. 17 Divisional Troops Transport Company, of No. 5 District Supply Company, and of "K" Supply Depot Company, Indian Army Service Corps. So far as I am aware, there are no British units at either place.

asked the Secretary of State for India what progress is being made in Chitral in the efforts to put an end to the Khazanad slavery system?

My latest information, dated January, 1928, was to the effect that the Mehtar of Chitral was making every effort to liberate domestic slaves in the State, and a certain number had already been released and settled on land of their own. The process, it was reported, must be gradual, as the State has no lands at its own disposition, and these had to be obtained from the feudal chiefs in whose villages the Khanazads reside.

asked the Under-Secretary of state for Air for what reasons facilities were refused to a British film company for making a film, which was sponsored by the Imperial Air League, about the Indian air mail and the work of the Royal Air Force in guarding its routes?

My Noble Friend is opposed to the participation of officers and other ranks of the Royal Air Force, under orders, in the making of films which inevitably involve a pseudo-romantic and theatrical atmosphere entirely unsuited to their profession and traditions. No scenario as yet submitted to the Air Ministry, including that under reference, has been free from these drawbacks.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give particulars of the length of service in Egypt in each case of the senior permanent British officials attached to the residency in Cairo?

I presume that the hon. Member refers to the senior members of the Diplomatic Staff of the British Residency. The dates of appointment to Cairo of the present staff are as follow:

• High Commissioner, 27th August, 1929.
• Minister, 20th February, 1928.
• First Secretary, 12th December, 1929.
• Commercial Secretary (1st Grade) (with local rank of First Secretary), 6th October, 1928.
• Oriental Secretary (with local rank of Counsellor) 1st April, 1926.
• Assistant Oriental Secretary (with local rank of Second Secretary), 16th March, 1925.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what proportion of foodstuffs supplied to the Army is Empire grown?

It is estimated that over 95 per cent. of the foodstuffs supplied to the Army and Air Force is Empire grown. In making this calculation a few items are excluded, such as flour for bread, and margarine, which are manufactured in this country but the ingredients of which may be either Empire-grown or foreign.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the fighting services are not so well treated as regards bonus and pensions in relation to the cost-of-living as are the Civil Service, he will cause an inquiry to be held into this question with a view to equalising the conditions?

No, Sir. Seeing that the pay and pensions of the rank and file of the three fighting services are not subject to adjustment with the cost-of-living, and only 20 per cent. of the pay and retired pay of officers is so adjusted, I cannot accept the Noble Lord's statement of fact.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to take steps to prevent the ejection from their cottages of agricultural or other workers engaged upon a contract of service unless suitable alternative accommodation is offered?

This matter will be considered in connection with any legislation amending the Rent Restriction Acts but, as my right hon. Friend has already intimated, it will not be practicable to introduce further legislation for this purpose in the near future.

asked the Minister of Health whether any further progress has been made in the matter of an international convention covering the deratisation of merchant ships and if so, what has been its nature?

An international convention dealing, inter alia, with the deratisation of merchant ships was drawn up in 1926 and has since been ratified by the large majority of maritime countries. My right hon. Friend is advised that progress is being made in the uniform application of the provisions of the convention dealing with deratisation, and this matter is constantly under consideration by the Permanent Committee of the International Health Office which has recently prepared a further report on the subject. This report will be considered as soon as it is received.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest available figures of unemployment for the Walham Green Employment Exchange; what percentage these represent of registered workers; and if these figures and this percentage show a decline or otherwise on the corresponding period of last year?

At 12th May, 1930, there were 2,175 persons resident in the Metropolitan Borough of Fulham on the registers of Employment Exchanges as compared with 1,636 at 13th May, 1929. These figures represent 3.8 per cent. and 2.9 per cent., respectively, of the numbers of insured persons in the area.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she will favourably consider the introduction of legislation to provide that, under transitional condition (b) of the Act of 1927, the fact that a man has had no work for a period of years shall not be accepted as evidence if he has maintained registration during such period?

Whether in any particular case transitional condition (b) is satisfied is a matter for decision by the statutory authorities, who take all the circumstances, including the question of registration, into account. As at present advised, I do not think that any change in this respect is necessary.

asked the Minister of Labour if she will consider the advisability of making a regulation under Section 35 of the Unemployment Insurance Act prescribing the evidence to be required as to the fulfilment of the condition not normally in insurable employment?

, pursuant to her reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 5th June, 1930; col. 2405, Vol. 239] supplied the following statement:I am advised that while I have power under Section 35 (1) (

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government have, during the Recess, elaborated any further plans for dealing with the unemployment problem; and, if so, whether he is in a position to make any statement on the subject?

During the week's Recess, the Departments concerned with unemployment were continuing their work and in particular making preparations for the Guildhall Conference with the local authorities on unemployment.

asked the Prime Minister whether the First Commissioner of Works, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and the Under-Secretary of State for Scotland are still

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, specifying men, women, boys, and girls, on the Employment Exchanges of Devonport and Plymouth, respectively, for the month of May, 1930?

The following table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at Plymouth and Devonport, respectively, on each Monday in May, 1930.specially associated with the Lord Privy Seal in matters arising out of the unemployment schemes of the Government?

The Office of Works and the Scottish Office will remain directly associated with all the arrangements for dealing with unemployment.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet received any advice from the Economic Advisory Council on the subject of unemployment?

The proceedings of the Economic Advisory Council are confidential but I may say, in general, that important aspects of the problem of unemployment have been and are naturally under review by the Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if any further progress has been made with the negotiations to put into operation Part I of the Agricultural Credits (Scotland) Act?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to add to the replies which I gave on this subject on the 14th May to the hon. Member for Forfar (Sir H. Hope) and on the 20th May to the hon. and learned Member for East Fife (Mr. Millar).

asked the President of the Board of Trade the proportion of British flour from British-grown wheat used in making bread sold to the public in this country; the proportion which it would be necessary to use so as to absorb the whole of the wheat crop now grown in this country; and the proportion which would be represented by a used increased of 25 per cent. in the wheat acreage of this country?

I have been asked to reply. It has been roughly estimated that about 10 per cent. of the total quantity of wheat used in bread-making flours in this country is home-grown, but the quantity necessarily varies from year to year and precise figures are not available.

asked the Prime Minister if he can now make any further statement as to the holding of a nonparty conference on the agricultural crisis?

I am still exchanging views on the subject with the Leader of the Opposition.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what is the basis of the estimate of £545,000,000 as the sum spent since 1920 on the construction, maintenance, and repair of roads; and how much of this was for construction?

The basis of the estimate is the annual returns of expenditure on the maintenance, improvement, cleansing and construction of highways, bridges and ferries which are rendered by local authorities to the Ministry of Health. It is not possible to say from the information furnished in the returns how much of the expenditure was in respect of construction.