asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state the percentage of goods bought in this country by Russia, under the Export Credits Scheme, which have been conveyed to Russia in ships registered under the British flag?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what kind of medical inspection was received by George Diaper immediately before being turned back by the Board of Trade doctors at the gangway of the steamship "Pennland," at Southampton, on 21st June?

I am having inquiries made in this case, and will inform the hon. Member of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the fact that upon three occasions within one week the automatic stamp machines at Blythe Road Post Office, West Kensington, were empty at 10 p.m.; and whether, in view of the inconvenience and annoyance caused thereby to residents in the neighbourhood, he will take steps to see that the supply of stamps in the machines is adequate?

The stamp machines in question have not at any time recently been empty, but it appears that on four occasions during the past three months owing to a mechanical defect the "Empty" shutter has dropped after the office was closed, although the machines were actually well supplied with stamps. The machines have now been specially overhauled, and I hope no further trouble will be experienced.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is yet in a position to announce the date on which it is proposed to take the Census in 1931; and whether any changes are contemplated in the statistical Returns to be made?

I am not as yet in a position to make any announcement with regard to these matters.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state the approximate cost of providing a national maternity service covering the services of a doctor, midwife, and anæsthetic administration?

The data required for framing even an approximate estimate of the cost of a service of this kind are not yet available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can arrange for the new supply of coinage to be available for issue on 1st January each year?

It is the recognised practice of all mints that only coins actually struck in a particular year shall bear the date of that year. This fact alone renders an issue on the 1st January impracticable. Moreover, there is no demand for silver coin by the banks in the early days of the year in view of the return from circulation at that time of the additional currency required during the Christmas season.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) whether be can state the annual cost of providing a pension of 10s. a week to all widows in need, with or without children, who do not come within the existing Acts of Parliament;(2) whether he can state the annual cost of providing a pension of 10s. a week to all unmarried women in need over 60 years who do not come within the present Acts of Parliament?

The cost of extending pensions, at the rate of 10s. a week, to all widows, and to all unmarried women over 60 years of age, is estimated to exceed £21 millions a year. The amount of the reduction in this figure to be expected from the imposition of a test as to need must depend upon the definition of need adopted, but an estimate on this point would in any case be wholly conjectural in the absence of any data as to the means of individuals. Whatever might be the direct cost of the proposals, it is evident that the grant of free pensions in these cases would make it difficult, if not impossible, to continue the present contributory basis of the pensions system. The contributions for pensions other than the State contribution amount at present to about £24 millions a year.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what were the total amounts of public money paid in respect of acreages under wheat and oats in Great Britain under the guarantees of the Corn Production Act, 1917, and the Agriculture Act, 1920, for each year during the continuance of these Acts; and what was the total amount of the payments made in respect of acreages under wheat and oats in Great Britain in 1921 under Section 2 of the Corn Production (Repeal) Act of that year?

The Corn Production Act, 1917, and Part I of the Agriculture Act, 1920, were both repealed by the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act, 1921, and during the period in which they were in operation no payments either became due or were paid under the provision of these Acts. The total amount paid under the Corn Production Acts (Repeal) Act in respect of wheat and oats grown in Great Britain in 1921 was £18,166,011. Of this amount, £13,983,135 was paid in England and Wales (£5,700,000 for wheat, £8,000,000 for oats, and £283,135 for mixed corn). The balance of £4,182,876 (which was paid in Scotland) consisted approximately of £190,000 for wheat, £3,991,876 for oats and £1,000 for mixed corn.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is proposed to refund to societies registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts the corporation duty illegally demanded and collected under the Customs and Inland Revenue Act, 1885, having regard to the fact that the Inland Revenue authorities hold that the property of a body registered under these Acts is exempt?

If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of any case he has in mind I will have inquiry made and let him know the result.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will consider the advisability of urging the Council or the Assembly of the League of Nations to submit to the Permanent Court of International Justice for an advisory opinion the question as to whether it is necessary for treaties registered with the League of Nations under Article 18 of the Covenant to be published complete in order to be valid, with particular reference to the Franco-Belgian exchange of notes of the 10th September, 1920, the Czech-Rumanian alliance of the 23rd April, 1921, and the Franco-Polish political agreement of the 19th February, 1921?

No, Sir; but it is evident from the very terms of Article 18 that any secret engagement attached to a bilateral instrument registered with the League could not be held to be binding in the event of its validity being disputed by either of the contracting parties.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, with reference to the statistics given on pages 5 and 6 of the Report of the Empire Marketing Board, published June, 1930, if there were any cases of imports into the United Kingdom from the Empire in 1929 coming within the scope of the work of the Board which showed a falling off as against previous records; and, if so, whether he will give particulars of these?

The Report in question mentioned 18 cases in which information available when the Report was prepared showed that all previous records had been surpassed in 1929. The Board's activities include a very wide range of foodstuffs, and the list is doubtless incomplete. But, broadly speaking, it may be assumed that the importation of foodstuffs not mentioned in the list did not surpass in 1929 their previous record year's importation.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has received any representations respecting the desirability of providing a short-wave Imperial broadcasting station; and, if so, whether any decision has been arrived at on the subject?

The matter is one which is receiving the attention of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and, as the hon. and gallant Member is no doubt aware, certain experiments have recently been made, but at present I am not in a position to make any further statement on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he will state the numbers of soldiers leaving the Army within the last 12 months for whom employment has been obtained on the date of their discharge; and whether, to stimulate recruiting, he can improve the arrangements made for discharged soldiers re-entering civil life to obtain employment?

Records are not available to show the number of soldiers who obtain employment on discharge, but during the year ended 31st March, 1930, 15,666 soldiers registered with the National Association for Employment of Regular Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen, of whom 6,700 were found permanent employment and 3,399 were found temporary employment. During the same period, 2,083 soldiers were trained at Army Vocational Training Centres, and of this number 1,825 were found employment. As regards the second part of the question, the Army Council have constantly under review the possibility of improving the soldier's chance of employment on his return to civil life and I am always glad to consider suggestions which have this end in view. I may add that instructions were issued at the beginning of this year which will increase the number of posts reserved for ex-service men in Government Departments. Although the arrangements have not long been in operation, there was an increase in the numbers appointed to such posts during the year ended 31st March last compared with the previous year. The Ministry of Labour have also recently agreed, as the result of consultation with the National Association for the Employment of Regular Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen, to representation being given, where praticable, to the National Association on the Local Employment Committees, with a view to greater co-ordination throughout the country between the Association and the Employment Exchanges in the work of placing ex-regulars in civil employment.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will agree to obtain the advice of the independent medical experts he has appointed in connection with the over seven years' claims on all other types of claims where there is a difference of opinion between his local war pensions committee and the officials at Sanctuary Buildings, and where the applicant has not, under the existing warrants, the right of appeal to the independent tribunal?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. and gallant Member for Hornsey (Captain Wallace), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport how many men were employed by the railway companies of Great Britain in the years 1913 and 1928, respectively?

A return issued by the Board of Trade in 1915 shows that the average weekly number of staff employed by the railway companies in Great Britain during the year 1913 was 590,702, exclusive of the staffs employed at the companies' docks and in connection with certain other non-railway businesses. A return issued by my Department in August, 1928, shows that the number of staff employed by the railway companies in all their businesses during the week ended 10th March, 1928, was 677,148.

asked the Home Secretary if any statistics are kept as to the number of foreign tourists visiting this country; and, if so, whether he will state the numbers for each of the last three years?

All the available statistics are published quarterly and yearly, and in these tourists are not disguished from other visitors on holiday. The returns show that in 1927, 1928 and 1929, 205,348, 224,815 and 238,391 alien visitors on holiday were given leave to land at ports in this country.