asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any inquiry has been made by the League of Nations as to the reported manufacture of gas bombs at the Schischau works at Elbing, Germany; and can he give particulars?

No inquiry in the sense suggested has been made by the League of Nations.

Have any inquiries been made as to the truth of these reports from His Majesty's Ambassador at Berlin?

I must ask for notice of that question. I am only answering as to whether inquiry has been made by the League of Nations.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether any recent meeting has been held at Geneva with experts from other countries to consult with a subcommittee of the Economic Committee of the League on the general aspects of the coal question; can he say whether any resolutions were passed and decisions arrived at; and can be give the House particulars?

There has been no consultation by the Coal Sub-Committee of the Economic Committee of the League of Nations with experts since October, 1929. Since that date the International Labour Office has been concerned with the effort to secure some international agreement relating to hours, wages and working conditions in the coal-mining industry. As no doubt my hon. Friend is aware, a draft Convention on Hours in Coal Mines failed by only a small margin to secure endorsement at the International Labour Conference at Geneva in June. The Conference agreed, however, that the subject should be placed on the Agenda of the next Session, and also passed a resolution expressing the view that, irrespective of the work of the International Labour Organisation for unifying working conditions, the attention of the Economic organisation of the League of Nations should be called to the desirability of an economic agreement being concluded as soon as possible between the coal-producing countries.

Can the hon. Member say whether this will be helpful?

There has been no agreement up to now.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the complete observations of the Permanent Mandates Commission of the League of Nations on the manner in which the mandate for Palestine has been carried on during the past year have now been received; when and by whom these observations will be published in full; and whether, in view of the criticisms submitted by this advisory committee of the League of Nations, it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to take early action to carry out their obligations under the mandate?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, I understand that the report of the Permanent Mandates Commission to the Council of the League of Nations, together with the observations upon it of His Majesty's Government, will be published by the Secretariat of the League as soon as those observations have been received. As regards the last part of the question, His Majesty's present Government will continue, like their predecessors who have been responsible for Palestine in the past, to administer that territory in accordance with the terms of the Mandate, and any suggestions made by the Permanent Mandates Commission as regards the measures to be adopted in better realising the objects of the Mandate will receive their most careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any proposals for the reopening of negotiations regarding a treaty with Egypt have been made to him on behalf on any political party or organisation in that country?

No, Sir.

May we take it, then, that the report current in London that negotiations had been reopened unofficially are untrue?

What does my answer imply except that?

The right hon. Gentleman might have been referring to official negotiations.

I have nothing do with unofficial negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can make a statement as to the present position in Egypt; and whether any further steps are being taken to protect foreign nationals?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received information of the reported disturbances in Cairo; whether British forces were involved; what were the casualties; and whether these included any foreigners?

It is reported that 15 demonstrations took place in Cairo on Monday last, varying in size from 400 to 300 people. The demonstrators threw stones and broke tram windows and street lamps. No other damage to European property is reported. The only cases of injury to foreigners were one European tram conductor and one Hungarian injured. The situation in Cairo is now well in hand, and no British forces were employed either there or in Port Said and Suez where disturbances also occurred. Disorders were nowhere serious, and there was no participation in them by respectable elements of the population. The workers everywhere kept out of the demonstrations and remained steadily at their employment. Full particulars of the casualties among the police and rioters have not yet been received.

Has the right hon. Gentleman any information as to the disturbances yesterday?

Not beyond this.

What is a respectable element?

What is the cause of these disturbances?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has received any statement or report from the High Commissioner in Egypt regarding the meeting of foreign Ministers and diplomatic agents in Cairo; what the exact object of the meeting was; whether the High Commissioner was present or invited to be present; and whether there is any previous instance of a meeting of foreign representatives in Egypt to discuss the action that might be necessary in the event of civil commotion?

I have received no report from the High Commissioner about any such meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any representations have yet been made to him by foreign Powers as to the protection of foreign lives and property in Egypt?

I have nothing to add to the reply which I returned to the hon. Member on Monday last, when I informed him that no official diplomatic representations have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has sent any reply to the communication addressed to His Majesty's Government by Nahas Pasha, leader of the Wafd?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the British Government has replied to the recent communication of Sidky Pasha on the British Note regarding the protection of foreigners; and, if so, on what lines?

The reply to both questions is in the negative.

Will the right hon. Gentleman assure the House that he will not enter into negotiations with the Opposition either in Egypt or in any other country?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the personnel and tonnage of the Navy for the years 1914 and 1930, respectively; and the number and cost of the personnel at the Admiralty for the years 1914 and 1930, respectively?

As the reply is a long one and contains many figures I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will take steps to ensure that, in selecting ex-officers from the waiting list at the Admiralty, priority shall be given to suitable candidates who are not in receipt of large pensions?

The possibility of applying such a rule as that suggested does not, in practice, arise. The posts in which retired officers are employed are in the main posts demanding particular qualifications and experience for which only candidates possessed of such qualifications and experience can be considered. This necessity restricts the field of selection in a particular case to retired officers of approximately similar service and experience, whose pensions also will, as a rule, be approximately equal.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the total number of commanders, lieutenant-commanders and lieutenants (ex-mate), and mates (executive branch) now serving on the active list; and whether, seeing that nine lieutenant-commanders retired last year and only five ratings were commissioned as mates, it is intended to keep this type of officer up to the original strength of 100 or not?

The answer to the first part of the question is as follows:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many cruisers designed to carry guns not exceeding 6.1-inch calibre have been actually laid down by the British Empire, the United States of America, Japan, France and Italy, respectively, since 1918?

The figures are as follow:—

British Commonwealth of Nations, nil; U.S.A., 8; Japan, 13; Italy, 4; France, 4.

Does the right hon. Gentleman view our position in this class of ships with unconcern?

I think we have viewed the position quite soundly and exhaustively in the statements which we have made to the House in the last few debates, and I think the country as a whole is satisfied.

asked the First of the Admiralty the number of lower-deck ratings promoted to the rank of captain and admiral on the active list during the last 20 years?

One lower-deck rating has been promoted to captain, and during part of this time he held the rank of commodore. None has been promoted to Rear-Admiral on the Active List.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the recently announced Departmental Committee on lower-deck promotion will be empowered to consider the abolition of the separate rank and distinctive title of mate for lower-deck ratings promoted to commissioned rank?

All aspects of the question will be considered by the Committee.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many firms have been invited to tender for the construction of the submarine of the G class in the 1930–31 programme; and what are the names of those firms?

Tenders for this ship have not as yet been invited.

Will firms in the North of Ireland be asked to tender?

All shipbuilding firms that are considered capable of performing the particular contract for which a tender is invited are, of course, always invited.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can now state what arrangement has been reached with the Iraq Government regarding British railway officials in Iraq?

The matter is still under negotiation with the Iraq Government. It is being actively pursued, and there is reason to hope that a settlement will not be long delayed.

Will the settlement be embodied in the agreement to be attached to the Treaty?

No, Sir; I must point out to the hon. Member that the Treaty does not come into force until 1932, or until such date as Iraq enters the League of Nations, and we want the matter settled before then. It will have to be the subject of a separate agreement.

asked the Prime Minister if the Government propose to give time for the discussion of the treaty of alliance between the United Kingdom and Iraq, signed at Bagdad on 30th June, 1930, before it is ratified and, if so, when?

Yes, Sir; if there is a general desire for such discussion next Session, but my right hon. Friend is not in a position to name a date.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he will arrange for the despatch to Buenos Ayres of one of the British Schneider Trophy seaplanes for the purposes of demonstration flights associated with the British Empire Manufactures Exhibition in the Argentine capital?

The difficulty stated in the reply which I gave my hon. Friend on 14th May still remains. It is not yet known whether the sea-planes will be required for next year's Schneider Trophy race.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether there is any regular official inspection of cross-Channel passenger-carrying aeroplanes which ply for hire on fixed advertised services; and, if so, how it is carried out at the terminal points here and on the Continent in all cases?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to the private notice question asked by the hon. Member for Kingston-upon-Thames (Sir G. Penny).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, as the result of the technical examination carried out by representatives of his Department into the fatal accident at Meopham, he can make any statement as to the suggested cause?

I regret that I am not, as yet in a position to make any statement, in regard to the cause of this most distressing accident. It is now being investigated by the Inspector of Accidents, and some time must elapse before his investigation is completed.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether there is going to be an open court of inquiry into the cause of this accident as there was into the loss of the "City of Ottawa"?

I cannot answer that question definitely, but I should suppose so.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the proposed aerodrome of the Wolverhampton flying school at Blackhalve Farm, Wednesfield, is threatened by the proposal of the Central Electricity Board to erect an overhead cable passing over the site; and whether he will take the necessary steps to arrange for a deviation?

I am generally aware of the matter referred to, but no application for my consent to erect the overhead line has yet been made. If an application is received, I shall consult the Air Ministry before coming to a decision.

Will the hon. Gentleman bear in mind that this is practically the only site available for an aerodrome, whereas there are many possible ways of taking overhead cables?

If the matter comes before me, that and other considerations will be kept in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport the date on which sanction was given by his Department to the Farrington Gurney-White cross country road scheme; on what date the district valuer was asked to report on land to be acquired; what are the existing causes of delay; and when may work be expected to commence?

I am not aware of the date when the county council requested the report of the district valuer, or of any reason why work should not be commenced. My Department issued a grant with respect to this scheme on the 3rd July.

Is my hon. Friend aware that the matter is being held up by the district valuer, and is he satisfied that the district valuer has a sufficient staff to deal with these matters expeditiously?

My hon. Friend will apreciate that the district valuer is not an officer of my Department, and in those circumstances he will forgive me if I do not express an opinion about it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he intends to publish the report of the committee on the Mid-Scotland Ship Canal; and what decision has been reached on the findings of the committee?

I am not in a position to say more at the moment than that the report referred to is receiving the immediate consideration of the Ministers concerned.

In view of the national importance of this subject, will the Minister give the widest possible facilities for the circulation of this report?

I cannot say until the Ministers concerned have completed their examination of the document.

Are we to understand from my hon. Friend that a full inquiry has been made and that the report of the committee is now in the hands of his Department?

Yes, Sir, the report of the inquiry has been received, and it is now being considered by the Ministers concerned.

In view of the fact that consideration is now being given to the report, will the Ministry publish it during the Recess if it is possible to do so?

That is a question upon which I should not at this stage be willing to be the judge, seeing that the matter is being considered by myself and my colleagues.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether in any case the report is to be made available to the Members of the House?

I cannot answer that question on the spur of the moment. The report has only just been received and is being considered by my colleagues in the Government, and, obviously, I cannot answer that question at this stage.

Why should it not be made available to Members of the House? It is a matter of great interest not only to Members in Scotland but to Members of all parties.

I have not said that it should not be available. I have only said that at this moment I am not prepared to say that it should be available, but the hon. Member should not presume what the decision of the Government may be on that point. His representation will be taken into account as his representations are always taken into account.

May I ask the hon. Gentlemen why there should be any doubt whatever—it is that fact which startles the House—that the report should be available to Members of the House?

I am sure that the House appreciates that it is a perfectly healthy instinct on the part of a Minister not to jump to conclusions.

asked the Minister of Transport how many bridges in the Black Country require reconstruction, and in how many cases reconstruction is taking place or is contemplated?

My Department has record of some 200 bridges in this district which are regarded as not fully adequate for present day traffic. Reconstruction is in hand or already contemplated in the case of about one-third of them. I may add that for the past year I have been urging local authorities in this and other areas to take advantage of the special rate of grant, namely, 75 per cent., which is available from the Road Fund for schemes of reconstructing weak bridges in the ownership of railway and canal companies.

Will the hon. Gentleman continue to urge with all the ability he can that this work should be expedited?

The hon. Member may be sure that I shall continue my good works.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that pneumatic picks fitted with silencers, and no less efficient than those at present in use, can be obtained; that these are manufactured in this country; and will he take steps to have them adopted for use on the roads in towns with a view to making the operations of road-mending less offensive to the public?

I am aware of the claims made with respect to pneumatic picks fitted with silencers, and arrangements are being made for one of my technical officers to attend demonstrations of these devices in the near future. I have no power to make their use compulsory.

If they prove of value, will the Minister recommend them to the local authorities?

I will consider that point without taking the step of recommending any particular commercial firm.

Would the Minister consider presenting one of these silencers to the hon. Member for Torquay (Mr. C. Williams)?

And the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy).

asked the Minister of Transport what schemes for the relief of unemployment have been put before the Somerset County Council by the rural councils of Clutton, Keynsham, Bath and Frome; what schemes have been approved by the county council; and what consideration is now being given to them?

I have no information as to the schemes which may have been submitted by these rural district councils to the Somerset County Council. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of any particular schemes which he has in mind, I shall be happy to supply him with any information which is available in my Department.

asked the Prime Minister whether all legislative proposals in connection with the mitigation of unemployment will be first submitted for the consideration of the advisory committee on unemployment, of which the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George) is a member?

My right hon. Friend cannot pledge himself as to the course he would adopt in unknown circumstances arising in the future, but as the House is well aware it is the desire of the Government to secure the fullest possible co-operation in such matters.

Is it not a fact that the Prime Minister has already given a written undertaking to the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Carnarvon Boroughs (Mr. Lloyd George) that that course will be adopted?

I am not aware of that fact.

Is it not a fact that that has appeared in the correspondence which has been published in the newspapers?

Did not the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Bewdley (Mr. Baldwin) have the same opportunity to serve on the Committee?

We are not asking for it. We do not want it.

asked the Minister of Labour if she will state the number of those unemployed who are on transitional benefit and the cost to date to the Treasury of those so borne?

On 23rd June, 1930, there were about 320,000 claimants to benefit with claims admitted or under consideration who did not satisfy the First Statutory condition. The cost to the Treasury for transitional benefit, including the estimated cost of administration, to 19th July, 1930, has been about £9,500,000 of which approximately £4,000,000 was in respect of the financial year 1929–30.

Is the Parliamentary Secretary satisfied that the unemployed have got either the work or the full maintenance which they were promised?

asked the Minister of Labour when the £60,000,000 to which it is proposed the borrowing power of the Unemployment Insurance Fund should be raised would be exhausted should the number in the live register average 2,100,000 and 2,300,000?

It is estimated that the proposed limit of borrowing power (£60,000,000) would be exhausted by the end of December, 1930, if the average live register from the present time is 2,100,000 and by the end of November if the average is 2,300,000. The dates are given under reserve, because there is necessarily some uncertainty as to the number, out of these totals, who would be receiving transitional benefit.

Does the Minister of Labour consider that there will be time to borrow another £10,000,000 should there be a further increase before the beginning of the new Session?

I think so, but I am sure the hon. and gallant Gentleman would willingly come back sooner, if necessary.

Is it possible to get the money from the Road Fund?

asked the Prime Minister if he can make any statement with regard to the cotton report and any further Government action proposed?

The consideration of this matter is proceeding, but I am not in a position at present to add anything to the reply which was given to a similar question last Thursday, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

May I ask whether the Government are fully seized of the seriousness and gravity of the position in Lancashire and whether they are not going to do something besides considering the matter from month to month.

The Government are fully seized of the gravity of the situation in Lancashire, and I understand that the representatives of the cotton trade have been invited to make representations to the Government upon the proposals.

Have the associations of the cotton trade been informed of the fact that the Government are expecting to receive their recommendations?

I understand that the Home Secretary who was in Manchester a few days ago said something to that effect.

Will the President of the Board of Trade be able to make a full statement in the debate in the House of Commons to-morrow when this question is likely to be raised?

I will convey that suggestion to my right hon. Friend.

Have the Government no suggestion at all to make, or any plans to offer?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he will bear in mind the importance of seeing that the cotton trade is adequately represented on the forthcoming economic mission to the Far East; and is he prepared to receive any suggestions from the trade upon this point?

I have kept in the closest touch with the Joint Committee of Cotton Trade Organisations regarding the mission to the Far East, and the arrangements contemplated will ensure that the cotton trade is strongly represented.

May I ask whether the working people engaged in this trade will also be allowed to make representations on the matter?

Yes, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has received a copy of a resolution passed by the Blackburn and District Incorporated Chamber of Commerce that the Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Act is prejudicial to the interests of the textile industries, and should be allowed to lapse when the period of its operation expires; and if he has come to any decision upon this matter?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The question as to what action, if any, shall be taken with regard to the Dyestuffs (Import Regulation) Act is still under consideration and a statement will be made as soon as possible.

Will the hon. Member bear in mind that this is causing a certain amount of anxiety among these people, and will he see that they are put out of their misery as soon as possible?

May I ask whether any answer will be given on this point before the House rises?

I think so.

Is not this an example of the way in which Safeguarding may affect other industries?

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will now give the House details of the composition of the British representation upon the round-table Conference?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that, owing to the attitude of mobs in Bombay, it has not been safe for English women to shop in streets where the principal European shops are situated; and whether any measures to meet the situation have been taken by the Government of Bombay?

I have no information as to the truth of the allegation in the first part of the question, but the hon. Member may rest assured that the endeavour to maintain law and order is the constant preoccupation of the Bombay Government and their officers.

May I ask whether there is not First hand information to this effect, and whether the right hon. Gentleman is not aware that it has been impossible for many days to shop in the streets of Bombay? Can he tell me whether that is so at the present moment?

I have replied to that question in my answer.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the Viceroy, arriving to address the Legislature at Simla on 9th July, was greeted with a seditious and treasonable demonstration on the part of a body of Congress women volunteers imported into Simla from a college in the Punjab; and whether any steps have been taken to stop such demonstrations?

I have seen references to this incident in the Press. I must leave it to the authorities in India to deal with matters of this kind.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this deputation was composed of students from a Government endowed college, and can he tell me whether the authorities of the college have taken proper measures to deal with persons who deliberately insult the highest power in the realm and who travel long journeys to carry out their purpose?

As I have pointed out in my reply, I propose to leave the authorities in India to deal with matters of this kind.