Written Answers
Housing (Woolwich)
asked the Minister of Health the number of houses that were built in Woolwich during the 12 months ended 31st March, 1930, by the Woolwich Borough Council and by private builders, respectively, and similar particulars for the year ended 31st March, 19299?
The following statement gives the desired information:
| Year ended 31st March. | Number of houses of a rateable value not exceeding £105 built by— | |
| The Borough Council | Private Enterprise. | |
| 1929 | 350 | 272 |
| 1930 | 94 | 510 |
Widows' Pensions
asked the Minister of Health how many applications for widows' pensions under the new Act he has received from women who presume, or wish to presume, the deaths of their husbands on acount of their not having seen them for seven years or more, or who find themselves in a difficult position through not being able to give any information; and what is the policy of the Department in respect of these cases?
No information is available as to the number of applications for widows' pensions under the Contributory Pensions Act, 1929, received from women who cannot furnish evidence of the deaths of their husbands. With regard to the policy followed in dealing with these cases, I would remind the hon. Member that the fact that death may be presumed in a particular case is not in itself sufficient to establish the widow's title to a pension. Unless the circumstances are such as will support the presumption that death took place within three years of the last known employment or insurance, the claim cannot succeed.
Relieving Officers, Suffolk
asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that in Suffolk when a relieving officer is on holiday the officer for the adjoining district attends to his duties; and, in view of the hardship entailed in large and scattered districts where no mileage for a motor-car is allowed by the county council, he will inquire into the matter?
I am making inquiry into the matter.
Trade And Commerce
Cinematograph Films (Import)
asked the President of the Board of Trade the linear feet of standard negative cinematograph films imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date; and the countries or origin of these films?
The following statement shows the total length of negative cinematograph films imported during the year 1929 into Great Britain and Northern Ireland which was re- gistered as consigned from the countries specified:
| Consigned from— | Linear feet (Standard width of 1⅜ inches). |
| United States of America | 3,372,894 |
| France | 1,318,650 |
| Germany | 1,097,860 |
| Italy | 238,552 |
| British India | 172,998 |
| Belgium | 130,585 |
| Kenya | 60,336 |
| Australia | 58,826 |
| Irish Free State | 51,509 |
| Other Countries | 186,613 |
| Total Imports | 6,688,823 |
Oversea Trade
asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the increase or reduction of oversea, trade for the month of June, 1930; and will he give comparable figures for the corresponding month of 1929, stating separately the amount of trade in raw materials and manufactures?
Full information regarding the value of our oversea trade for the month of June, 1930, and for the corresponding months in 1928 and 1929, will be found in the June issue of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom." My hon. Friend will find an analysis of the volume of trade during the past quarter as compared with the second quarter of 1929 in the issue of the Board of Trade Journal dated 24th July.
Income Tax (Visitors)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to publish any further memorandum with reference to the liability for the payment of Income Tax of either visitors from foreign countries or the Dominions to Great Britain, and can he give particulars?
There is no present intention of publishing a further memorandum on the subject referred to.
Empire Marketing Board
asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any of the special boards erected by the Empire Marketing Board have been placed in positions prohibited by local by-laws?
Except in a limited number of cases in which the responsible local authority has expressed willingness to waive in favour of the Empire Marketing Board a technical infringement of a by-laws, none of these frames has been erected in a position known to be prohibited by local by-laws. In a few cases in which it has been found that a bylaw has been unwittingly infringed, arrangements have been made for the removal of the frame concerned.
Fish (Consumption)
asked the Minister of Health to what extent, if at all, the consumption of fish as a normal food supply in the poorer districts of the country is increasing; and what steps are being taken by local authorities or Government Departments to advertise the advantages of fish diet and to improve conditions of supply in the large centres of population?
I have been asked to reply. I have no information concerning the consumption per head of fish in any particular district of the country, but the consumption per head of fish in Great Britain as a whole shows a tendency to increase. The advantages of a fish diet have not been advertised by local authorities, but advertisements concerning fish are issued and lectures and demonstrations are arranged by the Empire Marketing Board. An advertisement campaign with the object of increasing the demand for fish is also being conducted by the British Trawlers' Federation. Questions relating to the supply, marketing and distribution of fish come within the terms of reference of the Committee of the Economic Advisory Council which is inquiring into the fishing industry.
Poultry (Ultra-Violet Rays)
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the inquiries by the Ministry into the advantages of ultra- violet rays for poultry have confirmed the benefits claimed by European experimenters that egg production is increased by 80 per cent. and fertile eggs by 34 per cent., while the mortality among young pullets is greatly diminished; whether it is his intention to have demonstration plants available for inspection by poultry farmers; and, if so, what steps he proposes to take?
The results of experiments in the irradiation of poultry by ultra-violet light have been brought to my notice. There does not appear to be sufficient evidence that under normal commercial conditions any benefit is to be obtained by this means beyond that which will result from a healthy open-air environment. The experiments have received considerable notice in the Press and no special action is called for on the part of the Ministry.
Palestine (Police Force)
asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies the present numbers of Moslem, Christian, and Jewish members of the police force in Palestine in commissioned and other ranks; and the corresponding numbers before the outbreak in Palestine?
I have not the precise figures in respect of the present time, At the end of 1929 there were in the commissioned and non-commissioned ranks of the Palestine Police Force 622 Christians, 841 Moslems and 196 Jews. Since then the British section has been increased by some 300 officers and men and the Palestine section by one officer and some 130 men. The corresponding figures at the time of the outbreak of the disturbances in August, 1929, would be substantially the same as those at the end of 1928, which were Christians 451, Moslems 881, Jews 221.