asked the President of the Board of Trade if any of our commercial treaties debar us at present from setting up import boards to control the importation of foodstuffs; if so, whether he will state the names of these treaties; the dates on which they expire; and what action the Government have taken to denounce them or secure a modification of their provisions?

There is no commercial treaty which would prevent the establishment of boards to control the purchase and sale of any imported commodity so long as the sale of home-produced goods of the same kind is similarly controlled.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what portion of the total trade of the port of Rochester and Chatham during the year 1929 was from the Dominions or the Colonies?

During the year 1929, of the total net tonnage of vessels arriving at the port of Rochester (including Chatham) with cargo in the foreign trade, 24.9 per cent. was recorded in respect of vessels arriving from ports in British countries. If the tonnage of all vessels arriving with cargo, whether in the foreign trade or in the coasting trade, is taken as the basis of comparison, the proportion from ports in British countries outside the United Kingdom was 10.1 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the total net tonnage of vessels arriving at the port of Rochester during the years 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928 and 1929, and the first six months of 1930?

The following statement shows the net tonnage of vessels, including their repeated voyages, that arrived with cargoes and in ballast, in the foreign and coasting trades respectively, at the port of Rochester (including Chatham) during each of the years from 1924 to 1929 inclusive and the six months ending June, 1930:

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the value and weight of coir yarn, matting and mats imported into Great Britain from India, Belgium and Holland in the years 1913 and 1928, respectively?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what contracts to the value of not less than £5,000 have been made with British firms and the Russian Government or trade organisation during the last 12 months; what means have been adopted for payment; and what is the nature of the contracts?

I presume that the hon. and gallant Member refers to the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme. The

The following table shows the total quantity and declared value of coir yarn and coir mats and matting imported into the United Kingdom and registered as consigned from British India, Belgium and the Netherlands during the years 1913 and 1928, so far as the information is available.information for which he asks in the first part of the question is not readily available, but I shall be glad to give him any figures that can properly be given, if he will communicate with me. With regard to the second part, provision has been made, in every case, for payment by means of bills of exchange. With regard to the last part, I would refer him to the answer which I gave on the 8th instant to a question put to me by the hon. Member for Lancaster (Mr. Ramsbotham).

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will supply a classified list of goods forming the subject of contracts with the Government of Soviet Russia which have been covered by guarantees under the export credits scheme, stating the total face value of the contracts in respect of each class of goods?

I beg to refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Lancaster (Mr. Ramsbotham) on 8th July.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the weight of imported hops sold to the trade of this country in the 12 months ended 1st April; from which countries did these hops originate and in what proportion to the total; which are the firms which are mainly interested in this trade in this country; and what proportion of the total import does each handle?

I have been asked to answer this question. The net quantity of imported hops charged with duty and retained for home consumption in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the 12 months ended the 31st March, 1930, amounted to 52,310 cwts. Particulars of the countries from which these hops originated are not available, but the following table shows the total quantity of hops imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland registered during the 12 months ended 31st March, 1930, distinguishing the countries from which these imports were consigned. I am not in a position to state the names

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what are the latest figures for the export of fish to Russia and the Baltic ports, and how do these figures compare with 1913; and whether any discussion has taken place between the representative of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics in this country with a view to increasing trade?

I attach the latest figures available of the export trade in herrings to the Soviet Union and the Succession States, together with those of the trade with the Russian Empire in 1913. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether he can furnish information as to the Forestry Commission's planting programme in the several counties of North Wales for the coming season; and whether he will consider the possibility of including the county of Flint in the programme?

The Forestry Commissioners' planting programme for next season has not yet been finally settled. No land in the county of Flint has yet been acquired.

asked the Home Secretary if plain-clothes motor patrols are on duty in the London area to report and take action in cases of careless, inefficient, or dangerous driving; and, if not, if he will consider instituting such patrols?

Patrols in plain clothes are not employed on this duty at present, but the question of employing them is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport what Regulations, if any, govern the cases of empty taximeter-cabs patrolling main thoroughfares on the look out for fares?

So far as the London traffic area is concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the London Traffic (Unhired Cabs) Regulations, 1927, of which I am sending him a copy. So far as I am aware, there are no general powers to make Regulations on this subject outside the London traffic area, and I have no knowledge of any Regulations which may have been made under special powers conferred by Private Acts.

asked the Minister of Transport how many toll roads and bridges in England and Wales were abolished during 1928, 1929, and during the present year, respectively; and how many such toll bridges and roads still remain in existence?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to furnish the information asked for by the hon. Member, but I am having inquiries made, and will supply him with such information as I can obtain.

asked the Minister of Transport whether within the last six months there have been any cases in London and, if so, which, where the surface of any leading thoroughfare has been taken up for the purposes of electric light, gas, water, or Post Office mains and has been replaced and taken up soon afterwards for surface repairs; whether he is satisfied that there is now proper co-ordination between all the authorities, local and otherwise, having the right to take up road surfaces and impede traffic; and, if not, what steps he proposes to take to effect further coordination?

I have not the information necessary to enable me to reply to the first part of the question. So far as the second part is concerned, I would refer the hon. Member to the relevant sections of the third and fourth annual reports of the London Traffic Advisory Committee, of which I am sending him copies. Shortly, the position is that within the limited powers which I possess a considerable amount of co-ordination has been effected. From the point of view of the improvement of the conditions of traffic in London, I am of opinion that the scope of these powers ought to be extended, and this question will be considered so soon as a convenient opportunity occurs.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to another serious collision that occurred last week at Camomile Bottom, Blackheath; and whether he can now state what steps have been taken with regard to traffic regulation and other matters to further ensure the safety of the public?

My attention has not been called to a further accident. Details have now been settled whether he will consider the desirability for the institution of a scheme of roundabout working at Camomile Bottom and the Greenwich Metropolitan Borough Council are commencing the necessary roadworks to-day.

asked the Minister of Transport the present position of the scheme in relation to the Well Hall Road and Shooters Hill by-pass; and when the work is to be further proceeded with?

I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 25th June to a question by the hon. Member for East Woolwich (Mr. Snell), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has received the engineer's report with regard to the proposed bridge or tunnel across the Tyne between Tynemouth and South Shields; and whether he is now in a position to make a statement on the matter?

I have received the engineer's report upon the proposed bridge. It is necessary that borings should be made before further action can be taken, and a tender has recently been accepted for making the borings.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of underground coal conveyors in use in mines in this country in the years 1928, 1929, and June, 1930, respectively?

The information is as follows:Number of coal conveyors in use below ground: 1928, 2,856; 1929, 3,218.Particulars are only collected at the end of each calendar year, and therefore are not available for June, 1930.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has received any reports from Government experts or others to the effect that the use of underground conveyors in coal mines is safer than rope and animal haulage and a means of eliminating accidents to both men and ponies on mine haulage roads; and of appointing a Departmental Committee to inquire into the whole question of haulage and conveyance underground in coal mines, particularly having regard to the developments in mechanical haulage in coal mines in other countries?

The whole question of the relative advantages of different methods of haulage is at present engaging the close attention of mining engineers and is receiving wide and constant publicity in the technical press. I would invite the special attention of the hon. Member to the full and valuable report issued last year by a special committee appointed as a result of collaboration betwen the South and West Yorkshire Coalowners' Associations and the Midland Institute of Mining Engineers: This report contains an exhaustive study of the problems of underground conveying and loading by mechanical means, and it has attracted wide interest and discussion in the industry. The Safety in Mines Research Board, also, has recently taken steps with a view to setting up an inquiry into the prevention of haulage accidents generally. I think, therefore, that the hon. Member can rest Assured that the whole of this technical and complicated subject is under close and constant review by those best qualified to deal with it, and I do not consider that any useful purpose would be served, at any rate at present, by the setting up of a Departmental Committee.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to a paper recently read by Mr. R. L. Layfield, one of His Majesty's horse inspectors in mines, and which is printed in the July number of the Journal of the Armstrong College Mining Society; whether he will consider the many suggestions therein made for the improvement of the care and treatment of pit ponies, especially with regard to the training of ponies above and below ground, the proper training of drivers, prevention of accidents to the ponies, harness, feeding, stabling, shoeing, and the prevention of overworking of the animals, as well as other matters affecting their welfare underground; and whether he will consider holding a conference or conferences to which His Majesty's mines inspectors, special horse inspectors, colliery owners, mine managers and officials, and representatives of the Miners' Federation might be invited to discuss the suggestions referred to and any other matters which might be considered useful and desirable?

This paper is a report of one of a series of lectures by the inspectors of horses which my Department has arranged for audiences of mining men in different coalfields with a view to promoting still further improvement in the care and treatment of pit ponies. I am advised that there is a great deal of variation in local conditions and problems connected with the employment of pit ponies and I think that lectures of this kind—followed as they are by discussion and questions—are likely

asked the Secretary for Mines the total production of coal in Great Britain for the year 1913 and for the years 1920 to 1929; the detailed quantity of internal consumption of coal in Great Britain for the year 1913 and for the years 1920 to 1929; and the total foreign exports of coal, giving the quantities from the principal ports, for the year 1913 and the years 1920 to 1929?

The information is given below. The years 1921 and 1926 are omitted as they were affected by national disputes.

asked the Secretary State for War whether all soldiers on the married establishment in the Woolwich district are in occupation of quarters and, if not, how many such soldiers are there for whom quarters are not available; and how many soldiers on the married establishment in the Woolwich district are in occupation of quarters too small for the size of their families but are unable to obtain larger quarters owing to suitable accommodation not being available?

In the Woolwich district the number of married families of soldiers on the married quarters roll who are not provided with public quarters is 112, and the number of families in married quarters to whom a larger quarter would be allotted were it available is 70.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the present position with reference to the negotiations concerning the further use by the public of Woolwich Common?

I am still awaiting the proposals of the London County Council.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if his Department has ever prepared any estimate of the cost of cleaning the bed of the Serpentine; and, if so, what is the amount and how long the work, if put in hand, would take?

No such estimate has been prepared in recent years.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has now received complete information in regard to the number of persons arrested and how many of these were convicted of offences during the period of martial law at Sholapur, and the nature of the offences in each case?

No, Sir. I have not yet received complete information.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he has any evidence as to the effect of the recent decision of the General Medical Council with regard to the rights of Indian medical graduates upon the volume of British trade with India in medicines and medical appliances?

I have no statistics of this trade in recent months. I was informed in April last that a boycott of these classes of British goods had been established in consequence of the decision of the General Medical Council, but in May I heard that this boycott was weakening and that orders for British goods were being placed. I have received no later reports.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he has any information showing the infant mortality in Malta for the last three years for which figures are available.

The required figures are: No. of deaths of children under one year during 1923, 1,953 (or 260.81 per 1,000 births); during 1927, 2,250 (or 301.32 per 1,000 births); during 1928, 1,963 (or 267.91 per 1,000 births).

asked the Minister of Labour whether there is any training centre established for unemployed persons in the Woolwich area; and what number of persons are at present being trained who are resident in Woolwich?

No training centre for unemployed adults is conducted by, or on behalf of, my Department in the Woolwich area, and no persons resident in Woolwich are at present being trained at any of the centres.

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage of unemployment in the cotton trade amongst men, married women and single women for each quarter during the past 12 months in the following categories: not exceeding one month, not exceeding three months, and 12 months and over?

asked the Prime Minister whether he is aware that in many departments of the Civil Service and in many successful business enterprises a retiring age of 65 is fixed; and whether he will consider extending this rule to cover political heads of departments and Government nominees on other bodies.

As to the first part of the Question, yes; as to the second, no.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered as unemployed at the Woolwich Employment Exchange on the last day for which such figures are available and on the corresponding dates in 1929 and 1928, respectively.

The following table shows the numbers of persons on the registers of the Woolwich Employment Exchange at the dates in question:

I regret that statistics on this basis in respect of individual industries are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many women and girls were included in the figure of 218,730 unemployed and under-employed persons on the register in Scotland at the end of June; and what were the corresponding figures for the same period last year?

; Of the 218,731 persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Scotland at 23rd June, 1930, 48,609 were women and 4,714 were girls; out of 139,784 persons on the registers at 24th June, 1929, 21,747 were women and 3,208 were girls.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims at the Woolwich Employment Exchange to unemployment benefit rejected from the coming into force of the present Act to the latest available date on the ground that the applicant was not normally in insurable occupation; and the number of claims rejected at the same Exchange in the corresponding period of last year on the ground that the applicant was not genuinely seeking work?

During the period 13th March to 14th July, 1930, out of 10,608 claims to benefit made at the Woolwich Employment Exchange, 326 were disallowed by the Court of Referees for that area on the ground that the applicants were not normally insurable and will not normally seek to obtain a livelihood by means of insurable employment. During the period 12th March, 1929, to 8th July, 1929, out of 7,639 claims made, 640 were disallowed by insurance officers on the ground "not genuinely seeking work," and 33 cases were recommended for disallowance on the same ground by Courts of Referees on review after payment of 78 days' benefit.

asked the Attorney-General the number of magisterial appointments that have been made in the counties of Brecon and Radnor and in the borough of Brecon during the last 20 years; and what number, if any, can be regarded as working-class representatives in each case?

In Brecon County, 127 appointments have been made, in Radnor 70, and in the borough of Brecon six. In making these appointments care has been taken to secure a reasonable representation of all classes of the community, but my Noble Friend the Lord Chancellor cannot undertake to specify the occupation of each person appointed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the prices re- ceived during the current season by the growers of soft fruit; whether these prices are remunerative; and, if not, whether he will state the specific cases and the reasons therefor?

The prices realised for soft fruits at Evesham market so far during the season have ranged as follow:Gooseberries from 8d. to ld. per lb.Strawberries from 12d. to 4d. per lb.Raspberries from 8d. to 3d. per lb.Blackcurrants from 9d. to 4d. per lb.The prices agreed with growers for forward contracts for soft fruit at Wisbech have ranged as follow:Gooseberries from £12 to £7 per ton.Strawberries from £40 to £35 per ton.Raspberries from £40 to £26 per ton.I understand that the prices received this season have in a number of cases proved unremunerative to the growers, and that in certain districts growers have found it difficult or even impossible to sell their produce. The chief reasons for these low prices are good home crops, combined with excessive quantities coming on the market at the same time, and a slow demand. In some cases, also, imported produce has had a material effect in lowering prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is satisfied that the numbers of British troops in Egypt are sufficient to ensure the safety of the lives and property of Europeans?

The reply is in the affirmative.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total amount paid in import duty last year in respect of Empire-grown sugar and the total amount paid in Excise duty on home-grown sugar?

For the year ended 31st March, 1930, the net yield from the duty on Empire-grown sugar was £3,455,000, and from the Excise duty on home-grown sugar £1,485,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give a list of the Royal Commissions, other Commissions, and Committees which have been appointed since the Gov- ernment took office, showing the dates of appointment and the dates when reports were received

I will obtain the information and forward it to the hon. and gallant Member.