asked the Minister of Labour the number of training centres for women and girls and men which are at present established in Great Britain; how many trainees are receiving training at these centres; and the numbers that are undergoing training for home employment or overseas settlement?

Forty-four training centres for women and girls and 18 for men administered or financially assisted by my Department are in operation in Great Britain. At these centres on 19th July, 4,775 men and 938 women and girls were in training for employment in this country and 77 women for oversea settlement.

Can my right hon. Friend say how many of the number were in adult training?

They were all adults.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the percentage of unemployment in Leeds, Bradford, Hull, Sheffield, Halifax, and Middlesbrough, respectively, as compared with the average percentage for the whole country at the present time?

As the reply includes a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour what will be the terms of reference to the Committee which has been set up to investigate the position of the Unemployment Insurance Fund; and whether it will be open to the Committee to inquire and report as to the varying standards of examination into the circumstances of applicants for unemployment benefit which are adopted by the different Employment Exchanges?

asked the Minister of Labour if any non-party committee has been set up by her to consider questions relating to unemployment insurance; if she will state both the terms of reference and status of any such committee; who are the members; if the meetings are to be held in public; if it is proposed to hear any evidence; if any meetings have yet taken place; and by what time it is expected the committee will report?

In reply to these questions, I would refer to the reply given yesterday by the Prime Minister to the hon. and gallant Member for Gainsborough (Captain Crookshank), to which I have nothing to add.

Will the Committee be able to make any regulations that will be binding upon all the Employment Exchanges so as to bring them into line?

The Prime Minister's reply shows what will happen.

The right hon. Lady did not give the particulars I asked for.

asked the Minister of Labour if she will arrange for a Return to be prepared for the information of the House showing for each Exchange the number of persons who have received unemployment benefit for six months or more during each year since they have been on the books of the Exchange; and the number of persons now receiving benefit who have at any time previously been convicted of fraudulent conduct in connection with the obtaining of such benefit or of any other offence against the law for which they have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment?

As regards the first part of the question, I regret that statistics are not available in the form desired by the hon. and gallant Member. I am, however, sending him a copy 01 the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" for January last, which contains, on pages 6 to 8, an article giving some information on the subject obtained by means of a sample inquiry. Statistics are not available with regard to the second part of the question.

Does not the right hon. Lady think more attention should be paid to the suggestion in the last part of my Question, and is she not aware that in such cases time after time men have been imprisoned and have come out of prison and then got unemployment benefit?

May I point out to the hon. and gallant Member that they come to the Employment Exchange after having been in employment, and it is not for the Exchange to ask if they have been in prison.

Will the right hon. Lady look into that part and see whether any alteration is necessary, in order that the Unemployment Fund should not be used for the purposes referred to?

asked the Minister of Labour whether her Department has any sort of costing system under which it is possible to allocate to the different branches of Employment Exchange activity the percentage of expenditure sanctioned by the House of Commons which may be incurred in carrying on such different branches; and, if no such costing system exists, whether she will consider the desirability of its immediate introduction?

Such statistics of staff and work as are required for economical management and effective control are maintained. A costing system for the various items of work performed at the Employment Exchanges would entail considerable expense, and it does not appear that this expense would be likely to be justified by the practical value of the figures obtained.

Having regard to the fact that the original function of the Employment Exchange was to introduce a man to employment, does not the right hon. Lady consider it advisable to find out the cost of such introductions?

There is no question of any charge for placing people in employment, and the work varies so enormously in different districts that I do not see any value in trying to separate the cost of the work done by a man in placing as compared with the work done by the same man in other work of the Exchange.

Cannot the right hon. Lady define the expenditure of the Exchanges on what they were originally intended for and on what they are now doing?

I will certainly look into it.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of unemployed whose benefit has been disallowed at the Darlington Employment Exchange because of refusal to go to a training centre during each of the past six months; and what is the number of unemployed who have accepted training and proceeded to a centre during the same period?

As the answer is somewhat long, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the right hon. Lady watch very carefully that only those who would be better off at a training centre are sent, as in many cases those who are better off at home are sent away, to the disadvantage both of themselves and the nation?

That is one of the points that are being considered.

asked the Minister of Labour if she has made inquiry into the case of Mr. Early, residing at 80, Rose Street, Glasgow, and signing at the South Side Employment Exchange; to what address the notice asking him to appear at his first court of referees was sent if she is aware that this man has constantly resided at 80, Rose Street for over 18 months; and if any steps are to be taken to pay benefit for the weeks which he is now due?

The first notice to attend a hearing by the court of referees was addressed to 34, South Shamrock Street, which was, according to the Employment Exchange records, Mr. Early's address while he was registered as a non-claimant, though I understand he states that he has never resided there. I now find that he gave the address at 80, Rose Street, when he made a fresh claim on 13th March, and I very much regret that the notice to attend the hearing was sent to the wrong address. As my hon. Friend is aware, as soon as the mistake was brought to the notice of the Exchange, steps were at once taken to give him a fresh hearing. With regard to the last part of the question, I am making further inquiry.

Will the right hon. Lady give the facts? This man has no means and is now entitled to get benefit. There is no doubt that under the Statute a man must be taken before a court of referees before his benefit can be stopped, and will she not therefore restore this man's benefit and carry out the Act?

Obviously, it is not within my power to restore benefit.

But it is in her power to see that the Act is carried out. In view of the fact that benefit was stopped to this man before he got his court of referees, will she not see that benefit is paid until the Act says that it has to be stopped—until he got his court of referees?

He has had a second court, and, with regard to the latter part of the question, I am making closer inquiries, but I have not yet got the information.

On that point, is the right hon. Lady aware that it is established that the man's benefit was stopped before he got his court of referees, that on the first court of referees it was stopped, and will she not therefore see that the benefit is paid for the period until he got the court of referees?

That is the point into which I am making further inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour why benefit is not being paid to Mrs. Logue, of No. 822, Rutherglen Road, Glasgow, and signing at the South Side Exchange; if she is aware that the umpire decided that, in view of this woman being over 30 years in her previous employment, and that she had gone to the United States to get work and was solely dependent on her own earnings to keep herself, if she could secure one week's work benefit was to be paid; and, seeing she was able to get several week's work, who is interfering with the umpire's decision?

I am making inquiry and will let my hon. Friend know the result.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of applicants in the county of Durham who have been refused unemployment benefit since the passing of the 1929 Act on the grounds that they were not normally employed in insurable employment?

The statistics desired are being tabulated, and as soon as they are completed, I will send them to my hon. Friend.

Has the right hon. Lady got tables for the boroughs as well as the counties, and when she makes the calculation could she divide them?

I will see.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware that unemployed farm workers are refused employment on road schemes in Northants; and whether this is in accordance with Departmental instructions to the Northants County Council?

There are no such instructions. If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any cases he has in mind, I will have inquiry made.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any steps will be taken in the next Session of Parliament to amend the Unemployment Act, 1929, so that. she can deal with complaints sent to her by Members of this House with regard to the decisions of courts of referees?

No, Sir. I do not think the Minister should have any discretionary power with regard to the grant or refusal of unemployment benefit.

Is the Minister not aware that it has always been the privilege of Members of this House to send complaints and have them considered, and that now she is making it useless for Members to send in complaints because she gives one stereotyped reply, and hides behind the courts of referees? Will she not take steps to have the 1929 Act altered, so that Members can send cases to her?

No. So far as I am concerned, I will not.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to call a conference of local authorities to consider the scales of relief being paid by public assistance committees, with a view to the provision of adequate maintenance to the able-bodied unemployed and their dependants?

The new Poor Law authorities took over their duties only at 15th May last and are in many cases at present engaged in revising the scales of relief to be paid in their areas, and I understand that in the case of Lanarkshire a conference between representatives of the Public Assistance Committees and Members of Parliament for the county will shortly be held. In the circumstances my right hon. Friend feels that it would be premature to convene such a conference as is suggested, but when the results of the revision are known he will take steps to confer with particular local authorities whose scale of relief may appear to be unreasonably low.

In view of the fact that the scales have been definitely decided by Glasgow, and in the -Under-Secretary's own opinion the amount for the children is inadequate, will he make representations in order that there may be more adequate scales for payment?

In my right hon. Friend's view, any steps to have a conference or discussion on the subject would be premature.

Will action be taken before the winter?

Mostly certainly. The point Is that the local authorities only entered on their duties on 15th May last, and they are at present revising the scale.

Am I right in saying that relief of this kind was never paid or asked for in Scotland until the coal strike of 1926?

asked the Home Secretary the terms of the circular letter which the Minister of Transport promised, on behalf of the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, should be issued to chief constables on the passing of the Road Traffic Bill, emphasising the necessity of specifying on summonses for dangerous, or careless driving, or exceeding the speed limit the precise charge which is made against the individual in order that he may have exact notice of the charge against him; and whether a date has been fixed for the issue of such a circular?

I cannot yet give the terms of the circular. It will probably be issued shortly before the earliest date on which, as announced yesterday by my hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, the new provisions are likely to come into effect, that is, before November next.

Then I take it that the promise which the Under-Secretary made in Committee upstairs will be carried out?

I think so.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider incorporating in the regulations reference to the fact, which may not be known to the police, that the 10-mile speed limit will become inoperative as a result of the Bill, and that therefore the existing signs all over the country will no longer apply?

That point is worth consideration.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made in his efforts to get a tube built between Liverpool Street Station and Ilford; and what he is doing to deal with the congestion of traffic on this line, which is daily getting worse?

I am informed by the London and North Eastern Railway Company that they are not yet in a position to make any further announcement in reference to this scheme, on which they are still awaiting the report of their consulting engineers. I have called the attention of the Company to the statement made by the hon. Member in the latter part of his question.

May I ask whether the £75,000,000 which was promised for the improvement of traffic conditions at Liverpool Street Station is still promised, or what is the position?

The hon. Member has asked a question as to the position of the scheme, and I have told him that the progress of the scheme depends in the main upon the policy and determination of the London and North Eastern Railway Company.

Could not the hon. Gentleman bring some "ginger" to bear upon the company?

The House must realise that these railways belong to private persons, and that the Minister of Transport cannot be expected to handle the London and North Eastern Railway Company as if it were a nationalised concern.

Is it not the case that, under the London Traffic Pool proposed and opposed by hon. Members opposite, this problem would have been dealt with long ago?

The rejected Bills would not have had the slightest influence on this matter.

In view of the unsatisfactory conduct of this railway, is it not time that it was nationalised?

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to state what arrangements he has been able to make with Mr. I. A. Maxton, who wishes to operate an omnibus?

Mr. Maxton is at present operating an omnibus in the London Traffic Area, and the question of the legality of his action, having regard to the restrictions imposed under the London Traffic Act on the plying for hire by omnibus in the Metropolitan Police District, is at present under consideration.

Has not this matter been under consideration for some weeks, if not months, and cannot the hon. Gentleman "ginger up" somebody, so as to get a satisfactory answer?

I have had a large number of communications which Mr. Maxton has caused to be sent to me and to other Members of Parliament, and I have not seen my way to accede to his request. It would appear that he is now breaking the law and the situation is under consideration.

Can the hon. Gentleman say how many persons Mr. Maxton's omnibus holds

May I ask the Minister if this gentleman's case is being prejudiced in any way by a mistaken belief that he is any friend of mine? [Interruption.]

asked the Minister of Transport if he can now make a statement on the Report on the Mid-Scotland Ship Canal?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday to questions on this subject by my hon. Friends the Members for Leith (Mr. E. Brown) and Govan (Mr. Maclean), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a scheme for a new road, submitted by the Northampton Borough Council has not obtained the concurrence of the Northamptonshire County Council, in whose area part of the route will lie; and whether he will take any steps to overcome the difficulties so that this work is put in hand before the winter?

I presume that my hon. Friend refers to a scheme put forward by the Northampton County Borough Council for the construction of a new road from Harborough Road to Duston Road, at an estimated cost of £85,000. The greater part of the route of the proposed road lies outside the county borough, and I am aware that the borough council has not obtained the concurrence of the North- ampton County Council to the scheme. In a matter of this kind I can hardly usefully intervene except at the request of the authorities concerned. I shall be happy to give any assistance in my power towards solving the difficulties which have arisen, if asked to do so jointly by the county borough council and the county council.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in issuing regulations under the Road Traffic Bill, he will provide for the protection of horses, cattle and sheep travelling along public highways by authorising the slowing down or the stoppage of passing motor vehicles where a signal is given by the person in charge of such livestock that care must be exercised?

A provision on the lines suggested by the hon. Member could be included in the Highway Code which the Road Traffic Bill would empower me to issue. Whilst I am not at present in a position to make any definite statement as to the contents of this code the hon. Member may accept my assurance that his suggestion will receive careful consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether it is his intention to reintroduce the same Education Bill in the autumn that was recently withdrawn?

I am not at present in a position to add anything to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 25th June in regard to the proposals of the Government.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman realise how important it is that local authorities should know what their position is likely to be in the autumn, as they are training students and putting up buildings in preparation for next year? Is it not important that they should have some more definite lead as to what is likely to be done?

I hope that my hon. Friend will read what the Prime Minister said.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether such a Bill will be introduced?

I would refer my hon. Friend also to the Prime Minister's Statement.

asked the President of the Board of Education the reasons why he cannot increase the rate of the grant towards the cost of the conveyance of school children?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether representations have been made to him by the Somerset County Education Committee respecting the additional cost arising out of the reorganisation of the schools and the need of conveying the children from the more distant places; and whether he proposes to increase the present 20 per cent. grant to a higher figure?

I have received representations from the Somerset Local Education Authority in regard to the cost of conveying children to school. On the information which I have received up to the present time I do not think that an increase in the rate of grant would be justified. The expenditure on a particular service, such as this, and the proportion which falls on the Board's grant in respect of it, has to be considered in relation to the total expenditure incurred by the local education authorities on elementary education and the total amount of the Board's grant.

Will the right hon. Gentleman give special consideration to the scattered rural districts in this matter?

I have done so, but at the moment I do not see my way to do anything.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, on account of the policy of his Department, an increased expenditure of £40,000 has fallen on the education authority of the county of Somerset; and cannot he see his way to assist them to carry the burden which is cast on them in carrying out his policy?

I am aware that the expenditure is heavy in some cases, but there are advantages which are obtained in other directions to compensate for it.

Am I right in thinking that the right hon. Gentleman also received communications on this subject from Shropshire and other areas?

asked the President of the Board of Education if he can now state how many of the two-year trained teachers, additional to the average annual output of the last four years Who may be expected to complete their training in July, 1932, and July, 1933, respectively, will be men and how many women; and how many in these two categories may be expected to be teachers of practical subjects?

I am afraid that it will not be possible to give this information until particulars are available of the admissions to training colleges next autumn and in the autumn of 1931?

asked the Minister of Health when the report of the Commission on Vagrancy is to be issued; and whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction resulting from the delay in improving conditions in casual wards, particularly in rural areas?

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet received the report of the committee appointed to inquire into the question of vagrancy; whether he proposes to publish the report; and what action he intends to take upon it?

The report has been laid and will be available shortly. I propose to address a circular letter in regard to it to the local authorities, and that letter also will be published in due course.

asked the Minister of Health if he is satisfied that all the new public assistance committees are observing the terms of his circular, No. 1069; and whether he is contemplating any further action to mitigate the hardships of applicants for relief who are subjected to test-work conditions?

I have no reason to be otherwise than generally satisfied with the action taken by the public assistance authorities in response to the circular letter mentioned by my hon. Friend, or to the later circular No. 1097 which forms part of the same policy. But if my hon. Friend has any case in mind in which he thinks that the spirit of these circulars has not been observed I shall be glad to make inquiry. The organisation of schemes of training and instruction naturally takes a certain amount of time, but both this and the other elements in the policy are being kept under continuous survey by the inspectors of the Ministry of Health, and what I may call the general outlook of the new public assistance authorities on these questions is an encouraging factor of the situation.

Has the Minister taken any action with regard to the Sunderland public assistance committee?

I have not that matter in mind at the moment.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in the Wednesbury area of the Staffordshire public assistance committee there is considerable feeling aroused by the reduction of the scales of out-relief, particularly in the case of old and infirm people; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

The Parliamentary Secretary has to-day received a deputation on this subject, and I am instructing the inspector to look into the question whether the relief afforded in the area can be considered adequate.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that on the transfer of these parishes there has been a reduction in the amount of the allowance given per week by as much as 15s. in some cases?

I am not aware of that fact. I have said that my hon. Friend has received a deputation only to-day, and, on the basis of that, inquiries are being made.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the number of public assistance committees that have refused permission to the Press to attend the general meetings of the committees; and, if he is not in possession of this information, will he take steps to secure it?

I regret that the information asked for by my hon. Friend is not in my possession, and that I do not think I should be justified in asking local authorities to furnish it, since, as I have previosuly pointed out, the matter is one which Parliament has left to the discretion of local authorities. Inquiries which I have made go to show that local authorities are averse from any interference with that discretion.

Does my right hon. Friend recall that he gave an undertaking some time ago that he would communicate with the County Councils' Association and the Association of Municipal Corporations on this matter in relation to a private Member's Bill, which is before the House? Has he so communicated; and, if so, what was the result of the inquiry?

I have already stated in my answer that

"Inquiries which I have made go to show that local authorities are averse from any interference with that discretion."

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons in receipt of old age pensions, contributory or non-contributory, who are also in receipt of Poor Law relief; and should this information not be available, whether he will take the necessary steps to secure it?

The number of pensioners in England and Wales over 65 years in receipt of pensions under the Old Age Pensions Act, 1908 to 1924, or the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, and in receipt of Poor Law relief on the 1st January, 1930, was 104,499. Included in this figure were 2,293 widows over 65 years of age in receipt of widows' pensions under the Act of 1925.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built under the 1924 Act from July, 1928, to June, 1929; and the number built from July, 1929 to June, 1930?

The numbers for England and Wales were during the period 1st July, 1928, to 30th June, 1929, 51,282, and during the period 1st July, 1929, to 30th June, 1930, 54,159.

Is the right hon. Gentleman going to make an acknowledgment now that private enterprise has saved the situation?

Not at all. If there is any moral to he drawn from this answer it is that in the past year municipal building has increased.

Is it not a fact, that, the houses built by private enterprise increased at a far greater rate?

That may be true, but that was not the point of the question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that these houses are the only working-class houses being built, and is he satisfied with that state of affairs?

I believe the hon. Member has a question on that point later.

Is it not a miserable failure?

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that in the memorandum issued by the Ministry of Health in 1924, explaining the financial provisions of the Housing Act of 1924, it was estimated that 150,000 houses would be built under that Act in the year 1930; whether he is aware that the present rate of building is only about one-third of that foreseen in 1924; and what steps he proposes to take to treble the present rate of building so as to bring it into conformity with the proposals accepted by Parliament in 1924?

If the hon. Member will look again at the paper to which he refers he will see that the figure of 150,000 covered houses built under the Housing Act of 1923 as well as under that of 1924. It was in fact the figure which the Building Industry Committee in their report Cmd. 2104 of 1924 had estimated as being attainable under the Housing Acts in 1930. In the 12 months ending on 31st March, 1930, the total actual output of houses by the building industry in England and Wales was 202,060.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this White Paper gives a table of the subsidies on these houses, showing quite clearly that 150,000 houses have been built under the 1924 Act, and that for these houses the increased Exchequer contribution is available in all cases, and therefore what the right hon. Gentleman has just said is totally wrong?

I can only retort—[HON. MEMBERS "Answer!"]—that the undertaking which was given by the building industry covered houses of all kinds and under two Acts of Parliament, one of which was abolished before I took office.

Might I be allowed to send the right hon. Gentleman a copy of the White Paper?

I shall be very glad to read it again, but the hon. Gentleman's real difficulty is that he takes it that a house that is not subsidised is not a house at all.

Will the new Bill raise the rate of building under the 1924 Act to 150,000 houses a year?

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the report on the effect of bovine tuberculosis on health; and if he will publish it during the Recess?

I am unable at present to add anything to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member on 17th July.

Does the Minister of Health recognise that he promised this report in February last, and, as it has taken a good deal of time, will he undertake to accelerate it as far as possible?

I think the hon. and gallant Member is mistaken when he says that I promised the report in February.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the report on maternal mortality; and if he will publish it during the Recess?

The interim report of the committee on maternal mortality will be published next week.

When is the final report likely to be published, and will there be a long delay in regard to the interim report?

I do not visualise the final report. I understand that this is largely in the nature of a Standing Committee which will continue its investigations.

asked the Minister of Health when he expects to receive the views of the local authorities on the Report of the Departmental Committee on the disposal of London refuse; and if he will publish them during the Recess?

The report is being considered by the Standing Joint Committee of the Metropolitan Borough Councils, but it appears that it will not be practicable for them to furnish their views during the Recess.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to see that this matter is not allowed to remain dormant during the Recess so that we shall not again be met with very much the same answer this time next year?

I hope the Recess will not last until this time next year.