asked the President of the Board of Education what special arrangements have been made by teachers' training colleges to ensure that, in the event of the school-leaving age being raised in the near future to 15, an adequate supply of qualified teachers will be forthcoming?

My right hon. Friend is giving the hon. Member to-day, in answer to another question, figures showing the total number of students now in training as teachers; and he is also sending him copies of answers which he gave the Noble Lady the Member for Kinross and West Perth (Duchess of Atholl) on 3rd and 6th November, showing the number of students admitted to training in the last two years. These figures show that the invitation which was extended to training colleges to admit additional students in 1929 and 1930 has met with a satisfactory response.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many men and women, respectively, are at present in training as teachers in primary schools in teachers' training departments of universities and university colleges and in other training colleges; and how these figures compare with those of the last three years?

asked the President of the Board of Education the substance of any representations made to him by the Association of Education Committees or any body representing local education authorities as to the date of operation of the Education Bill or the arrangements relating to the granting of maintenance allowances?

My right hon. Friend has received representations from the Association of Education Committees to the effect that the date for raising the school leaving age should be 1st September, 1932, and intimating that, in their view, the system of maintenance allowances should follow the lines proposed in the report of the committee representative of local authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will give a tabulated statement showing, in the event of the Education (School Attendance) Bill being passed, the cost to each county council in England and Wales, the cost to, say, each of six of the largest municipal authorities, the Exchequer grant to each of such authorities, and the amount to be raised by local taxation by each of such authorities; and will he give the statement in a form which will show the expenditure during the next six years?

Although I have been able to give an estimate, for the country as a whole, of the eventual additional cost involved in the Education (School Attendance) Bill, based on the

The numbers of students in training are:best figures which are available, I have no information in regard to individual education authorities which would enable me to supply the particulars asked for.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many men and women teachers, respectively, in primary schools are in possession of university degrees; and what proportion these numbers bear to the total numbers of men and women teachers, respectively, in such schools?

On 31st March, 1930, there were 3,283 men and 2,608 women teachers serving in maintained public elementary schools and holding university degrees. These figures represent 7.6 per cent. and 2.1 per cent. of the total numbers of men and women teachers, respectively, in these schools.

asked the Postmaster-General how many meetings of the Post Office Advisory Committee have been held since June, 1929; what was the date of the last meeting; and when it is proposed again to summon the committee?

There has been one meeting of the Post Office Advisory Council, on 19th March last, since June, 1929. I am proposing to convene another meeting very shortly.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has been approached by the London Chamber of Commerce as to the benefit which the commercial community would derive from a high-speed transmission of letters by air and the desirability of a conference with representatives of the commercial community on the matter, so that Great Britain shall not fall behind other nations in this respect; and what action is being taken?

:Yes, Sir; the London Chamber of Commerce has been invited to appoint representatives for the purpose of discussing this question at a meeting to be held in the near future.

asked the Postmaster-General if he is aware that the minimum rate covering 15 grammes for an air letter from the Argentine to Great Britain is 86 cents, equivalent to 1s. 5d., but that the minimum rate for a letter covering the return journey from Great Britain to the Argentine is 4s.; 4½and what is the reason for this difference?

The hon. and gallant Member appears to have been misinformed. The air fee from the Argentine to this country is at the rate of 18 centavos a gramme, and the charge for a letter of 15 grammes (about half-an-ounce) would amount to about 4s. 4d. in addition to postage.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has received any recent reports from abroad with reference to the workings of the telautograph apparatus in which signatures of the senders of telegrams can be telegraphed; whether any demonstrations of this apparatus have taken place in London; whether, as a result, it is proposed to introduce it into the telegraph service; and will he give the House particulars?

The Post Office is keeping in close touch with all systems of facsimile reproduction by telegraph; and a public service of picture and facsimile telegraphy is now in operation between London, Berlin, Frankfort, Copenhagen, Vienna, Munich and Stockholm.

asked the Postmaster-General whether any acceleration of the scheme for converting all telephones in the London area to the automatic system has been ordered during recent months with the object of assisting the unemployment problem; and by what date he anticipates this conversion will be complete?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the second part, I hope that the scheme will be completed within 10–15 years.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in consideration of the inconvenience to business caused by irregular and delayed deliveries in the Wirral area, he will consider the advisability of restoring the Birkenhead General Post Office to the 1924 position of service?

The change in status of the Birkenhead Post Office in 1926 did not affect the postal deliveries in the Wirral area. I have no information that the concentration in 1928 of the mail work on Liverpool, made largely with a view to providing improved communications, has led to any deterioration in the delivery arrangements. If the hon. Member has any recent specific cases of inconvenience in mind, I shall be pleased to investigate them if he will let me have particulars.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the advisability of opening automatic rural exchanges with six subscribers instead of insisting on eight subscribers; and if, in order to give an impetus to the spread of the telephone system, he will consider the suggestion?

In view of the high cost of providing and maintaining small rural automatic exchanges, which are run at a loss, I regret that I could not justify any reduction in the minimum number of eight subscribers required. The reduction of rates which I have already announced in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for South-West Norfolk (Mr. W. B. Taylor) will, I hope, stimulate the development of the telephone service in country districts.

asked the Postmaster-General what would be the additional cost of inserting the telephone number before the charge for each trunk call and phonogram in the quarterly statement of accounts sent to telephone subscribers?

The number of trunk calls and phonograms is over 128,000,000 a year, and it is estimated that the cost of inserting in all subscribers' quarterly accounts details of the exchange and number in the case of each trunk call and of the destination in the case of each phonogram would be of the order of £100,000 per annum.

asked the Postmaster-General if his attention has been called to the fact that in the Southampton Post Office a postman 50 places junior to the senior man interviewed was appointed acting head postman; and, in view of the dissatisfaction caused by the appointment, will he inquire into the matter?

My attention has already been drawn to the appointment to which soy hon. Friend refers and I am satisfied that the postman selected was the officer best qualified for the position in question. He occupied the eighth position on the list of postmen selected to substitute on supervising duties when required.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of part-time postmen employed in September, 1929, and September, 1930, respectively?

The total number of part-time postmen and postwomen employed on 30th September, 1929, was 21,023, and the corresponding figure for 80th September, 1930, is 21,229.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of automatic stamp-vending machines that are at present in use at the principal railway stations; and have any special arrangements been made to call the public's attention to them?

Automatic stamp-vending machines have already been or will shortly be installed at about 40 of the most important railway stations. Directional signs are being provided where necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War what stage the conferences between the War Office and the Board of Education have now reached; and when he will be in a position to make a definite statement, as promised, regarding the cadet corps?

I have informed my right hon. Friend of the facilities which I am able to offer to juvenile organisations and the terms on which they can be offered, and I understand that the matter is being further considered by the organisations in the light of this information. If any cadet organisation desires to be included in the consideration, perhaps it will communicate with the Juvenile Organisation Committee of the Board of Education.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of married families of the British forces there are, at the last convenient date, in the Woolwich district which were in quarters too small for them and for which larger quarters are not available?

The number of families in married quarters in the Woolwich district to whom a larger quarter would be allotted were it available is approximately 70.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many employés have been discharged from Woolwich Arsenal since January last; how many are included in such discharges who were discharged on attaining 21 years; and what is the average length of their service?

The following table shows the number of civilian employés (male and female) discharged from War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, between 1st January, 1930, and 8th November, 1930:

asked the Minister of Labour the percentage of increase in the registered unemployment from February to May, 1930, of women

asked the Minister of Labour whether she will investigate the circumstances surrounding the refusal of benefit to J. Barkess, 10, Greenwood Row, Grantham, by the local Employment Exchange?

pursuant to her reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 13th November, 1930; col. 1826, Vol. 214] supplied the following statement:

I have made inquiry and find that Mr. Barkess was disqualified by a court of referees for receiving benefit for six weeks from lath October on the ground that he had refused to accept an offer of suitable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons now engaged in Great Britain and Northern Ireland on road making, road repairing, and other work in the nature of relief work?

As regards Great Britain, -I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Norwich (Mr. Shakespeare) on 6th November. Figures in respect to Northern Ireland are not in my possession.

asked the Minister of Labour if her attention has been drawn to the central committee set up by the Secretary of State for Scotland in Edinburgh for the purpose of expediting all schemes of work to absorb the unemployed in Scotland; and if she will set up a similar committee for a similar purpose at Cardiff for schemes of work for Wales?

I am not clear that a committee of the kind is required for Wales, but I am prepared to discuss the matter with my hon. Friend if he so desires.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that at the inquest held on the inept who lost their lives at the explosion at Lyme Pits, Haydock, near St. Helens, the jury brought in a verdict of death due to misadventure through ignition of gas unforeseen by the fireman, to which verdict the jury added five riders, and that since then an inquiry has been held by the deputy chief inspector of mines who in his report states that three of the five riders do not come within the scope of his investigation; and will he say what he intends to do with respect to them, in

asked the Minister of Labour if she has any definite plans to place before the House for the relief of unemployment among the operatives in the textile industry of the West Riding of Yorkshire?

On 31st October there were 160 schemes being undertaken in the West Riding with assistance from various grant-making Departments, the total value of which exceeds £3,000,000. In addition there are 283 schemes to be undertaken in this area, the total value of which is about £3,500,000 either approved but not yet commenced, or still under consideration.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents in and about the coal mines for the year 1929; and whether there is an increase or decrease on the figures for 1928 and 1927?

The figures are as follow:view of their bearing on the safety of mines?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. Three of the riders did not directly arise from or have any immediate relation to the accident at Lyme pits, and therefore did not come within the scope of the official inquiry. With regard to the second part, these matters cannot be dealt with within the limits of question and answer, since a number of technical considerations are involved. I shall be glad, however, to discuss them with my hon. Friend whenever he wishes.

asked the Secretary for Mines what progress has been made in perfecting the process of the low-temperaure carbonisation of coal for the production of oil and other products?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 27th May last to a similar question by the hon. Member for Blackpool (Sir W. de Frece), a copy of which I am sending to him. The next issue of the Annual Report of the Fuel Research Board will be published in two or three weeks' time.

asked the Secretary for Mines if be has carried out tests with the fire-damp detector lamps other than the oil safety lamp; and, if so, will he say if, as a result of such tests, he proposes to recommend the use of such detector lamps in the mines?

Systematic pit tests of the detector lamp referred to in my answer to my hon. Friend on 22nd July last, were arranged, but in the meantime laboratory tests gave unsatisfactory results. The proposed systematic pit tests are consequently in abeyance. In the meantime the present condition and working efficiency of a number of detectors of this type which have been purchased by individual collieries at various times during the last two years are being investigated.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he is aware that colliery owners are pressing for the spread-over of hours or a reduction of wages on 1st December, 1930; and is he in a position to say whether the Coal Mines Industrial Board will be fully constituted in time to deal with these questions?

I am aware that, in the colliery districts affected, the position is generally as stated in the question. I hope to set up the Coal Mines National Industrial Board this week.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the position of the metalliferous mining industry has now been considered; and whether it is proposed to take any action with a view to stimulating it?

The position of the metalliferous mining industries is at present being examined by a subcommittee of my Advisory Committee for the metalliferous mining and quarrying industries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the names of the different countries that have now taken measures against dumping of produce from Soviet Russia either by prohibition of imports, by licences, or by heavier duties than are levied on other countries; and what other countries have announced that they are about to take action?

Measures directed against the importation of certain goods from the Soviet Union have recently been taken by France, Belgium and Roumania. I understand also that Canadian importers have at the request of the Dominion Government given an undertaking not to import anthracite from Russia during the corning autumn and winter. I have no information as to the last part of the question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been directed to the practice of dumping colliery redd on the foreshore and in the sea and thus creating obstacles to navigation and the silting up of harbour entrances; and what steps he proposes to take in the matter?

Only one instance of the kind has been brought to my notice. In that case, after full inquiry, it was not considered that action to prevent the deposit could usefully be taken at present, but the situation is kept under observation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what international conventions affecting ship- ping are awaiting ratification by Great Britain; and whether it is proposed to take early action in that direction?

The international conventions affecting shipping awaiting ratification by this country are those relating to Safety of Life at Sea, Load Lines, Limitation of Shipowners' Liability, Maritime Mortgages and Liens and the Immunity of State-owned Ships. Legislation to give effect to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention is now being considered in another place. As regards the remaining conventions, I would refer to the answer which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy) on 4th November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is prepared to extend the system of nationalised insurance begun by him with the shipping industry?

The reasons for proposing special insurance facilities in the case of the Cunard Company have been fully explained to the House. I have no further measures of this kind under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of persons who have emigrated from Great Britain to our Dominions and Colonies during the past 12 months; and how this compares with the figures for the previous 12 months?

The total number of British subjects who were recorded in the lists of passengers from ports in this country as leaving permanent residence in Great Britain to take up permanent residence in places within the British Empire during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1930, was 62,297 as compared with 100,497 for the corresponding period of 1929. The right hon. Member will find further information on the subject in the article on the Passenger Movement from and to the United Kingdom in the Board of Trade Journal for lath November.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has yet received an estimate of the cost of the new passenger vessels which are to be constructed by the Cunard Steamship Company and for which financial assistance is being given; what part of the cost is in respect of alterations to ships and docks; and what is the amount to which the vessels are to be insured?

The Government's assistance to the Cunard Company is confined to providing at reasonable premiums insurance for construction and running risks beyond what the market can absorb. As I stated in the debate on the Money Resolution, the best estimate that. I can give at the moment is that one of the vessels will cost between £4,000,000 and £4,500,000. This estimate is exclusive of the cost of any alteration to docks.

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) the percentage decrease each month of imports and exports to and from India this year;(2) the total imports and exports to and from India for the quarter ended September, 1930, together with the percentage decrease compared with the corresponding period in 1920?

The total imports sad exports into and from India for the month of September, 1930, are not at present available. The totals for the two months of July and August are:Imports intoIndia—Rs.26,41,15,043 (55.2 per cent. below the figure for the corresponding two months of 1920).Exports from India—Rs.3S,60,09,932 (5.7 per cent. below the figure for the corresponding two months of 1920).The figures for the trade between the United Kingdom and India only for the quarter ending September, 1930, are:Imports into the United Kingdom—£13,326,737 (27.97 per cent. below the figure for the corresponding period of 1920).

asked the Secretary of State for India the result of the application made to the Indian Tariff Commission for an increase in the duty on railway signalling and other apparatus imported into India?

I presume my hon. Friend is referring to the application made by Messrs. Henry Williams (India), Limited. The Tariff Board has reported on this application, but its report has not yet been published.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any data to show the extent of the loss to Scottish farmers through the diseases known as darn or redwater in sheep and white scour in calves; whether the exact nature of these diseases and the preventives or cures are known; and, if not, whether he will cause investigations to be made by the Animal Diseases Research Association, the Rowett Research Institute, or other bodies, and publish the results of these investigations for the benefit of Scottish farmers?

I am not aware of the occurrence in Scotland of any disease of sheep which goes under the name of "darn" or "redwater." With regard to white scour in calves, I am aware that this disease, which is believed to be due to bacterial infection, occasions considerable losses. Information as to methods of treatment designed to prevent "white scour" is given in a leaflet obtainable from the Department of Agriculture for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of prosecutions for illegal trawling, including concealment of numbers and lights, during the present year; the number of convictions obtained; the number of cases in which previous convictions had been obtained; and the amount of the fine imposed in each case?

The number of prosecutions for illegal trawling during the current year to date is 16, in respect of which 15 convictions have been obtained, one case having been abandoned. In six cases the maximum penalty of £100 was imposed. in two cases £50, in two cases £20 and in the other five cases the fines were £70, £60, £40, £30 and £15. In one case four previous convictions had been obtained, and in each of two other cases one previous conviction was recorded. The remaining con- victions were in respect of first offences. In association with illegal trawling offences there have been during the year one contravention of the Lighting Regulations, in respect of which a fine of £40 was imposed, and three contraventions of the Lettering Regulations, in respect of which a fine of £20 was imposed in two cases and in the other case a fine of £10 was imposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the estimated amount of the burden falling upon the rates in Scotland to meet the expenditure which would be incurred through the raising of the school age and in the provision of maintenance grants on the scale proposed; and whether he can supply the estimated figures for each county and city area in Scotland?

The complete figures upon which the Department will base its estimates are not yet available, but when the Bill to enable the granting of maintenance allowances in Scotland is introduced, general estimates of the cost of raising the school age will he given.

asked the Minister of Health the total amounts raised by local rating authorities in England and Wales during each of the following years, 1913, 1924, and 1929?

The total amounts of rates raised by local authorities in England and Wales during each of the years ending 31st March, 1913, 1924 and 1929 were £68,213,000, £143,275,000 and £165,961,000, respectively.

asked the Minister of Health the assessable value for local rating purposes of property in England and Wales for the following years, 1913, 1924, and 1929, distinguishing between residential property and business premises?

The values upon which rates were leviable in England and Wales at the beginning of the years ending on 31st March, 1913, 1924 and 1929 were £209,069,000, £236,465,000 and £267,639,000, respectively. The returns furnished to my Department do not distinguish the values of residential property and business premises.

asked the Minister of Health what is the accommodation of the Hornby casual ward; and what average admissions have there been during each of the last 12 months?

The accommodation for men consists of three dormitories each containing eight iron beds with diamond mesh mattresses, canvas overlays, straw pillows and four blankets each. The accommodation for women is one room containing three iron beds with wool mattresses, flock pillow and linen pillow slips. The average number of admissions is not available, but the highest number admitted on any one night in the last year is 36.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will make provision to encourage the replacement of old and obsolete ships and the renovation of the fishing fleets in this country on lines similar to those adopted in Northern Ireland?

The present condition of the fishing fleets of Great Britain is one of the subjects under the consideration of the Fisheries Committee of the Economic Advisory Council, and I cannot anticipate their report.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will endeavour to ascertain the amount of money his Department has saved as a result of the operation of the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, in so far as it applies to certain allowances made by the Special Grants Committee and also to widows who were receiving War pensions under Article 17A of the 1924 Warrant at a rate of less than 10s. a week?

There is no saving to the Vote of my Department in consequence of the operation of the Con- tributory Pensions Acts in the case of pensions awarded under Article 17A of the 1924 Warrant. The amount by which any of the compassionate allowances granted by the Special Grants Committee may have been reduced in consequence of the grant of contributory pension could only be ascertained by investigation of a number of individual cases dealt with over the past five years, and the labour involved would not, I fear, be commensurate with the value of the information obtained. I understand that in the aggregate the amount would probably be comparatively small.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the disarmament commission of the League of Nations has arrived at any conclusions; and, if so, what steps His Majesty's Government are taking to give them practical effect?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Ken-worthy), on 12th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the British Government have accepted the obligations of a special guarantor under the Convention on Financial Assistance approved by the Eleventh Assembly of the League of Nations in September; and, if not, whether it is proposed to do so?

His Majesty's Government have signed the Convention but have not yet accepted any obligation as a special guarantor. No decision on this question will he taken without first ascertaining the intentions of the other permanent Members of the Council of the League of Nations.

asked the hon. Member for Carlisle as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners the annual proceeds of the Ecclesiastical Commis- sioners' property in Paddington; and whether, in view of the condition of the property, steps can be taken to put it into repair?

As to the first part of this question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by me yesterday to the question of the hon. Member for the Dartford Division of Kent (Mr. Mills). The answer to the second part is that property in the control of the Commissioners or of the Estate Trustees is maintained in good repair.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider in the coming Electoral Reform Bill the desirability of giving votes to all persons over 21 in local elections on the same basis as for Parliamentary elections?

My right hon. Friend is not in a position to make any statement on the subject at present.

asked the Home Secretary on what grounds, and by what authority, Mr. S. C. Asman, of 34, Spencer Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, has been detained at Broadmoor Asylum for the last seven years: and if he will have a full investigation into the reasons for the continued detention of this man?

Asman has been detained in Broadmoor as a pauper lunatic, since he ceased to be a criminal lunatic on the expiration of his sentence in 1922, under the authority of Sections 7 and 8 of the Criminal Lunatic Act, 1881, and Section 3S (4) of the Lunacy Act, 1890, as amended by Section 7 of the Lunacy Act, 1891. Usually such a patient would be transferred after a time to a local asylum, and kept at the expense of local funds, but he has been Kept at Broadmoor, with no expense to local funds, because in his case specially safe custody is needed.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what precedents there are in his Depart- ment for an unpaid Parliamentary private secretary proceeding on a Colonial tour at the expense of the taxpayer?

The most recent precedents are those of the visits of the late Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs and for the Colonies to the Middle East in 1929–25 and to certain Dominions in 1927–28. On both these occasions the right hon. Gentleman was accompanied by his Parliamentary private secretary.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the cost of the non-industrial Civil Service staffs in 1913–14, exclusive of the Post Office?

Excluding the Post Office, the cost of the salaries, etc., of non-industrial Civil Service staffs in 1913–14 was approximately £11,343,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of persons employed under the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies at 17, North Audley Street; and whether there has been a recent survey by the Treasury of the working of this Department under the Chief Registrar?

The staff of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies and Industrial Insurance Commissioner number 156. The working of the Department is kept under constant review by the Chief Registrar in close consultation with the Treasury whose officers visit the Department from time to time as the need arises.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of food taxes, including cocoa, coffee, chicory, sugar, dried fruits and beet, levied in Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

The approximate net amount of revenue derived from the duties on cocoa, coffee, chicory, sugar (including home-grown beet sugar) and dried fruits during the year ended 31st October, 1930, was £15,566,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the profit or loss made by the State in the purchase and sale of each of the principal foodstuffs, wool, and other commodities, respectively, between 1914 and 1921?

I have been asked to reply. The hon. Member will find the information desired by him in the published volume of Trading Accounts and Balance Sheets 1920–1921, House of Commons Paper Number 126, 1922 (pages 140–3, and 149–151).

asked the Attorney-General in how many cases the period of 14 days required for the first registration and advertisement of applications in non-compulsory areas under the Land Registration Act and Rules has been exceeded before final documents have been delivered to applicants during the past 12 months?

I have been asked to reply. The period of 14 days has been exceeded in 696 cases during the last 12 months. In none of these cases was the period longer than 25 days.