asked the President of the Board of Education the qualifications in respect of educational experience of each member of the Departmental Committee appointed to consider the problem of private schools?

Members of this Committee have had experience of teaching or of administrative educational work, as follows:

Alderman J. Chuter Ede, M.P., Vice-Chairman of the Surrey County Council; formerly taught in public elementary schools.

Alderman F. Askew, former Chairman of the Hull Education Committee and Chairman of the Education Committee of the Association of Municipal Corporations.

Mr. M. W. Beaumont, M.P., member of Bucks County Council and Education Committee.

Captain V. A. Cazalet, M.P.

Mr. R. H. Charles, His Majesty's Inspector of Schools.

Miss W. M. Crosthwaite, Headmistress of Wycombe Abbey School; formerly Headmistress of Colchester County High School.

Mr. H. Graham-White, M.P., Chairman of Governing Body of Birkenhead School and member of Council of Liverpool University. Formerly member of Birkenhead Education Committee and Chairman of the Higher Education Committee.

Mr. Oscar M. Holden, M.D., Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer for Croydon; formerly Medical Officer of Health and School Medical Officer for Blackburn and Dewsbury.

Mr. M. G. Holmes, C.B., Principal Assistant Secretary for Secondary Education, Board of Education.

Mr. F. R. Hurlstone-Jones, Headmaster of Holloway School; Joint Hon. Secretary, Incorporated Association of Headmasters.

Mrs. Leah Manning, President of the National Union of Teachers; Headmistress, Open-Air School, Cambridge.

Mr. S. Maxwell, Headmaster, Manor House School, Clapham Common, S.W. 4, Chairman of Council, Independent Schools Association.

Councillor Wright Robinson, Chairman of Manchester Education Committee.

Mr. Alfred Salter, M.D., D.P.H., M.P., formerly a member of the London County Council.

Mr. O. H. Wagner, Headmaster of a Preparatory School in London: Chairman of the Preparatory Schools Association.

Mr. T. A. Warren, Director of Education, Wolverhampton.

asked the President of the Board of Education the approximate time per capita taken in the medical examination of school children?

When children are being examined at routine medical inspections, about six minutes is occupied on the average in the inspection of each child. Children discovered or suspected to be suffering from defects requiring more detailed investigation are referred for subsequent examination, and the time then given to any particular child, of course, varies with the nature of the defect.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of council schools and the number of non-provided schools in England and Wales; and the number of scholars attending them, respectively?

The number of public elementary schools in England and Wales maintained by local education authorities, on 31st March last, was:

The approximate number of children in attendance at these schools during the year ended on that date was:

asked the President of the Board of Education how many of the elementary schools in Walsall provide milk daily to the children at a small charge; whether this is done officially by the education committee or voluntarily by the staffs of the schools concerned; and whether, in the case of children of unemployed men or of men in receipt of relief from the public assistance committee, milk is given free and, if so, to what extent?

I understand that milk is being supplied to children attending elementary schools in Walsall, but I have not any detailed information which would enable me to answer the first two parts of my hon. Friend's question. I am making inquiries into the matter. In regard to the third part, the local education authority have not hitherto accepted any financial responsibility for providing milk free of charge for necessitous children.

asked the President of the Board of Education if any foreign countries, and, if so, which, grant maintenance allowances to children under obligation to attend school irrespective of their ability to profit by the instruction provided; and, if so, what proportion of the school population in these countries is in receipt of such allowances?

So far as I am aware, there is no foreign country in which general maintenance allowances are granted.

asked the President of the Board of Educaton how many of the additional teachers now in training are preparing to be teachers of physical training and other practical subjects; and how many additional teachers he anticipates will be taken into the university training departments and training colleges next autumn, distinguishing men and women, and teachers of class and practical subjects, respectively?

There are now 1,001 students in training in colleges for domestic subjects, as compared with an average of 771 for the years 1925–28. Students in other colleges are not distinguishable as class teachers and teachers of practical subjects, but, excepting those in some university training departments, they all include physical training in their course and normally at least one other practical subject. It is too early yet to give any close estimate of the number of students to be admitted to training next autumn, but I may mention that I hope that, when the Bill is passed, it will be possible to arrange for a further extension of the facilties available.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many teachers, additional to the present number employed, and including teachers of practical subjects, he estimates will be required on 1st January in each of the years 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, and 1938, assuming that the school age is raised in September, 1932, distinguishing those teachers who will be required for normal expansion from those required for the additional school year, and stating how many of these should be teachers of physical instruction and other practical subjects, and how many men and how many women?

The estimates submitted by local education authorities, on which I have based my calculations, relate to their establishments for each financial year, and not to the numbers to be employed at any particular date. On this basis I estimate that for normal expansion some 3,500 teachers additional to the present establishment will be required in the year 1931–32, and some 5,000 in the year 1932–33. If the school-leaving age is raised in September, 1932, no additional teachers will be required on that account in the year 1931–32; but I estimate that about 3,500 will be required early in 1933. Estimates in respect of subsequent years have not yet been submitted by the local authorities, and I am not, therefore, in a position to make any detailed calculations in respect of the years 1934–38, though I anticipate that the number required for 1933–34 should be about 8,000, the number previously estimated for 1932–33. The estimates, as submitted by the local education authorities, do not enable me to divide the totals which I have given as between men and women, or as between class teachers and teachers of practical subjects. The work of physical instruction is normally undertaken by class teachers.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many children under the age of 13 years reached Standard A in the rural elementary schools during the year 1st November, 1929, to 31st October, 1930?

There have been no uniform standards for the classification of scholars in public elementary schools since the issue of the Code for 1901. I am, therefore, unable to give the hon. Member the information for which he asks.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of classes containing more than 50 children on the latest date for which figures are available?

On 31st March, 1930, there were 10,018 classes in public elementary schools in England and Wales which contained more than 50 children.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, seeing that the Government of India has now decided to abandon the organisation and conduct

of an air service from Delhi to Rangoon, it will be prepared now to grant facilities to Imperial Airways, Limited, to undertake this task?

I have seen a Press report that the Government of India have decided, on financial grounds, to abandon temporarily their intention of organising a State air service from Delhi to Rangoon, but have no official information. I am making inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether in view of the increase in unemployment, she now proposes to take any steps to ascertain the number of aliens in Great Britain who are at present in receipt of unemployment benefit?

No, Sir. In order to obtain accurate figures inquiries involving a great deal of labour and expense would be involved with no commensurate result.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of ex-flour milling workers now registered at the Cardiff Exchanges; and the number of iron and steel workers now signing at these Exchanges?

The following table gives such information as is available:

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims disallowed in the county of Fife on the ground of not genuinely seeking work, not normally insurable, and not a reasonable period of insurable employment during the preced

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider providing amending legislation for the extension of the provisions relating to national health insurance and widows' and old age pensions to persons engaged in small businesses and enterprises of which they are the sole proprietors, and in which no persons other than themselves are employed?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given on the same subject on 8th April last to the hon. Member for Walthamstow, West (Mr. McEntee), and on the 4th instant to the hon. Member for Wolverhampiion, East (Mr. Mander).

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that the public assistance committee of the county of Stafford has withdrawn all financial assistance given by the Lichfield Board of Guardians to old age pensioners; and if he will inquire into the matter?

ing two years for the period 19th April, 1928, to 12th March, 1930, and the number disallowed by courts of referees since that date?

The following table gives the information desired so-far as available:

No, Sir. I am informed that there has been since 1st April, 1930, no change of procedure in dealing with old age pensioners in this area, and that guardians committees have a discretion—which in fact is exercised in appropriate cases—to grant assistance to old age pensioners. I may say, however, that I am in communication with the county council in regard to what appears to me to be the insufficiency of their arrangements generally to secure adequate relief in all cases.

asked the Minister of Health the total amount of Poor Law relief paid to able-bodied unemployed in the city of Cardiff and in the urban district of Penarth for the week commencing 22nd November, 1926; and the total amount of public assistance paid to able-bodied unemployed in each of these areas for the week commencing 1st December last?

The returns received in my Department prior to 1st April, 1930, related to Poor Law union areas. The Cardiff union area, as constituted at November, 1926, comprised the city of Cardiff and parts of the county of Glamorgan, including the Penarth Urban District. Figures for the city of Cardiff and the Penarth urban district were not shown separately. Since 1st April, 1930, the returns relate to each county and county borough as a whole. The average weekly amount paid in out-relief in money and kind in the city of Cardiff during the month of October, 1930—the latest period for which information is available—to unemployed persons ordinarily engaged in some regular occupation and their dependants was £284. I have no similar information for the Penarth urban district.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will give, as an indication of the progress made in the breaking up of the Poor Law, the names of the local authorities who have made declarations under Section 5 of the Local Government Act, 1929, and of the special Acts under which these declarations have been made; and whether he will make a statement, apart from these declarations, how far administrative arrangements have been made in such connection such as the appropriation of Poor Law institutions for the purposes of various special Acts?

The information requested in the first part of the question was contained in a statement circulated on 10th July last in reply to a question addressed to me by the hon. Member for Ashton-under-Lyne (Mr. Bellamy). The statement is still correct except that in one case a declaration was rescinded owing to certain technical difficulties. I am forwarding the right hon. Member a copy of the statement. As regards the second part of the question, 31 institutions belonging to 20 local authorities have in whole or part been appropriated for the purposes of one or other of the special Acts, and in a number of other cases arrangements have been made, in anticipation of formal appropriation, under which the administration of institutions has been transferred from the public assistance committee to other committees.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities in England and Wales that by 1st December, 1930, had not complied with Subsections (1) and (2) of Section 25 of the Housing Act, 1930, with respect to the submission to the Minister of proposals for the provision of new houses for the working class; the number of local authorities that by the same date had complied with these Subjections of the Act; and the approximate number of persons to be dealt with by such proposals?

Sub-section (1) of Section 25 of the Housing Act, 1930, relates to the submission of proposals for the provision of new houses, distinguishing those houses which the authority propose to provide for the purpose of rendering accommodation available for persons to be displaced by, or in consequence of, action taken by the authority under this Act. Between the date of operation of the Act and 1st December, 258 proposals of this kind were submitted by local authorities, providing in all for the provision of 13,979 houses. Of this total number of houses, 1,858 were to be available either for the purposes of the Act of 1924 (i.e., new accommodation) or for those of the Act of 1930 (i.e., rehousing accommodation) in accordance with the progress of demolition and similar work under the Act of 1930 up to the date of their completion. Fifteen were allocated exclusively to the purposes of the Act of 1930 and would provide accommodation for 75 persons. In addition, 18 authorities have passed resolutions declaring areas, containing a population exceeding 13,360 persons, to be clearance areas, and one authority has passed a resolution declaring two areas, containing 188 houses, to be improvement areas. Five compulsory purchase orders and two clearance orders to implement those declarations have already been submitted to me. Sub-section (2) of Section 25 relates to the submission by authorities of urban areas including a population exceeding 20,000 persons of programmes of work for the coming five years. No such programmes, were actually received before 1st December. Since that date, 15 programmes have been submitted. They provide for the erection of 44,300 new houses, of which 14,923 will be allocated for the purposes of the Act of 1930 (i.e., for rehousing purposes), and for the displace- ment of 65,861 persons. Two hundred and seventy-two programmes have still to be received.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the small number of houses that are being reconditioned under the provisions of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, compared with the number to which the Act applies, he will issue a circular to local authorities on the subject?

Several circulars have already been issued to local authorities on this subject, and a good deal of publicity has been given to it in other directions. I doubt whether the issue of a further circular would have any material effect.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of sleepy sickness have occurred in the county of Lindsey during the years 1928, 1929 and 1930; and what steps he is taking to investigate the course of this disease?

The numbers of cases of encephalitis lethargica notified in the administrative county of Lindsey (excluding the county boroughs of Grimsby and Lincoln) during the years in question were:

The local course of the disease is receiving the attention of the medical staff of my Department, who are prepared to give any practicable advice or assistance which may be desired.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the effect of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, 1925, and its extensions upon the position of clerks to old age pension committees; and, in view of the tendency of the Acts in question to reduce remuneration which many clerks have hitherto received to a point which makes it difficult for them to maintain themselves, whether he proposes to take any steps in the matter, either by way of compensation for loss of remuneration or the provision of other work under the Pensions Acts?

Clerks to old age pensions committees are remunerated on the basis of fees payable partly on a population basis and partly in respect of the number of claims and questions dealt with by the committee. The appointment of these clerks and the conditions of their employment rest with the committees, but I am informed that in the majority of cases the clerks have been appointed on a part-time basis. Representations have been made by a few committees that owing to the falling-off in claims to pensions under the Old Age Pensions Acts, 1908–24, as a result of the Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts, 1925 and 1929, the remuneration of their clerks has declined, but I am afraid that I cannot see my way to adopt the suggestions contained in the last part of the question.

asked the hon. Member for Carlisle, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, whether the attention of the Commissioners has now been drawn to the last report of the medical officer of health for Paddington?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, whether, before undertaking any further reafforestation of Dartmoor, he proposes to consult the local authorities and public bodies with the object of ensuring that the amenities of the district are not in any way prejudiced?

In connection with the scheme for the afforestation of part of Dartmoor the Forestry Commissioners are giving sympathetic consideration to suggestions for the preservation of the amenities of the district by the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and other bodies.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, if the Forestry Commissioners have completed the purchase of the holding of Ardnarff, Strome Ferry, Ross-shire; and, if so, what was the price paid for the land and buildings and for the stock, respectively?

The Forestry Commissioners have completed the purchase of Ardnarff. £1,000 was paid for the land and buildings, and £800 for the stock.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many persons are employed in factories established in this country by foreign firms, or firms whose parent companies are registered abroad, in the manufacture, assembly, and sale of goods subject to customs duties when imported into Great Britain?

I regret that the desired information is not available.

asked the Minister for Agriculture when he proposes to introduce the Agricultural Marketing Bill?

I hope to introduce this Bill before the House rises for the Christmas recess.

asked the Home Secretary the number of occasions upon which the Departmental Committee on Dust in Card Rooms has met; and the name of the chairman of the committee?

The committee has met on 20 occasions. The chairman is Sir John Jackson, late Deputy-Chief Inspector of Factories.

asked the Home Secretary the reasons in each case for the refusal to grant the four licences for the performance of experiments on living animals last year?

The ground for refusal in each of these cases was that the applicant proposed to perform experiments at a place which was not registered under the Act.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the frequency of fatal crane accidents, his attention has been drawn to an inquest at Gravesend on 24th October last, on a workman killed in such an accident and to the references then made to the fact that the overturned crane was not fitted with some sort of indicator to show the driver the weight he was carrying; whether he is aware that an approved type of indicator has been working satisfactorily for the past 18 months; and on what date he proposes to make the fitting of such a safety device compulsory on all cranes?

Yes, Sir. I have had reports on this case and on the working of the safety device referred to. The number of serious accidents arising from the use of cranes is a matter of grave concern and, after full consideration, I have decided that steps should be taken to require the adoption of effective precautions. For this purpose I am preparing Regulations under Section 79 of the Factory Act and these will be ready, I hope, for issue very shortly. In accordance, however, with the requirements of the Act, they must be published in draft in the first instance and time given to all concerned to consider the proposals and make any representations they may think necessary.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, having regard to the fact that tobacco and cigarettes are sold through automatic machines during all the hours shops are prevented by law from selling tobacco and cigarettes, he will consider the advisability of imposing substantial licence fees on the use of these automatic machines?

I do not consider that sufficient justification exists for the imposition of a differential rate of Excise licence duty on these automatic machines, seeing that the use of the machines is as much open to tobacconists who have shops as to other traders.