asked the Secretary of State for India if he can make any statement as to the present position in India?

I am circulating the Government of India's appreciation of the situation to date.

Appreciation of the situation by the Government of India up to 13th December, 1930.

North-West Frontier Province. — Afridis. No fresh developments.

Internal India. —When last week's appreciation was issued, the reports of three Local Governments only for the last half of November had been received. Others have since come in. Bengal reports that in many districts conditions are approximating to normal, but that there can still be no relaxation of vigilance, especially in those areas which were deeply inoculated with the views of civil disobedience. Some indications have been given of attempts to revive illicit manufacture of salt, but these have no matured. Later information indicates that, during the past 10 days, the situation in this Province has shown signs of deterioration, and that attempts are being made to revive the civil disobedience movement on a considerable scale. In the Punjab, activity on the part of the Congress lacked vigour and failed to obtain any appreciable response from the public. A section of the Sikhs is still trying to cause trouble, but so far has achieved a very limited measure of success. The chief cause of anxiety is economic depression in rural areas in the Central Provinces. The more important incidents were connected with the annual auctions of liquor licences, and organised attempts were made to interfere with these in several places. Thanks to the restraint exercised by the police, anything in the nature of serious clashes was avoided. Forest satyagraha is reported to have ceased and picketing to be declining, but, in regard to the latter, a revival is apprehended. The report of this Province refers to organised propaganda in the press to exaggerate every minor incident in which the police have had to interfere with Congress activities. This propaganda is common to all provinces, and clashes are often provoked with the deliberate purpose of giving publicity to grossly exaggerated accounts of the incidents in question. There have lately been very definite indications that this particular form of propaganda is receiving special attention. It would be too much to expect that mass defiance of the law, extending over eight months, and affecting at one time or another practically every part of India, should have been entirely unattended by occasional instances of the use of force in excess of requirements. These have been singularly few in number, and must be viewed in their proper perspective. There can be no doubt whatever that the outstanding features of the conduct of the police in combating a grave menace have been their devotion to duty, discipline and restraint in the face of almost continuous strain, provocation, abuse and social boycott.

In last week's appreciation mention was made of a growing tendency towards violence by followers of the civil disobedience movement. Further instances have occurred during the past week. A feature that has lately been in evidence in Bombay has been the resort to violence by a section of the rowdy element of the city. The dispersal of unlawful assemblies that have deliberately defied the law for the purposes of demonstration has usually been carried out with very slight injuries to the persons concerned, and violence on the part of those dispersed has been rare. Of late, however, the dispersals have been followed on several occasions by violence on the part of smaller parties, who appear to have collected with this purpose, and it is in dealing with these parties that more forcible methods have had to be used. On one occasion this week, slings were used for throwing stones; two sergeants and five constables were injured and a severe assault was made on an isolated constable. A contributory cause to the growth of violence has been resentment with those who have broken away from the boycott, and further assaults have occurred in this connection. Boycott activities in Amritsar have for some time assumed a very objectionable form, and during the past week the methods of intimidation adopted by picketers have been the cause of collisions with the police.

While it is still possible to record gradual improvement in the situation as a whole, unfavourable reports have been received from several quarters. Deterioration in the tone of a section of the Press has been particularly marked during the past week or two. Information from the United Provinces shows that the Congress are now organising on a considerable scale the no-tax campaign which they have threatened for some months past, and that they are doing their utmost to use to their advantage unfavourable economic conditions. They have made some headway in several districts. Bihar and Orissa reports that there has been intensive revival of picketing in some areas. These and other similar reports are a reminder that the civil disobedience movement, although checked in most districts and moribund in some, has still the same programme and has considerable force behind it. The need for constant vigilance remains, in order to prevent a dangerous revival.

In the meantime, public attention continues to be directed towards the Round Table Conference. It is widely recognised that, while its success will greatly improve the situation in India and, it may be hoped, may bring an end to unconstitutional methods of agitation, any other outcome may involve the establishment of conditions giving cause for grave anxiety.

Full reports have appeared in the Press of the outrage committed in Calcutta, in the course of which the Inspector-General of Prisons was murdered and another officer wounded. It is very difficult to guard completely against outrages of this kind, but Government will take every measure possible to protect the lives of their officers. Although terrorist efforts have achieved isolated successes, the efforts of the police during the past few months have done much to limit, for the time being at any rate, the activities of various revolutionary groups, but it should be recognised that the violence movement is a factor in the general situation which demands constant attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a position to state whether he proposes to take any steps to deal with the position of persons charged with an offence, but incapable of pleading through insanity, who have afterwards recovered and been sane for years?

According to existing practice, the cases of individual inmates of the Criminal Lunatic Department are considered periodically. In consultation with my right hon. Friend the Lord Advocate, I am examining the existing procedure with a view to ascertaining whether any modification of it is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps are being taken to safeguard the rights of those persons whose insurance lapses at the end of the present year as a result of prolonged unemployment?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by the Minister of Health in the discussion on the Money Resolution which was considered in Committee this morning.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have taken steps to initiate schemes under the recent Slum Clearance Act; the total number of houses proposed under all such schemes; and the average rent of houses to be provided as compared with the average rent under the previous Act?

55 local authorities have submitted to the Department of Health for Scotland general statements in terms of Section 22 (2) of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930, showing that it is the intention of these local authorities to provide 11,198 houses within the next three years of which 7,538 are to replace houses that are to be demolished or closed and 1,456 are to rehouse persons living in overcrowded houses. The remainder are to meet the normal growth of population. In terms of Section 1 of the Act three local authorities have passed clearance resolutions. The total number of houses proposed to be dealt with in carrying these resolutions into effect and in acquiring additional lands and buildings under Section 3 of the Act is 1,677, and the total number of new houses proposed to be provided under these proposals is 1,623. Two local authorities have had tenders approved for the erection of 500 houses for the rehousing of persons to be displaced by means of demolition or closing orders under Part II of the Act. The average rents to be charged for the houses to be provided will fall to be determined on the lines laid down in Subsection (I, c ) of Section 24 of the Act, and it is not yet possible to say what these will be in the case of any particular scheme.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many paymaster

asked the Minister of Health whether he will ensure that any attempt made in Poor Law institutions to infuse a little of the Christmas

cadets entered into the Navy in 1929 and the first six months of 1930; and whether any of these posts will be filled by chief petty officer writers?

16 paymaster cadets were entered in 1929 and 10 in the first six months of 1930. The possibility of replacing accountant officers in complement by ratings of the writer or other accountant branches is one that is kept constantly under review.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the amount of overtime worked in the several dockyards during the six months ended 3rd February, 1930, and 3rd August, 1930, respectively?

Particulars are as follow:

spirit into the treatment of the inmates on Christmas Day will be extended to the inmates of the casual wards?

My hon. Friend will realise that the proper celebration of Christmas is a matter which must be left to the discretion and good feeling of local authorities. According to my information, however, Christmas entertainments for inmates of Poor Law institutions have been general, and so far as circumstances permit, have been extended to the inmates of casual wards.

asked the Minister of Health the number of admissions, transfers, discharges and deaths in respect of the Mill Road Institution, now under

asked the Minister of Health, in view of the undertaking of the last Government to refer the question of radium supplies and prices to the League of Nations, what progress has been achieved; and whether the League has inquired into both the prices and supplies from the Union Minière in Belgian territory?

I am not aware that any undertaking such as is suggested by the hon. and gallant Member was given, but I am informed that proposals for investigation of these matters were made at the last session of the Health Committee of the League of Nations, and will be further considered at the next meeting of that committee.

asked the Postmaster-General how many unsatisfied

the Liverpool public assistance committee, for each of the past 10 years?

I have communicated with the city council and they have supplied me with the particulars given in the appended table. I am informed that the records for the years 1920, 1921 and 1922 were destroyed by fire some years ago, but that from other sources the following figures have been obtained in respect of the year ended March, 1921: Admissions, 4,406; Deaths, 733; Discharges, 3,620.

requisitions for telephones were outstanding on Saturday, 6th December; and what steps he is taking to speed up the supply and installation of the telephone units?

At the end of November, the last date for which figures are available, the total number of outstanding orders, including those in which the subscriber is not ready for the installation to proceed, was 8,909. The great majority of these are in actual course of completion. Except in a comparatively small number of cases where negotiations for the grant of wayleaves are proceeding, or where completion is awaited of works in hand for the provision of additional underground plant, orders for telephone service are being met without delay.

asked the Postmaster-General what limit has been placed on the annual increase of the number of telephones in operation in Great Britain; and what is the reason for fixing any limit?

There is no such limit.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated expenditure of his Department, during the current financial year, upon telephone and telegraph constructional work; and how does this compare with the corresponding figures for each of the last five financial years?

The figures are as follow:

The figures cover expenditure on new works, renewals, sites and buildings, but not maintenance.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the estimated loss upon the telegraph services during the current year; and what plans he has under consideration for minimising its losses in future?

It is too early as yet to estimate the loss on the telegraph services for the current year, but it is thought probable that the deficit will be somewhat in excess of £800,000. New and improved machinery is being rapidly introduced into the telegraph service, and appreciable economies are being achieved as a result. The operating staff is also adjusted as closely as possible to a declining traffic.

asked the Postmaster-General how many trunk lines are in operation between London and Manchester; and how does this compare with the number of lines in operation between New York and Chicago?

There are 48 circuits between London and Manchester, and 55 between New York and Chicago.

asked the Postmaster-General what steps he proposes to take in connection with the proposed subsidy to grand opera in view of the decision of the Imperial League of Opera not to co-operate with the Covent Garden Opera syndicate?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Balham and Tooting (Sir A. Butt).

asked the Attorney-General the number of transfers of magistrates from one bench to another which have taken place during the previous two years, and been recommended by the advisory committees to the Lord Chancellor on the ground of change of residence?

I have been asked to reply. No record is kept of the number of magistrates transferred from one Commission of the Peace to another; but the names of those recommended for transfer are communicated to the appropriate advisory committee, for favourable consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Customs and Excise senior chief clerks, chief clerks, officers with reserved rights blocking departmental higher clerical officers, departmental clerical officers (men), departmental clerical officers (women), P-class clerks, temporary clerks, casual clerks, writing assistants and members of the typing grade employed in the Customs and Excise Department as at the most convenient latest date, and the allocation of such officers to each office or sub-office in London and in the provinces?

The particulars requested are given in the following table:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will consider increasing the scale of remuneration of learners in the Royal Mint?

Learners in the Royal Mint start at 16s. 6d. a week and rise by annual increments to 41s. 3d. after five years' service and thence to 66s. 11d. or to 90s. 3d. according as to whether they qualify as craftsmen. These figures include bonus at present rates. I do not propose to consider an increase in these scales.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will consider increasing the wages of the following classes of employés in the Inland Revenue Department: charwomen, storemen in the stamping department, storemen and sewers in the office of the controller of stamps, and tellers in the same department?

I can assure the hon. Member that all claims for increased remuneration which are put forward by classes of employés in this Department are carefully considered.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many ex-service temporary clerks are awaiting re-employment in the Civil Service who are not eligible to be placed on the roll of the Joint Substitution Board by virtue of the fact that they were not employed prior to 5th January, 1925?

No central record is kept of the number of ex-service temporary clerks in question.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of elementary schools in England and Wales which have been recently condemned on sanitary and public health grounds; and whether he will give particulars of such schools, if any, in the county of Denbigh?

The Board issued, in 1925, a "black list" of public elementary schools with defective premises. It is not possible to differentiate schools which were included in that list on public health as distinct from other grounds; but Division A of the list includes all schools described as unsuitable for permanent use and incapable of improvement. The following table shows the present position in regard to the schools originally included in List A:

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the question of nationality of married women will be included in the subjects to be discussed at the Ottawa Conference next year?

The purpose of the Ottawa Conference is the adjourned meeting of the Economic Section of the recent Imperial Conference. Such subjects as the nationality of married women would not therefore fall within the scope of the Conference.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will consider increasing the rates of pay given to charwomen in the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery, and the Tate Gallery, respectively?

Seeing that the rates were raised to their present figures in 1928 following upon the award of corresponding rates elsewhere in central London by the Industrial Court, I see no reason to modify them.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when it is hoped to announce the personnel of the new Standing Commission on Museums and Art Galleries?

I am not yet in a position to say on what date an announcement will be made.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total volume of new Stock Exchange issues during the first nine months of the current year; and how these figures compare with those of the two previous years?

There are no official figures. Those compiled by the Midland Bank are as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the policy of His Majesty's Government with reference to the acceptance of advertisements for Government publications, and state to what extent, if any, there is differentiation between the acceptance of advertisements for British and Empire products and foreign products?

There is no general discrimination in this matter in favour of British or Empire products. Such a discrimination would involve elaborate, complicated and costly scrutiny of all advertisements obtained, particularly from retail traders in this country. Departments, however, have discretion to veto any particular advertisement for their own publications. There has been no recent change of policy in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether his attention has been called to the claim of Mrs. E. R. Bastable, widow of Corporal Ernest Bastable, late of the Royal Engineers (postal section); that Mrs. Bastable has obtained from the Probate Division of the High Court of Justice leave to presume the death of her husband and that she has duly obtained letters of administration from the High Court to his estate; whether he will state the reasons why he has refused to pay Mrs. Bastable any sum either in respect of the arrears of pay of her late husband or otherwise; that his Department continues to regard the late Mr. Bastable as a deserter, although he served during the whole of the War; and that payment has been made by the Postmaster-General to Mrs. Bastable of the War bonus in respect of the deceased man?

I have given close personal attention to this case. The answers to the first and second parts of the question are in the affirmative. As regards the third and fourth parts, the leave granted to Mrs. Bastable by the High Court of Justice to presume the death of her husband does not in any way invalidate the official record of his illegal absence. In accordance with the provisions of Section 72 (2) of the Army Act, this record has the legal effect of a conviction by court-martial for desertion. I am advised, therefore, that the soldier, whether presumed dead or not, has been, legally, from the time of his disappearance a deserter, and the payment of arrears of pay or any other payment from Army funds to Mrs. Bastable is precluded by the Regulations. As the right hon. Member has already been informed by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary, the payment of other sums due is irrelevant to the soldier's legal position under the Army Act.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of civilian employés, male and female, discharged from War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, since June, 1929, to the last convenient date other than those discharged on reaching age limits, on medical grounds, or cases of transfer from one War Department establishment at Woolwich to other Government establishments at Woolwich or elsewhere, for misconduct or unsuitability, and excluding deaths or resignations, and giving separately those discharges of casual labour taken on for temporary jobs?

The number of civilian employés discharged from War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, between 1st June, 1929, and 8th November, 1930 (apart from those discharged for the reasons excepted in the question), was 195. Of this number, 146 were casual labour taken on for temporary jobs and discharged on completion of those jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he has any information and can state the casualties that have occurred to the British troops in India for the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

Apart from illness and deaths from illness, the total casualties amongst British troops in India during the past 12 months were: killed or died from injuries, 17; injured, 16.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now considered the submission of some reservation or declaration before ratifying the Rome Convention of 1928 which would permit of any country to legislate in the protection of any abuse of monopoly, as outlined in paragraph 19 of the Report by the Select Committee on Musical Copyright of last Session?

I am advised that it would not be possible for His Majesty's Government to make a reservation or declaration before ratifying the Rome Copyright Convention of 1928 which would permit of legislation on the lines suggested in paragraph 18 of the Special Report of the Select Committee on the Musical Copyright Bill.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, as representing the Forestry Commissioners what was the cost of the land on which the forest products laboratory at Princes Risborough stands, and the cost of building and equipment up to date; what is the annual cost of upkeep and general running; and how much has it cost since its inception?

The Forest Products Research Laboratory at Princes Risborough does not come within the province of the Forestry Commission, but I am informed that the total cost of the laboratory to 31st March, 1930, was £175,876. This sum includes £1,653 for the ground and £69,371 for the building and initial equipment. The provision for running expenses taken in the current year's Estimates of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, which is responsible for the laboratory, was £34,092, to which should be added, say, £6,000 for allied services borne on Votes of other Government Departments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the estimated production of fabric gloves for the year preceding the imposition of the duty and for the last corresponding period of a year for which figures are available?

Comparable figures of the production of fabric gloves in this country in the year preceding the imposition of the duty and a recent corresponding period are not available. According to the "Final Report on the Third Census of Production of the United Kingdom (1924)" in respect of the Textile Trades, the total output of fabric gloves in 1924 was 204,000 dozen pairs, while according to particulars furnished by the Joint Industrial Council for the Glove-making Industry, the number of fabric gloves cut by firms which, in 1924, employed approximately 82 per cent. of the cutters in that industry, amounted during the 12 months ended September, 1930, to 179,000 dozen pairs.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the total value of our exports to the countries outside the Empire, and the imports from outside the Empire, for each of the last three years ended 30th September;

(2) the total value of our exports to each of the Dominions and Colonies within the Empire, and of imports from within the Empire, for each of the last three years ended 30th September, 1930?

I am afraid that to give the full information asked for by my hon. Friend would exceed the normal limits proper to a Parliamentary answer. He will, however, find full particulars of the value of our exports to and imports from countries within and outside the Empire in the Monthly Trade and Navigation Accounts. The issue for January, 1930, contains, on pages 123 to 131, data in respect of the last quarter of 1929 and of the two preceding years, and the issue for October, 1930, contains, on pages 200–207, figures for the first three quarters of 1930 and of the two preceding years.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, taking the decline in our exports during the last six months, he can state the countries whose imports are principally responsible for this decrease, and whether in any or all of these cases there has been any tariff increase introduced within the same period?

During the six months ended 30th September, 1930, the value of the exports of United Kingdom produce and manufactures to the following countries showed a decline of over £2,000,000 compared with the same period of last year: British India, the United States of America, Germany, the Union of South Africa, China, Japan, the Straits Settlements, Belgium, the Argentine, Australia and Brazil. Taken together the exports to these countries were responsible for about three-fifths of the total decrease. Of these countries India, the United States and Australia have, during the present year, imposed increases in import duties, which might be expected to have some substantial effect on the export trade of the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether he will give in tabular form the excess of imports over exports in our trade with Canada, leaving out re-exports, for each year from 1924;

(2) whether he will give in tabular form the excess of imports over exports in our trade in Egypt, leaving out re-exports, for each year from 1924;

(3) whether he will give in tabular form the excess of imports over exports in our trade with France, leaving out re-exports, for each year from 1924?

The following table gives the information required.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the total imports and retained imports of manufactured goods imported into this country from foreign countries in the first nine months of 1930; and the value of the total exports and re-exports of manufactured goods from this country to foreign countries for the same period?

The totals of all trade are compiled quarterly for individual countries and also for all foreign countries and for all British countries, but quarterly figures showing the trade with foreign countries in manufactured goods only are not available, such information being published, in respect of calendar years only, in Volume I of the Annual Statement of Trade of the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the translation from German of the report of the Committee of the Economic Advi- sory Council which has been published in this country, he will now reconsider his decision not to publish this document, especially in view of the value of the information put at the disposal of trade competitors, whereas the industry itself in this country is not in possession of the same guidance?

I fear I can add nothing to the reply I gave on this subject to the hon. Member on 9th December.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information to give the House as to the course of prices of British and foreign dyestuffs supplied to colour users in Great Britain following the introduction of the Dyestuffs Act as compared with pre-War prices?

The hon. and gallant Member will find particulars of prices together with a discussion of the subject at pages 25–28 of the report of the Dyestuffs Industry Development Committee presented to Parliament last August.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of foreign seamen employed on British ships and the number of British seamen who are at present unemployed?

As regards the number of foreign seamen employed on British ships, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 5th November to a similar question by the hon. and gallant Member for Central Hull (Lieut.-Commander Kenworthy). The number of British seamen unemployed is not recorded. On 24th November, 1930, the number of wholly unemployed seamen—whether British or foreign— aged 18 years or over, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain was 32,954.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the mortality and sickness experienced amongst seamen, he intends at an early date to take steps to secure an improvement in the accommodation provided for the crews of the mercantile marine?

An investigation is being made to determine what are the true death and sickness rates amongst seamen as compared with other occupations. The accommodation on board ship which is frequently inspected by the surveyors of the Board of Trade and by the local health authorities, has recently been engaging the special attention of the Board of Trade, of the Joint Committee of the Board of Trade and Ministry of Health, and of the Shipping Federation. I hope that agreed proposals improving the general standard of crew accommodation will result from these inquiries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is aware that deductions are made from the wages of British seamen employed on British ships and who are discharged at foreign ports on account of engagement and discharge fees under the Consular Fees Order in Council, 1921; and whether he will consider the issue of instructions to all consular officers and mercantile marine superintendents that such deductions are not permissible?

I am aware that, by a practice of very long standing, the fee of 4s. chargeable under the Consular Fees Orders in Council for every seaman engaged or discharged before a consular officer is shared by the shipowner and the seaman. The practice is not contrary to law, and I am not able to forbid it.