asked the Secretary of State for India how many publishers and printers of vernacular and English printed newspapers in India have, since the repromulgation of the Press Ordinance, been required to furnish security, and the number of cases in which the security so deposited has been forfeited?

According to my present information, which covers only the first three weeks after the re-promulgation of the Ordinance, security has been demanded in the following cases:—United Provinces:

asked the Secretary of State for India from whom His Majesty's Government received a telegram in August last urging an immediate declaration of separation of Burma from India; and whether he will give information to the House indicating those organisations which are supporting and those which are opposing the separation of Burma from India?

The telegram received in August was from Maung Gyee as chairman of the Working Committee of the Separation League. The organisations supporting separation, in addition to this League, are the Burma for Burmans League and the principal parliamentary parties in the Legislative Council. Opposition to separation comes from three societies of the General Council of Burmese Associations, which, as is explained in the Indian Statutory Commission's Report, advocate the postponement of separation in the belief that Burma's constitutional advance might be hastened by a further period of association with India.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will make representations to the Government of India as to the urgent necessity for re-incarcerating Mr. Gandhi in order to prevent a repetition of his recent speeches and writings?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will ask for a report from His Majesty's Ambassador at Washington as to whether any British subjects were included among the persons who have died from starvation recently in the United States of America?

It is the duty of His Majesty's Consular Officers to advise and assist British subjects in distress to the utmost of their power. Such assistance may be given out of local funds or charities which, in some cases, are administered by the Consul himself. I have received no reports indicating that British subjects in the United States have recently died of starvation; and, in these circumstances, I do not consider that the action proposed by my hon. Friend is called for.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any discussion took place at the recent council of the League of Nations with regard to the negotiations as to the facilities to be granted to aircraft and motor transport travelling at times of emergency on the work of the League, and what the present position is?

This question was not discussed by the Council, but the Secretary-General is addressing a circular letter to all European States members of the League, asking them to inform him by 15th April next what measures they are contemplating in order to give effect to the resolution of the last Assembly. These replies will afford a basis for any further negotiations which it may be necessary for the Secretary- General to undertake, with a view to drawing up a uniform scheme acceptable to all the Governments concerned, and reporting thereon to the next Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information as to the most recent revolutionary outbreak in the Northern States of Brazil?

His Majesty's Ambassador at Rio de Janeiro has reported that, so far as he has been able to ascertain, there has been no revolutionary outbreak in any part of Brazil.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware of the inconvenience caused to the unemployed of Beverley by the Employment Exchange being inadequate to deal with the number of unemployed, who are queued up outside in a narrow street where omnibuses and heavy lorries pass within a few inches of those waiting to sign on; and, seeing that when they get inside they have to queue up again owing to the lack of proper accommodation for dealing with them, whether she will give early attention to this matter?

I am making inquiry in regard to the circumstances at Beverley, and I will communicate further with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployment insurance claims, male and female, respectively, allowed and disallowed by the umpire at Bolton on decisions given by insurance officers to stop benefit payment from 13th March to 31st December, 1930, excluding cases affected by trade disputes?

Since 13th March, 1930, except in trade dispute cases, disallowance of benefit has not been imposed by insurance officers. All such claims, on which benefit has not been allowed, have been referred in the first instance to Courts of Referees. The following table shows the number of claims to benefit allowed and disallowed respectively, by the Bolton Court of Referees during the period 13th March, 1930, to 12th January, 1931; also the number of fresh and renewal claims made in the area of the court during the same period. Separate statistics are not available of the number of decisions given by the umpire on claims made at individual local offices.

asked the President of the Board of Education what percentage of children leaving elementary schools obtain employment within a twelvemonth; and what steps are taken to place elementary school pupils in direct touch with employers prior to leaving school?

The great majority of children who leave elementary schools obtain employment within a few months. No precise and up-to-date information as to the percentage who obtain employment within a twelvemonth, is at present available, but a special inquiry is being made this month which will include an investigation into this subject. At a large number of schools arrangements are made by the local committees for juvenile employment to give advice to children before they leave school as to their careers. In certain cases children are at that time given introductions to prospective employers, but in the majority of eases the introduction is given at the juvenile employment bureaux or Employment Exchanges where the children register immediately after leaving school. The system is described in detail in the report on the Work of Local Committees for Juvenile Employment during the year 1929, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government have taken independent action to secure information regarding the conditions under which imported joinery is manufactured abroad; whether trades union conditions are observed in the manufacture thereof; and whether systems of payment by results are in operation in connection therewith?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second and third parts therefore do not arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of wheat imported from Soviet Russia in 1930?

I have been asked to reply. During the year 1930, the total quantity of wheat imported into the United Kingdom and registered as consigned from the Soviet Union (Russia) was 18,853,000 cwts.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give such statistics as are available with regard to employment, production, and wage changes in the industries covered by Safeguarding or other protective duties?

Such statistics as are available with regard to employment and production in certain industries including those which are or have been covered by Safeguarding Duties will be published in the second volume of the "Statistical Tables relating to British and Foreign Trade and Industry." I regret that I am unable to furnish any information regarding production in other industries of the kind which the hon. Member appears to have in mind. For information regarding employment in such industries and regarding wage changes generally I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Labour.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much barley was imported into Britain in 1929 and 1930, respectively; and how much of this is of the quality generally known as malting barley?

The total quantity of barley imported into Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the years 1929 and 1930 was 11,986,000 cwts. and 15,268,000 cwts., respectively. I am unable to state how much of this barley would be utilised for malting purposes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade which countries in Europe have imposed or raised duties against British goods since Great Britain signed the Tariff Truce; and in what countries in Europe proposals to impose or raise duties on British goods are now under consideration by the legislature?

Increases of duties since March, 1930, in countries which signed the Commercial Convention or Tariff Truce have not, generally speaking, been of substantial importance to the trade of the United Kingdom, the most important perhaps being those recently introduced by Finland and those resulting, in Austria and Germany, from the revision of the Commercial Treaty between those two countries. In European countries which did not sign the Convention the most important increases since last March have been the general increase in Bulgaria resulting from the raising of the co-efficient for converting gold rates into paper, and certain increases in Spain, together with those resulting in Hungary and Czechoslovakia from the recent lapse of the Commercial Treaty between those countries. Other increases of duty have taken place in European countries (including Austria, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Poland), which have mainly effected agricultural products and foodstuffs or have been in other respects of minor importance so far as United Kingdom interests are concerned. Moreover, in some cases increases in certain duties have been offset by decreases in others. As regards proposals for increases the chief cases of which I am aware are those contained in

asked the Postmaster-General if any advertisements of foreign manufactured goods have recently been accepted for insertion in Post Office publications?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if the proposed appointment of more trade commissioners for the Union of South Africa and Southern and Northern Rhodesia will be deferred until such time as British manufacturers and exporters have given effect to the recommendations of the trade mission which recently visited and reported upon those territories?

The recommendations of the report are now receiving my attention, but I am not yet able to announce any decision in regard to them.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what steps he proposes to take to encourage British manufacturers and exporters to comply with the recommendations of the trade mission which recently visited South Africa, notably in regard to packing and more activity to secure trade with the native peoples?

Lord Kirkley and other members of the mission, as well as myself, have already visited the Association of British Chambers of Commerce and five of the leading chambers, especially to draw the attention of their members to the recommendations in tale report. A member of the mission has also already been successful in securing some change in the method of packing of textiles intended for the South African market. Both the Department and the members of the mission are continuing their efforts to draw attention to the recommendations in the report.

asked the Minister of Health how many children over the age of three are living in the institution at Droitwich

There are no healthy children over three in the Droitwich institution. My right hon. Friend is informed that there are two in the sick wards who are there for medical reasons.

asked the Minister of Health the cost of granting pensions of 10s. a week to the wives of old age pensioners of 65, the pension for the wives to start at the ages of 50 and 60, respectively?

Information is not available as to the cost of providing pensions at the age of 50 for the wives of old age pensioners of 65; it has been estimated that the cost of providing old age pensions at the age of 60 for such wives would be £3,000,000 in the first year and would rise to over £4,000,000 per annum at the end of 10 years.

asked the Home Secretary by how much the pay of a chief detective inspector of the Criminal Investigation Department exceeds that of an ordinary station inspector; and what educational qualifications are necessary for the former over and above those required of the latter?

The pay of a chief inspector is £8 9s. per week, rising by annual increments of 6s. a week to £9 13s. The pay of a uniform inspector and a second-class detective inspector is £6 5s. per week, rising by 4s. to £7 5s. per week. The educational qualifications for the two posts are the same, but the technical qualifications and the examinations for the purpose of testing these qualifications are quite different.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware of the unsatisfactory accommodation of the inspectors of taxes offices in Great Moor Street, Bolton; and whether he will take immediate steps to secure alternative accommodation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative; in regard to the second part, steps have already been taken to secure alternative accommodation for one of the districts and thus provide the relief required for the two districts remaining in the Great Moor Street premises.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many clerical and non-clerical officials, and other persons, it will be possible to accommodate in the new buildings which the Government proposes to erect in Whitehall; will he give the number of those persons there who will increase the present total of Government employés; and state the approximate number likely to be transferred from existing Government offices to the proposed new buildings?

The total number of persons it will be possible to accommodate in the proposed new offices in Whitehall is approximately 7,500; in regard to the second and last parts of the question, the approximate number of persons likely to be transferred from existing Government offices, including the existing offices on the site, is 7,375, but whether the balance of 125 places will be required for increases in the above staffs or can be utilised for housing staff from further offices, I am not at present in a position to state.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what number of the population are estimated to have been engaged in agriculture in Great Britain for the past 10 decennial periods?

I have been asked to reply. While some figures of agricul- tural population are furnished by each Census back to 1831, the basis adopted in the earlier years appears to have produced results bearing little comparison with those of subsequent Censuses. Figures are given below for England and Wales for the years back to 1851; but it should be borne in mind that even with-

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many ex-regular sailors, soldiers, and airmen have been found employment in Government Departments during the last 12 months; whether, in filling subordinate posts, in Government Departments, such as messengers and night telephonists, consideration, subject to the existing preference to ex-service men, is first given to their applications; whether vacancies are being duly notified to the London divisional office and the provincial Employment Exchanges; and whether the machinery of the Association for the

I regret that the information requested in the first part of the question is not available. I am sending the right hon. Member a copy of Treasury Circular 1/30 dealing with the employment of ex-regulars in Government Departments, which he will see provides for the machinery of the Ministry of Labour and the National Association for the Employment of Regular Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen to be utilised for this purpose.