asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware of the formation of a brickmakers selling agency in Glasgow and the West of Scotland, and that the said agency will control the supply of 100,000,000 bricks per annum; whether he is aware of the intention of this agency to fix minimum prices; and what steps he proposes to take to safeguard the operation of the Slum Clearance Act to prevent any attempt to raise prices against local authorities proceeding with schemes of re-housing under the said Act?

I have seen a Press report to the effect that an agency on the lines indicated by my hon. Friend is being set up. If it should appear that the operations of this agency result in an increase in the price of bricks, the matter will at once be brought to the attention of the Inter-Departmental Committee appointed to survey the prices of building materials, but I earnestly trust that the anticipated increase in the number of houses to be built consequent on the passing of the Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930, will not in any quarter be used as an opportunity to increase the cost of building materials.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of houses built in Glasgow under the various Housing Acts since 1919; the number at present let; and what arrears of rent are outstanding?

As the answer involves a rather long tabular statement, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the hon. Gentleman, in considering this question, consider bringing into line the rents of the houses under the various schemes, and making comparable rents for comparable houses?

The question on the Paper asks, not for an answer on policy, but for a table of statistics. I suggest to the hon. Member that he should pursue his supplementary question on another occasion.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have submitted schemes to the Scottish Department of Health under the recent slum-clearance legislation; how many have been approved; and if any have begun operations?

As the answer is long and involves a number of figures, I propose, with the hon. Member's permission, to circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is dm answer:

The Housing (Scotland) Act, 1930, does not require the submission of formal schemes by local authorities, but only of proposals for dealing with insanitary houses.

Up to date, the Department of Health for Scotland have approved for the purposes of subsidy under the Act proposals for the erection of 612 houses by five local authorities, and these authorities have begun operations. In addition, Clearance Resolutions have been submitted to the Department by five other local authorities in terms of Sub-section 2 of Section 1 of the Act in respect of 40 areas embracing 1,780 houses occupied by 7,424 persons. I am aware that proposals are under consideration by many other local authorities.

I may add that 117 out of 227 local authorities have submitted to the Department general statements in terms of Sub-section 2 of Section 22 of the Act, showing that they estimate that 60,201 houses are required to meet their needs, and that they intend to provide 40,822 of these house in the next three years. The local authorities are being asked to expedite the completion of the details of these proposals so that full advantage can be taken of this year's building season.

asked the Lord Advocate whether he is now fully informed of the difference in the cost of obtaining child adoption orders in Scotland as compared with England; and what steps is he taking in an endeavour to simplify and cheapen the Scottish procedure?

I am not aware of any difference in cost, but, if my hon. Friend will put before me any concrete case in which the charges appear to be excessive, I will have the matter looked into.

Is my right hon. and learned Friend not aware that, very largely, the difference in the costs entailed in putting through an adoption order in Scotland as compared with England is due to the heavy charge for the employment of a curator ad litem; and is it not possible for provision to be made, as I know is done in England, for some voluntary agency to undertake this task?

The expense of a curator ad litem is not greater in Scotland than in England. I understand that in England there is a practice of responsible people undertaking the work voluntarily, and, if this suggestion were made to the Courts in Scotland, I have no reason to think but that it would be given effect to.

asked the Secretary for Mines the amount of royalties paid in Lancashire during 1928 and 1929?

The estimated total amount of royalties paid by colliery owners in Lancashire and Cheshire in 1928 was £361,300, and in 1929 £373,400.

Can the hon. Gentleman say what part of those sums relates to Lancashire, as the question only refers to Lancashire, and what part relates to Cheshire?

For this purpose Lancashire and Cheshire are included in one district.

asked the Secretary for Mines if his Department has given consideration to the distance which workings in mines extend from the shaft; and if he intends to take steps to regulate the maximum distance to which they should go?

The subject has been considered by the Mines Department on more than one occasion, but I have no present intention to ask Parliament to prescribe a maximum distance.

Will my hon. Friend see that attention is paid to this matter in the inquiry that is about to be held?

As my hon. Friend is aware, the nature of the inquiry is in the hands of the person who conducts it. In this case, it will be the Chief Inspector of Mines, and I have no doubt that he will take cognisance of that aspect of the matter.

Is not this result attained more or less automatically by the increased cost of maintenance when the coal face becomes too far away from the shaft?

I am afraid that that is an entirely different question.

In view of the fact that some collieries are able to produce in excess of their quota under the Act, would it not be possible to close down mines in which the workings are a long way from the shaft, especially where they are under the sea, and to make arrangements for their quota to be transferred to other mines?

The matter is not finally disposed of; it is being considered by a joint committee of the Miners' Federation and the owners.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the fact that miners are being employed on Sundays in the South Derbyshire coalfield after they have worked for 90 hours under the spread-over during the previous fortnight; and what steps he proposes to take to deal with this contravention of the Coal Mines Act, 1930?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the Coal Mines Act, 1930, has no bearing on Sunday labour, and I am advised that there has been no breach of that Act.

Is my hon. Friend aware that this aspect of the matter is causing very serious discontent in that area, and that the men are making great complaints?

If my hon. Friend is referring to Sunday labour, I would say that, although it may cause some discontent, it is not within my power to put a stop to it.

Does the spread-over include the seven days of the week?

No, I am afraid not. The proviso which enables the spread-over to be operated applies to the 12 week-days in a fortnight.

Does my hon. Friend suggest that Sunday labour is permissible after 90 hours have been worked in a fortnight under the spread-over?

Sunday labour in the mines is a matter of arrangement between the parties concerned, and, where it is in operation, I have no power to put an end to it.

It is not exclusive of the 90 hours?

I am afraid that it is. At all events, I have been legally advised that it is. In any case, however, it is not a subject which is capable of being dealt with by question and answer.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of boys under 16 years of age employed underground in the mining industry of Great Britain, along with the number of accidents amongst such boys, specifying fatal and non-fatal, for each of the last three years, giving separate figures for Lancashire and Cheshire?

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of workers employed in or about collieries in Great Britain, in each of the coal-producing countries on the Continent of Europe, and in the United States of America for each of the last five years?

asked the Secretary for Mines how many working agreements now in operation in the coal-mining industry under the Coal Mines Act, 1930, will again require cons-

As the answer involves a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

As the answer involves a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The Coal Mines National Industrial Board was established to inquire into any dispute, as to the terms of a proposed agreement in a district, which might be referred to the Board by either party after a failure to settle the dispute in accordance with the arrangements existing for that purpose in the district. It is clearly impossible to give any estimate of the number of disputes (if any) which may be referred to the Board in the future in the circumstances referred to.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many colliers have lost their lives in pit disasters during the last 20 years?

For the purposes of this answer I am assuming an artificial distinction between an accident and a disaster and treating as disasters accidents in which 10 or more lives were lost. There were 22 such disasters in and about mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, during the 20 years 1911 to 1930, resulting in 1,070 deaths. Of these deaths 682 were caused by three disasters.

Can the Minister give me any figures showing how many mining royalty owners have been injured in the pits during the same period?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the amount that it is proposed to spend on research and publicity through the Empire Marketing Board in 1931 as compared with previous years?

Subject to the necessary provision being made by Parliament, it is proposed to spend from the Empire Marketing Fund, in 1931, £425,000 on research and £105,000 on publicity. The approximate amounts spent in the last few years on these services have been respectively as follows:

• On Research.—£121,000 in 1927, £232,000 in 1928, £377,000 in 1929, and £476,000 in 1930.
• On Publicity.—2238,000 in 1927, £278,000 in 1928, £222,000 in 1929, and £2213,000 in 1930.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any tangible evidence has been produced of the commercial value of the expenditure incurred by the Empire Marketing Board?

It is impossible to assess the commercial results of the Board's work in the wide field of Empire production with which its research, marketing and publicity activities are concerned. Individual instances, however, are frequently brought to notice in which the work of the Board has been of direct commercial advantage to Empire producers, both at home and overseas.

Does the right hon. Gentleman think that this publicity gives full value for the £105,000 which he proposes to spend on it?

I know that there is a number of people who dispute the value of this expenditure, especially those engaged in other kinds of publicity.

Is it not a fact that the trade organisations in the Dominions, whenever they have had the opportunity, have expressed appreciation of the admirable work that is being done by the Board?

The Imperial Conference unanimously commended it.

Do they make any contribution towards it?

If there is such appreciation, why is there not reciprocity on the part of the Dominions?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, in view of the fact that none of the Dominions have entered into negotiations for the admission of a Russian trade delegation, whether he has drawn their attention to the facilities afforded by articles four and six of the Russian trade agreement?

His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions were kept fully in touch with the negotiations leading up to the Agreement in question. The terms of the Agreement itself, as finally concluded, and of the accompanying declarations were also, of course, communicated to them.

Has the right hon. Gentleman received from Canada any expression of opinion as to trade relations with Russia?

No. All the Dominions were communicated with and the terms of the Agreement submitted to them. It might? be misunderstood and it would be impertinent on my part to ask whether they understood what this Agreement meant.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what is the present average wholesale price of a standard of Russian timber imported into this country and what was the price for 1928, 1929, and 1930; what is the present retail price of a standard of the usual size of building timber in this country; and what was the price of the same in 1928, 1929, and 1930?

I am unable to furnish any information as to the average wholesale price of a

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will give a list of the materials of war despatched from Great Britain to Soviet Russia from June, 1929, to December, 1930?

I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement showing the details as recorded. standard of Russian timber imported into this country, but the average declared values per load of sawn soft timber imported from Russia in 1928, 1929, and 1930, were £4 14s. 2d., £4 12s. 3d., and £4 4s. 9d., respectively, while in December, 1930, the average declared value was £4 8s. 9d. According to particulars published in the "Builder" the wholesale price per standard of timber described as "good building deal, 3 by 9 inches," was £24 from the beginning of 1928 to 14th November, 1930, when the price fell to £22, at which figure it has remained up to the present time. No information is available as to the retail price of timber.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantities of timber imported into this country from Canada, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia for each of the years 1928, 1929, and 1930?

As the answer contains a number of figures I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Does this include tanks?

Yes. They amount to only £44,000, but tanks are included under the last heading, namely, military and naval ordnance stores.

Will it be possible to find out the war material imported into Russia from other countries?

I am afraid I could not furnish details. It is as much as I can do to answer for this country.

Is it not a fact that cash payments were made for these war materials?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what answer he has returned to the communication addressed to him by the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers, directing his attention to the position of this industry and particularly to the fact that steel production is at present at approximately only 30 per cent. of production capacity; and what action he proposes to take in the interest of the workers in this industry?

asked the President of the Board of Trade, with regard to the resolution passed by the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers on 15th January, which he has received, whether

That does not arise on the questions.

The communication from the National Federation of Iron and Steel Manufacturers has been acknowledged. As regards the action to be taken I can add nothing to the reply on this subject which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for King's Norton on 3rd February.

In what parts of the country has the Government policy resulted in the employment of more work people in this industry?

The industry, unfortunately, is suffering from the general depression in trade, but we have taken a very definite part in the reorganisation of iron and steel, and I hope that these will mature at an early date.

How does the relative decline in iron and steel in Great Britain compare with Germany and the United States?

Is the right hon. Gentleman considering the suggestion of an import board for the industry?

That raises another question altogether.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will consider the advisability of appointing a home marketing board for national development in this country?

The functions of such a board as the hon. Member appears to have in mind are already exercised in large measure by the Empire Marketing Board, the Department of Overseas Trade (as in the British Industries Fair) and other existing Government organisations.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that some co-ordination between all these different bodies is necessary and advisable?

Yes, co-ordination goes on every day.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the value of the newspaper printing machinery imported into this country during the years 1928, 1929, and 1930?

The imports of newspaper printing machinery, as such, are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom. The total declared value of newspaper, letterpress and lithographic machines and parts thereof imported into the United Kingdom during the years 1928, 1929 and 1930 was £714,920, £881,652 and £1,009,696, respectively, and the total imports of typesetting machines and parts thereof during the same years amounted to £115,870, £123,578 and £167,038, respectively.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say approximately where the bulk of these imports comes from?

Very largely from the United States and Germany.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a considerable part of this machinery has been absorbed by newspapers engaged in a propaganda against foreign imports?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will obtain particulars from His Majesty's representatives in Germany concerning a recent decree of the German Ministry of Economy declaring null and void all agreements between manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers as regards the retail prices for trade-marked articles and ordering a 10 per cent. cut in the prices for such articles; and whether he will inform the House of the result?

I have received particulars of the decree to which my hon. Friend evidently refers, and am arranging for a translation to appear in the Board of Trade Journal.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether His Majesty's Government propose to enter into negotiations with the Government of the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics in order to secure that certain classes of British goods, such as cured herrings, shall be imported into Russia in exchange for the goods which we purchase from them?

No such negotiations are in contemplation. I would, however, remind the hon. Member that His Majesty's Government have encouraged exports to Russia by guaranteeing credits under the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme and otherwise. As a result exports to Russia have very materially increased during the past year.

Is it not a fact that during the last two years the trading results have been very advantageous to Russia and very unfavourable to this country; and, in view of the fact that the Soviet Government controls imports, what is there to prevent His Majesty's Government entering into direct negotiations with the Soviet Government in, order to secure some practical reciprocal trading advantage to this country?

I have said, in reply to previous questions on that point, that you cannot isolate countries in that way and treat the balance on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend. As regards this particular proposal, I fear for reasons which I cannot give in reply to a supplementary question, that it is not really practical politics at the present time.

Is is not a fact that exports of herrings to Russia are paid for by the Russian timber which comes into this country?

There is none.

Oh, yes.

In the particular circumstances of trade in Russia, is it not possible to isolate trade with Russia with regard to imports and exports even though it is not possible to do so with regard to other countries?

In reply to the supplementary question of my hon. and gallant Friend, last year 182,000 cwts. of herrings were exported. As regards the second supplementary question, I fear that I must adhere to the previous replies, that I do not think you can isolate international trade in that way.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why it is possible to negotiate with a foreign capitalist Government to reduce imports but impossible to negotiate with a Socialist Government to raise a boycott?

In reply to the Noble Lord, I must say that I do not admit his contention for a single moment.

Are we to take it that this is a direct inducement on the part of the Opposition for the Government to enter into trading action?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Board is aware that the Russian Soviet Government is preparing to dump some 30,000 tons of soap on the British market, which it is proposed to sell at the price of 1½d. per tablet; and what action the Government intend to take in the matter?

I have seen reports in the Press that soap is being imported from Russia and sold at low prices, but I have no information as to the quantities it is proposed to import. As regards the last part of the question I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Kingston-on-Thames (Sir G. Penny) on the 3rd November.

What is the object of having a Board of Trade at all if it does not concern itself with matters of such vital importance both to trade and to employment?

On a point of Order. I should like to give notice, in view of the unsatisfactory replies of the President of the Board of Trade on this question of Russian trade, that I propose to raise the matter on the Adjournment at the earliest possible moment.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the volume of the exports from Germany, France, and Great Britain, respectively, in 1930, expressed in percentages of the volume in 1929?

Eliminating the effect of price changes, the volume of the domestic export trade of Germany, including deliveries on account of Reparations, was 4.6 per cent. less in 1930 than in 1929. In the case of the United Kingdom, there was a reduction of 18.1 per cent. Similar information in respect of France is not available.

Are we to understand that the reduction of 18 per cent. is entirely due to world causes?

I think that it was overwhelmingly due to world causes.

Then can the right hon. Gentleman tell us why the reduction in the case of Germany was only 4 per cent.?

There are innumerable other considerations to be taken into account.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what steps are being taken to ascertain whether goods imported into this country are produced under conditions against which the British people cannot compete without lowering their standard of living?

With regard to the ascertainment of costs of production abroad I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave on the 20th January to a question by the hon. Member for Birkenhead, East (Mr. Graham White), I would remind him, however, that, the competitive power of British manufacturers in any particular instance depends upon other factors as well as upon wage costs.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if his attention has been drawn to some of the sworn statements as to conditions of labour in Russia?

No name or address.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet received the report of the Government Committee on Finance and Industry; and whether, in view of the importance of the subject, he will publish the findings of the committee at the earliest possible date?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. and gallant Member for Bethnal Green (Major Nathan) on the 20th January.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the committee has now completed the taking of evidence?

In the reply to which I have referred, I said that they were considering their report.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what has been the course of employment and unemployment in the glove, cutlery and gas mantle industries since 1st April, 1930, up to the latest available date?

As the answer contains a number of figures I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is it not a fact that unemployment has increased in these three industries?

That is debatable apart from the general trade depression, because the trades, as these figures show, are really, in the aggregate, very small.

If the figures are not very large, may we have them now?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his attention has been directed to a recent conviction for a false declaration made in connection with the importation of silk dresses from France; and will he give consideration to the raising of the duty payable by private individuals to the same level as that paid by dressmaking establishments, which would have the effect of giving increased employment in that trade?

I am aware that a firm of dressmakers was recently fined for under-declaring the value of imported dresses. As regards the second part of the question, I cannot anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he can state the number of recruits who have joined the Army during 1929 and 1930 where application has been made for their release because they have joined under military age; and will he say how many have been granted release?

I regret I am not in a position to give the information for which my hon. Friend asks without disproportionate labour. But during the recruiting years ended 30th September, 1929 and 1930, the numbers of recruits discharged for having made a misstatement as to age on attestation were 573 and 573 respectively.

Is my right hon. Friend considering raising from 17 to 18 the age at which such boys should be accented without the consent of their parents?

asked the Secretary of State for War to what extent the recent special effort to obtain recruits for the infantry of the line has been successful; what the effective strength of the infantry; and what percentage of the recruits were rejected for medical reasons during the last three months?

3,842 recruits for the infantry of the line were finally approved last month compared with 2,391 during the same month last year. The regimental strength of the infantry of the line, including those in India, on 1st January, 1931, was 96,749. As regards the last part of the question, information as to the percentage of recruits rejected on medical and physical grounds during January is not yet available, but the percentage for all arms of the Regular Army during the three months ended 31st December, 1930, was 53.6.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say what steps he has taken to advertise in the Employment Exchanges the advantages of joining the services?

I understand that the Employment Exchanges have recruiting materials supplied to them.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the present strength of the Royal Army Medical Corps officers, non-commissioned officers and other ranks; and how far short are these figures of the authorised establishment?

I will, with the hon. and gallant Member's permission, circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether proposals are under consideration for reducing the establishment of the chemical warfare school at Porton?

The chemical warfare school, which trains officers and noncommissioned officers as regimental instructors in defensive measures against gas, has become the anti-gas wing of the small arms school. No reduction of establishment is contemplated.

Is it not a fact that we have undertaken not to make use of chemical warfare?

I believe that there is a Treaty of that kind, but from countless speeches made by peace advocates like myself it is known that gases are in existence, and I am certainly not going to be a party to anything that will prevent our people from knowing how to guard against them.

Is there a Christian chaplain attached to this school?

I understand that at all the Army establishments the men have a choice of preachers from pretty well every religion.

asked the Secretary of State for War what is the average age of the tanks in the Tank Corps; and how many tanks of the latest model are in use?

It would not be in the public interest to give such information.

Are we to understand that the new model is in common use in the Tank Corps and that a great many of the old tanks have been scrapped?

I must ask the hon. Member kindly to accept the answer I have given, that it is not in the public interest to give information of this character.

asked the Secretary of State for War the annual wastage of men in the Army through retirement, sickness, death, and other causes, for the years 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930; and what percentage this bears to the total strength?