asked the Minister of Health the names of the local authorities who have received 100 per cent. grants to provide work for the unemployed in distressed areas, and the amount of each grant?

A list was given in reply to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton (Mr. Malone) on the 5th instant.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of local authorities with a population of under 20,000 which are entitled to receive assistance under the Development (Loans, Guarantees, and Grants) Act, 1929; how many of these authorities have submitted schemes; what is the total population of these areas; and the total number of the unemployed?

Any local authority is eligible to make application for assistance under the approved terms. The other details asked for could not be given without undue labour, but my hon. Friend can obtain from Appendix I of the recently published report of the Unemployment Grants Committee, Command Paper 3744, particulars of the schemes submitted from various areas up to 30th August, 1930.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were employed on schemes financed out of the Road Fund in June, 1929, and January, 1931, respectively; and how many on schemes assisted by the State other than those financed out of the Road Fund at the same respective dates?

I understand the right hon. Gentleman to be referring to State-aided schemes of public work for the relief of unemployment. On this basis the figures are as follow: The number of persons directly employed on the site on schemes assisted by the Ministry of Transport was 30,000 on 19th December, 1930. Strictly comparable figures for June, 1929, are not available, but the number on 29th June, 1929, was not less than 10,000. The figures for schemes assisted by Departments other than the Ministry of Transport were 9,000 on 29th June, 1929, and 63,000 on 19th December, 1930.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware of the conditions under which unemployment benefit is distributed at Radcliffe, where many people have to wait for hours without cover in one of the chief streets of the town, while the staff experience great difficulties in carrying out their duties; and whether she proposes to take steps without delay to secure proper premises for the transaction of local Employment Exchange business?

Though the conditions at Radcliffe Exchange are not as unsatisfactory as suggested by the hon. and gallant Member, there is certainly ground for improvement. The Department has been for some time searching for a suitable site for a new permanent Exchange. In the meantime, as an immediate relief, two days a week payment is being instituted, and the possibility of outhousing part of the work is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour where the prospective shortage of labour in the kerb-dressing industry is anticipated; and if she will take steps to accelerate her plans to meet this contingency?

A present or prospective shortage of kerb-dressers is stated to exist in the principal areas where suitable stone is quarried. As the hon. Member was informed on 5th February, certain proposals for a training scheme have been formulated by the Department and are under consideration by representatives of the quarrying industry who, I am sure, will let my right hon. Friend have their views as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the whole text of the despatch sent to the Governor of Bermuda in connection with the memorial of the Bermuda Women's Suffrage Society?

My Noble Friend is in communication with the Officer Administering the Government of Bermuda with regard to the publication of the despatch in Bermuda and in this country, and it is hoped that a decision will be reached shortly.

asked the Minister of Pensions why a father who lost three sons in the War, and whose total income apart from pension only amounts to 8s. a week, does not have his pension increased to bring it up to the full amount per week which can he allowed under the need pensions regulations; and whether he will take the necessary steps to bring all such cases to the full figure so that parents in these circumstances may be assured of the maximum pension allowable?

A need pension in respect of a deceased son or sons is calculated with reference to the parent's income and to the share in the responsibility for his or her support which reasonably attaches to surviving members of the family. This is the basis of the scheme which has been in force since 1922, and cases of the type referred to by my hon. Friend would be dealt with on those lines.

asked the Minister of Pensions on what grounds Private J. Gething, No. 10,722 (A/32, South Staffordshire Regiment), has had his claim for pension rejected?

I have made inquiries into this case, but I find that Mr. Gething has not at any time made an application to my Department for a disability pension in respect of his service during the Great War.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has yet consulted with the representatives of the Lancashire cotton operatives who are now locked out as to what steps the Government can usefully take to assist them?

The reply is in the affirmative.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what proportions, respectively, of the established, unestablished whole-time, and unestablished part-time staffs of the Admiralty Department belong to the shipbuilding, engineering, and allied industries?

The proportions respectively of the established, unestablished whole-time and unestablished part time staffs of the Admiralty Department which may be regarded as belonging to the shipbuilding, engineering and allied industries, are approximately as follow:

		Per cent.
Established staff	…	43
Unestablished whole-time staff	…	40
Unestablished part-time staff	…	Nil

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can make a statement regarding the recent explosion in Submarine X 1?

As indicated in the statement already issued by the Admiralty, an accident occurred while Submarine X 1 was carrying out a trial off the Edinburgh Light Vessel in the Thames Estuary. When the submarine had been proceeding at full power for about half an hour an explosion occurred in the crank case of port main engine caused by the temporary seizure of a piston. Some dozen ratings received injuries of greater or less severity, but all are in a fair way to recovery. A court of inquiry has been held, but its report has not yet been received.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he has considered any proposals for alternative work in His Majesty's Dockyards since June, 1929; and what conclusions he has reached?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 4th November, 1929, since when the position has not changed.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in order to give men about to retire, after 22 years in the service, every facility to secure civilian employment, he will arrange as far as possible that a relief be sent during the last six months of their time, so that the men concerned can be free to look round for civilian work?

If the meaning of the question is that men about to be discharged to pension should be relieved from service abroad as far as possible during their last six months of service, this is already provided for in the regulations It is not of course possible to provide that these men, who are on full pay and are included m the numbers voted by Parliament for naval purposes, shall have indefinite leave during that time to look for civil employment. But I would remind the hon. Member that men are afforded facilities to undergo courses of vocational training either before discharge to pension or during the 12 months following.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the age limits between which special service seamen are entered; the training given them before being drafted to sea; the number entered each year since 1918; and whether any of these ratings have been promoted to the commissioned rank of mate?

The age limits are 18 to 25. The period of training is six months. The numbers entered each year are as follow:

1919	…	…	…	…	286
1920	…	…	…	…	153
1921	…	…	…	…	1,689
1922	…	…	…	…	Nil.
1923	…	…	…	…	Nil.
1924	…	…	…	…	Nil.
1925	…	…	…	…	Nil.
1926	…	…	…	…	717
1927	…	…	…	…	313
1928	…	…	…	…	238
1929	…	…	…	…	84
1930	…	…	…	…	Nil.

The conditions of entry before 1926 were slightly different to those now obtaining. One short service rating has been made a mate since the introduction of the present system in 1921. This was in 1930.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of lieutenant-commanders and lieutenants (ex-mates) now serving in fully commissioned Fleet destroyers?

Four of the officers mentioned are at present serving in fully commissioned Fleet destroyers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) now serving who are over the age of 40; and whether they are exempt from the recently announced special retirement scheme for lieutenant-commanders of seniorities 1923 to 1931?

Twenty lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) over the age of 40 are now serving. All are eligible to apply to retire under the recently announced special retirement scheme. They could, however, retire under the normal retirement regulations when these are more advantageous.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that only two out of the 10 heavy ships in the Atlantic Fleet are manned from Chatham, Kent, and that only two cruisers in the same fleet are so manned from Chatham; and whether he will consider the desirability of causing additional ships belonging to the Atlantic Fleet to be manned from Chatham, so that the relative number of ships so manned shall be equal to those manned from other naval dockyard towns?

The present position is that two out of the eight capital ships in commission in the Atlantic Fleet are manned from Chatham and two out of the four cruisers of the Second Cruiser Squadron. To man a larger proportion of the ships of the Atlantic Fleet from Chatham cannot conveniently be arranged owing to navigational difficulties of approach to and accommodation at the port.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the terms of the resolution on the nationality of married women adopted by the Council of the League of Nations at its recent sitting; and whether the Government intend to take steps to alter the law in this country in accordance therewith?

The resolution to which the hon. Member refers provides for placing this question upon the agenda of the next Assembly of the League, and requests the Secretary-General to submit a report, after consultation with various interested organisations. The hon. Member will observe from the full text (given below) that no question of legislation arises out of the resolution, but, as the House has already been informed the Government have this matter under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will consider the desirability of proposing at the next meeting of the League of Nations that similar assistance should be rendered by the League to Abyssinia in dealing with her slavery problems as was recently adopted in the case of Liberia?

I would remind the hon. Member that the recent International Commission of Inquiry into Slavery and Forced Labour in Liberia was set up by the Liberian Government. Should the Abyssinian Government take similar action and invite the League of Nations to co-operate, I should be happy to support their request.

asked the Minister of Transport what action has been taken since the Government took office, under the Development and Road Improvement Funds Act, 1909, to acquire additional land on either side of roads?

In addition to a few cases where additional land has been acquired to avoid heavy claims for severance, arrangements have been made to acquire certain lands on the line of the North Orbital Road.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Motor Vehicles (Driving Licences) Regulations, 1930, do not define what constitutes a satisfactory device or devices for signalling; and, in view of the absence of such definition and the difficulty of other users of the road recognising signals given by such devices, is it his intention to impose the fitting of an identification plate on vehicles driven by disabled, or partially disabled, drivers to draw the attention of following traffic to the fact that signals given by such vehicles will be by means of direction indicators and not by hand?

I have received no representations on the reference to signalling devices contained in the Driving Licences Regulations. I am not aware of any reason why the driver of a motor vehicle should not use suitable direction indicators if he wishes to do so and, in the circumstances, it seems to me to be unnecessary to require drivers who are unable to give hand signals to carry any special plate on their vehicles.

asked the Minister of Transport what progress has been made with the scheme for the general co-ordination of transport and traffic in and around London; and how soon does he expect to be able to introduce legislation on the subject?

I hope to introduce the Bill of which I have already given notice at an early date.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of mines at the end of June, 1930, at which no horses and ponies were employed below ground; the total number of mines employing 20 and more persons below ground at which no horses and ponies were used at this date and the relation of this total to the total number of mines at work; and the total number of mines in each of the eight divisions at which no horses and ponies were used in mines at which 20 and more men were employed below ground and the percentage of such mines to the total in each division?

At the end of June, 1930, there were 1,208 mines under the Coal Mines Act at which no horses and ponies were employed below-ground. Of this number 520 mines employed 20 or more persons below-ground. The number and approximate proportion of such mines in each inspection division were as follow:

Inspection Division.	Number of Mines.	Percentage of the total number of mines at work.
		Per cent.
Scotland	180	41
Northern	47	11
Yorkshire	52	20
North Midland	23	12
North Western	159	52
Cardiff and Forest of Dean.	17	5
Swansea	9	4
Midland and Southern.	33	14
Great Britain	520	22

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether it is the intention of the Government to arrange a public welcome to Captain Malcolm Campbell upon his return home after having set up a new world's land speed record?

My hon. Friend is considering in conjunction with an organisation of the motor trade the question of a welcome to Captain Campbell on his return, but it is not yet possible to announce details.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the categories and grades of all civil servants to whose salaries the proposed reduction in the cost-of-living bonus will apply and, similarly, of those to whom it will not apply?

Bonus is not now payable to civil servants in receipt of a salary of £22,000 a year or over. Otherwise the arrangement under which Civil Service rates of remuneration include a bonus element which is subject twice a year to revision upwards or downwards in relation to the average cost-of living figure for the preceding six months is of general application to the non-industrial classes and grades of the Civil Service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost which would be involved in replacing our present silver coinage by one of the same value as that in use before the War?

The hon. Member will find an estimate on page 16 of the Mint Report for 1929.

asked the hon. Member for Carlisle, as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, what sums have been recently expended or are in course of being expended on improvements on the episcopal residences belonging to the sees of Canterbury, Chichester, Southwark, Southwell and York?

Within the last four years the following sums, raised by mortgages of the episcopal revenues, have been expended upon improvements of the episcopal residences belonging to the sees mentioned in the question:

				£
Canterbury	…	…	…	3,031
Chichester	…	…	…	2,145
Southwark	…	…	…	399
Southwell	…	…	…	548
York	…	…	…	1,796

asked the hon. Member for as representing the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, what action was taken in response to the complaint, dated 21st February, 1930, by the Comptroller and Auditor-General that unauthorised bonus payments had been made to two Church Estates Commissioners; whether the position thus disclosed has been regularised by reimbursement or otherwise; and whether such payments have now been discontinued?

The observation in the Comptroller and Auditor-General's certificate of the date mentioned and in several preceding certificates appended, as this one, to the annual accounts of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners as reported to Parliament is not a complaint, and does not describe the payments as unauthorised.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will give instructions that when extra staff are required at Edgell, in Angus, to cope with Christmas and New Year pressure of work, ex-service men will get preference for such work?

It is the policy of my Department to give preference to ex-service men, where practicable, for employment during the seasonal pressure at Christmas and the New Year. I have no information as to the course followed at the particular office referred to by the hon. Member, but I am having inquiries made in the matter.

asked the Postmaster-General if, in view of the short season at many seaside places, he will consider the possibility of making a rebate to boarding-house keepers in respect of their telephone rentals, charged at full business rate, where such boarding-house keepers have guests for only three or four months in the year?

I will look into this question, and write to the right hon. Member in due course.

asked the hon. Member for Gorton, as Chairman of the Kitchen Committee, whether the grape fruit on sale in the refreshment bars of the House of Commons comes from the British Empire?

Yes, Sir, the grape fruit at present on sale comes from Jamaica.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is able to make arrangements for taking over the men now employed by the building contractors at the British Museum when the work is undertaken by his Department in April next?

The transfer of labour from the contractors to direct employment, which is proposed in April, in connection with the building maintenance work at public buildings in London, will include those men who are at present employed on work for this Department at the British Museum.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether it is the intention of His Majesty's Government to continue to maintain the present price of the rupee at the figure of 1s. 6d.?

The Government regard the rupee ratio question as having been settled in 1927 when the Indian Legislature passed the Currency Act by which the rupee was rated at 1s. 6d. gold. The Government will use all the means in their power to maintain this rate in accordance with their statutory obligations. If my hon. Friend's inquiry refers to a future date, when the constitutional changes outlined in the Federal Structure Committee's report have been given effect, I would refer him to the relevant paragraph of the Prime Minister's statement on page 81 of the First Conference Blue Book (Cmd. 3772) and to paragraphs 18 and 20 of the Federal Structure Sub-Committee's Report.