asked the Secretary of State for India the conditions on which the Persian Gulf section of the Indo-European Telegraph Department of the India Office is being transferred to a commercial company?

The operations of the Indo-European Telegraph Department in Persia and the Persian Gulf are being terminated on the 1st March next. The question of the arrangements for the working of the cable system in the Persian Gulf after that date is bound up with negotiations which are still proceeding with the Persian Government. Pending the conclusion of these negotiations I am not in a position to make any further statement.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when he is likely to be in a position to make some statement about the terms?

It will be done as soon as possible, but I cannot, give a date.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether leave, already earned and due, on pay, will be ensured to every member of the staff of the Indo-European Telegraph Department of the India Office now serving in the Persian Gulf section; and whether the scale of pension and gratuity to be fixed will take into account the severe climatic conditions in the Persian Gulf and the virtual impossibility for such members of obtaining any employ- ment elsewhere for the rest of their lives, having regard to the fact that telegraphy is virtually a Government monopoly both in India and the United Kingdom?

I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the scheme of compensation for officers of the Indo-European Telegraph Department whose services are being dispensed with, including the terms under which leave may be granted; all relevant considerations have been taken into account in fixing the scale of gratuities and pensions granted under this scheme. The restriction of the grant of leave to a maximum of four months on average pay, if earned, provided in the scheme, is one of the factors which have been taken into consideration in approving the grant of additions to pensions and gratuities.

Does the right hon. Gentleman feel that if he were one of these officers he would he quite content with the treatment proposed to be given to them?

Why should there be different treatment to these officers than is given to the working-classes?

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the staff of the Indo-European Telegraph Department of the India Office now serving in the Persian Gulf have the option of retiring on full pension or gratuity or are being compulsorily transferred to a commercial company; and, if they are so transferred, what steps have been taken to safeguard the terms of their employment and to compensate them for the loss of prospects held out to them on their original engagement?

Those members of the staff of the Indo-European Telegraph Department who are being offered employment with a commercial concern after the termination of their services on the 1st March next will have the option of retiring on the terms and conditions given to officers of the Department whose employment is terminated and the question of compulsory transfer does, therefore, not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) whether he will state the result of the interview granted by the Viceroy to Mr. Gandhi;

(2) whether he can now make a statement as to the political position in India as a result of the consultations between the Indian members of the Round Table Conference and the leaders of the Congress party?

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any information with regard to the attitude of the Congress party towards the Round Table Conference proposals?

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any information to give the House regarding the conversations which recently took place between the Viceroy of India and Mr. Gandhi?

Conversations have taken place and are still proceeding. I fear there is nothing I can usefully add at present to the formal communique issued on 19th February.

We are all anxious not to do anything to upset the conversations which are taking place, but I should like to ask the Secretary of State for India if he will endeavour to see that any statement which is made should be made in this House, and should not appear as a disjointed statement in the newspapers?

Certainly, I will. I always desire to show the greatest respect to this House.

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) how far the Indian air mail is carried by air beyond Karachi; and whether and, if so, when it is proposed to extend it;

(2) whether British civil aeroplanes with mails to Burma, the Straits Settlements and Australia are permitted to fly across India; and whether he can state the cause of the delay in establishing this service?

The intention is that Imperial Airways should carry the air mails from the United Kingdom to Karachi and that the Government of India should run their own service across India. As regards the extension to Australia, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to the Member for East Wolverhampton (Mr. Mander) by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Air, on 20th January. The service is at present in operation between the United Kingdom and Delhi only. The delay in extending it across India has been due partly to technical difficulties in establishing the ground organisation across Burma, partly to financial stringency and partly to changes of plans. The extension to Calcutta is expected to be in operation by the end of this year.

Is it Imperial Airways who are carrying that part of the line which goes beyond Karachi to Delhi?

No; the Government of India.

Do I understand that there are difficulties in the matter of landing grounds in the extension of the line beyond Delhi to Calcutta?

I have stated the reasons for the delay. If my hon. and gallant Friend desires detailed information as to the reasons generally stated, I shall be happy to supply them.

Is it not an unfortunate thing that, in spite of difficulties, the French and Dutch lines should be flying across India before the British lines, and will the right hon. Gentleman use his influence to expedite the British Flying Service between Karachi and Calcutta?

Yes, and I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that the French and Dutch flights have not taken place under the conditions which he envisages as applying to any British concern. In point of fact, the flying done has been done under the control of the Government of India.

Is it not the case that the French and the Dutch were on the scene before the present Government came into office, and when the Tory Government were in office?

asked the Secretary of State for India what steps have been sanctioned by the Government of India to prevent poaching by Japanese fishermen in Andaman waters; and whether any steps have hitherto been taken to survey, preserve and regulate the working of the fisheries, and especially the shell fisheries round the islands?

The necessary action is taken under the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Regulation, 1876, of which I will send a copy to my hon. and gallant Friend. Rules have recently been prepared for the management and control of the shell fishery.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether any considerable area of the land reclaimed from Backbay, Bombay, has been taken over by the central government for military or other purposes; and whether, at the present rate at which the reclaimed land is being sold to the public or otherwise disposed of, it is expected to complete the amended scheme of reclamation in the course of the next financial year?

231 acres out of a total of about 550 acres have been or are being taken over for military purposes. The work of dredging was completed nearly two years ago, but I have no recent information as to the progress made in completing the work of reclamation by murum topping or as to the disposal of the land.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, in the matter of the decision of the Government of India, to send out this year a delegation to the Malay States, any steps have yet been taken; and whether the desirability of the delegation's terms of reference being so drawn as to enable it to investigate not only the labour conditions of Indians in Malaya, but also their position in the matter of political status and civic rights, has been considered?

The delegation has again been postponed until normal economic conditions have been re-established in Malaya. As regards the purpose of the delegation I cannot add anything to the replies given to my hon. and gallant Friend on 12th February and 12th May of last year.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is yet in a position to make any statement as to His Majesty's Government's plans for carrying on the work of the Round Table Conference?

I have not at the moment any specific announcement to make.

Is the right hon. Gentleman yet in a position to say whether a Conference will be held in India at all?

That and similar points are matters on which I have no information to give.

Is the Secretary of State for India able to give the approximate date when be will be able to make an announcement to the House on this important question?

The question is important, but I would ask the Noble Lord not to pin me down to any definite date. The moment there is anything really to be said it will be said.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the progress made in past years in improving the accommodation and amenities of British and Indian military hospitals and of electrification in barracks in India is being maintained?

Yes, Sir. The original programme for improving hospitals and electrifying British barracks is on the point of completion, and steady progress is being made with the improvement of Indian troops lines.

Is this service paid for by the British Exchequer?

It is paid for out of the Indian Revenues.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the various military and Air Force operations in the North-West Frontier province which have taken place in the last 12 months have been financed from special grants or from the ordinary military budget?

From the ordinary military budget.

Does that mean that there will be a shortage of money to carry out the proposals under the five-years' budget plan?

No, I understand that these charges come within the limits of the contract budget.

Before the Debate which is to take place before Easter, will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to obtain the figures of the actual expenditure?

I shall fortify myself with information on all those matters.

asked the Secretary of State for India what action has been taken by the Government of India against those who have again picketed the cloth shops and prevented the sale of English cotton goods?

When the law is broken the police exercise the powers with which they are invested. No special action has been taken by the Government of India.

Is picketing still being allowed?

I have answered that question. There are powers in existence for preventing it.

asked the Secretary of State for India what scale of compensation is paid in the Presidencies of Bengal and Bombay, respectively, to policemen of all ranks permanently incapacitated in the course of their duty and to the dependants of such men killed on duty?

As the reply is somewhat long, I propose, with the hon. and gallant. Member's permission, to circulate it.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether any arrangements have been made for the recognition of exceptional and good work in this time of strain by the members of the police forces in India in the way of special pensions or gratuities; and, if so, will he give particulars?

I understand that several local Governments have sanctioned the grant of special allowances for additional duty in areas where the strain is especially severe.

Have these allowances been paid by the local Governments? Is it the case that there is no special rate all over India and that no new arrangements have been made?

No, I think it is a matter that has been dealt with by the local Governments. I will give the hon. Member particulars if be wishes to have them.

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the present position in Waziristan; and whether there have been any attacks since 1st January last on troops, khassadars, or scouts?

From the information at my disposal the position appears to be quite satisfactory. The answer to the second part is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for India to what extent progress of mechanisation in the Indian Army compares with the progress made in mechanisation in this country?

I am circulating a statement with regard to the progress made in India. Any comparison between what is being done in India and in this country would be misleading as the conditions are essentially different.

Is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied with the progress that is being made?

I think the hon. and gallant Gentleman will find the statement quite satisfactory.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any recent information to give the House regarding Communist activities in India; and to what extent those activities are directed from Moscow?

My information is that Communist activity in India during the last two years has been on a very minor scale.

What steps has the right hon. Gentleman or the Government taken to counteract that?

The Government will deal with any disorder in the appropriate way. The hon. Member asked me a question as to the extent of these activities, and to that question I have given him a reply.

Can the right hon. Gentleman answer the last part of the question?

I cannot give any further answer than that which I have already given.

Have any prosecutions implicating the Government of Russia taken place?

I do not know that it is possible to prosecute the Government of Russia.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he can state the total number of arrests in British India for the periods 1st November, 1927 to 31st May, 1929 and 1st June, 1929 to 3rd December, 1930, respectively, for the following offences: sedition, incitement to violence, unlawful assembly, breaches of the salt and forest laws, and breaches of the ordinances issued by the Governor-General in council to maintain law and order?

The statistics asked for are included in an annual return by local governments, the latest available being those for the year 1929. To obtain the full statistics in the form desired by the Noble Lord, a reference to all district officers in India would be necessary, and I hesitate to impose such an additional burden on them at the present time.

In view of the strictures which the right hon. Gentleman himself has made on the late Administration in the course of Debate, does he not think that it is only fair that he should obtain these figures, when he can do so perfectly well by applying to the local Governments?

I do not know to what strictures of mine the Noble Lord refers; perhaps he will inform me; but I think it would not be fair to ask every district officer to make a special return for this purpose at this moment.

In the course of the Debate the right hon. Gentleman asserted that there was a, new spirit—

Order!

On a point of Order. May I, Mr. Speaker, as a member of the late Administration, ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he would reconsider whether he cannot obtain more recent figures than those for 1929—say up to the middle of 1930?

I will gladly make every effort that is possible to obtain for the Noble Lord the information which is available. All that I ask of the Noble Lord is that he will not ask me to send special messages to district officers to make returns.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the 31 trade union leaders who have been under trial at Meerut since March, 1929, for activities in connection with the organisation of trade unions in India have yet been released?

As this reply is rather long, I will, if my hon. Friend will permit me, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the names of the European nations which have not ratified or acceded to the Geneva Protocol prohibiting the use of poison gases?

Eleven European States have not yet ratified or acceded to the Geneva Gas Protocol. I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate the names in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Have steps been taken to ascertain whether they will ratify?

There is a large number of conventions which have not been ratified as fully as we should like. My right hon. Friend, when he was at Geneva last year, publicly expressed the view that in such cases States who signed should also ratify.

Could the hon. Gentleman give us the names? It would take less time to state them in a supplementary answer.

The names are:

• Albania.
• Bulgaria.
• Czechoslovakia.
• Estonia.
• Greece.
• Hungary.
• Latvia.
• Lithuania.
• Luxemburg.
• Norway.
• Switzerland.

Have His Majesty's Government urged the other Powers to ratify?

In a general way, His Majesty's Government are always urging other Powers to ratify conventions that they have signed. I do not know that they have brought any special pressure to bear in this particular case.

When they do ratify, will they abandon the use of poison gas?

I hope we shall abandon the use of war, which will be much more important and fundamental.

Is the Moscow Government included among the signatories?

The hon. and gallant Member will see that they are not included among the European States who have not yet ratified.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make representations to the Soviet Government asking for the removal of the restrictions on the movements of the British commercial and diplomatic staff in Soviet Russia?

The answer is in the negative.

Can the hon. Gentleman say why we give full diplomatic privileges to a Power which only gives us in return very limited diplomatic privileges, and whether there is any precedent for such a reciprocal arrangement?

As the hon. Member is no doubt aware, this Government, and I think all other Governments, do reserve the right to impose restrictions, when they think fit to do so, upon the movement within their territories of diplomatic and consular officers of foreign Powers, and that right His Majesty's Government would not be prepared to abandon.

Would it not remove the ground for many of the representations in the British Press—

rose—

Captain Eden.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he is prepared to make representations to the Soviet Government with a view to allowing British Press representatives in Russia the same facilities for transmitting news to this country as Soviet Press representatives in Great Britain have for sending news to Russia?

So long as the Soviet Government consider that their interests are best served by the maintenance of an official censorship on Press telegrams, no representations made by His Majesty's Government can secure the same facilities for British Press representatives in the Soviet Union as are enjoyed by Soviet Press representatives in this country. The answer is, therefore, in the negative.

Will the hon. Gentleman ascertain from the Soviet Government the reason for this Press censorship in time of peace, which is very unusual?

I fancy that it is not so unusual as the hon. Member may suppose.

Is there any other great Power that exercises Press censorship in this way?

I shall be delighted to give the hon. Member an answer to that question if he will put it down.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that under Article 23 (a) of the Covenant off the League of Nations this country has undertaken to endeavour to secure and maintain fair and humane conditions of labour for men, women and children both in their own countries and in all countries to which their commercial and industrial relations extend; and what steps he proposes to take to secure such conditions for workers in the Russian timber camps?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. In reply to the second part of the question. I would refer the right hon. Gentleman to the replies given to a number of hon. Members on the 26th January, the 28th January, and the 9th February, to which I have nothing to add.

Is this country included?

Yes, Sir.

Can the hon. Gentleman say when it is proposed to take any further steps to fulfil the duties of this country under the Covenant?

I have referred the right hon. Gentleman to a large number of answers setting forth very fully my right hon. Friend's views on this question. We have already taken certain steps. We have suggested to the Soviet Government that, in view of the statements which have been made, and of the doubt as to the exact degree of truth or falsity that may attach to them, an impartial inquiry would be very desirable. The Soviet Government, however, do not agree with us on that matter, and we think it unlikely that any inquiry conducted without their assistance would bring about a satisfactory result.

Are the Government not prepared to endeavour to take any other steps?

Has not the Under-Secretary quite a number of precedents for doing nothing, in the Administration that preceded this one?

Has my hon. Friend's attention been called to the Report of the Whitley Commission with regard to slavery in India and Burma?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now give the House particulars of the reply of the Russian Soviet Government to the representations made by His Majesty's Government with reference to the non-payment of the arbitral award to Lena Goldfields, Limited, as well as the result of any subsequent negotiations?

As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. and gallant. Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald) on 4th of February, discussions with the Soviet Government are still proceeding. I can, at present, add nothing to that reply.

Cannot the hon. Gentleman say generally whether the Soviet Government admit their liability, apart from details, under the award?

All I can say, generally, is that these negotiations are proceeding rather slowly, which I regret.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of gold that has been exported from Russia during the last 12 months; and the amount, if any, exported to this country?

I am unable to furnish the desired information as the exports of gold bullion and specie are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the Soviet Union. No gold bullion or specie was registered on importation into the United Kingdom as consigned from the Soviet Union during the year 1930 or during January, 1931.

Has the hon. Member any record of the gold exported by the Soviet Government to Germany?

I have said that there are no records.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is. yet in a position to make any statement as to the course of negotiations between Mr. Craigie and the French Government; and whether the other Powers signatory to the London Treaty have been invited to collaborate in them?

My right hon. Friends, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the First Lord of the Admiralty, left London for Paris this morning in order to continue discussions with the French. Government on the naval question. The House will, I am sure appreciate that, in these circumstances, I am unable to make any further statement at present. The other Powers signatory to the London Treaty have been kept informed of these developments.

Can the hon. Gentleman, at least, assure us that the Foreign Secretary and the First Lord of the Admiralty have gone in a purely advisory capacity, and that there is no question of any further concessions or guarantees, whether explicit or implicit, by this country?

I hope that the hon. and gallant Member will not press me to answer this or any other supplementary question on this subject at the present moment. If he will wait for a day or two, I am sure that we shall be able to give him a full account of all that has been done.

Can the hon. Gentleman say if the United States and Japanese Governments have been officially informed of this?

Yes, Sir; they have been kept informed of these developments; telegrams were sent off as soon as this decision was taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how far there is international co-operation in preventing the slave trade in the Red Sea; and whether the use of seaplanes or flying boats has been considered for this service?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what nations in addition to Great Britain provide practical assistance towards the prevention of slave traffic in the Red Sea; and during how many months per year on the average since 1928 has more than one British sloop been present in Red Sea waters for this purpose?

A considerable measure of co-operation has already been established between His Majesty's Government and the French and Italian Governments. In addition to the British patrol, a French and an Italian warship are regularly stationed in the Red Sea. The British officials in the neighbouring territories meet their French and Italian colleagues from time to time and exchange information regarding the slave traffic across the Red Sea and the steps which are being taken to prevent it. The officers commanding His Majesty's sloops in the Red Sea also from time to time visit the ports in French and Italian territories in order to keep in touch with the local authorities. It is proposed to experiment shortly in the use of float planes. During 1929 and 1930, two British sloops were present in Red Sea waters for approximately five months in each year.

Will my hon. Friend look into the question of using, not float seaplanes, but, in view of the very bad weather which sometimes prevails there, large flying boats such as those which have done such admirable work on patrol?

I think that, perhaps, that question had better be addressed to the Admiralty, who have experts who can advise as to the Suitability of different craft for this purpose.

Does the co-operation mentioned extend to Russia?

The hon. and gallant Member may or may not be aware that Russia has no boundary on the Red Sea.

rose—

Captain Bullock.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been called to the suggestion made by the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics to the Government of the United: States of America for reciprocal trade whereby the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics buy cotton in exchange for the removal of the ban on timber; and if, under these circumstances, he will make representations to the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics upon similar lines?

My right hon. Friend has no information as to any negotiations on the lines suggested in the first part of the question, and the second part does not, therefore, arise. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, on the Motion for the Adjournment of the House on the 12th of February last.

Will the hon. Gentleman make inquiries of the United States of America, and see if there is any information on, these lines, so that we may take advantage of the example set by the United States in this respect?

On a point of Order. Is it not the case that an hon. Member putting a question of this kind on the Paper is required to make himself responsible for the statements made in it?

That is the case with every question.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he will state the total value of exports to Soviet Russia of United Kingdom manufactures and products, re-exports excluded, during the year 1930; and the total amount under the Export Credits Scheme guaranteed in the same period to cover United Kingdom exports to Soviet Russia, re-exports excluded?

The value of the produce and manufactures of the United Kingdom exported to the Soviet Union during the year ended 31st December, 1930, was £6,789,844. The total payments for such exports which were actually guaranteed under the Export Credits Guarantee Scheme during the same period amounted to £4,147,631, of which its liability was approximately 60 per cent.

How do these exports compare with those of the year before?

I think the increase is about 50 per cent.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that we were told that, when we re-opened trade with Russia, it would solve the unemployment problem?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is in a position to state the amount granted by the German Government towards advertising the Leipzig Fair?

I am informed that no grant has been made by the German Government to the Leipzig Fairs of 1931.

How is the fair financed as far as advertising is concerned?

I have no information, but last year it was financed by the German Government and the year before by the Government of Saxony. If the right hon. Gentleman will put down a question, I will try to find out.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether a Committee has yet been appointed, in pursuance of the recommendation in the Chelmsford report, to consider the question of the acquisition of a site and the erection of buildings in which the British Industries Fair may be held in fuutre years?

The Committee has not yet been appointed, but its composition and terms of reference are under consideration.

When is it likely to be appointed, as we were told a fortnight or three weeks ago that a decision would very shortly be reached?

I think in the next fortnight.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can give any statistics in respect of the first week of the British Industries Fair?

The figures of attendance are as follow:

London section of the Fair (including the Cotton Textile Exhibition at the White City).

Overseas buyers	…	2,765
Home buyers	…	73,500
Public	…	20,390

(The above figures do not include the attendances at the Artificial Silk Exhibition at the Albert Hall, where turnstile reading were not taken.)

Birmingham section:

Overseas buyers	…	953
Home buyers	…	52,369
General public	…	7,152

(These figures represent the attendance at the Birmingham section up to within a short time of the closing hour Saturday.)

Am I right in assuming that these figures constitute an increase last year's figures in every over case?

There has been an increase of about 10 per cent. in oversea buyers, and of nearly 20 per cent. in home buyers, but, on the other hand, there has been a decrease in the attendance of the public.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state the number of Foreign and Colonial visitors to whom passes have been issued to visit the British Industries Fair at London and Birmingham: and if he will publish the numbers of visitors from day to day until the dose of the Fair?

The number of overseas buyers to whom invitations to visit the Fair have been sent by my Department is approximately 60,000. The Press are being informed day by day of the number of visitors to the Fair on the previous day and this practice will be continued until the close of the Fair.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware that a number of drapers' models which are being used for the display of goods at the British Industries Fair are of foreign manufacture; and whether, owing to the fact that models of the same nature are made in this country, he will see that in future exhibitions a regulation is made that only models of British manufacture are used?

The regulations of the British Industries Fair stipulate that all samples displayed by the exhibitors must have been manufactured or produced mainly within the British Empire. I fear it would not be practicable, however, to extend this principle to materials which may be used by exhibi- tors for the installation and display of their exhibits.

It is really not a British Industries Fair at all then under the present Government?

The conditions are exactly the same as obtained under the previous Government.

Considering that we are always receiving the reply that "it is the same as their predecessors," are we to understand that the Government accept always the policy of the previous Government?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Soviet citizens, if any, have been granted permission, up to date, to enter this country for the purpose of visiting the British Industries Fair?

Visas have been authorised to enable 19 Soviet citizens to come to this country for the purpose of visiting the British Industries Fair.

Will the hon. Member take steps to see that these citizens are sent back as soon as the fair is over?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he has considered the representations from the London Chamber of Commerce complaining of the present procedure by petition of right for the settlement of disputed complaints by the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and whether he is prepared to insert in future in arbitration clause in credit insurance contract's in order to facilitate the settlement of such claims?

I have received the representations to which the hon. Member refers and have referred them to the Export Credits Guarantee Department's Executive Committee for consideration.

Can the hon. Gentleman give me any sort of idea as to when it is likely to be arrived at?

No, but, if the hon. Gentleman will put down a question in about 10 days, I will see if I can answer.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if any special effort is being contemplated by his Department to develop the import of Empire timber; if any communications on this subject have passed between his Department and Dominion and Colonial Governments; and if details of available supplies of Empire soft and hard woods can be prepared for public information?

As the answer is rather long I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is it true that the hoardings upon which Empire Marketing Board advertisements are displayed for the edification of the public are of foreign timber?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state the total tonnage of ex- ports of United Kingdom coal to Scandinavian countries for the five mouths ended 31st January, 1930, and for the five months ended 31st January, 1931, respectively?

Exports of coal from the United Kingdom to Sweden, Norway and Denmark amounted to 2,915,631 tons during the five months ended 31st January, 1930, and to 1,872,260 tons during the five months ended 31st January, 1931.

Are we to presume that it is owing to the Commission that went out to Scandinavia that there has been such a great reduction in the amount of the coal trade?

The report of the Commission will give the hon. Member information as to the reasons for the reduction. There is nothing further that I can add to it. He had better address a question to the Secretary of the Mines Department.

Did the British representatives inform them that, if we were prepared to buy more timber from Sweden, she would be able to purchase more coal from us?

I am not aware of that fact. If the right hon. Gentleman wants to know, my hon. Friend will inform him.

Can the hon. Gentleman give us any reason for this reduction of exports to Scandinavian countries?

I should advise my hon. Friend to read the report of the British Coal Delegation to Sweden, Norway and Denmark, which has just come out. I have no information beyond that.

Is it not a fact—

There have been enough supplementaries to this question.

asked the Home Secretary the number of silicosis cases reported to his Department from the Somerset coal field during the last five years, respectively, together with the number proving fatal?

My right hon. Friend regrets that he is not in a position to give this information. Silicosis is not notifiable, and the only statistics of cases of silicosis collected by the Home Office are those of cases in which compensation is paid under the Workmen's Compensation Act. Compensation for silicosis among coalminers was first provided by the Various Industries Scheme, which came into force on the 1st February, 1929, but the returns for that year do not show any cases from the Somerset coal field. The figures for 1930 are not yet available.

Is the Under-Secretary of State aware that representations have been made to his Department and statistics given, and I should like to have those statistics, to make a comparison with other coalfields?

I am not aware of that fact, but silicosis, as I have stated in my reply, is not notifiable.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any proposals to make to the House or otherwise to avoid the lag between the amount of the labour value of unemployment schemes approved in principle and the labour value of the schemes that have actually been put in operation?

As the Prime Minister explained in the Debate on 12th February, substantial progress has been made in the last few months in reducing the margin between the value of schemes approved in principle and the value of schemes in operation, and efforts to that end are being continued. My right hon. Friend does not at present foresee the necessity for any new measures for this purpose.

Is the Prime Minister consulting the Liberal Yellow Book, and the proposals that the Liberal party have made?

As I have told the right hon. Gentleman, he seems to he a great deal better acquainted with the Yellow Book than I am.

Are we to understand that substantial progress has been made?

asked the Minister of Labour whether she can give an analysis by trades of the number of people receiving transitional benefit or an approximate estimate of the numbers in the chief trades?

As the reply includes a table of figures I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT:

asked the Minister of Labour who were the members of the Committee appointed by the International Labour Conference at Geneva last October to examine into the unemployment question; what were the terms of reference; on what date was it constituted; whether it has reported; and, if so, on what date?

As the reply is somewhat long, I will circulate it, if I may, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any statement to make regarding cases, to which his attention has been drawn, where speeches on current politics have been made by ex-Governors immediately after their retirement from office; and whether he will consider the advisability, in making future appointments to Governorships, of prescribing that an interval should elapse between a Governor's retirement and his re-engaging in party politics?

My right hon. Friend's attention has not been drawn to any action of this kind by any ex-Governor.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will take an opportunity of consulting the leaders of the Opposition parties of this House for the purpose of considering the granting of facilities for having a sound-film made of a portion of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's forthcoming Budget speech?

asked the Postmaster-General if he proposes to make arrangements for broadcasting the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement on Budget day?

From consultations which took place last year it appeared that the suggestion that the Budget Speech should be broadcast did not commend itself to any considerable section of the House, and my right hon. Friend is not aware of any change of circumstances or of opinion since then. He doubts whether the making of a sound film of part of the speech would be more acceptable than broadcasting.