asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if he is aware that during December last 74,620 dozen pairs of cotton stockings and hose were imported from Japan at an average, price of less than 2½. per pair; the cost of national taxation per head of population in this country and in Japan; the wage cost per hour of hosiery workers in Leicester and Japan; and what steps, if any, His Majesty's Government propose to protect the interests of British workers in this industry against this competition;(2) if he is aware that 94,538 dozen of cotton underwear were imported from Czechoslovakia in December last at an average price of less than 6d. each; the cost of national taxation per head of population in Czechoslovakia and in this country and the wage cost per hour of hosiery workers in Leicester and in Czechslovakia; and what steps, if any, His Majesty's Government propose to take to protect the interests of the home trade against this competition?

The reply to the first part of these questions is in the affirmative. National taxation per head of population is estimated to be in Czechoslovakia £3 1s. 9d., in Japan £1 12s. 4d., and in the United Kingdom £15 13s. 10d. As to the third part of each question, no comparable statistics are available. As regards the last part of the questions, I fear I can add nothing to previous answers on this subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the increasing gap between retail prices and the wholesale price levels; and whether he will set up an inquiry to investigate its cause?

I doubt if a general inquiry such as appears to be suggested in the question would lead to practical results. The question of the relation between wholesale and retail prices is rather one to be dealt with in respect of particular trades, and it is, indeed, one of the objects of the Consumers' Council Bill to facilitate such inquiries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of failures for the last 12 months to any convenient date in public companies, private companies and partnerships?

The number of liquidations of companies and bankruptcies of partnerships in 1930 was 3,589, of which 3,024 were voluntary liquidations of companies.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether the Government are giving financial and/or other, and, if so, what, support to the proposed Imperial Wool Industries Fair at Bradford in July next?

The Government have not been asked to give any financial support to the proposed fair. We have, however, been in touch with the organisers of this undertaking, which we cordially welcome, and have assured them that any co-operation from my Department which may be possible will be gladly given.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will consider extending next year's British Industries Fair to provide for a section of the fair being held on the North-East Coast?

The question of holding sections of the fair at places other than London was carefully considered both by the Warner Committee which sat in 1920, and by the Chelmsford Committee which sat last year. Both committees recommended the continuance of the present arrangement whereby the heavy industries are accommodated at Birmingham and all other sections of the fair are concentrated in London. As at present advised, therefore, I do not propose to make any alteration in the existing arrangement.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that supplies of the Calmette vaccine against tuberculosis are to be given to medical practitioners in this country; who is to be held responsible for the distribution of this vaccine; and whether, in view of the fact that last May this vaccine was given to 253 children in Lübeck, Germany, with the result that 73 deaths occurred and 174 were made seriously ill, he will consider issuing a warning of the dangers attending its use to the members of the British medical profession?

I have no information as to the distribution of Calmette vaccine to medical practitioners in this country, and I should be obliged for any particulars that my hon. Friend can give me. As stated in the reply to a question asked by my hon. Friend the Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Freeman) on 17th February, it is not considered that the deaths at Lübeck were traceable to the original B.C.G. cultures, and, as particulars of these deaths and reports of the subsequent inquiries and upon the use of B.C.G. generally have appeared in the medical Press, I do not think that any further action is necessary to bring the matter to the notice of members of the medical profession in this country.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total number of children between two and five years of age in England and Wales; and how many of them attend a child-welfare centre or are regularly visited by health visitors?

It is estimated that in the middle of 1930 the total number of children between two and five years of age in England and Wales was 1,838,050. I have not sufficient information to enable me to answer the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed persons registered at the Employment Exchange at Woolwich for the last week for which figures are available and similar information for the corresponding week in 1929 and 1930?

The following table gives the information desired:now performed by the Employment Exchanges in addition to their original function; what proportion of their staffs are employed and what proportion of their expenditure is incurred in actually filling vacancies; and what steps she proposes to take to increase their efficiency as Employment Exchanges?

In addition to their original functions under the Labour Exchanges Act, 1909, the Employment Exchanges administer the Unemployment Insurance Acts. In view of the close interdependence of the work of filling vacancies and administering unemployment insurance, it is not possible to give a figure for the proportion of the total cost of the Employment Exchanges which represents solely their work as placing agencies. The placing work of the Exchanges is being steadily developed in a number of ways. That these measures are having steady results is illustrated by the fact that there has been each year since 1927 a substantial increase in the number of vacancies filled through the Exchanges, and that in 1930, notwithstanding the industrial depression, the number of vacancies filled through the Exchanges was 1,732,144, as compared with 1,556,271 in 1929.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in receipt of unemployment transitional benefit between the ages of 55 to 59 years and 59 to 64 years, respectively, at the last available date?

The latest date for which an analysis according to age groups is available, is 24th November, 1930. It is estimated on the basis of a sample analysis made on that date, that the figures desired were as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason for the delay in notifying Mr. J. E. Stockton, late of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, of the award of disability pension?

I informed the hon. and gallant Member on 26th January last that, having regard to all the circumstances of the case, Mr. Stockton's disability would be regarded as attributable to his Army service. After that point of principle had been decided, it was necessary for the case to be referred to the Board of Chelsea Commissioners for assessment by the medical authorities of the degree of disability and for award of the appropriate pension. Payment forms were issued on the 5th instant, and the new award dates from 16th October last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the average cost of the infantry and cavalry depots in the home commands?

The approximate annual effective cost of a depot of the infantry of the line, as shown on page 291 of Army Estimates, 1931, is £14,000. There is no cavalry depot.

asked the Secretary of State for War how many officers of the rank of brigadier-general and above are employed on full pay, exclusive of the Indian Army; and what was the corresponding number in 1913?

The number of British Service officers above the rank of colonel employed on full pay, including those in Indian appointments, but excluding those serving under other Departments, is 181, as compared with the same number in 1913.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the amount of bacon purchased for the Army during 1930, together with the respective amounts which came from British, Dominion, and foreign sources, respectively?

The amount of bacon issued to the Army and Air Force in 1930 was approximately 28,000 cwts., of which some 24,000 cwts. was of Dominion origin and the remainder was foreign.