asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the steady public demand for oysters at remunerative prices, he has yet been able to stimulate the extension of existing oyster beds or the laying of oyster beds in suitable coastal areas?

The Ministry has for some years past been carrying out experiments in the artificial propagation of oysters in tanks. I am hopeful that the results of these experiments, which have been communicated from time to time to the Oyster Merchants and Shellfish Planters' Association, may before long be successfully applied to the commercial production of oysters, and that the output of oysters may thus be appreciably increased.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any information as to the amount by which visible stocks of sugar in this country at the end of January, 1931, exceeded or fell short of the demand and what proportion of these stocks was represented by sugar from home-grown beet?

I regret that no such information is available.

asked the Attorney-General the number of actions tried in the King's Bench Division of the High Court of Justice in London in the months of November, 1929, February, 1930, November, 1930, and February, 1931, upon each day upon which the court sat, distinguishing between actions tried with special and common juries and without juries?

The number of actions tried in the King's Bench Division of the High Court in the months of November, 1929, February, 1930, November, 1930, and February, 1931, were as follow:that this was reported to the manager of the Employment Exchange by the Glasgow district organiser of the A.E.U., whose district committee had visited the Carstairs Training Centre; and whether he will take steps to prevent training centres being converted into a menace to present wage standards?

I am calling for a local report on the facts alleged by my hon. Friend, to whom I will communicate the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Transport whether a decision has yet been reached with regard to the proposal to ban motor coaches from Central London?

I hope to be in a position to announce a decision in this matter in a few days' time.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case of Mrs. Eleanor Brennar, who was charged with insulting behaviour in the Strand, and after being detained in the cells at Bow Street Police Station until after midnight was then released without any further charge; and whether he proposes to hold an inquiry into the police action in this case?

The facts are that Mrs. Brennar was charged with insulting behaviour, but the case was dismissed by the magistrate, without costs, on the ground that it was possible that an honest mistake had been made. I have gone very thoroughly into this case, and I find no ground for thinking that the police acted improperly or for holding any inquiry concerning the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will take steps to restrict the publication in newspapers of accounts of trials for murder?

It is a cardinal feature of our system that criminal trials should be public, and it is a matter of opinion how far the advantages of that system outweigh any possible disadvantages?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to issue an Order in Council reciprocating the recent action of the Saskatchewan Legislature with regard to Succession Duties by applying Section 20 of the Finance Act, 1894, to Saskatchewan; and what has been the cause of the delay in this matter?

Steps are being taken with a view to the issue at an early date of an Order in Council applying Section 20 of the Finance Act, 1894, to the Province of Saskatchewan. Some delay has occurred owing to the necessity of the issue of a further Order in Council in Saskatchewan before any action could be taken in this country.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that at present about 40 per cent. of the dues collected from ships passing through the Suez Canal is spent on upkeep, depreciation, and improvement of the canal, and that the remaining 60 per cent, of the dues is distributed as dividends and bonuses; that the dues represent from 6 to 20 per cent. of the freight of European cargoes to the East; and whether, seeing that about 43 per cent. of the capital is held by the British Government what action the Government propose to take in the interests of British trade?

I have been asked to reply. I cannot at present add anything to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave on 19th February to the hon. Member for Barnstaple (Sir B. Peto).

asked the Secretary of State for India if the provincial Governments of India have granted pensions to the dependants of those policemen who lost their lives in the disturbances of last year or to those policemen who were disabled for the same cause?

I have not received any information later than a report from the Government of India in August last which showed that adequate action was being taken by the local Governments concerned.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have failed to prepare a slum-clearance Scheme and a five-year housing policy; and what proportion this represents of all local authorities?

Programmes for the next five years have been received from 268 of the 290 urban authorities representing populations over 20,000 who are required by the Act of 1930 to submit such programmes. One hundred and eighty-three of these definitely contemplate the provision of houses for the replacement of unfit houses, and the total number of houses to be so provided in the five years is 103,680.

asked the Minister of Health whether he proposes to take any action with reference to the representations made to him by various local authorities, urging that, owing to the high incidence of tuberculosis among dairy cattle, local authorities should be given powers to provide for the compulsory notification to them of the arrival of all cattle brought into their area for the purpose of milk production?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Halifax (Mr. Longbottom) on this subject on the 12th instant.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what progress has been made by Sub-Committee B of the Anglo-Soviet Debts and Claims Committee; and how soon it is expected that the main committee will meet again?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Members for Moseley (Mr. Hannon) and Chislehurst (Mr. Smithers) an 9th March. The date of the next meeting of the main committee has not yet been fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will inquire of the Chinese Government the reason for the issue by that Government of fresh internal loans secured upon increased Customs revenues, while the Chinese Government continues its default upon its railway loans and other obligations to British investors in Chinese loans?

His Majesty's Minister has already been in communication with the Chinese Government on this subject, but the inquiries which the hon. and gallant Member suggests would anticipate the negotiations with the Chinese authorities at the Debt Consolidation Conference which opened at Nanking in November last. This conference has not yet concluded its deliberations. In this connection I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply returned to the hon. Member for Farnham (Mr. A. M. Samuel) on 4th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what steps are being taken to bring into force the convention for the supervision of the international trade in arms?

At the session of the Council of the League of Nations in May of last year, His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom proposed that a conference of signatories to the Arms Traffic Convention should be con- vened in order to consider the question of bringing it into force as soon as possible. I am glad to say that this proposal resulted in several fresh ratifications being deposited, but the Council decided to postpone further consideration of the question until the Preparatory Commission for the Disarmament Conference should have completed its work. Now that this condition has been fulfilled, I propose to raise the question again at the next meeting of the Council.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number or boys, aged from 14 to 16, employed in British coal mines; and the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents, respectively, occurring in the age group in 1930?

At 13th December, 1930, the number of boys under 16 years of age employed in Great Britain in and about mines under the Coal Mines Act, 1911, was approximately 36,900, and the number of such boys killed during 1930 was 30. I regret that particulars of the number of boys injured are not yet available.

asked the President of the Board of Education what income of the parent would debar a candidate who held no other scholarship and was without private means from obtaining a, maintenance grant or a Grant-in-aid of fees under Article 5 of the State Scholarship Regulations, 1930, respectively?

There is no fixed limit of parent's income which debars the scholar from receiving assistance under the State scholarship scheme. Each case is dealt with on its merits, and consideration is given not only to the amount of income but to its nature and to the other calls upon it.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department how many trade commissioners have had practical experience of trade to the extent of being engaged in it before they were appointed to their present positions; and what proportion this number holds to the entire total?

Of the total of 19 trade commissioners, 11 (i.e. 58 per cent.) have had trade or business experience before appointment.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many need pensions paid to mothers of sons who lost their lives in the War are now in existence; and how many lapsed last year?

The approximate number of need pensions in issue on 31st December last to parents of deceased men of non-commissioned rank was 33,000. In the course of the preceding 12 months there had been a net reduction in the total number of need pensions in issue of about 3,500. In the great majority of these cases the cessation of this class of pension was due either to death or to the pensioner becoming entitled to a renewal of pension under another article of the warrant.