asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of the exports of machinery from England and Germany, respectively, for the years 1913, 1925, 1929, and 1930?

The following table shows, in respect of the United Kingdom and Germany, the total value of the domestic exports of (a) Machinery (except electrical, but including rail and road locomotives) and parts thereof, and (b) electrical machinery and apparatus and parts thereof, during the years 1913, 1925, 1929, and 1930.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the ingredients of freight cost from Accra causing packet cocoa to be now sold retail at about 30 per cent. and loose cocoa at about 15 per cent. below the retail prices in 1914, although the price of raw Gold Coast cocoa is now about 55 per cent. below the average price in 1914?

I regret that I am not in a position to give the desired information.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air for particulars of what foreign Governments have placed orders in Great Britain for English aeroplanes?

I regret that there are no figures available either in the Air Ministry or in the Board of Trade which would show the value of orders placed in this country by foreign Governments for British aeroplanes. The total value, however, of aeroplanes exported from the United Kingdom to foreign countries during the last three years was £782,737; of aero engines, £922,403; and of spare parts, £961,866.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will consider the advisability of establishing Consuls in the important towns of India to assist British manufacturers at home in the same way as is done in foreign countries?

The Consular system only extends to foreign countries; in Empire countries the commercial duties discharged by Consular officers in foreign countries are undertaken by Trade Commissioners. There are three Trade Commissioners stationed in India—two at Calcutta and one at, Bombay, and this number with their staffs is considered sufficient, having regard to all the circumstances.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, with reference to the war vessels now under construction in France and Italy to the orders of Rumania, Argentine, Turkey, Greece and Persia, whether an opportunity was given to this country to submit tenders for these vessels or whether an effort was made to obtain the orders for this country?

As regards the orders for war vessels for the Argentine, Turkey and Greece, the answer to both parts of this question is in the affirmative. My hon. Friend has no information in regard to the orders for Rumania and Persia to which reference is made, and the short time available has made it impossible to conduct the necessary inquiries.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of cab-rank telephone boxes in use in the City of London?

There are no cab-rank telephones at present in use in the City, but three are being fitted. There is ordinarily no difficulty in obtaining a taxi in the City streets.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of cab-rank telephone boxes in the area between Westminster Abbey and Oxford Circus, and Dorchester House and Trafalgar Square?

There are nine cab-rank telephones in or adjacent to this area.

asked the Post-master-General the number of cab-rank telephone boxes in use in the borough of Hampstead?

Nine of the cab ranks serving residents in the borough of Hampstead are fitted with telephones.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has any information to give the House as to the abolition of trunk telephone systems and the substitution of toll systems; and whether he expects any reduction in long-distance telephone charges as a result of changes to be made?

Steps are being taken by the Post Office to modify the methods of operating long-distance calls so as to enable a large proportion of such calls to be completed while the calling subscriber remains at his telephone, as is already the case with those for shorter distances. The primary object of these improvements is to speed up the service, and so to encourage the use of the telephone for long-distance communications. The charges for long-distance calls were materially reduced 18 months ago, and the possibility of further reductions must depend on such working economies as it may prove practicable to effect, and on the extent to which the demand responds to the improvements which are being made in the quality of the service.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of telephone call-boxes that have been installed in the Metropolitan Police district during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

Figures for the Metropolitan Police district, the boundaries of which do not coincide with telephone area boundaries, are not readily available. The number of public telephone call offices installed in the London telephone area during the 12 mouths ended 28th February, 1931, was 909.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it has been decided that His Majesty's Ship "Revenge" shall proceed to Portsmouth for refit, in view of the fact that, although commissioned at Devonport, she is manned by a Portsmouth crew; and, if not, at which port she is to refit?

Full consideration has been given to the possibility of refitting His Majesty's Ship "Revenge" at Portsmouth, but as this could not be done without serious disturbance to the balance of work between the home dockyards, arrangements have been made for her to be taken in hand at Devonport.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many Australian cruisers are in commission?

Two cruisers of the Royal Australian Navy, namely, His Majesty's Australian Ship "Australia" and His Majesty's Australian Ship "Canberra," are at present in commission.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total establishment of naval medical officers and the shortage of regular medical officers on the establishment in each year since the War?

Consequent on the continuation of the employment of temporary medical officers who had served during the War and the transfer to the permanent list of a certain number of such officers, no shortage of naval medical officers was experienced up to and including 1922. The shortages in subsequent years as compared with requirements, which include provision for officers undergoing courses, have been as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for War the amount of savings in wages effected at Enfield to date by the suspension of piecework; and when piecework will be reintroduced?

The saving in wages is estimated at £15,000. The general reintroduction of piecework has already taken place, on 6th October last for the skilled men and on 1st December last for the others. The only men now on day work who would normally be on piecework are seven men engaged on new work for which piecework rates cannot yet be fixed. It should be possible to fix such rates in a few weeks time, when they will be applied to the staff concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the Government during the next 12 months will consider removing the restrictions which prevent the Woolwich Arsenal from tendering for private work; and whether any proposals have been adopted permitting the Arsenal to undertake alternative work?

I would refer the right hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary in the Debate on Army Estimates, that as far as can be foreseen there will be sufficient work to maintain factories at Woolwich and Enfield at the present strength during the whole of the year without any change of system.

asked the Secretary of State for War the date on which each sufferer in the Army from cerebro-spinal meningitis was taken ill this year; the date of death or when released from hospital; and the date when each person was last vaccinated?

asked the Secretary of State for War how many cases of cerebrospinal meningitis have occurred amongst soldiers in this country during the present year; and how many of the cases proved fatal?

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he is aware that the widow of an Army pensioner is not entitled to receive any part of the pension accruing due to her late husband at the time of his death in the event of his dying one day prior to that upon which such pension would become payable to him had he lived; whether, having regard to the hardship caused thereby in many cases, he will consider the desirability of amending the War Office regulations relating to the matter so as to bring such regulations into line with the regulations relating to naval pensioners, which provide that in such a case a portion of the accruing pension shall be paid to the widow; and whether he will consider the desirability of making such amendment retrospective for two years?

Where an Army pension is payable quarterly in advance and payment has been claimed regularly, nothing can have accrued at the date of death. I am aware of the Admiralty rule in such cases that a further month's pension may be paid where death occurs within two days from the end of the quarter, but I am unable to authorise the adoption of a similar rule for Army pensioners.

asked the Secretary of State for War the reason why it has been decided to change Army bands from high pitch to low pitch; what will be the cost of the change; and what musical authorities were consulted before making the change?

I presume the hon. and gallant Member refers to the change announced in December, 1928. This change, which did not involve any expense on Army funds, was made in order to establish a uniform pitch in the wind instruments of bands and orchestras. The change was favoured by the majority of Army units, and was desired by an overwhelming body of representative musical opinion in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for War what extra charges have been imposed in respect of the loan of equipment to cadet units; what representations have been made to him in this connection; and whether he will consider the position with a view to facilitating the attendance of working-class boys at camps during the coming summer?

My attention has been drawn to this matter, but while I have been glad to arrange for the loan of a limited amount of camp equipment to juvenile organisations recommended by the Board of Education, it would not be appropriate that any charge should fall on Army funds in this connection. It is necessary, therefore, to make a charge representing the cost of the depreciation and handling of the equipment at the ordnance depots, a cost which, in the case of recognised cadet units, was formerly borne by Army funds. The charge on this account will be 5s. 8d. for each camper for a seven-day camp and 7s. 10d. for a 14-day camp.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received from the borough council of Kirkintilloch, Dumbartonshire, a return, as provided in the Housing Act, containing their plans of new houses for the next three years; how many houses in Kirkintilloch are returned as unfit for human habitation; and how many houses it is proposed to build to rehouse the occupants of the condemned houses?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the remaining parts, the number of houses estimated by the local authority to be required to replace houses that are unfit for human habitation is stated to be about 50, and the local authority propose to build this number within the next three years to replace the condemned houses. In addition, the local authority is presently building 44 houses to abate overcrowding, and to meet the normal growth of population, and it is possible that they will extend their programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has received from the borough council of Helensburgh, Dumbartonshire, a return, as provided in the Housing Act, containing their plans of new houses for the next three years; how many houses in Helensburgh are returned as unfit for human habitation; and how many houses it is proposed to build to rehouse the occupants of the condemned houses?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the remaining parts, the number of houses stated to be required to replace houses that are unfit for human habitation is 24, and the local authority propose to build this number within the next three years to replace the condemned houses. The Department of Health for Scotland are in communication with the local authority regarding the adequacy of this building programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can give any estimate of the average proportion of income spent in house rent in the areas which have been or are being the subject of slum-clearance schemes in Hamilton?

I am informed by the Town Clerk of Hamilton that, as a result of a local investigation in April last, it was estimated that the average proportion of income spent on rent (including occupiers' rates) was 11.5 per cent. in respect of the particular shun area investigated which comprised over 400 houses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish local authorities show only films which are passed by the trade censor, and/or how many exercise any local censorship; how many local authorities prohibit the attendance of juveniles under 16 at exhibitions of A films unless accompanied by parent or guardian; and how many enforce a regulation by which persons before entering a cinema know whether the film to be displayed is for universal exhibition or passed for adults only?

The information available in the Scottish Office is not sufficient to enable me to furnish the particulars desired.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can make a statement as to the present condition of the Scottish drifter fleet; and if he has proposals for assisting the fishermen to replace worn-out boats?

These matters are under the consideration of the Economic Advisory Council's Committee on the Fishing Industry, and I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 4th November last to the hon. and learned Member for East Fife (Mr. Millar) in which I. stated that the question would receive the Government's careful consideration in the light of the Committee's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now in a position to state if arrangements have been made with the Secretary of State for Air for carrying out further experiments in the spotting of herring shoals from aircraft?

I have made inquiries in this matter, with particular reference to the experiments which have been carried out in Iceland. I understand that it is only in Icelandic waters that any measure of success has attended such experiments, and the conditions there are much more favourable than those which prevail in Scottish waters. The opinion of the Fishery Board and of the Air Ministry is that little or no advantage would be gained by further experiments. Watch is, however, being kept for any developments in other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secondary schools there are in Scotland, either provided by local education authorities or in receipt of assistance from the authorities; and how many of these have committees representative of various interests formed for the purpose of advising young people as to taking up and finding employment on leaving school?

The answer to the first part of the question is 168. As regards the second part, the rendering of assistance to secondary school pupils in the matter of obtaining suitable employment is normally undertaken by the Advisory Committees for Juvenile Employment established by the Ministry of Labour, and certain of these committees have appointed special sub-committees for the purpose. A separate appointments agency for the secondary pupils in their area is conducted by the education authority of Aberdeen, but I am not aware of any employment committees conducted in connection with separate schools.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make any further statement regarding the supply of coal to the Hull steam-trawling fleets under the quota clauses of the Coal Mines Act, 1930; and whether ample supplies of bunker coal will be made available at Hull for the fishing fleets?

As my hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt aware, the National Committee of Investigation set up under Section 5 of the Coal Mines Act, 1930, have considered a complaint by the Humber trawler owners that the allocation made to the Midland (Amalgamated) District is insufficient. The Committee have reported that they are not satisfied that there is any general shortage of coal. In a few isolated cases difficulties may be arising, but these can, I am advised, be met from the ample supplies of coal on offer from other coalfields in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is in a position to give the result of the formal complaint of the Coal Merchants' Federation which he advised them to make to the National Committee of Investigation in regard to the coal shortage; and whether he has now received evidence of coal shortage confirming the position placed before him last week in regard to the greatly reduced supplies available in the Kingston-on-Thames area, which is causing much suffering to the poorer section of the community?

The National Committee of Investigation decided that it was not necessary to make any representations to the Central Council on the complaint from the Coal Merchants' Federation. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the decision. I have received no evidence of a shortage of supplies of coal in the Kingston-on-Thames area other than the single letter sent on to me by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that the cost to consumers in the London areas of Scottish and South Wales coal, which he states is freely on offer to meet any deficiency in the Midland output, averages at least 2s. 6d. higher per ton; and what action the Government are taking to protect the consumer?

I am informed that coal from the Scottish and other coalfields for the, London market can be obtained at prices comparable with those charged for coal from the Midland coalfields.