asked the Secretary of State for War (1) whether he will consider amending the Army Order as to the supply of electric light current by his Department to officers, so that the price charged to officers stationed at Chatham in respect of current consumed by them in excess of their official allowance shall be the same as that paid by his Department to the undertaking that supplies the current;

The rate of 5½d. a unit which is charged to all officers in married quarters throughout the United Kingdom for electric current consumed in excess of their light allowance represents the average retail cost of electric light in the country. A flat average rate is charged to secure equality of treatment at the various stations. The rate is at present under review. The cost to the War Department of electricity purchased at Chatham varies according to the source of supply from approximately 5d. to approximately 2d. a Board of Trade unit. Information is not available to show for the period mentioned in the question the total difference between the amount paid by the War Department at Chatham for units consumed by officers in married quarters in excess of their light allowance, and the total received in respect of such units on the basis of the flat rate charged.

asked the Minister of Health the amount of contributions which were in arrears in the prosecution case of the engineering firm carrying on business at Faraday Road, Stratford; and whether the employés have been penalised in any way owing to their insurance cards not being stamped?

The arrears of health insurance and pensions contributions in this case amounted to £7 10s. Only one employé was concerned, and I am not aware that he has lost any benefit owing to his cards not being stamped.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built under the Housing Acts by the various councils in the Metropolitan area during 1930, and the number of houses authorised but not completed for the same year?

The following statement contains the desired information:

Local Authority.	Houses completed during 1930.	Authorised but not completed at 31st December, 1930.
London County Council.	3,446	11,547
Battersea	6	6
Bermondsey	11	—
Finsbury	—	146
Greenwich	—	109
Islington	107	44
Lambeth	8	132
Lewisham	—	60
Poplar	116	—
St. Pancras	39	22
Southwark	—	9
Stepney	—	3
Wandsworth	—	72

These figures do not include 521 houses erected during the year by the London County Council, 20 by the Borough Council of Stepney and 48 by the Borough Council of Hammersmith in replacement of houses demolished under improvement and reconstruction schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will inquire of the Chinese Minister whether the Chinese Government contemplates availing itself of the facilities of the London issue market for the purpose of inviting British investors to subscribe to a loan for railway development or other Chinese national objects as a result of the recently passed Chinese Indemnity Act?

I do not think that it is for me to raise the question of future loans with the Chinese Minister.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any progress has been made by the Mexican Government to terminate their 17-yearold default in their obligations to British investors who entrusted their savings to the Mexican Government; and whether the Mexican legislative authorities have yet ratified the recent debt agreement?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. According to an official statement issued by the Mexican Government at the end of January, it appears that, as the result of further negotiations between the Government and the International Committee of Bankers, on which the British bondholders are represented, an agreement was signed on 29th January by the Mexican Minister of Finance and Mr. Thomas W. Lamont, which is supplementary to that concluded on 25th July, 1930. The supplementary agreement, which must be approved by the Mexican Congress, provides that the annual payments for 1931 and 1932 which, under the agreement of July, 1930, it was contemplated should be made in dollars, may be provisionally made in silver coin of the existing Mexican currency at the rate of exchange prevailing on 25th July last. The annual payment for 1931 totals, in the case of the direct debt, $7,500,000 (United States), and in that of the railway debt, $5,625,000 (United States). The payments for 1932 are $13,000,000 and $5,625,000, respectively. The whole of these amounts in silver coin are to be deposited in the Bank of the City of Mexico, to be totally immobilised during the validity of the supplementary agreement. For their part, the International Committee of Bankers will place at the disposal of the Commission for the Regulation of Exchange, the sum of $5,000,000 (United States), which the Mexican Government deposited on 25th August last as part liquidation of the first annual payment for the service of interest amortisation. The product of the sale of the said $5,000,000 (United States) in silver shall be deposited in the National Bank of Mexico, and shall also be totally immobilised. If, in the course of 1931 and 1932, the exchange position shall become stable at the normal rate, that is, at a rate more or less equivalent to that prevailing on 25th July, 1930, the Mexican Government and the International Committee of Bankers will make the necessary arrangements for annual payments in dollars. It is believed by the Mexican Government that these arrangements will contribute to the stabilisation of the Mexican currency and exchange.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he hiss any particulars of the cause of death of Vincent Patrick Taylor, British ex-service man, who was found dead in Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America?

I have no information regarding this case, but lam making inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if the Government will propose at the world Disarmament Conference that steps should be taken to deal with industries capable of producing poison gas on an international basis?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to his question, No. 2 on to-day's Order Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what parishes of the county of Sutherland agricultural surveys have recently been conducted?

All occupiers of agricultural land in districts selected for surveys were given an assurance that any information supplied by them to the inspectors of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland who undertook the surveys would be regarded as strictly confidential. It would be difficult to ensure the observance of this undertaking if the names of the parishes surveyel were made public, and they are not disclosed in the summaries of the information obtained from the surveys which are being published in the Scottish Journal of Agriculture.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what further action has been taken, or is contemplated, in Kenya following on the survey of the sea fisheries of the Colony carried out by Dr. von Bonde in 1928?

Further action on Dr. von Bonde's report has been postponed pending a decision on the recommendations of the Colonial Office Conference, 1930, for the comprehensive treatment of the question of Colonial fisheries surveys generally.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the total exports of manufactured goods from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, the United States, and Canada in 1880, 1913, and 1930 (or the latest year for which

Country.		Value of domestic exports.			Increase in 1930 compared with—
		1880.	1913.	1930.	1880.	1913.
		Million £	Million £	Million £	Per cent.	Per cent.
United Kingdom (a)	…	197·4	417·2	430·0	117·8	3·1
France	…	73·6	167·3	217·1	194·9	29·7
Germany	…	82·1	328·0	422·4	414·5	28·8
United States	…	25·4	246·9	495·5	1,852	100·7
Canada (b)	…	0·6	9·5	85·6	(c)	901
(a) These figures relate throughout to the external trade of the British Isles as a whole. In order to preserve comparability with the years 1880 and 1913, the value of the trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State which has been partially estimated has been eliminated.
(b) The figures for Canada relate to the years ended the 30th June, 1880, and the 31st March, 1914 and 1930, respectively.
(c) This figure would have no significance.

NOTES.
1. The range of articles included as "wholly or partly manufactured" varies according to the classification adopted in the trade returns of the respective countries. Figures based throughout on a uniform classification are not available The classes of goods included are described in the trade returns of the respective countries (except Canada) as follow:
United Kingdom	…	"Articles wholly or mainly manufactured" together with manufactured tobacco.
France	…	"Objets fabriqués."
Germany	…	"Fabrikate"—old classification (1880 and 1913); "Fertige Waren"—later classification (1930).
United States	…	"Manufactures ready for consumption" and "Manufactures for further use in manufacturing."
In the case of Canada, the trade statistics as published have been re-classified so as to be approximately comparable with the classification used in the figures shown above for the United Kingdom. Manufactured foodstuffs are excluded throughout.
2. The values have been converted into sterling at the par rates of exchange.
3. The figures for the United Kingdom in respect of 1880 do not include the value of new ships and boats exported, particulars of which were not recorded in that year. The value of new ships and boats exported from the United Kingdom in 1913 was £11·0 million.
4. In the case of Germany, the figures for 1880 exclude, while those for 1913 and 1930 include, the value of ships exported and also the value of the "Improvement Trade" for Home Account. The figures for 1930 represent a classification of goods differing, in certain respects, from those covered in 1880 and 1913. The value of deliveries on account of Reparations has been included in 1930.
5. In the case of France and Germany, the territories covered by the statistics for 1930 differ from those to which the figures for 1880 and 1913 relate.
6. The figures for 1930 are provisional throughout.

The following table shows, for the countries specified in the question, the values of the domestic exports of goods classed as wholly or partly manufactured during the years 1880, 1913 and 1930, together with the percentage increase in 1930 compared with 1880 and 1913, respectively.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air how many cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis have occurred amongst members of the Royal Air Force this year; and how many cases proved fatal?

There have been 12 cases this year of cerebrospinal meningitis among Royal Air Force personnel; of these, I regret to say, six proved fatal.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty why, in the statistical report of the health of the Navy for 1929, the practice has been discontinued of giving some information as to the possible reasons for the rise or fall of venereal diseases in the various naval stations; and if, having regard to the usefulness of this information, especially concerning the effects of chemical prophylaxis, he will consider again including such information?

It has been the custom to remark upon the rise or fall in the incidence of venereal disease only when the fluctuations are sufficiently large to warrant special investigation. This subject is receiving the constant attention of the Admiralty, and in future reports comment will be Made with regard to any serious augmentation of the figures.

asked the Minister of Transport whether be will again consider the proposed line of pylons between Pickering and Whitby; and, since this line across the moors would be a menace to the beauty of the scenery, whether he will recommend the alteration of the proposed line so as to pass through the coastal villages?

I understand that this matter has been discussed with the local authorities concerned, but no formal application for my consent has yet been made. I would remind the hon. Member that the Central Electricity Board found it necessary to divert the route of the principal "grid" lines in this part of the country from close proximity to the sea, in order to obviate the risk of interference with supply due to the salt-laden atmosphere.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of road schemes where grants of 90 per cent. or more have been made or approved towards their construction, giving the separate amounts of such grants and the areas to which the schemes relate?

Since 1st June, 1929, grants of 90 per cent. or more have been made from the Road Fund in respect of 12 schemes of road improvement estimated to cost £675,000. In addition, 43 schemes estimated to cost £1,300,000 have been approved in prin- ciple for grants of 90 per cent. or more. These grants have been made or indicated to certain Scottish counties for the improvement or reconstruction of trunk roads and bridges in their areas. The details cannot suitably be given in full in an answer to a Parliamentary question, but if there is any point on which my hon. Friend requires further information, perhaps he will be good enough to let me know.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give separate figures showing how many men will be employed and for how long, what will be the total estimated cost as well as the expenditure estimated to be incurred,

Scheme.	Total Estimated Cost.	Land Compensation, Easements, etc.	Wages and Materials and all other costs.	Estimated Men-months of direct Employment.
	£	£	£
North Circular Road, Friern Barnet.	188,000	16,500	171,500	4,512
Road from North Orbital Road to Beaconsfield.	161,000	Land already in possession of County Council.	161,000	3,864
Coventry By-Pass Road* (London-Holyhead Road).	242,000	13,000	229,000	5,808
Newport-Chepstow Road, Reconstruction.	108,000	5,120	102,880	2,592
Oadby to Market Harborough, Road widening.	100,000	Information not available.	—	2,400
* It is assumed that my hon. Friend refers to the Coventry By-Pass on the London-Holyhead Road.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that arable farmers, upon whose properties mortgages were granted with the customary margin a few years ago, cannot now obtain from the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation sufficient moneys to pay off such mortgages owing to the depressed values of arable lands and the statutory limitation of the Corporation to advance only two-thirds of the present values; and, seeing that these farmers are being forced to sell at a loss after farming for many years or face bankruptcy, will he introduce legislation at an early date to allow advances to be made by the Corporation beyond the two-thirds statutory limit and up to the average values over a period of years?

The information asked for by my hon. Friend is given in the table which follows:

The statutory limitation referred to and the basis upon which the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation may make advances under the Agricultural Credits Act on the security of land were fixed after most careful consideration and consultation with the leading banking authorities, and it would not be possible to adopt the suggestion of the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total sums advanced by the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Limited, to 31st December, 1930, secured upon lands and secured otherwise?

The total sums advanced by the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Limited, to 31st December, 1930, were as follow:

		£
2,172	Mortgage Loans	6,499,301
41	Improvement Loans	17,474
		6,516,775

All these loans are secured on lands.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the respective numbers of applications to the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Limited, upon which advances have been made and refused; and, in the latter case, the total sums applied for to 31st December, 1930?

Up to 31st December, 1930, applications received by the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, Limited, were as follow:

		£
3,571	mortgage loans	12,306,478
149	improvement loans	154,459
		£12,456,937

These applications had been dealt with as follow:Loans completed:

		£
2,172	mortgage loans	6,499,301
41	improvement loans	17,474
		£6,516,775