asked the Secretary of State for India why, although the revised rates of pension were granted to all departmental officers of the Army in India in 1925, the Indian Medical Department was the only department to which revised pensions were granted in 1927, two years later; and whether he will remove this distinction by granting the revised pensions from the date of sanction to all Indian Medical Department officers who retired from 1925?

The pensions of departmental officers were reconstructed in 1925 on a basis of British rates which was inapplicable to the case of members of the Indian Medical Department, and there is no necessary connection between the two pension systems. When Indian Medical Department pensions were revised in 1927, the standing principle was applied that pension revisions cannot be made retrospective; and I should not feel justified in reversing that decision.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether all prisoners referred to in the recent Delhi agreement have now been released?

I am circulating the latest figures which in some cases are approximate only.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say if there have been any complaints as to delay in the release of prisoners in view of the fact that it is over a fortnight since the agreement was made?

I have not had any complaints.

Following are the figures:

asked the Secretary of State for India what arrangements are being made for adequate representation of organised Indian labour on the reconstituted Federal Structure Committee?

I am in consultation with the Governor-General on this matter.

Can the right hon. Gentleman assure me that there will be such representation?

I said, in reply to the question, that I was in consultation upon this matter.

If organised labour is to be represented, should not unorganised labour be represented?

When these other claims are taken into consideration, will the claims of depressed classes also be considered?

Certainly that is one of the matters under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether any decision has yet been taken by the Government of India in regard to the publication of the report of the Indian tariff board on the chemical industry in India?

I have nothing to add to the reply given to my hon. and gallant Friend on 17th November.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the new state railway education rules, while providing for help being given to European children up to Junior Oxford standard, which suffices for their admission as workshop apprentices, do not provide for equal privileges being granted to Indian children; and whether he will give information in respect of the reason for this discrimination?

I have no information as to these rules, but I will ask for a report.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will state the number of students passed out of the Prince of Wales' Royal Indian Military College at Dehra Dun in each year since the establishment of the college; and how many of these applied for entrance to Sandhurst and were admitted and were subsequently granted Kings' commissions in the Indian army?

I fear that my information on this subject is incomplete; but so far as it goes, at least 36 cadets from Dehra Dun have been admitted to Sandhurst since 1923, of whom 20 have been commissioned and 13 are still under instruction.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will inform the House if the boycott of British goods in India has ceased as a result of the signing of the agreement between the Viceroy and Mr. Gandhi?

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any information to give the House as to the present position of the boycott of non-Indian goods in India; and whether any special relaxation of the boycott has been made so far as British goods are concerned?

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has any further information about the proposed export of stocks of British cloth held in Bombay and other parts of India to be sold out of India as part of the economic boycott?

asked the Secretary of State for India, whether he is yet in a position to make a statement as to the effect of the agreement, recently signed by His Excellency the Viceroy and Mr. Gandhi, upon the boycott of British goods; and whether he has yet received a report upon Mr. Gandhi's proposals to re-export stocks of British goods already in India?

asked the Secretary of State for India what advantage has accrued to British traders from the cessation of the political boycott in India?

I have asked the Government of India to send me a full appreciation of the situation regarding the boycott and I will make the information available for the House as soon as I receive it. As to the proposed export of foreign cloth from India, a scheme has been agreed to between the Bombay mill-owners and Mr. Gandhi for the export of foreign cloth. Under this scheme an agency is to be formed with a capital of Rs.25 lakhs subscribed by Congress, mill-owners and the general public. The scheme contemplates that the agency will act as selling agents abroad for large dealers but will not accept any financial risk. In the case of small dealers the agency will purchase stocks at from 20 per cent. to 33 per cent. below market value and will sell abroad on its own account. The scheme applies only to yarn and cloth purchased before 1st June, 1930.

In view of the very grave condition of the trade in Lancashire, can the right hon. Gentleman say whether Mr. Gandhi has any power to enforce the lifting of this boycott according to the agreement signed between himself and the Viceroy?

I think it would be better to be a little patient and see how trade progresses. The signs are not unfavourable at present.

Can the right hon. Gentleman get this information by Wednesday in view of the Debate which will probably take place on that day? With regard to the re-export of stocks from India surely the right hon. Gentleman will admit that this is a more vicious type of boycotting. Does it not mean that the stocks which are there will have no chance in India?

With regard to the first question, on hearing that the Debate was to take place on Wednesday, I telegraphed for the fullest information in order that it might be put before hon. Members. As regards the second question, really, when seen in its proper perspective, it is not so serious as the hon. Member seems to think.

May I ask whether the stocks to be exported are only British cloth or does it apply to Japanese and other foreign cloths?

I cannot give an answer to that question now, but I am making inquiries.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how long he anticipates that this boycott is going to last after the signing of the agreement?

Have our people any say in it, or is it an absolutely Indian question? I hope that our people will interfere on the side of Lancashire.

I think hon. Members are drawing attention to a legitimate grievance, but I am afraid that they are overlooking the perceptible improvement which is taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for India what representations he has made to the Indian Government with reference to the proposed new duties on imported cotton goods?

I have nothing to add to the reply given by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade to the question put on the 9th March by the hon. and gallant Member for Bournemouth (Sir H. Croft).

Does that mean that there will be no representation of any kind?

If the hon. Member wants to know what it means, perhaps he will refer to the answer to which I have directed his attention.

Does the Secretary of State think that it is right that Lancashire should be starved while the mill-owners of India grow rich?

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will state what is the position as regards the Afridi attack on the Nowshera column; and whether the commander-in-chief is satisfied that he has enough troops to carry on the policy of road making and protect the frontier?

asked the Secretary of State for India if he has any further information with regard to the action outside Peshawar on 18th March; and if he can say how the wounded are progressing?

On the 18th March the Nowshera Brigade reconnoitred the Kandao Pass and the hills on the western edge of the Kajuri Plain in the ordinary course without meeting opposition. During its withdrawal, however, it was followed up by Afridi parties on both sides of the pass, particularly on the south where one party succeeded in occupying part of a picket position held by the 2nd/13th Frontier Force Rifles. One company of the battalion promptly counterattacked and re-occupied the ridge causing the Afridis to fall back. The Afridis are believed to have sustained numerous casualties. On our side I regret to state that Bombardier Thompson of the Royal Artillery and three Indian other ranks were killed; and that Captain d'Arcy of the Royal Artillery, two British and four Indian other ranks were wounded. The wounded are progressing satisfactorily. There is no question of the adequacy of the troops at the disposal of the commander-in-chief.

May I take it that this will not interfere with the policy of going on with the road?

Not at all. That task is very nearly finished.

Did the attack take place on treaty territory or on British territory, and can it be called an attack?

The road is being constructed on unadministered territory.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he can make a statement relating to the riots at Mirzapur on 14th March?

I will circulate a statement giving what information I have.

Will the right hon. Gentleman do everything he can to call attention to the importance of influence being exercised if only to prevent agitation on the part of Indians and Moslems?

We are constantly endeavouring to assuage communal dissension.

Following is the statement:

Serious communal riots broke out at two villages in the Mirzapur district on the 14th and 16th of March. In the first case a mob of 300 Hindus attacked the Moslem community, killed seven persons out of a total Moslem population of eight and burnt down some property. In the second, firearms were used by the Hindus and four Muhammadans were killed and two wounded before the riot could be stopped by the police. On both occasions women and children were spared. The police have made 60 arrests, and since the 16th of March there has been no further trouble. An adequate police force is now on the spot, and no renewal of the disturbance is expected. The cause of these disturbances was a baseless rumour that a Muhammadan Zamindar had given cows flesh to a Hindu servant.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware of the restrictions on physical exercise for the Meerut prisoners, as the open space encircling the barrack in which they are confined is too small to allow of any free outdoor game, and this restriction of exercise was a factor in the recent illness of Philip Spratt and Muzaffar Ahmad; and whether, in view of the importance of exercise to prisoners who have been on trial for nearly two years, he will take steps to provide the same facilities for exercise as were at one time allowed them?

My information is that the suggestion as to the two cases of illness referred to is without foundation. My hon. Friend will remember that the privileges originally accorded to these prisoners were withdrawn in the light of their participation in the occurrences of August last.

In view of the fact that these men have been in prison for nearly two years, and have not yet been found guilty, may I ask that the utmost facilities should be given to these remand prisoners?

I can assure the hon. Member that I am anxious to go to the fullest possible limit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can now make any statement concerning the safety of Father C. Tierney, of the St. Columba's mission at Keinchang; and whether the murderers of the two missionaries have yet been apprehended?

His Majesty's Minister in China reported on Friday last that the Roman Catholic Mission at Hankow have received telegrams from their representatives in Kiangsi stating that it is feared, though the news is unconfirmed, that Father Tierney is dead. The representatives of the Mission also state that the Chinese Government have ordered the local magistrate to pay the full ransom demanded by the bandits. His Majesty's Minister is continuing to do everything in his power to effect the release of Father Tierney, if, as we earnestly trust, he is still alive, and my right hon. Friend is at present awaiting a further report. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that some further steps are necessary? I understand that two other women missionaries were murdered only last week.

I have no knowledge of two other women missionaries having been murdered last week. With regard to the subject of the question, my right hon. Friend has followed this case with great solicitude, and His Majesty's Minister is making every effort in his power to deal with the matter, as I have said in my answer.

Can the hon. Gentleman say when he hopes to have some further assurance that proper care will be taken of life and property?

We are awaiting a further report of this particular case from hour to hour.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any arrangement has been made with the Nationalist Government of China for the training of the Chinese navy; if any arrangement has been made for Chinese naval officers to train with the British fleets; and whether any payment is being made for these services?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to page 9 of the statement of my right hon. Friend the First Lord explanatory of the Navy Estimates, from which he will see that the answer to the first two parts of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the last part, the Chinese Nationalist Government are paying the actual cost to the British Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many of the employés of Arcos, Limited, hold diplomatic visas; how many people are included; and does the number show an increase or a decrease since Arcos, Limited, was permitted to recommence trading in this country?

No employé of Arcos is granted a diplomatic visa. The other parts of the question do not arise, as Arcos, Limited, has never ceased to operate in this country since its establishment as a British registered company in June, 1920.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the 1921 Treaty of Dorpat assured the Finnish inhabitants of Soviet Russia of complete cultural autonomy, and that Finland has protested against the deportation of numerous Finnish peasants to the northern forests of Russia as a breach of the treaty; whether the treaty was registered with the League of Nations; and whether Finland has approached this country or the League for support under Article 23?

The Treaty of Dorpat was concluded in October, 1920. A declaration attached to the treaty granted to the Finnish population in the Government of Petrograd the same rights and privileges as those granted, by Soviet law, to minority nationalities. With regard to the second part of the question, my right hon. Friend has no information. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative, and to the fourth in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can present a general outline of the scheme adopted by the Assembly of the League of Nations for the provision of pensions for permanent officers of the League on a contributory basis?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the pensions regulations for members of the secretariat adopted by the last Assembly of the League of Nations.

Does that statement show what funds have been appropriated, as the basis of this scheme, as available for pensions for permanent officers?

Yes, Sir; I think the hon. Member will find it all clearly set out. If there are any further particulars that he would like, I shall be glad to give him an answer if he will put down a further question.

asked the Minister of Pensions how many Grade 2 clerks in the Acton office are being reverted to Grade 3; what is the reason for this reversion; and what will be the wage reduction involved?

I regret that notices of reversion to Grade 3 have had to be issued to Grade 2 male clerks and to 50 Grade 2 women clerks at Acton, to meet the position arising from decrease of work and improvement in the machinery of business. The wage reduction involved in the majority of cases is 12s. 9d. on a salary of 79s. 5d. a week for men, and 3s. 5d. on a salary of 53s. 3d. a week for women.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether any of the higher officials of the pension staff at Acton have been reverted or reduced in salary consequent on the alleged decrease of work in the Department?

Reduction in the number of superior posts has from time to time had to be effected. This in some cases has involved reduction in salary and reversion in rank, but, in the majority of instances, and more recently, it has been secured by the actual abolition of posts as they fell vacant.

Has there been a reduction in the case referred to in this question?

I have no further information beyond that which I have just given?

Does not my right hon. Friend consider that, if there is a case for a reduction of some 50 junior workers at Acton, owing to reduction of work, there must have been a similar case for reduction in the higher ranks?

As I stated in the last part of my answer, the reductions have been secured by the abolition of posts as they fell vacant.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether, in view of the proposal that all ex-service patients suffering in Scotland from neurasthenia should be transferred to England, he is prepared to reconsider the advisability of continuing hospital treatment of such patients in Scotland?

Hospital treatment for neurasthenia is of quite a special character, and, in their own interests, cases requiring treatment from all parts of the Kingdom are ordinarily accommodated, according to the nature of the case, in one or other of the Ministry hospitals especially staffed and equipped for dealing with various types of this disability. In view of the very small number of Scottish cases, it would not be practicable to institute a separate unit for this purpose in Scotland. There is, however, no hard-and-fast rule on the matter, and a case which could suitably be dealt with in one of the Ministry's Scottish institutions would be accommodated there.

Do I understand that, if I give the Minister the case of a Dundee man who testifies personally to having had wonders worked upon him by the doctor at Eden Hall, this man will be allowed to remain where he is receiving such satisfactory treatment?

I am willing to give every consideration to the case stated.

Does the right hon. Gentleman suggest that there are no doctors in Scotland who can deal with this disease?

No, Sir; I would not suggest anything of the kind.

Do I understand the right hon. Gentleman to say that every case is dealt with on its merits, if it is possible for a suitable institution to be found?

That is so.

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 future years?

I am afraid I can add nothing to the answer given to the right hon. Gentleman on this subject on the 9th March.

When does the hon. Gentleman expect to come to a decision on this important matter? Is he aware that it is some months now since this committee reported, and yet he has done nothing?

From information that I have just received, I rather hope that the difficulty which has been facing us has been surmounted, and that I shall be able to make an announcement within, perhaps, 10 days.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what proportion of umbrella covers and handles shown at the British Trades Exhibition were of English manufacture; and what precautions were taken to ensure that articles exposed for sale were of British origin?

All exhibitors at the British Industries Fair are required to sign an undertaking that they will not exhibit or solicit orders for goods other than those of their own manufacture, and every effort is made to ensure compliance with the regulations which state that "all goods to be eligible for exhibition must have been manufactured or produced mainly within the British Empire." I have no reason to suppose that any evasion of these regulations takes place; but I fear that the precise particulars asked for in the first part of the question are not available.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that postcards were circulated from the exhibition bearing an official stamp of umbrellas with handles and covers of foreign manufacture, and is he aware that the umbrella purchased by the Queen herself was covered with foreign cloth?

I understand this question has been looked into and the terms on which exhibits were allowed have been complied with. I am now speaking generally and not of the specific case mentioned by the hon. and gallant Gentleman.

In view of the very serious conditions in Lancashire, will the hon. Gentleman see that advertisements of this sort are not given gratuitously to foreign manufacturers?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department (1) with what country or countries the transactions were carried out which have resulted in £17,726 17s. being written off as advances irrecoverable;

(2) with what country the principal transactions were carried out which resulted in the sum of £11,817 15s. 5d. being written off as guarantee irrecoverable;

(3) in connection with which country the sum of £49,000 has had to be paid under guarantees in respect of bills drawn; and what proportion of this amount, if any, will be recoverable?

I regret that it is undesirable to state the names of the countries concerned. With regard to the sum of £49,000 mentioned in the last question, it is impossible at present to state what proportion will ultimately be recovered, but it is hoped that it will be a substantial amount.

Seeing that the Department of which the hon. Gentleman is the head bas lost all this public money, why should he seek to hush it up?

I understand that the names of the countries concerned were deliberately not put into the Appropriation Accounts and into the report of the Comptroller-General, and, therefore, it does not seem to me to be desirable that they should be stated in the House.

Are not these sums comparatively small in relation to the volume of trade that has been carried out?

Yes, Sir, that is so.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether any and, if so, what recommendations in the report of the D'Abernon Mission to South America have been given effect to; and what benefit to trade has accrued from this mission?

Effect has been given to the recommendations concerning official participation in the British Empire Exhibition at Buenos Aires: aviation matters, the reduction of cable rates, the extension of cultural education, methods of marketing and increased official representation. As regards the second part of the question, a distinct benefit has accrued to trade as a result of the Mission, in that the attention of British exporters has been focussed on the importance of the South American market.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what effect the increase in premium now required by the Export Credits Department for Soviet risks has had upon the volume of business insured by that Department in connection with exports to Soviet Russia?

I regret that I can add nothing to the reply which I gave to the question put to me by the right hon. Gentleman on the 16th March.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that everyone else knows that there has been an increase in the premium except himself; and will he not say whether or not he thinks the increase in premium will add to the business dealt with?

I am afraid that I can add nothing, as I do not think it would be in the interests of the Department to make a statement on the matter.

How long is the hon. Gentleman going to continue hiding these matters?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether, in the interests of British manufacturers and traders, he will consider publishing as a White Paper a summary of the Russian five-year plan, indicating the directions in which that plan is likely to lead to more intensive exporting from Soviet Russia to Great Britain?

No, Sir. Accurate assessment and check of the results of the five-year plan is a matter of the greatest difficulty. Moreover, statistical results of factory production in the Soviet Union do not form in themselves sufficiently complete data from which to draw inferences regarding the export plans of the union. I would, however, refer the hon. Member to the official Soviet summary of the plan, entitled "The Soviet Union Looks Ahead," which was published in English last year.

Although there may be some difficulties in negotiating on these matters, does not the hon. Gentleman think it sufficiently important to pursue this question and get some tangible result?

We are getting all the information that we can, but at the present moment we do not think it is desirable to publish it.

Would it not be possible to issue a report like the very excellent economic report on Germany prepared by our Consul in Berlin, which was of great value to British business?

We are considering that point, and I gave an answer on it a few weeks ago in the House.

Is it not possible to give some information as to the results already manifested under the five-year plan?

I will look into the suggestion of the hon. Member, and, if he will give me his ideas more definitely, will see if I can give him an answer.

Does the success or non-success of the five-year plan bear any relation to the amount of credit given by this Government to Russia?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department to what extent his Department is co-operating with the delegation on behalf of the Scottish woollen industry which is to conduct an investigation in European countries; and what is the purpose of the investigation, the places to be visited and the date of departure?

An officer of my Department will accompany the delegation. In addition, the commercial diplomatic and Consular officers in the centres visited will furnish every assistance. The purpose of the investigation is to establish close relations with the principal influences in the fashion world of the centres to be visited, namely, Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Milan, Prague and Brussels. The delegation will leave London on 8th April.

Will this inquiry go into the question of how far tariffs in these countries are preventing the flow of British trade into them?

This is purely a trade investigation to see what can be done under present conditions.

Is it not very important that the question of tariffs should be investigated on the spot?

Is it not more important that the spinning of yarns should be looked into?

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he can state the number of English cotton spinners and manufacturers and associations of cotton spinners and manufacturers represented at the exhibition in Buenos Aires?

I am informed by the London management of the exhibition that the numbers are as follow:

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he will state the present position in regard to the Tariff Truce Convention?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can make any further statement as to the tariff truce negotiations?

The Conference which assembled at Geneva last week to consider possible arrangements for putting into force the Commercial Convention of March, 1930, usually known as the Tariff Truce, placed on record that they were unable to agree upon a date for putting the Convention into force. They stated that in recording the above they did not intend to express any opinion as to the possibility of putting the Convention into force at a date after the 1st April, 1931. The negotiations for tariff reductions recently initiated which have formed the subject of a number of recent questions will continue in the case of all or most of the countries concerned.

In view of the failure of this Conference, and the fact that the Government have not been able to induce other Governments to reduce their tariffs, what steps do they intend to take to look after British trade?

I understand one or two questions are to be put to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade to-morrow. Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman will await the statement that will be made then.

Is it not a fact that the present position is that, as the result of the interference of the President of the Board of Trade, the tariffs of several countries have been raised against us?

Captain Waterhouse.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if, in view of the recent decision of the Government of Persia to grant a monopoly of all the internal and external trade of Persia to the State, he will ascertain whether the new policy will include preferential treatment of countries which purchase Persian products; and how far British trade in Persia is affected under this law?

As I understand the position, there is no question of according preference in Persia to countries which purchase Persian products. His Majesty's Charge d'Affaires has been officially assured that no preferential treatment will be accorded to the detriment of any of the countries in commercial relations with Persia. He reported on 17th March that the regulations under the monopoly law had not yet been drawn up, and it is therefore too early to estimate their effect on British trade.

Am I to understand that in the case of our relations with Persia, we shall not be placed at a disadvantage compared with any other nation trading with that country?

That is what I understand, but it is difficult to know what the exact position is until we have received information as to the regulations.

May I put a question on the subject to the hon. Gentleman in a week's time?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will circularise all county councils to make it clear that no men who cultivate allotments under the Agricultural Land (Utilisation) Bill will be deprived of their unemployment insurance benefit?

Circulars have already been issued to the allotment authorities by the Central Allotments Committee, calling attention to the point to which my hon. Friend refers. I am sending him a copy of the most recent Circular, from which he will see that special prominence is given to the fact that unemployment benefit will not be affected by the cultivation of an allotment garden. I hope that my hon. Friend's question and my answer will receive the greatest publicity.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has recently consulted the Agricultural Advisory Committee on matters affecting his agricultural policy; and how often have they been called together in the last two years to advise the Ministry of Agriculture in respect to matters and questions submitted to them?

I find that the Committee has not met during the last four years. I propose to call a meeting in the near future with a view to making use of its experience.

This body was set up under the Corn Production Act to make recommendations in relation to matters affecting agriculture. What is the use of having a body like that if it is not used?

The hon. and gallant Gentleman might well address that question to my predecessor. I am trying to see what can now be done.

If the right hon. Gentleman is not going to consult it, will he consider whether he might not economise by doing away with it altogether?

I said in my answer that I was going to consult them.

When is the right hon. Gentleman going to consult them?

I am making arrangements to call a meeting forthwith—certainly in a short time.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government will introduce immediate measures to palliate the present economic distress in the arable areas?

The hon. Member is aware of the additional assistance recently provided for the sugar beet industry. I am not yet in a position to make any further announcement.

Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that there are many families in East Anglia on arable areas without any means of subsistence, due to the lack of an arable policy on the part of the Government?

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the surpluses that have accumulated under the contributory insurance provisions of the National Health Insurance Act and the 1925 Widows' and Old Age Pensions Act, he will appoint a committee of both Houses of Parliament to consider the possibility of including more voluntary contributors with the eventual idea of establishing all-in insurance so as to offer better pensions at 70 years of age upon complete retirement from industry?

The funds accumulated under the National Health Insurance Acts constitute the necessary reserve to meet the estimated future liabilities of Approved Societies in respect of the benefits payable to their members. With regard to the funds accumulated under the Contributory Pensions Acts I would remind the hon. and gallant Member of the reply to his question on the 5th instant, addressed to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health, that these funds will be practically exhausted about 1946. In these circumstances no useful purpose would be served by appointing a committee as suggested by the hon. and gallant Member.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will set up a committee, on the lines of the Hamilton Fish Committee in America, to report on the activities of the Communist party in this country, and especially in regard to its relations and dealings with the Soviet Government of Russia?

No, Sir.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to study the recommendations of the committee? In view of the fact that other countries are taking steps to protect themselves against Russian exports, will the Government take the same, or similar, steps to protect the workers of this country?

I have made it my business to look into this matter, and I can assure the hon. Member that it is no good to us.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that both the majority and minority reports of the Hamilton Fish Committee stated that the charges made were unfounded and the inquiry was unnecessary?

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has in contemplation schemes for telephone development so as to avoid contraction of employment and possible dismissals in that Department?

I am considering the whole question of the telephone system with a view to an accelerated rate of development.

Will that acceleration be visible within a very short time?

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that costing officials from the central office of the engineering department visit the various engineering districts and, with watch in hand, overlook men engaged on manual labour; and whether this is done in accordance with his instructions?

In order to construct an efficient costing system it is necessary to test the time taken over certain operations, and I see no objection to the practice referred to for the purpose. There is no question of testing the time taken by individual officers with a view to disciplinary action.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it very irritating to the workers?

asked the Post master-General if he can give the annual cost of making good the damage done to telephone wires over and near the River Thames by flying swans; whether any representations have been made to induce the Thames Conservancy Board to reduce the present number of swans; and whether attempts have been made to render the telephone wires more visible to such birds?

Information is not available, but I will have inquiries made and will write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Postmaster-General whether rural postmasters receive any financial reward in respect of increases in the number of telephone subscribers in their district?

The remuneration of sub-postmasters responsible for telephone exchanges is directly dependent on the number of subscribers, or alternatively upon the amount of traffic handled. The answer is therefore in the affirmative.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if he will state the cost of maintaining and staffing the public golf courses in Richmond Park and the revenue received from games?

The information in question is set out in detail in the return of Trading Accounts and Balance-Sheets of Trading and Commercial Services published annually. The cost of running the golf courses for the year ended 31st March, 1930, amounted to £7,921 and the gross revenue from all sources, including refreshments, was £10,667.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if he is aware of the length of time that people frequently have to wait to play a game on the public golf courses in Richmond Park; and whether, in view of the popularity of these courses, he will consider an extension of the facilities now provided?

The question of another golf course has been discussed and for various reasons rejected. I will, however, look into the matter again and communicate with my hon. Friend.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware of complaints from ladies dining in the Harcourt Rooms of the brilliance of the lighting; and whether he will consider as to the possibility of shading the lights so as to produce a less dazzling effect?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. There are many parts of the House urgently needing better lighting, and, in these circumstances, and in view of the need for economy, I regret it is not possible to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that very considerable saving could be effected in the unnecessary candle-power at present used in the Harcourt Room, and will he consult the Chairman of the Kitchen Committee and the lady Members of the House as to the suggestion made in the question?

I think that the ladies enjoy the dazzling light, which shows up their charms of dress, and beauty.

Is not the question of the acoustics of the Harcourt Room very much more important than the lighting?

asked the Attorney-General whether, among the documents submitted to him in connection with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company, he has yet received the report of the voting trustees; if not, whether he will press for its early issue; and whether he will, on receipt lay it as a White Paper for the guidance of the House in relation to action connected with the charter?

I have been asked to reply. The voting trustees are engaged, and must for a considerable time continue to be engaged, in the very important task of re-establishing on a sound commercial basis the affairs of the group of companies associated with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company. The voting trustees in the course of their investigations keep the Government and all the financial interests concerned in touch from time to time as circumstances require, but I do not anticipate that any formal report will be prepared. Consequently the latter parts of the question do not arise.

Does not my hon. Friend think that it is advisable to ask for a formal report from these people on the matter, seeing that they have so much necessary information available?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty (1), the comparative prices of the Canadian and Russian timber which was recently bought by his Department;

(2) the amount of Russian timber bought by the Admiralty during the period 1925 to 1930, and the reason for discontinuing these purchases?

The quantity asked for is 6,536 standards approximately. It would not be in the public interest to state the prices. As regards the question of policy, I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of the 19th March (OFFICIAL REPORT, columns 2147–48) to the hon. Member for Brigg (Mr. Quibell).

Seeing that the Admiralty for the four years up to 1929 had been in the habit of buying Russian timber, can my hon. Friend state why they have discontinued?

That was set out in the answer of the 19th March to which I have referred my hon. Friend.

Is it a question of the Canadian timber being cheaper than the Russian? Canadian dumping.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state when the report of the Furunculosis Committee may be expected?

The interim report of the Furunculosis Committee, which contains a comprehensive survey of the position and the Committee's major proposals, was published by the Stationery Office in July last.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount actually expended, or the nearest estimate of it, on unclassified roads which since 1st June, 1929, have been approved for grant on the recommendation of the Unemployment Grants Committee?

Between 1st June, 1929, and 16th March, 1931, 1,037 schemes for work on unclassified roads of a total estimated cost of £8,441,000 have been approved for grant on the recommendation of the Unemployment Grants Committee. Of these schemes 903 of a total estimated cost of £7,774,000 have been completed or are in operation. The amount actually expended is estimated at approximately £4,500,000.

asked the Minister of Labour the latest available figures of the number of persons registered as unemployed; and how these numbers compare with other years since the War?

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

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will not mind answering the first part of the question, and tell me whether these figures are the worst since the War?

The figures were made public last week—2,691,737.

Are they not the worst since the War?

I would remind the right hon. Gentleman that on 3rd June, 1921, the total reached 2,580,429.

Following is the statement:

At 9th March, 1931, there were 2,691,737 persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain. The numbers on the registers at corresponding dates in each year since 1921 were as follow:

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has considered the communications from the chairman of the docks committee of the Tyne Improvement Commission and other representative authorities as to the position of the coal situation on the Tyne in consequence of the partial breakdown of some of the operative provisions of the Coal Mines Act; and what steps he proposes to take to relieve the situation?

My attention has been called by the Tyne Improvement Commissioners to the reduction in coal exports from the Tyne in January and February, 1931, as compared with the corresponding months in 1930. I greatly regret this state of affairs, but I am unable to accept the hon. Member's suggestion that it is due to the operation of the Coal Mines Act. In my opinion the primary cause is the decline in the foreign demand for coal consequent upon depression in trade.

Is the hon. Gentleman seized of the importance of this question and what it means to that part of the country; is he aware that during the three months from January up to the present date over 800,000 tons less coal were shipped from the Tyne; and is he aware that the Tyne is full of laid-up shipping?

The hon. Member seems to be giving information and not asking for it.

Does not the hon. Gentleman appreciate the difficulty of the position, and will he go to the Tyne and to Newcastle and make investigations there?

I am in consultation with the owners and exporters about the position, and it is clearly due to the depression in trade.

Does the hon. Gentleman not know that it is entirely due to the fact that coal cannot be got from the collieries to the Tyne that this deficiency exists?

No, Sir. That is not stating the position accurately. Indeed, in Durham there is an allocation in excess of the actual output.