asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of sheriff courts and police courts, respectively, that have appointed whole-time or part-time salaried officers, men and women; what courts have appointed only voluntary probation officers; and what courts, if any, have not appointed either men or women probation officers, either salaried or voluntary?

In 1929, the latest year for which returns have been completed, probation officers had been appointed for 13 out of 202 burghs and 14 out of 33 counties. As regards the burghs, in five cases male officers had been appointed, in one case a female officer, and in seven cases both male and female officers. As regards the counties, in six cases male officers had been appointed, in two cases female officers, and in six cases both male and female officers. The total number of officers was 215, of whom 147 were male officers and 68 were female. Information as to the numbers who were whole-time, part-time, and voluntary is not available, but a large proportion were voluntary officers who individually supervised only a few cases.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that on an urgent application being made for the admission of an officer, late of the Royal Garrison Artillery, to Roehampton Hospital by his physician, the latter was informed that owing to shortage of accommodation the officer could not be admitted for at least a fortnight; what is the reason for this shortage; and, in order to avoid such delays in urgent cases, can he take steps to have this shortage remedied?

The hon. and learned Member would appear to have been misinformed as to the facts. No such communication as that suggested was made to the officer's private physician by the Ministry in response to the application for the admission of the officer in question. Immediate steps were in fact taken by the Ministry as is the usual course, to examine the officer with a view to determining the needs of his case. In regard to the latter part of the question, there is no shortage of accommodation at Roehampton. Any case which the Ministry are satisfied needs immediate admission can be accommodated without delay.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a scheme for widening and renovating a road at Coldingham, in Berwickshire, has been under consideration and has been abandoned by the Road Board; and what is the reason for the decision not to go on with the scheme, seeing that the existing road is in bad condition and its improvement would give useful employment locally?

I have no information regarding the proposal referred to, but I will cause inquiries to be made, and communicate with my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that police interpretation of the Road Transport Lighting Act in the Metropolitan area is that, should the lighting system of a motor-car fail by reason of a short circuit or any other mechanical defect whilst such motor-car is in the middle of traffic, the driving of the motor-car from the traffic stream to the side of the road is deemed to be a contravention of the Act; and will he consider passing orders altering such an interpretation of the Act?

The driving of a motor vehicle without lights during the hours of darkness on a road to which the public have access is an offence under the Road Transport Lighting Act, 1927, and I have no power to give any directions in a contrary sense.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the attitude of the Government to the proposal to establish a Permanent Minorities Commission of the League of Nations?

As my right hon. Friend informed the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, East (Mr. Mander) on 12th November last, in the course of discussions in the Sixth Committee of the last Assembly of the League of Nations, His Majesty's Government did not commit themselves either for or against the establishment of a Permanent Minorities Commission. General agreement was reached at Geneva that no change should be made for the present in the existing procedure which should, however, be applied as fully as possible.

asked the President of the Board of Trade particulars of the changes recently made by the Persian Government in their trade agreements with other countries, showing which countries are affected, and especially stating whether British trade is handicapped by the new policy?

I have no information as to any important changes having recently been made in the trade agreements between Persia and other countries. As regards the effect of the new Persian monopoly law, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to-day to the hon. Member for Moseley (Mr. Hannon).

asked the President of the Board of Trade for each of the last five years the weight and value of the imports of crude silver sulphide and of pure silver sulphide?

No imports into the United Kingdom of silver sulphide, described as such, were recorded during the years 1926 to 1930, inclusive, or the first two months of the current year.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what is the average period which lapses between openings for British trade abroad becoming known to representatives of his Department in the countries concerned and the notification to interested firms in this country that such opportunities exist; and whether he proposes to take any steps to expedite such information?

It is impossible to state an average period, since the reports received vary greatly in urgency and complexity as well as in the time required for transmission. Specially urgent information is reported by cable, and is immediately disseminated. Other reports are received in the course of post, and the period occupied in examination, editing and duplicating for issue does not normally exceed three or four days. I am well aware of the great importance of eliminating all avoidable delays, and the matter is constantly under review.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the amounts granted under the export credits scheme for purchases by Russia?

From 1st August, 1929, when the scheme was extended to Russia, to 14th March last, the Export Credits Guarantee Department entered into contracts covering credits for £5,927,798 in respect of exports to Russia. Its liability on these contracts was limited to £3,558,847.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that an under-stamped air-mail letter, however great the postage expended on it, is sent by sea mail although the under-stamping may only be a few pence; and whether he will arrange for the system to be adopted, as in the case of land-borne letters, of asking the consignee to pay double the amount of the under-stamping?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply on the same subject given to the hon. Member for Stroud (Sir F. Nelson) on 3rd November, of which I will send him a copy.

asked the Secretary of State for India the action the Government of India propose to take in respect of the recommendation made by the Committee of the Legislative Committee in favour of the imposition of an additional duty on all salt, whether Indian or foreign, imported by sea into British India?

A Government Bill has been introduced in the Indian Legislative Assembly proposing an additional Customs duty of 4½ annas per maund on all salt, whether Indian or foreign, imported into British India during the year ending 31st March, 1932. The Bill provides that the additional duty will not be levied on salt, the produce of India (including Aden), unless the producer, if called upon to do so, fails to undertake to supply salt to Government when required at the fixed price or having undertaken to do so fails to comply with the requirement.

asked the Secretary of State for India when he hopes to be in a position to make an announcement with regard to the personnel of the committee to be appointed by the Government of India to frame a scheme for the acceleration of the process of Indianisation of the commissioned ranks of the Indian Army; and whether the framing of proposals for the creation of an Indian Air Force will come within the scope of the proposed committee?

As regards the first part of the question, I have not yet received the Government of India's proposals with regard to the committee to which, I presume, my hon. and gallant Friend refers. As regards the second part, the terms of reference to the committee have not yet been announced; but I anticipate that proposals for the creation of an Indian Air Force will come before it only in so far as they relate to the training of Indian cadets in India for the new Indian Air Force.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty for what reason timber which was formerly bought from Russia is being purchased from Canada?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 19th March [OFFICIAL REPORT, Columns 2147–48] to the hon. Member for Brigg (Mr. Quibell).

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of civilian employés, male and female, discharged from War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, since June, 1929, to the last convenient date other than those discharged on reaching age limits, on medical grounds, or cases of transfer from one War Department establishment at Woolwich to other Government establishments at Woolwich or elsewhere, for misconduct or unsuitability, and excluding deaths or resignations?

The number of civilian employés discharged from War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, between 1st June, 1929, and 7th March, 1931 (apart from those discharged for the reasons excepted in the question), was 218. Of this number, 160 were casual labour taken on for temporary jobs and discharged on completion of those jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number of employés of industrial grade employed by the various War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, on 1st October, 1930, and at the last convenient date?

The number of industrial civilian employés, male and female, serving in the various War Department establishments at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, was 8,881 on 1st October, 1930, and 8,817 on 1st January, 1931.

asked (1) the Secretary of State for War the total amounts paid by his Department during 1930 for purchases of imported beef, imported mutton and/or lamb, and imported butter and cheese, respectively; and how much of these amounts was paid in respect of Empire products;

(2) the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total amounts paid by his Department during 1930 for purchase of imported beef, imported mutton and/or lamb, and imported butter and cheese, respectively; and how much of these amounts was paid in respect of Empire products?

The value of the amount of imported meat, other than preserved meat, purchased during the year ending 31st March, 1931, for the Army and Royal Air Force at home, Mediterranean and Chinese stations is approximately £800,000. Practically all of this meat was of Dominion origin. In addition, preserved meat of foreign origin to the value of approximately £20,000 has been purchased. The purchases of meat at stations abroad, other than the Mediterranean and Chinese stations, are made locally and complete figures cannot be given. As regards cheese, the value of the purchases during the same period is approximately £13,000, all of cheese of Dominion origin for shipment to stations overseas: cheese is not issued in kind to the Army and Royal Air Force at home, apart from small local purchases for schools and hospitals. Butter is not included in the standard ration and is not bought by the War Department, apart from small local purchases for schools and hospitals.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in view of the admitted association of vaccination with at least one form of cerebro-spinal disease, of the fact that children and soldiers have been found to show a special susceptibility to cerebro-spinal meningitis, and of the fact that investigations by the Rolleston Committee on Vaccination into the subsequent history of 355 recently-vaccinated or re-vaccinated cases showed an increased susceptibility to illness generally, as compared with the corresponding control cases amongst them, he will reconsider the vaccination regulation as imposed on recruits with a view to testing the effect of its abrogation both on the flow of recruits and on the after health of the men enlisted?

I am advised that, so far as is known, there is no relationship between cerebro-spinal meningitis and vaccination, nor is there any relationship between any form of cerebro-spinal disease, the causation of which has been associated with vaccination, and cerebrospinal meningitis. I am further advised that there is no evidence that the present procedure in regard to vaccination affects adversely the flow of recruits or the after health of the men enlisted. There are, therefore, no grounds for altering the present rules as regards vaccination which are designed to protect the troops from small-pox—a disease which is prevalent in many of the countries in which the Army is called upon to serve.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the inquiries of his Department enable him to say to what

extent household jams in general use include ingredients other than fruit and sugar; and whether, in extending the National Mark to jams, he will provide that this designation shall apply only to jams made wholly of fruit and sugar of British home-growth?

The information at my disposal does not enable me to reply to the first part of the question. As the hon. Member will be aware, the extension of the National Mark scheme to jams made from home-grown fruit will require fresh legislation, which is in preparation. The other matters to which he refers will, of course, be taken account of.

asked the Secretary for Mines the approximate tonnage of coal on stock in the main producing countries of Europe on 1st March, 1930, and the same day in 1931?

The following table gives the latest figures of stocks of coal at mines in European coal-producing countries for which such information is available. Comparative figures at the corresponding (or nearest available) date in the previous year, and at 1st March, 1930, are also given.

asked the First Commissioner of Works what is the present position in regard to the rehousing of His Majesty's inspector of taxes and staff of Soho first district, in view of the inadequacy of their present accommodation at 61–63, Shaftesbury Avenue?

A search for alternative premises has been in progress for some time, but considerable difficulty has been experienced in finding suitable premises in the district served by this office. The improvements mentioned in my reply to the hon. Member for Blackpool (Sir W. de Frece) on 2nd June last, were carried out during that month.