asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any further progress has been made between the representative of His Majesty's Government and the Nanking Government on the outstanding question of extra-territoriality and other points; and can he give particulars?

The negotiations are still in progress, but it is not possible to give particulars at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what cases are now awaiting consideration by the Permanent Court of International Justice?

My right hon. Friend has asked the Registrar of the Permanent Court of International Justice to supply the information desired, and will communicate it, when received, to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the differences between Poland and Lithuania with regard to the international engagements in force concerning certain categories of the traffic on the Lan- dwarow-Kaisiadorys railway sector have now been submitted to the Permanent Court of International Justice?

The reply is in the affirmative.

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that a crew of Norwegian seamen was brought to Newcastle-on-Tyne, without any agreement, to be employed in the Norwegian vessel "Elise"; what authority the immigration officer had to permit them to land; and whether he is aware that there are large numbers of unemployed Norwegian seamen in that port?

I am informed that 25 Norwegian seamen arrived at Newcastle-on-Tyne on the 16th instant as passengers. Every man produced evidence which satisfied the immigration officer that he was to be employed on the steamship "Elise," and, in accordance with the usual practice, was given leave to land in order to join the ship. My inquiries do not confirm the existence of any serious accumulation of unemployed Norwegian seamen on the Tyne.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air what dismissals have recently taken place at the Royal Airship Works at Cardington; and whether it is now proposed to abandon airship development?

As regards the first part of the question, since the date (11th February) of the reply given to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Wells) 42 industrial employés (seven men and 35 women) have been discharged from the Royal Airship Works, Cardington, and notices of discharge have been issued to 26 other men. As regards the second part, no decision will be reached on this matter until the report of the R 101 Inquiry has been received and considered in all its bearings.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether any decision has now been made as to the future use of the airship R 100; and will he give particulars?

I have at present nothing to add to the replies which I have given on this subject on several occasions recently, the first of which was to my hon. Friend on 5th November last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he proposes to amend or issue any new regulations governing civil and service flying over populated areas so as to prevent danger to life except in cases of emergency?

As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnor (Mr. Freeman) on 12th November last, the regulations now in force which govern civil and service flying contain provisions, the object of which is to prevent danger to life in populated areas. My Noble Friend does not think that the issue of more regulations would really further the object which my hon. Friend has in mind.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty, whether, seeing that the Admiralty are not able to take any special steps to obtain shipbuilding work from other Governments, as was done from the Chilean Government in the case of the "Almirante Latorre," he will say what obstacles stand in the way of efforts being made in this matter?

The Royal dockyards do not as a rule undertake work for foreign Governments if private firms in this country can do it. The reconstruction of the "Almirante Latorre," however, necessitated the ship being in a dry dock for a long period, and this could only have been arranged in a Royal dockyard, while to have refused it would have meant a serious loss of work to the country.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the rules governing the replacement of the destroyer tonnage allowed by the Treaty of London are uniform as between the British Empire, the United States, and Japan or whether the British Empire, as a result of the agreement with France and Italy, is now under restrictions in this matter which do not apply to the other parties to Part III of the treaty?

As a result of the agreement with France and Italy, the British Commonwealth of Nations will be technically under a restriction which does not apply to the United States of America or to Japan. This restriction affects a very few of the destroyers of our Fleet, whose earlier replacement was not however contemplated by the Admiralty in any case, as they consider that the useful life of these vessels is at least 16 years.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, seeing that the British Empire produces approximately two-thirds of the world's annual output of crude rubber and that the United States of America consume approximately two-thirds of the world's annual output, he will make a statement as to the prospects of remedying the present state of affairs in the rubber industry, the price having fallen 250 per cent. since the removal of the restriction, and reimposing some form of output restriction?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Bromley (Mr. Campbell) on 6th March, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what percentage, of the contracts guaranteed under the export credits guarantee scheme during the past 12 months have been contracts taken by manufacturers direct, and what percentage have been contracts taken by middlemen?

I regret that the information asked for is not readily available.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that men are employed at test work who are over the age of 60; and whether, in view of this practice having become widespread throughout Kent, he will cancel the regulation of 1930?

Article 6 of the Relief Regulation Order, 1930, does not specify any age limit, but requires that the work, training and instruction shall be suitable to the age, physical capacity and intelligence of the several classes of able-bodied men to whom the arrangements are intended to apply. My right hon. Friend has received no detailed information from the county council as to the ages of men set to work, and he has no reason to believe that in Kent the discretion required by the Order is not properly exercised, but if my hon. Friend has any evidence that the practice to which he refers is widespread, I shall be glad if he will communicate with my Department again. My right hon. Friend does not propose to revoke the Order, which is designed for the benefit of able-bodied applicants for relief.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps, if any, have been taken to relieve bridges and roads in the Isle of Wight of tolls; and if there is any prospect of these toll bridges and roads being freed in the near future?

I understand that the Isle of Wight County Council have in hand a scheme to free the Yar bridge and approach road from tolls, and are taking the necessary steps for the acquisition of the Yar bridge undertaking; I am unable to say when the tolls will be abolished.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider introducing a regular system of official inspection of railway permanent ways in Great Britain?

The responsibility for the inspection and maintenance of railways after they have been first opened for passenger traffic rests with the railway companies themselves, and I do not contemplate the introduction of legislation to alter present arrangements in this respect.

asked the Minister of Transport what amount of public money is being spent, or is about to be spent, on bridge-building in Scotland; and what proportion of this amount is in respect of steel bridges?

Bridge works are frequently included in road improvement schemes, and to obtain these particulars would necessitate the dissection of all applications submitted from Scotland for some time past. I trust, therefore, my hon. Friend will not press for the information.