asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to inform the House of the personnel of the Indian Delegation to the forthcoming International Labour Conference at Geneva?

The Indian Delegation to the 15th International Labour Conference will be composed as follows:(1) Government group:

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will give information in regard to the estimated economies it is proposed to effect in the military expenditure of the Government of India in the present year; and whether any part of these economies are being effected at the expense of the development of the Indian Territorial Force?

Under the Stabilised Military Budget system it was contemplated that the figure for military expenditure (excluding the special grant for the expansion of the Indian Territorial Force) for the current year would be Rs.54.20 crores. By extension of that system for another year, and by economies and savings in other directions, it has been found possible to reduce the figure for this year to Rs.52.50 crores; and in addition it has been decided, as a temporary measure, to reduce the amount to be provided this year for the capital programme of re-equipment (included in the above figures from Rs.140 lakhs to Rs.80 lakhs. A corresponding reduction from Rs.15 lakhs to Rs.10 lakhs has also been made in the special grant for the expansion of the Indian Territorial Force.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will give information concerning the particulars of the scheme drawn up by the committee of military officers appointed by Lord Rawlinson, when he was Commander-in-Chief in India, to go into the question of the Indianisation of the Indian Army?

My hon. and gallant Friend will find the particulars set out on pages 864 to 867 of the Proceedings of the Indian Legislative Assembly for 17th February, 1931.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the air mail which left Karachi for London on 11th March left before the arrival at Karachi of the Punjab mail; what part of the mail intended for transportation to London by air and appropriately stamped and posted in India was in consequence carried to London with the ordinary mail; and whether arrangements can be made to prevent a recurrence of this state of things?

I am making inquiries, and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend when I have heard from the Government of India.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can now state the names of the proposed Federal Structural Committee; the terms of reference, if any; and when it will be meeting?

I am not yet in a position to give this information.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will obtain a report from the Government of India of specific instances of the dumping of sugar in India from foreign producing countries during the last few months; and whether, in view of the position of the sugar industry in India revealed in the recent report of the Indian Tariff Board, the Government of India propose to expedite their views on the Tariff Board's findings?

The Finance Member of the Government of India, in introducing the Indian Budget (which provides for an additional duty of Rs.1 As.4 per hundredweight on all grades of sugar, as a revenue measure), indicated that the recommendations of the Tariff Board were under consideration by the Government of India, and I should not feel justified in pressing them to expedite their views. In these circumstances, I do not think that any useful purpose would be served in calling for a report on the dumping of sugar from foreign countries during the last few months.

asked the Home Secretary what standing instructions he has given to the Postmaster-General in regard to correspondence addressed to places in the Irish Free State; and what special instructions have been given in connection with the Irish Derby sweepstake?

There are no standing instructions in the matter. When a lottery which is illegal in this country is being conducted, the instructions given to the Postmaster-General are aimed at preventing the use of the post for this illegal purpose.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now received a report from the inter-departmental committee on Rent Restriction regarding the case of Frederick Norris, 38, Emes Road, Erith, with regard to the overcrowding from which he suffers through being unable to get possession of a house which he has purchased?

The committee's terms of reference do not require that it should make special reports to my right hon. Friend on individual cases which are brought to their notice as examples of the difficulties which arise under the Acts. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of the terms of reference.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will consider the advisability of setting up a committee representative of the Treasury, the Department of Overseas Trade, and motor manufacturers to consider the effect of the present system of motor taxation on the export trade?

I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport on 3rd February last to a question on the same subject by the hon. Member for Wolverhampton East (Mr. Mander), of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Labour what has been the course of employment and production in the cutlery industry, month by month, since the removal of the Safeguarding Duty?

The latest information available regarding employment in this industry is contained in the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 10th February last to the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald). No information is available as to production.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total imports and exports, and the imports and exports of manufactured goods, for the United Kingdom and Germany for the year 1930?

The following table shows, in respect of the United Kingdom

—					All descriptions of merchandise.	Articles wholly or partly manufactured.
					Million £	Million £
United Kingdom:
Total Imports	…	…	…	…	1,044·8	308·6
Domestic Exports	…	…	…	…	570·6	448·2
Re-exports	…	…	…	…	87·0	24·2
Germany:
Imports for consumption	…	…	…	…	508·7	88·0
Domestic Exports	…	…	…	…	589·1	442·4

NOTES:1. The range of articles included as "wholly or partly manufactured" varies according to the classification adopted in the trade returns of the two countries; figures based on a uniform classification are not available. The classes of goods included are described in the trade returns of the respective countries as follows, manufactured foodstuffs being excluded throughout: United Kingdom: "Articles wholly or mainly manufactured", together with manufactured tobacco. Germany: "Fertige Waren".2. In the case of Germany, the figures of exports include the value of deliveries on account of Reparations.3. Conversions from German currency into sterling have been made at the par rate of exchange.4. The above figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the names of the committee set up in accordance with the decision of the Imperial Conference to consider the future organisation of the Empire Marketing Board?

The committee in question is a committee of the Empire Marketing Board, and its membership is as follows:

• Mr. W. Lunn, M.P. (Chairman).
• The Right Hon. L. S. Amery, M.P.
• Mrs. Cottrell.
• Mr. J. W. Dulanty, C.B., C.B.E.
• Sir Edward Harding, K.C.M.G., C.B.
• Mr. L. Hore-Belisha, M.P.
• Mr. F. L. McDougall, C.M.G.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what steps the Empire Marketing Board propose to take to advertise home-grown fruit and vegetables in the coming season?

Apart from the grants made available through the Empire Marketing Fund to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture for Scotland for direct foreground publicity for Home National Mark products, the Empire Marketing Board propose, in the course of their general publicity campaign in favour of Empire products, to call special attention to home-grown fruit and vegetables in the coming season by means of new posters on the Board's special frames, by continuing the issue of display material for shops and of leaflets to the public, by broadcast talks and in films. The Board will also be providing facilities for advertising home-grown fruit and vegetables at exhibitions and shops in which the Board give free space to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Department of Agriculture for Scotland and the Ministry of Agriculture of Northern Ireland for the display of home agricultural products.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is now in a position to assure the House that retail coal supplies are adequate in all districts both as to quantity and quality, and that no advance in price has been made to consumers as a result of the operation of the quota?

So far as I am aware, supplies of coal are now normal, and retail prices of house coal show no advance.