asked the Minister of Agriculture how many unemployed persons have been set to work on land drainage schemes as the result of the respective grants made by his Department to statutory drainage authorities and county councils for approved schemes designed to improve agricultural land and at the same time to alleviate unemployment, and to owners of agricultural land through county agricultural committees for approved schemes providing for the absorption of transferred labour?

Since the 17th December, 1928, when a new programme of State-aided land drainage schemes, specifically for the relief of unemployment, was inaugurated, work has been provided equivalent in the aggregate to 1,261 man years. The hon. and gallant Member will appreciate, however, that the schemes which are now being aided are for the most part small schemes lasting for a few months. The number of men actually at work on schemes during the month of February was 1,377. As regards field drainage, water supply and claying schemes submitted by owners of agricultural land through county agricultural committees; since August, 1929, the date of initiation, the schemes approved to date have provided work estimated to amount to the equivalent of 800 man years in the aggregate. No figures are available showing the proportion of this total which represents transferred labour.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) the number of centres established throughout England, Scotland, and Wales for the purpose of training persons in boot repairing and the total number of persons attending such centres at any recent convenient date;(2) what reply has been given to protests against the establishment of training centres sent to her from the boot-repairing trade to the effect that in providing work for unemployed persons in these centres business is being diverted

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether in view of the unemployment in the building trade, how long it will be before he can com-

Simple boot-repairing may be included as one of the items of practical instruction at centres for unemployed juveniles administered by local education authorities on behalf of my Department. Trainees at transfer instructional centres are given facilities for repairing their own boots and a limited amount of elementary instruction to enable them to do so. No instruction of this kind is given under the control of the Department beyond these two items, neither of which can properly be described as courses of training in boot repairing. The position was explained to a deputation from the Boot and Shoe Repairing Trade Board on 25th March last.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, specifying men, women, boys, and girls, on the Employment Exchanges of Devonport and Plymouth, respectively, for the month of March, 1931?

The following table gives the information desired:mence the rebuilding of Whitehall Gardens?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 2nd February last to the right hon. Member for Chorley (Mr. Hacking).

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Severn barrage and road or, alternatively, a bridge road over the Severn connecting South Wales and the West of England is part of the Government's programme for national equipment and employment?

The possibilities of a Severn Barrage and road connecting South Wales and the West of England are under careful consideration by a committee of the Economic Advisory Council.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can yet make any statement as to the carrying out of the proposals of the Round Table Conference for the future government of Burma?

I regret that I cannot yet make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether any, and if so, what general special orders have been issued by the Governor-General in Council under Section 7 of the Order in Council, dated 13th August, 1920, made pursuant to Section 29a of the Government of India Act, 1919?

The only formal order issued by the Governor-General in Council under Clause 7 of the Order in Council, dated 13th August, 1920, is of a general nature, communicated to the first High Commissioner in a letter dated 13th October, 1920, to the effect that in appointing new officers, the High Commissioner should follow, so far as possible, the pay and conditions of the Home Civil Service in analogous posts. Subsequently the Government of India delegated to the High Commissioner power to sanction the grant of superannuation allowances to officers directly appointed to his own permanent establishment, under such conditions and at such rates as are laid down in the Superannuation Acts for similar services under the Imperial Government.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, on the occasions during the last 12 months when the Export Credits Department have been called upon to pay under their guarantee, how many occasions have been cases in which the contract has been made direct by the manufacturer with the customer; and how many have been cases in which the contract has been made, not by a manufacturer but by a middleman with the customer?

It is impossible to answer the hon. Member's question categorically without inquiring into the precise nature of the business of a large number of exporters. I may say, however, that in the great majority of the cases to which the hon. Member refers the contracts have been made between manufacturers and their customers overseas.

asked the Postmaster-General what is the number of scale payment sub-offices upgraded to salaried or branch office status during the past two years; and the number of salaried and branch offices downgraded during the same period?

In the Provinces, eight scale payment offices were converted to salaried or branch office status, while eight salaried or branch offices were replaced by scale payment offices. In London six branch offices were opened in place of eight scale payment offices, while one branch office was replaced by a scale payment office.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the decree of the commissar of foreign trade in Soviet Russia to intensify the dumping of fruit pulp into this country during the coming season by handing over the entire export trade to the Plodo export; what arrangements he is making to ensure that only such fruit pulp is imported as is produced and packed under sanitary conditions; and whether he will issue instructions for this fruit pulp to be tested and analysed before it is permitted to be offered for sale in this country?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. My right hon. Friend has no information with regard to the conditions under which fruit pulp is prepared in other countries. It is subject to examination in this country under the regulations relating to Imported Food and Preservatives in Food, and on the information at present before him my

asked the Minister of Health whether he will furnish a statement showing the number of public vaccinations and re-vaccinations, respectively, carried out in England and Wales in each year during the last 10 years and the expenditure incurred out of national and local funds, respectively, together with the number of deaths from smallpox during each of the years in question?

The following statements give these particulars for the last 10 years for which complete figures are at present available:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many foreigners have been admitted as cadets to the Royal Navy since the termination of the War?

No foreigners have been admitted as cadets, Royal Navy, since the termination of the War, but 24 foreigners have been received to undergo the course of training for special entry cadets in His Majesty's Ship "Thunderer" and His Majesty's Ship "Erebus."

asked the Minister of Agriculture if, in view of the epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in Rhodesia, he is taking any special precautions against the importation of the disease by the landing of live cattle from that country for slaughter here?

In consequence of this outbreak, I have made an Order prohibiting the importation of any further cargoes of animals from Southern Rhodesia. Special provision has, how-

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many unsatisfied applications for smallholdings and enlargements are still before the Department of Agriculture for Scotland; how many of these were made before the year 1922; and if it is still the policy of the Department of Agriculture to give preference to applications from ex-Service men and to others made before, during, or immediately after the War?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of wheat, barley, and oats were imported into this country from Soviet Russia between 1st August, 1930, and 31st March, 1931; and what were the average and maximum and minimum prices per quarter of such imports?

The following statement shows the total quantities of wheat, barley, and oats, respectively, imported into the United Kingdom and registered during the eight months ended 31st March, 1931, as consigned from the Soviet Union together with the average, maximum and minimum import values (c.i.f.) per quarter during the period.

4,454 applications for new holdings and 3,043 applications for enlargements are still before the Department of Agriculture for Scotland; it would be impracticable without an examination of each individual application to give the numbers of these received before 1922. Other things being equal, preference is given to ex-Service applicants and regard is paid to the priority of date of receipt of applications.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he has any information as to the political situation in Portugal?

There has recently been a series of movements against the Portuguese Government in various Portuguese territories. Those in the Azores, Cape Verde Islands and Portuguese Guinea have collapsed, but that in Madeira has been so far successful that the insurgents are in de facto control of the island. The movement in Madeira was organised by opponents of the present Government in Portugal and is directed against the present régime. They demand the re-establishment of a political constitution by means of free elections. On the news of these movements being received at Lisbon, the Government proceeded to take measures to prevent any disturbances on the mainland; there were extensive troop movements and numerous persons believed to be opposed to the present Government were placed under arrest. As a result the country has remained calm. The Government is now concentrating considerable forces against Madeira, and the position of the insurgents appears to be becoming increasingly difficult.