asked the Minister of Labour if she will state how many people unemployed in the cotton industry have been found work by schemes initiated by the present Government?

I regret that the information desired by the hon. Member is not available.

Are we to take it that no schemes have been initiated?

Not at all.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any statistics are collected which would indicate the number of persons displaced owing to the introduction of improved machinery or devices; and, if not, whether she will consider the possibility of such statistics being collected?

The question of collecting statistics of this kind is being carefully considered; it has not been found practicable to obtain comprehensive and reliable figures on the subject, but we are following up such facts as come to our notice.

Will ally returns of that kind include schemes for which grants have been given by the Unemployment Grants Committee?

This is a question of the displacement of particular persons by machinery.

As there are schemes for which grants are given, where such displacement of labour takes place, will these be included?

Yes.

Will the information which the Minister of Labour is trying to collect include the reabsorption of such persons either in the same industry or in other industries?

That is what I am trying to do.

asked the Minister of Labour if she can give the estimated number of persons in employment on 1st April, 1931, or on the nearest convenient date, and the corresponding figures for 1930, 1929, and 1928?

It is estimated that the numbers of insured persons, aged 16 to 64, in employment in Great Britain were approximately as follow:

23rd March, 1931	…	9,267,200
24th March, 1930	…	9,981,000
25th March, 1929	…	10,200,700
26th March, 1928	…	10,100,800

These figures have been obtained by deducting from the estimated numbers insured, the numbers recorded as unemployed and the numbers directly involved in trade disputes together with an allowance of 3½ per cent. of the numbers insured to cover absences from work through sickness, recognised holidays and other forms of unrecorded non-employment.

Will the right hon. Lady tell me if that includes both men and women?

Yes.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of married women signing the unemployment registers and the number in receipt of unemployment benefit, respectively, for the last week for which complete figures are available?

It is estimated on the basis of information derived from an inquiry by sample, that at 2nd February, 1931, there were approximately 284,000 married women on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, of whom 271,000 were claimants for benefit. The number actually in receipt of benefit is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons signing the unemployment registers for the last week for which figures are available; and the number of such persons who drew benefit for such period?

The number of persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain at 20th April, 1931, was 2,513,856. The number actually in receipt of benefit is not available but the number with claims to benefit admitted or under consideration at that date was approximately 2,325,000.

Can the Minister of Labour give the number actually in receipt of benefit for the week mentioned in the question?

No, there is always overlapping, and we can never be quite sure whether a certain number of claims under consideration will or will not be granted, although we can state the number of claims at any given date.

My original question was how many received payment for that week, and surely the accounts at the Ministry will show how many received payment for that week.

But that would not have any relation to the number of claims.

Can the right hon. Lady give the number disallowed during the month ending on that date?

Yes, if I have notice.

asked the Minister of Labour if she can state the position with regard to schemes of work submitted by the Pontefract borough council for consideration by the Unemployment Grants Committee?

Of the two schemes which, as stated in my reply of 5th February to my hon. Friend, were then under consideration by the Unemployment Grants Committee, one small scheme to cost £169 was rejected as ineligible for grant. The other scheme, of an estimated cost of £9,630 has been withdrawn and I understand the Council propose to revise this scheme and submit it again.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware that the conditions of grant given for extension of the Kingsway at Dundee have been infringed by the contractor utilising mechanical appliances whereby very few men are being employed; and if she will inquire into the matter?

I am not aware of the precise facts in this case, but the conditions under which local authorities receive grants-in-aid of relief schemes do not preclude the use of mechanical appliances.

Will the right hon. Lady ascertain whether it is correct that only about half-a-dozen men instead of 130 are employed on this scheme?

I certainly intend to make full inquiries.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is now the intention of the Department to open a branch Exchange at Lochee, so as to obviate older people having to travel to the central Exchanges in Dundee?

The suggestion of providing special facilities for Lochee was only made to me last week, and my inquiries into the position locally are not yet completed. I will, however, communicate with my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if she is aware that the present Employment Exchanges in Kilbowie Street, together with the temporary premises at the Educational Rooms, are inadequate to deal with the 9,756 unemployed persons in Clydebank; and whether she will give consideration to the proposal to take over the Co-operative Hall in Hume Street as an auxiliary Exchange instead of the Educational Rooms as at present;

(2) if she is aware that about 650 persons have to walk a distance of two miles from Duntocher and Hardgate to the Employment Exchange at Clydebank to sign the registers and to draw benefit; and whether she will take steps to open a new Employment Exchange in Duntocher?

I am having the general position in the Clydebank area examined, and will communicate with my hon. Friend when my inquiries are completed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether she is aware of the hardships caused to certain stokers employed by the Air Ministry who have been declared uninsurable after having paid insurance for many years, as a result of the decision in the High Court on 15th April, 1930; and whether she proposes to take any action to remedy their grievance?

I have no power to take any action in this matter without fresh legislation.

In view of the very grave facts which the right hon. Lady has stated, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this question on the Motion for the Adjournment at the earliest possible date.

Can the Minister of Labour say if there is any right to claim the contribution, assuming that the decision of the judge is upheld, or would that exclude them from unemployment insurance?

Would it not be an act of common justice to refund these contributions in the circumstances?

Those are points of law which have been settled by High Court decisions, and I have no power in the matter.

Will the right hon. Lady pursue the inquiries, seeing that these men are civilian stokers, and it is unfair that they should be charged contributions and afterwards placed outside the Statute.

asked the Minister of Labour whether instructions have been given to the officials at Employment Exchanges to encourage unemployed men to look for work on their own account without waiting for vacancies to be notified to them?

I am not sure what the hon. and gallant Member has in mind, but in addition to the offer of specific vacancies, written directions are in accordance with Section 4 of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1930, given to claimants for benefit in appropriate cases with a view to assisting them in finding suitable employment.

Have they been instructed to look for work on their own account somewhere else?

Is it not a fact that thousands of these people seek employment elsewhere before they go to the Employment Exchange?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in Tiverton at the present time and at this time last year?

At 20th April, 1931, there were 174 persons on the registers of the Tiverton Employment Exchange. Figures are not available for 21st April, 1930 (Easter Monday), but at 14th April, 1930, the number was 102.

Does not that show the foolishness of doing away with the Lace Duties?

asked the Minister of Labour what was the total contributed by employers and employés, respectively, in the form of contributions towards the Unemployment Insurance Fund during the year ended 31st March, 1931?

The contributions of employers and workpeople received by the Unemployment Fund during the year ended 31st March, 1931, amounted to approximately £15,970,000 and £13,660,000 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour the estimated number of women who were engaged in domestic service in 1921, and the number at the latest convenient date?

At the population Census of 1921 the number of females enumerated as indoor private domestic servants in Great Britain was 1,270,777. A corresponding figure for a later date is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of prosecutions for fraud on the Unemployment Fund for the six months ended 31st March, 1931; and what was the number of frauds by direct claims and the number on associated claims, together with the number of convictions respectively?

The number of prosecutions was 502, and in 478 cases convictions were recorded. The statistics do not enable me to give separate figures for direct and association claims respectively.

In view of the fact that two years ago the figures could be given separately, is there any reason why they cannot be given separately now?

I will ascertain, if my hon. Friend will put down a question.

asked the Minister of Health what arrangements, if any, were made for providing work for unemployed persons of suitable capacity in connection with the taking of the Census; and whether any instructions on the subject were issued to managers of local Employment Exchanges?

As I am anxious to give a full and somewhat long reply to this question I will circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also publish the instructions which were issued to Employment Exchanges?

If the hon. and learned Member is not satisfied with the answer which I have sent to him, and which is to be published in the OFFICIAL REPORT, I shall be glad to answer any further questions.

Will my right hon. Friend include in his return the number of unemployed people who were found employment?

I can tell my hon. Friend that a much larger proportion were found employment in urban areas than during any previous census—38 per cent.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will take steps to ensure that in all senior schools there shall be one teacher at least in excess of the number of classes, to enable class-teachers in such schools to have free periods for marking, etc.?

I would remind my hon. Friend that the Board no longer prescribe a scale of staffing for individual public elementary schools, and that the teaching establishments of the local education authorities are settled on an area basis. It is, however, the practice of many authorities so to staff their senior schools in appropriate cases as to leave free time for the correction of work and preparation of lessons by the individual teachers, and this practice has the Board's approval.

Will the hon. Gentleman, in his instructions to local education authorities, urge that practice upon them?

I think we take the most practical step towards encouraging local authorities by paying the greater part of the expenses.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the amount paid by the Government and the local authorities towards the cost of providing free milk to necessitous children last year; and whether, in view of the fact that all school children would be benefited by this provision and the large surplus of fresh milk being produced in this country, he will consider the desirability of increasing the Government contribution to encourage local authorities to provide a daily supply of milk for every child?

:I regret that I have no material for a reliable estimate of the cost to local authorities and to the Exchequer, during last year, of the provision of free milk as distinct from free meals of other kinds provided for necessitous children. At the present time approximately 50,000 children are being supplied daily with free milk at a cost which may be estimated at £2,000 to £3,000 per week. I do not contemplate any increase in the percentage of this expenditure to be borne by the Exchequer.

Is it not now recognised that all children would be benefited by a daily supply of free milk and, in view of the fact that only 10 per cent. are getting it, will the hon. Gentleman take steps to encourage local authorities to supply it to every child?

I have encouraged local authorities in the most practical manner by regarding this as medical benefit and paying the special grant for medical purposes.

Is it not a fact that only 10 per cent. of the children are getting it?

Is the hon. Gentleman encouraging local education authorities to establish milk clubs in the schools?

That is another question.

asked the Minister of Health if he will state the cost per square yard of constructing streets taken over as public highways repairable by the inhabitants at large in Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, and Leeds, and the annual cost per square yard of maintenance of such streets?

The figures which the authorities have been able to give me are necessarily so qualified by various factors that to give them without a long explanation would be misleading. The cost of making up a street with a view to taking over depends not merely on the standard of construction adopted by the local authority and cost of materials but also on the amount of work which has already been done in the street by the private developer and on the relative widths of carriageway and footway. As regards cost of maintenance, I regret that I have not been able to obtain comparable figures.

Would it be possible for the Department to lay down any costing system that may be adopted by local authorities so that they may know how their costs compare with other authorities?

I should be prepared to consider that sympathetically.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared to secure an amendment of the procedure of arriving at the assessment of licensed premises for the purpose of requiring rated occupiers to produce to the rating authority their trade returns in order that a correct valuation of the property may be ascertained?

Rating authorities and assessment committees are already empowered to obtain from occupiers such particulars as may reasonably be required for determining the value of rateable hereditaments. What information may reasonably be required for that purpose in any particular case is in the last resort a matter for determination by the courts.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can now state the number of children compulsorily vaccinated and the number for whom exemption was claimed; and the number of deaths of children from small-pox and the number of deaths of children associated with vaccination during 1930?

As the answer is long and involves a number of figures I will, with permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

When is the right hon. Gentleman going into the whole question of the administration of the Vaccination Acts, as he said he was doing a year ago?

I am still going into it.

Does the right hon. Gentleman intend to take any action in the matter, in view of his inquiries?

That I must ask the hon. Member to put down on a later occasion.

Will the right hon. Gentleman add the number of children whose lives are saved owing to vaccination?

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any information as to the percentage of chemical preservatives used in strawberry fruit pulp imported from Soviet Russia last year and the sanitary conditions under which this was produced?

Under the Public Health (Preservatives in Food) Regulations, strawberry fruit pulp must not contain more than 2,000 parts of sulphur dioxide per million, and I have no information to show that this proportion was exceeded in any consignment imported from Soviet Russia last year. As stated in the answer given to the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Smithers) on the 27th instant, I have no information as to the sanitary conditions under which Russian fruit pulp is produced, but the pulp is subject to examination in this country under the Imported Food Regulations and may be destroyed if it is found to be unsound or otherwise unfit for human consumption.

During the last season, were steps regularly taken to ascertain what percentage of preservative there was in this imported food?

A large number of samples were examined which might have come from Russia and all were found to contain less than 2,000 parts per million.

What steps are taken by the Department to give a definite guarantee as to what is the period of time after the addition of the poison in which it is capable of being used as fit for consumption?

I am afraid we cannot go into that. We can only satisfy ourselves that, when it is imported, it is not in a state unfit for human consumption.

The very fact that you have added a preservative and, on arrival at the port after a week or so in the ship, while you may examine it on arrival, the moment the examination takes place—

This appears to be information that is being given, and not a question.

asked the Minister of Health whether his Department is satisfied that chemical substances of secret formula, known in the baking trade as improvers, and used for causing flour used for bread making to absorb more water, are not deleterious to public health?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the report made in 1927 by the Departmental Committee on the Treatment of Flour with Chemical Substances. The committee's view was that most of the substances known in the baking trade as improvers are unobjectionable on grounds of public health in the quantities in which they are used, but they expressed the opinion that the use of chlorine and nitrogen trichloride is undesirable. I may add that the committee did not accept the view that so-called improvers generally enable the flour to absorb more water than it otherwise would.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that last week in reply to a question of mine he admitted that out of 280 lbs. of flour 100 4-lb loaves of bread could be made, and is he aware that according to an advertisement that I have, by adding 1 lb. of this improver to 280 lbs. of flour it produced 471 lbs. of bread?

I cannot be responsible for public advertisements.

Does this bread come from Russia?

rose—

We have taken up a great deal of time over individual questions.

On a point of Order. Are not supplementary questions to be allowed on a question like this?

The hon. Member has asked me a very unreasonable question, seeing he has already asked a supplementary question.

On a point of Order. You have not given me an opportunity of asking a question, and you have no right to say that it is unreasonable.

I cannot allow the hon. Member to address me in that manner.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware of the existence of impure filling in certain imported bed ticks and that some imported coloured cotton blankets contain wood and straw chippings; and, in view of the danger to health, Rill he cause inquiries to be made with the intention of taking action in the matter?

My attention has been drawn to a recent article in the Press which refers to this matter, but I am advised that there is no evidence that danger to health is involved. I should, however, be pleased to receive any further information on the subject which my hon. Friend is able to supply.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built under the various Housing Acts during the period 1918 to 31st December, 1930, by the rural district councils of Kettering, Brixworth, Oxendon, and Northampton?

The numbers are 265, 218, 112 and 473 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built under the various Housing Acts during the period 1918 to 31st December, 1930, by the urban district councils of Kettering, Desborough, Rothwell, and Burton Latimer (Northants)?

The numbers are 1,108, 218, 159 and 175 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health (1) if be has received any proposals or schemes, either from the London County Council or the Borough of Islington, for dealing with housing conditions in Islington under the Housing Act, 1930;

(2) if at any time any proposals have been made to his Department, either from the London County Council or the Islington Borough Council, for dealing with the unsuitable housing conditions existing in Campbell Road, Finsbury Park, N.;

(3) how many houses in the Borough of Islington are regarded as suitable for demolition under slum clearance schemes; how many of these are houses let in tenements; how many persons they house; and what proposals, if any, he has received for dealing with such property?

The question of dealing with areas in the Borough of Islington under the Housing Act, 1930, is under the immediate consideration of the borough council, but no proposals have yet been made. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a memorandum dealing more fully with the present situation in the borough.

asked the Minister of Health how many applications have been made by local authorities to build small houses for aged people and the number which have been sanctioned by his Department; and whether he can say what will be the average rent for these houses?

Twenty-four such applications have been made and 22 of them, covering 694 dwellings, have been approved. Two recently received applications covering 52 dwellings are under consideration. Complete information as to cost is not yet available, but the rents should not on the average exceed 3s. in agricultural parishes and 3s. 9d. in other areas. I hope, indeed, that the rents will be less than these figures.

Does that include rates as well as rent?

No, Sir.

When considering these small houses, will the right hon. Gentleman take into consideration the demonstration houses which have been built at St. Pauls Cray, Kent?

The model I have taken is the miner's cottage, but I shall be glad to look into those to which the hon. Gentleman refers.

asked the Minister of Health whether the committee considering the question of the present working of the Rent Restrictions Acts has finished its investigations; and, if so, when it is anticipated that it will be in a position to issue a report?

asked the Minister of Health when he anticipates the report of the Departmental Committee on Rent Restriction will be presented?

The Committee has not finished its investigations, and I am, therefore, not in a position to give any precise indication when its report may be expected. I certainly hope, however, to receive it before the end of the Session.

Will the right hon. Gentleman, in view of the hardships which are being suffered by the working classes owing to high rents, expedite the delivery of this report?

The committee has had to receive a very large amount of evidence, and I understand that we shall before very long, within a few months perhaps, have the report.

Does the right hon. Gentleman agree that the difficulties are always on the side of the tenant and that the position of the landlord has not to be considered?

asked the Minister of Health the average rent of working-class houses constructed since the War?

I regret that the information asked for by my hon. Friend is not available, and could not be obtained without incurring an undue amount of trouble and expense in making the necessary inquiries of local authorities. I would, however, refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a previous question put by the right hon. Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood) of which I am sending him a copy.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think that it is really necessary to know what are the rents for working-class houses built under the various Acts?

The local authorities build them, and they are quite familiar with them. My point is, that it is putting an undue burden upon the local authorities and upon my Department to ask for a return in the matter.

Is not the right hon. Gentleman aware that this House authorised those Acts?

asked the Minister of Health what was the result of the recent inquiry held in Chester by an inspector of his Department to determine whether or not a rivers board for the Dee should be set up?

I am not yet a position to give a decision, but I will decide the matter as expeditiously as possible.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities in England and Wales that have made application under Section 14 (3) of the Local Government Act, 1888, during the last two years, for the formation of a rivers board, and what action he contemplates taking in consequence of said applications?

One application has been received, by the Cheshire County Council and the Chester Town Council, for the formation of a rivers board for the River Dee. A public inquiry into the application has recently been held. I am not yet in a position to give a decision, but I will decide the matter as expeditiously as possible.