asked the Minister of Labour the figures of the men and women registered on the Employment Exchanges at Gainsborough,

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications for unemployment benefit have been disallowed, during the four months ending 30th April, 1931, by the court of referees at

asked the Minister of Labour whether she will have inquiries (made into the case of Mrs. Hall, 25., Union Street, Grantham, who has been refused transitional benefit despite

The following table gives the information desired:Pontefract, Castleford, and Goole, respectively, and the reason for such disallowances?

The following table gives the information desired:the fact that she has paid the requisite number of contributions?

The transitional conditions for the receipt of unemploy- ment benefit include not only a condition that a certain number of contributions must have been paid, but also a condition that a claimant is normally in insurable employment and will normally seek to obtain his livelihood by means of insurable employment. The question whether this latter condition was satisfied by Mrs. Hall was referred to the court of referees, who on 28th April held that she did not satisfy the condition, and accordingly disallowed her claim.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will recommend that additional assistance be given to the Iraq Government to obtain a settlement of the disturbed conditions in Iraqi Kurdistan in order that the representations to be made shortly to the League of Nations that Iraq shall be completely independent and admitted to League membership shall not be prejudiced?

My Noble Friend is fully informed of the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan. He sees no necessity for special action on his part.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the sons of ex-presidents of friendly Republics are eligible for entrance into Dartmouth Naval College as are the sons of ex-kings?

As was explained on 6th May [OFFICIAL REPORT, columns 373–4], to the hon. Member for North Bristol (Mr. Ayles). foreign subjects are not ordinarily admitted into the college. Any application would be considered according to the particular circumstances of the case.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether consideration is to be given to the desirability of a visit by vessels of His Majesty's Navy to Canadian waters during the forthcoming Economic Conference at Ottawa?

Several ships of the America and West Indies Squadron of the Royal Navy will be in Canadian waters throughout the summer and autumn.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of revenue sacrificed during the past financial year in consequence of the relief given to the lower ranges of Income Tax payers by the permissible deduction of Income Tax at half the standard rate on an amount not exceeding £225 of income being increased to a deduction of tax of five-ninths of the standard rate on an amount of income not exceeding £250?

The relief in question was estimated in last year's Budget to cost £2,500,000 in the year 1930–31 and £5,000,000 in a full year. The actual cost in 1930 cannot be ascertained, but there is no reason to believe that it did not accord with the Budget estimates.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of civil servants who are now attached to the different Royal Commissions and Committees set up by the Government; the number of civil servants whose work is partially connected with these bodies; and the cost, estimated on an annual basis, of such specialised work?

This information is not available in the Treasury, and could not be obtained without a considerable expenditure of time and labour. So far as practicable, civil servants attached to Committees, etc., continue to perform their normal duties. Comparatively little additional expenditure is therefore involved.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the Seventy-third Report of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue, page 68. table 49, what proportion of the item, "Gross income, Houses, etc.," amounting to £363,787,921, represents income from houses, etc., and from sites; if the proportion derived from sites was taxed at its capital value at the rate of one penny in the £ what sum would this produce; and if the exemption and reduction set out in the same table, together with the item, "Lands, etc.," were deducted from the gross amount, what revenue would be produced if this lessened amount was subject to a similar tax?

The figure to which the hon. Member refers cannot be apportioned so as to show how much of the annual value is attributable to the building and how much is attributable to the site.

asked the Minister of Health whether as the whole of the revenue obtained from dutiable articles is controlled by the Government Laboratory, and in view of its work on matters of public health, he will reconsider the present policy of reducing the already small qualified staff, 80 in number, by 30 per cent. and substituting untrained boys of approximately 19 years of age?

In accordance with the recommendations of the Carpenter Committee, it is proposed that the grade of temporary assistant chemist in the Government laboratory should be abolished, and that the work at present entrusted to chemists Class II and this grade should be gradually reallocated between a new grade of chemists and a new grade of assistants to be recruited between the ages of 17 and 20 from candidates who have reached an educational standard equivalent to the Intermediate Science Degree examination, or have gained the National Certificate in chemistry issued by the Institute of Chemistry in conjunction with the Board of Education. I see no reason to modify this policy. I am unable to accept either the implication in the question that members of either of the two new grades will be insufficiently qualified or my hon. Friend's description of the duties of the laboratory.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses in the administrative county of Holland, Lincolnshire, which have been improved under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926, during the 12 months ended on the last convenient date; and the number of houses upon which such work was still in progress?

No work had been undertaken in this county under the Rural Workers Act up to 31st March last.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built and the number on which work is still in progress in agricultural parishes in the administrative county of Holland, Lincolnshire, for the 12 months ending on the last convenient date?

As regards State-aided houses, the numbers were 134 and 15. I am sending the hon. Member a circular letter asking the Holland County Council, who now have responsibility in relation to housing conditions in these parishes, for information by the end of this month as to those conditions and the proposed action of the county council.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built under the various Housing Acts by the Spalding Rural District Council during the past five years; the number still under construction; and the number of houses improved by the council under the Housing (Rural Workers) Act, 1926?

The numbers are 118, four and none, respectively.

asked the First Commissioner of Works if any recent change has been made and, if so, of what nature in arrangements for patrolling Hyde Park after nightfall; and whether similar arrangements for improved patrolling have been made in the case of any other of the Royal parks?

No such change has been made, and none is contemplated.

asked the Minister of Transport if he can now state the precise date on which it is proposed to bring into force the control of Oxford Street traffic by automatic signals; whether he has received any representations in opposition to this scheme; and whether such representations will be taken into due account before the details are finally arranged?

Representations have been received from a number of sources upon certain restrictions on the movement of traffic which it is proposed to impose in connection with the installation of automatic control signals in Oxford Street. These representations have been referred to the London and Home Counties Traffic Advisory Committee for advice. I am awaiting the report of the committee, and am unable at present to state the precise date on which the signalling system will be brought into operation.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the inconvenience caused to motorcar manufacturers by the regulation that all motor vehicles must have wings attached; if he is aware that it was the practice on the part of many manufacturers to drive incomplete chassis short distances along the public highways, from one works to another, without wings; and if he will take steps to meet this difficulty?

The driving of a chassis without mudguards along roads can cause considerable inconvenience to the public when the roads are wet or muddy, and it was mainly for this reason that the regulation with regard to the fitting of wings to motor vehicles was made. Temporary wings made of such materials as wood and canvas can be fitted with little trouble and expense, and I do not see my way to relax the regulation in the direction which the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that he has recently issued a circular to all highway authorities drawing their attention to the need and facilities for freeing toll roads and bridges, he proposes to take any steps towards freeing from toll the Menai Bridge?

The question of reducing the tolls on this bridge is kept constantly under review. Substantial reductions were effected as from 1st June, 1928, but in view of the special character and age of the structure, I consider that tolls should be charged to meet the current cost of maintenance and to provide a reserve fund for renewal.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider issuing instructions that all public motor and electric passenger vehicles shall be fitted with some form of door or gate which shall only be opened at authorised stopping places, in order to prevent the practice of mounting and descending from these vehicles while in motion?

I think that the compulsory fitting of doors or gates to the vehicles mentioned by the hon. and gallant Member would tend to cause inconvenience and delay, and would not contribute appreciably to public safety.