asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of men for whom employment is at present being found on schemes financed out of the Road Fund and at what cost; and the number for whom employment is at present being found otherwise than out of the Road Fund and at what cost?

I understand the right hon. Gentleman to be referring to State-aided schemes of work for the relief of unemployment. Of the total of 245,000 estimated to be so employed directly and indirectly at 24th April, some 81,000 can be attributed to schemes, of an estimated total cost of approximately £38,000,000 financed out of the Road Fund, and approximately 164,000 to other schemes, estimated to cost about £80,000,000.

asked the Minister of Labour when the interim report of the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance will be published?

We have been pressing on the publication of this report. Copies will be available, I hope, in the Vote Office this afternoon.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the case of an unemployed agricultural labourer, J. W. Albans, Ad-wieke-le-Street, near Doncaster, who was recently allowed 14 days in which to give up possession of his cottage because his late employer, the farmer who owned the cottage, no longer required his services; and will he see that full particulars of this case are forwarded to the committee who are considering the tied-cottage question?

This case has not been brought to my notice, but if my hon. Friend will send me the particulars I will see that they are sent to the committee.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he can make any

Average earnings of miners for a full six-day week and hours worked weekly during the month of December, 1929, in each important mineral field in British India.
(Rupees converted at rate of 1 Re = 1s. 6d.)
Mineral Field.	Underground.			Open workings.
	Wage.		Hours worked.	Wage.		Hours worked.
Coal:	s.	d.		s.	d.
Jharia Coalfield (Bihar and Orissa)	7	7	43	7	8	43
Raniganj Coalfield (Bengal)	7	4	43	5	1	43
Giridih Coalfield (Bhiar and Orissa)	7	2	36	6	7	44
Assam Coalfields	12	1	36	9	7	54
Punjab Coalfields	8	0	38	—		—
Baluchistan Coalfields	10	1	36	—		—
Pench Valley Coalfield (Central Provinces).	10	1	44	—		—
Mica:
Bihar and Orissa	4	1	40	3	11	44
Madras	3	11	46	2	11	45
Manganese:
Central Provinces	5	9	47	4	11	44
Madras	—		—	3	6	48
Limestone	—		—	8	10	47
Iron	—		—	5	9	47
Lead	15	9	51	—		47
Tin	14	1	45	12	6	50
Salt	12	6	46	25	1	48
China Clay	4	3	48	2	3	42
Slate	3	11	48	4	4	46
Stone	—		—	4	6	46
Figures for other classes of mine-workers will be found on page 6and 92 of the Annual Report of the Chief Inspector of Mines in India for 1929, a copy of which is in the House of Commons' Library.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answers which I gave on 2nd June to the hon. and gallant Member for Chelmsford (Colonel Howard-Bury) and to the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. O. Lewis).

asked the Secretary of State for India the average weekly wage in the English equivalent paid to miners and railwaymen in British India, and the number of hours worked weekly in each case?

The appended table gives the figures for miners. No similar figures for railwaymen are available.

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of hospitals that receive grants from Government or provincial resources in British India and the number in proportion to the population?

The latest figures available relate to the year 1928 and are as follow:

Number of State-Public, Local Fund and Privately Aided Hospitals and Dispensaries.
State-Public Institutions	…	552
Local Fund Institutions	…	3,713
Private Aided Institutions	…	306
Total	…	4,571

Income of the above.
	Rs.
From Government Funds	1,92,89,794
From Local and Municipal Funds	1,39,14,429
From other sources	65,16,254

I do not know how many of the local fund and private aided institutions received support from Government funds. 888,651 indoor and 49,229,903 outdoor patients were treated at these institutions during the year. The provisional figure for the population of British India as ascertained at the recent census is 270,612,162.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government have now ratified the draft conventions concerning sickness insurance for workers in industry and commerce and domestic servants, and sickness insurance for agricultural workers?

These conventions were ratified by an Order in Council of 5th January last.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will inquire into the present system of short leave of sick-berth ratings serving in Haslar, Stonehouse, and Chatham naval hospitals, during the periods when long leave is being given with a view to the short leave during these periods being brought into line generally with naval ratings in other naval establishments during long-leave periods; and whether he is aware that at present the leave given to the sick-berth staff at these hospitals during long-leave periods for those remaining on duty is in two watches, i.e., 7.30 p.m., and watch in until the leave period is over?

As stated in the reply to the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha) on 30th July, 1930 [OFFICIAL REPORT, col. 537; Vol. 242], it is inevitable that during long leave extra work should fall on ratings who are not on leave, in order that attendance on patients may be fully maintained. No comparison can be drawn in this respect between naval hospitals and other shore establishments. The usual method of arranging the short leave of ratings left on duty in naval hospitals is by means of two or four watches. Every endeavour is made to compensate for the extra duty entailed, by giving additional leave whenever possible.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the Breconshire County Council are having to pay over £1,000 per annum, equal to more than a 1d. rate, for the necessary additional maintenance of unemployable blind persons, in view of the fact that the 10s. allowed by the State grant is insufficient; and what action he intends to take in the matter to relieve them of this cost?

I am not aware of the precise rate of expenditure at present being incurred by the Breconshire County Council on this service, but as regards the general question of State financial assistance towards the expenditure of local authorities under the Blind Persons Act, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 24th March to my hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead West (Mr. Egan) of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that Russian doors are now cheaper at British ports than the rough-sawn timber from which the doors are made; and will he reconsider his previous decision and inquire into the reasons for this discrepancy in prices?

Inquiries which have been made recently show that the position remains as stated in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 28th April last.

Retained Import of Manufactured Goods.
Country.		First four months of 1929.	First four months of 1930.	First four months of 1931.
		£'000.	£'000.	£'000.
Germany	…	38,441	32,749	22,217
France	…	24,716	32,328	26,658
		First three months of 1929.	First three months of 1930.	First three months of 1931.
Belgo-Luxemburg Economic Union	…	12,762	15,057	10,515
United States*	…	91,800	80,883	50,035
Domestic Exports of Manufactured Goods.
Country.		First four months of 1929.	First four months of 1930.	First four months of 1931.
		£'000.	£'000.	£'000.
Germany†	…	151,204	152,669	119,833
France	…	81,890	79,268	57,538
		First three months of 1929.	First three months of 1930.	First three months of 1931.
Belgo-Lnxemburg Economic Union	…	22,646	23,827	19,279
United States	…	183,206	147,977	89,754
* Total Imports.
† Including the Value of Deliveries on account of Reparations.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will supply a statement showing the retained imports and domestic exports of manufactured goods for Germany, France, Belgium and the United States of America, for the first four months of each of the years 1929, 1930 and 1931?

The following statement shows the value of the retained imports and domestic exports of manufactured goods into and from Germany, France, the Belgo-Luxemburg Economic Union and the United States, respectively, during the periods specified.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether copies of the memorandum circulated to the commissioners of taxes by the Board of Inland Revenue on the subject of collectors of taxes can be made available for Members?

I have placed a supply of copies of this memorandum in the Vote Office.

asked the Minister of Transport what grants for canal development have been approved in the past two years, and what proposals are at present under consideration?

Grants have been approved in the last two years in respect of the scheme of the Grand Union Canal Company to expend £881,000 on improvements on their London-Birmingham route, two schemes of the Manchester Ship Canal Company to expend £445,000 on increased dock facilities, and a scheme of the Lee Conservancy Board to expend £7,000 on the reconstruction of towing path walls. Application for a grant by the Grand Union Canal Company in respect of a £150,000 scheme for the reconstruction of locks on their Leicester branch is under consideration. On the Crinan Canal, which is administered by my Department, the reconstruction of the sealocks and improvement of water supply is proceeding.