asked the President of the Board of Education whether he can give any assurance that local authorities will be reimbursed for expenditure already incurred as a result of the introduction of the Education (School Attendance) Bill and the issue of Circular No. 1404; and, if so, when and by whom?

Expenditure which has been approved under Circular 1404 as an effective contribution to a scheme of reorganisation and development has already attracted Government grant at the special rate of 50 per cent., and no question of reimbursement arises.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, before the issue of Circular No. 1404, the Government authorised the expenditure likely to arise as a result thereof; and, if so, was there fixed a limit to the amount of such expenditure?

The decision to give a special rate of grant in connection with expenditure on the approved schemes of reorganisation and development, referred to in Circular 1404, was taken by the Government prior to the issue of the circular. The grants are made in conformity with the usual practice of the Board of Education, the amount of the expenditure depending upon the proposals submitted by the local authorities and approved by the Board.

asked the President of the Board of Education how far the case of the male members of the London Schoolmasters' Association will be separately represented on the

asked the Secretary of State for India whether any final decision has been arrived at with regard to the time and place of the, conference between the representatives of the Government of India and the Union Government of South Africa on matters relating to the rights of Indians in South Africa?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to make a statement as to the date of the conference.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India has agreed to the proposal of the advisory committee recently set up to co-operate with the Government of India in exploring the possibilities of economies in the Central Government that a special committee should be appointed to report on certain aspects of the financial administration of the Army in India; and whether he is in a position to give the personnel and terms of reference of this committee?

I do not propose to give separate representation on the Standing Joint Committee on the Salaries of Teachers in Elementary Schools to the London Schoolmasters' Association.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons, specifying men, women, boys, and girls, on the books of the Woolwich Employment Exchange for the month of May, 1931?

The following table gives the information desired.

I am asking the Government of India for the information required, and will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as it is available.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is yet in a position to state the total amount of capital already subscribed to the Foreign Piece Goods Export Company of India; and the proportion subscribed by those interested in Indian cotton mills?

Applications for 1,325 Rs. 100 shares have been received, but I am informed that the subscription of a further 3,675 shares is promised and assured. All the subscribers are interested in the Indian cotton mills.

asked the Secretary of State for India what was the United Kingdom's share in the import trade of India in 1913 and for the latest year available; and what were the similar figures for manufactured goods only?

The figures are as follow:

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether, in order to attract overseas visitors to the Metropolis, he will consider installing flood lighting systems like those at present in operation in Paris to illuminate the Palace of Westminster and other ancient buildings and monuments in London?

Portions of the Palace of Westminster are to be flood lighted temporarily in September in connection with the meeting of the International Illumination Congress. I do not consider it to be part of the duties of my Department to bear the cost of installing and maintaining flood lighting systems, such as the hon. and gallant Member suggests.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department how much the Department is liable for in the way of insurance given to importers to Russia, and how does the rate of insurance charged by the Export Credit Department compare with the rates charged by insurance companies for insuring goods sold to Russia?

It is not the practice to state the current liability of the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of exports to any particular country. So far as I am aware, British insurance companies do not at present provide to any considerable extent facilities of the kind available under the Department's scheme in connection with exports to Russia.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, with reference to export credits for Russia, for how much the British Government are directly liable to Russia; for how long a period or periods is credit given; how is it divided; whether there is included in the credits any floating loan; and, if so, for how long and how much?

The Export Credits Guarantee Department has no liability whatever to Russia. The guarantees given by the Department insure the payment to exporters of British goods of a proportion of the credits allowed by them to purchasers overseas. The period of credit covered by such guarantees varies with each transaction, as also does the proportion for which the Department is liable, but the latter in no case exceeds 75 per cent. The answer to the fourth part of the question is in the negative, and the last part does not therefore arise.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if any officers (ex-mate) have been appointed to take the Army and Royal Air Force staff courses; and if it is intended to select some of these officers in the near future?

No officer has been so appointed hitherto. Selection for these courses is usually confined to officers who have qualified at the Royal Naval Staff course, so that it is improbable that any officers ex-mate will be selected for these courses in the near future.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) if he will take the opportunity afforded by the transfer of 2,786 square yards of land by the Birmingham Corporation to his Department, consequent upon the proposal to construct a new Erdington by-pass road, to reorganise the postal facilities of the growing Erdington district and to build a post office that will afford reasonable accommodation for the postal staff and be adequate to serve the needs of the district;(2) if he is aware that, consequent upon the progressive housing policy of the Birmingham Corporation, the Erdington postal district has been enlarged by the erection of approximately 10,000 municipal houses during the past few years, and that the postal facilities have not kept pace with these developments; and if, in these circumstances, he will give Erdington a proper branch office?

I am aware of the development which has taken place in recent years in Erdington, and the postal arrangements in that area have been kept under constant review. The present-facilities compare favourably with those afforded in similar districts in Birmingham and elsewhere, but in order to meet the future needs of this locality I have already agreed to purchase a site from the Corporation for the purpose of erecting a new post office and telephone exchange.

asked the Postmaster-General what was the cost of delivering and erecting the automatic public telephone box at Bebstone, near Oke-hampton; and how many men were employed to do this work?

The total cost of delivering and erecting was £3. A foreman and four workmen were employed on the work of erection.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the supplementary agreement with the British Broadcasting Corporation in relation to the State subsidy for grand opera has now been drafted; and when the same will be laid before Parliament?

The agreement was executed on 11th June, and was laid upon the Table on the same day. Copies are now available to hon. Members.

asked the Minister of Transport how many level crossings still exist in the county of Kent; and what steps, if any, are being taken to supplant them with bridges?

I have information of 19 level crossings on classified made in the administrative county of Kent, but I am not aware of any proposals by the Kent County Council for their elimination by the construction of bridges.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the action of the traffic commissioners in stopping all motor coaches running from Wokingham to London; whether they consulted the local authorities before taking such action; and whether an appeal lodged against their action at the Ministry of Transport has yet been considered?

My right hon. Friend has received a letter from the town council of Wokingham on the subject of the refusal of the traffic commissioners to grant a road service licence to the Ledbury Transport Company in respect of a service from Reading to London via Wokingham. The Road Traffic Act provides that the commissioners when considering an application for a road service licence, shall have regard to any representations made to them by any local authority on the proposed route. No appeal has as yet been lodged with my right hon. Friend against the decision of the commissioners in this case.

asked the Minister of Transport whether any Government assistance and, if so, what has been given to the execution of any of the schemes recommended by the Chamber of Shipping for the improvement of the various smaller ports in the country; and what action in particular, if any, has been taken or is contemplated in regard to Lancaster?

Assistance under the Development (Loan Guarantees and Grants) Act, 1929, has been given to schemes of development at the following smaller ports whose needs were mentioned in the reports of the Chamber of Shipping:—Dumfries (River Nith), Padstow, Poole, Shoreham and Weymouth. The approximate estimated total cost of the schemes is £313,000. The grants made were in accordance with the Unemployment Grants Committee's Circular 29, paragraph 17, and their Circular of 5th September, 1930, copies of which I am furnishing to the hon. Member. The latest information in my possession as to Lancaster is that in November last the Port Commissioners were expecting to discuss further with the Lancaster Corporation the question of port improvements.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now satisfied with the methods and rates of relief being paid by the London public assistance authorities?

As regards rates of relief, the position remains as indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend's question of the 26th February. As regards methods, I assume that my hon. Friend has primarily in mind the administration of outdoor relief to the able-bodied. I am in communication with the council on the application of the principles of the Regulations in force in certain aspects of their administration, and I could not properly express an unqualified opinion upon a developing scheme.

asked the Minister of Health if he is now in a position to announce to the House what further steps, if any, he proposes to take to deal with the problem of rural housing?

I am not yet in a position to make any statement on this subject.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he can now state when the House may expect a further announcement with respect to building schemes in rural areas as a means of relieving unemployment?

I have been asked to reply. I regret that I am unable to give a date by which any further announcement can be made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Government propose to adopt the recommendations contained in the report of the Standing Committee on Butter (Cmd. 3878); and, if so, when an Order in Council will be made to give effect to those recommendations?

I am not yet in a position to indicate what action the Government will take upon the Butter report. No time will, however, be lost in coming to a decision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the report of the progress made under the national mark scheme by the Council of Agriculture for England and Wales, he is taking any steps to extend the scope of the original Act to other home-produced products such as butter, jam, beet sugar and beer, as they recommended?

The Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marking) Act can already be applied to butter, and my Department has in hand an investigation into the marketing of that commodity including the possibility of introducing a standardisation scheme for home-produced butter under the national mark. A Bill to extend the scope of the 1928 Act to products derived from agricultural produce is about to be introduced in another place, and, with the good will of all parties, will, I hope, be passed into law this Session.