asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department, whether his attention has been called to the absence of effective British representation at the French Colonial Exhibition; whether this was due to financial reasons; and whether he can make a statement on the subject?

Whilst His Majesty's Government were regretfully unable, on grounds of expense, to participate in the International Colonial Exhibition now being held near Paris, an inquiry bureaus was organised in the "Cité des Informations" which is an annex to the exhibition. The bureau is equipped to deal with inquiries regarding economic aspects of varying parts of the British Empire and includes in addition an information bureau organised by the Travel Association of Great Britain and Ireland, and a special exhibit designed to show the progress made in the prevention and cure of tropical disease throughout the Empire. I understand that this exhibit has attracted marked attention.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now make any further statement as to the position with regard to Portuguese discrimination against British shipping?

The matter is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of persons who were summoned to the Rent Court in Glasgow from 1st May, 1930, to 1st May, 1931; in how many cases eviction orders were granted; and the numbers who were, in receipt of unemployment benefit and public assistance benefit, respectively?

Between 1st May, 1930, and 1st May, 1931, 13,260 persons were summoned to the Rent Court and 3,279 eviction orders granted. In addition, 4,632 cases continued from previous years were re-enrolled during the same period, and in 1,028 of these eviction orders were granted. I have no information as to the proportion of cases in which the eviction order is enforced. I regret that the information asked for in the last part of the question is not available, and could not be obtained without the expenditure of a disproportionate amount of time and labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has yet called a meeting of public assistance representatives in Scotland with a view to deciding on a uniform rate of assistance for those who live in Glasgow and whose claims are paid by outside parishes?

It is presumed that the question is intended to refer to the undertaking which was given in the course of the Debate on the Department of Health Vote last year. The purpose of the meeting now suggested is quite a different one from that contained in that undertaking. The question of uniformity of rates of assistance for all poor persons resident in Glasgow and chargeable to other authorities affects many Poor Law authorities in Scotland, and it is doubtful whether a meeting of these authorities would serve any useful purpose. Within the powers available to them the Department and their general inspectors endeavour as far as possible to secure the uniformity which my hon. Friend desires. I may remind him that if any poor person in receipt of relief in Glasgow is dissatisfied with the relief given he has a right of appeal to the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is prepared to issue a general circular to public assistance committees authorising the increase of allowances to unemployed sons and daughters living with unemployed parents above the rates at present operating?

I have no power to take such a step as is suggested by my hon. Friend, as allowances paid by Poor Law authorities are matters primarily within their discretion. If, however, in any particular case the amount of relief paid is considered to be inadequate, the applicant has the right to submit a statutory complaint to the Department of Health for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the weekly cost of each child in Bellfield Sanatorium, Robroyston Sanatorium, and Mearnskirk Sanatorium?

In calculating the average cost per patient at the institutions referred to, no distinction is drawn between children and adult patients. I am informed that during the year ended 31st May, 1930, the latest period for which information is available, the average daily cost per patient was 7s. 5d. at Bell-field Sanatorium and 5s. 4d. at Robroyston Hospital. No figure of any value can be given in respect of Mearnskirk Hospital, as during the period referred to the average daily number of patients in the institution, then recently opened, was only three, and the average cost per patient for the year ended 31st May, 1931, is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the cost of three-apartment and four-apartment houses which were built in 1923 and 1924 at Sandyhills, Glasgow; the cost of the latest houses built on the same site during 1930; and the respective rents?

The costs of the three-apartment and four-apartment houses built by the Glasgow Corporation at Sandyhills in 1923 and 1924 were £439 and £553 respectively, while the costs of the houses of the corresponding types built by the corporation on the same site during 1930 were £335 and £402 respectively. The rents of the houses built in 1923 and 1924 are £27 and £35 per annum for the three-apartment and four-apartment houses respectively, and the rents of the houses built in 1930 are £28 and £35 for the three- and four-apartment houses respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the numbers of ordinary, intermediate and slum-clearance houses built in Shettleston Parliamentary Division from 1st June, 1929, to 1st June, 1931, and the number of houses closed and demolished?

The numbers of ordinary, intermediate and slum-clearance houses built by Glasgow Corporation in the Shettleston Parliamentary Division from 1st June, 1929, to 1st June, 1931, are 184, 438 and 612 respectively, and the number of houses closed and demolished during the same period is 391.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that in 1930–31 10,331 pupils left primary schools or departments unexempted; if he will state how many of these were pupils who removed to other districts and were not traced; and whether instructions will be given that in future each such pupil shall be provided with a record of attainments on leaving, which record shall be asked for by and delivered to the head master of the school to which the pupil transfers, and to ensure that all pupils leaving shall in future be traced and continuity thus given to their education?

The figure quoted by the hon. Member is the number of non-exempted pupils under 14 years of age who left school during the year 1929–30 and were not definitely known to have re-enrolled in another school. The available records do not distinguish between the children who died or emigrated and those who removed to other districts and were not traced to a particular school. I may say, however, that record cards as required by Statute are issued in all education areas to unexempted pupils who leave school before the age of 14 and, as there is no reason to suspect that such pupils escape the notice of the attendance officers in the districts to which they remove, my right hon. Friend does not think further instructions in, the matter are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that out of 42,024 primary pupils who had qualified for enrolment in an advanced division only 9,731 or about 23 per cent. obtained day-school certificates, namely, 8,849 lower, being 512 less than in the previous year, and 882 higher, being 78 more than in the previous year; and what steps are proposed to be taken to ensure a higher percentage of passes in future?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative, but I may point out that, although the net reduction in the number of certificates is only about 4 per cent., the corresponding reduction in the basic figure quoted by the hon. Member is about 9 per cent. The courses of instruction in advanced divisions are being continuously scrutinised and developed and the organisation of, and facilities for, such instruction are being improved, with the result that the percentage of certificates gained is steadily increasing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many pupils in the secondary departments, including advanced divisions, who last year sat for leaving certificates with the view of qualifying for the full university entrance examination, for which two on the higher grade and two on the lower grade are necessary; how many of these succeeded in passing with the qualifications necessary for university entrance; how many of the 3,055 pupils who obtained leaving certificates in 219 schools passed only in a group of subjects, insufficient for uni- versity entrance; and how many passed in only one subject?

As the Department have no information regarding the ultimate object which candidates at the leaving certificate examination have in view, I am unable to reply to the first and second parts of the question. The information asked for in the last part could be obtained only from an examination of the record of each of the 3,055 successful candidates. Moreover, the groups of subjects, in which passes are necessary for university entrance, is a matter that rests with the authorities of the university which it is desired to enter.