asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state what was the cost of the British delegation to the Assembly of the League of Nations in the autumn of 1928, 1929, and 1930, respectively?

The cost was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many British delegates there were to the Assembly of the League of Nations in 1928, 1929, and 1930, respectively?

The figures are as follows:

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies for what length of time the petition of Mr. C. M. Morrison, an ex-planter of Tanganyika territory, for a free pardon and compensation has now been under consideration; and by what date a decision in the matter may be expected?

The date at which the petition was received by the Acting Governor of the Territory is not known, but appears to have been early in March. The Secretary of State's decision was communicated to Mr. Morrison by letter of 16th June.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he can state the nature of the Bill which the Kenya Government is introducing to deal with the competition of motors with the railways in the Colony; and whether he can indicate the number of colonies which are protecting their railways by penalising road traffic?

The Bill has just been received in the Colonial Office and I will send a copy to the hon. Member, but the Secretary of State has no information as to the progress made with it. As I stated in reply to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Sir It. Hamilton) on 24th June, the Governor has been asked for a report. The problem of competition by road transport with Government railways has arisen in a large number of Colonies, but I must not be taken to accept the suggestion that the imposition of some charges upon road traffic is accurately described as penalising road traffic for the protection of railways

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he is aware that no accommodation is provided, other than in the corridors of the Palace of Westminster, for enabling Members to interview constituents and others requiring advice or consultation on matters of public importance; and will he consult the appropriate authorities as to the best means of securing such accommodation for Members of both Houses?

There are two rooms, numbered Y and Z in the old Crown offices, available for interviews between Members and constituents. I am afraid there is no present possibility of finding other accommodation. I am, however, of opinion that, when the present repairs are completed, some consultation should be held by means of a departmental or other committee to see whether more satisfactory arrangements can be made.

asked the First Commissioner of Works how many officials and other persons are resident in the Palace of Westminster, excluding Mr. Speaker's house, or are accommodated with sleeping apartments or special rooms?

There are at present nine official residences in occupation by officials or employés of the Houses of Parliament, excluding Mr. Speaker's. I am not able to give the number of persons occupying these residences. Six rooms are also allocated as sleeping apartments for other officials. There are, in addition, three residences temporarily vacant owing to the execution of repairs to stonework.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what is the policy of his Department in letting or hiring out Admiralty property or premises to organisations asking for accommodation for conventions, summer schools, or similar gatherings?

It is exceedingly unlikely that the Admiralty would ever have suitable accommodation available for such a purpose. I can only say that any reasonable application would be considered and dealt with on its merits.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is yet in a position to announce the arrangements contemplated under the London Passenger Transport Bill to safeguard the position of the staff and employés at present engaged and employed by the independent omnibus and coach undertakings whose position will be affected under the Bill?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Clause 56 of the Bill.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that road licences are being refused in the county of Somerset to existing omnibus services in cases where such services are without competition; and, seeing that the refusal of such licences will leave considerable districts without any regular daily means of public transport, whether he will consider issuing a statement on the subject?

Subject to the right of appeal to me under Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, the question whether a road service licence should be granted or refused is one for the Traffic Commissioner's. In exercising their discretion in this matter the commissioners are required by Section 72 of the Act to have regard to various considerations, including the extent to which the proposed service is necessary or desirable in the public interest.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the number of cases in which existing omnibus services have been refused a road service licence to date; what is the total number of appeals to the Minister to date against such refusals under Section 81 of the Road Traffic Act; how many have been disposed of; and what arrangements have been made for the hearing of such appeals?

Up to the 31st May the number of applications for road service licences, including backings, which had been refused was 154, but I am unable to say how many of these were in respect of existing omnibus services. Appeals; or notices of intention to appeal, against the refusal of road service licences or backings of all kinds have been received in 45 cases. No appeals have as yet been disposed of. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply given on 10th June to a question by the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport if he can state the present position of the controversy over the new Charing Cross bridge?

The London County Council have not yet come to any decision on the report of the advisory committee which they appointed to consider the various schemes for a bridge at Charing Cross. I understand that the council propose to discuss the matter at their next meeting on Tuesday, 7th July.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will state the number of cases in which licences have been refused to motorists affected with physical infirmities which debar them from ability to drive?

I have no information regarding the number of cases in which driving licences have been refused to persons affected with disease or physical disability.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is by Admiralty orders that the assistant painter grade has been introduced into Devonport Dockyard?

The grade of assistant painter is common to all home dockyards and has been in existence since 1923.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he proposes to continue the policy of periodically reverting skilled labourers of long service to ordinary labourers in His Majesty's dockyards, thereby causing these men to forfeit their skilled status and pay; and whether he will devise a scheme that will preserve the status and pay of men who have proved their efficiency?

It is not the policy of the Admiralty to revert skilled labourers to the grade of ordinary labourers, so long as work is available on which they can be economically employed in the higher grade. If their services are no longer required in that grade and if, as an alternative to discharge, they accept employment as ordinary labourers, they cannot be given higher status or pay than other ordinary labourers. No other system would provide such a high degree of continuity of employment, consistently with economy.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what cost-of-living figure the supplementary pensions of civil servants will be related for the quarter beginning 1st July, 1931?

That part of pension which is in respect of bonus is fixed and revised at quarterly intervals on the basis of the average cost-of-living figure for the preceding three months rounded up to the nearest multiple of five points and in accordance with this arrangement pensions payable for the quarter beginning 1st July, 1931, will be related to a cost-of-living figure of 50. As I have already stated to the House, the whole question of bonus will be reviewed at an early date in the light of such recommendations as may be submitted on the subject by the Royal Commission on the Civil Service. If any change were to be made in the existing arrangements, it would apply equally to pensioners and serving civil servants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the existing Land Tax will be taken into consideration in the valuation for land value duty, whether it has been redeemed or not?

In cases where Land Tax has not been redeemed the valuation will be made on the footing that a hypothetical purchaser of the fee simple would be liable to pay any such tax.

asked the Minister of Health whether, seeing that successive Ministers of Health since 1919 have urged that children should be removed from the Huntingdon Poor Law institution, any steps have been taken by the local authority to accommodate them elsewhere?

I take a serious view of the lack of proper provision for children in Huntingdonshire. I had hoped that suitable premises for a children's home would have been found by the county council, but the only proposal submitted to me is one to adapt a portion of an existing workhouse, which I am advised would provide a most undesirable environment for the children. I have so informed the county council and have urged them to make further efforts to find or provide suitable premises quite apart from any institution for the adult poor. I trust that the council will take steps in this direction at an early date.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that casuals at Huntingdon Poor Law institution sleep on the floor; and, seeing that this is contrary to the regulations of the Ministry, what steps does he propose to take in the near future to insist upon conformity with the regulations?

In the women's ward and in two smaller dormitories for men in the casual wards of this institution beds are already installed, and I am informed that the county council are now arranging for beds to be supplied for the remaining men's dormitory.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the inadequate sleeping accommodation at the St. Ives Poor Law institution for casuals in Huntingdonshire; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this condition?

I am aware that these casual wards are at times overcrowded and that they are unsatisfactory in several other respects. The remedy may, however, be found in the provision of improved and increased accommodation at the neighbouring wards at Huntingdon, which are only five miles away.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that at the St. Ives Poor Law institution in Huntingdonshire inmates have to go out into the open in all weathers and up stone stairways and along balconies exposed to the weather in order to get to their bedrooms, which are not heated in cold weather; and what steps does be propose to take to improve these conditions?

I am aware of the unsatisfactory conditions at this institution. The proper solution will depend on the future use of the institution, which is at present doubtful. I am, however, asking for the county council's observations on the subject of the hon. Member's question.