asked the Minister of Labour how many persons there are at present who come within the provisions of the unemployment insurance scheme; and what the number would be if all wage-earners receiving less than £250 a year were included?

It is estimated that at 1st July, 1930, the latest date for which figures are available, there were approximately 12,138,000 persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain. Precise figures are not available with regard to the total number of persons in Great Britain receiving wages or salaries of less than £250 a year, but on such information as is available it may be estimated that if all such workers were included, the number insured would be approximately 17,000,000. This figure would include employed persons of both sexes under 16 and over 65 years of age who are now outside the scheme.

Is any scheme under consideration to make unemployment insurance more comprehensive so as to include all salaried workers?

That has been under the consideration of the Royal Commission.

Do the figures include such excepted workers as railway workers?

It includes all salaried persons so far as we are aware.

Is "wage-earner" distinct from "salary-earner"?

The figures include any person receiving wages or salaries, as far as we are able to tell.

asked the Minister of Labour the approximate number of persons in each of the classes of anomalies mentioned in the interim report of the Royal Commission on Unemployment?

I regret that the data available do not enable me to give the number of individuals that would be concerned.

asked the Minister of Labour when it is proposed to deal with the case of workers who, at 65 years of age, cease to be eligible for unemployment insurance and who, if their wives are not yet 65 years, have their income reduced from 24s. to 10s.?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. R. A. Taylor) on 11th June, of which I am sending her a copy.

Can the right hon. Lady tell us when we can get the further information such as was given to the hon. Member, as some of us are very anxious to have it?

I am sorry that I cannot add anything to the answer I have given.

Does the Minister consider that Unemployment benefit can be regarded as an income for workers under 65 years of age?

Was it not Conservative legislation that robbed these people of their unemployment benefits?

asked the Minister of Labour if her attention has been called to the refusal of the Governments of the United States of America and France to allow a British band to perform in their respective countries; and if she will refuse permits for bands from the United States of America and France to perform in the United Kingdom in view of the number of unemployed musicians in this country?

The entry of dance-bands for employment in this country is strictly regulated, and the restrictions imposed by the French Government are, I believe, similar to those in force here. The restrictions in the United States are not due, so far as I am aware, to Government action.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that a large number of foreign musicians are performing in this country, and will she undertake to give the same protection to British musicians as the musicians of France and the United States receive from their Governments?

The hon. and gallant Member is mistaken in saying that there is a large number in this country. I can assure him that the greatest possible care is taken in granting permits.

When the right hon. Lady says that it is not due to Government action that a musician is not permitted to enter the United States, will she say in what way prohibition is effected?

It is effected by the organised workers of the United States.

When permission is granted to musicians coming into this country, is it not granted only to specialists?

Yes, there must be some very special reason.

Does not the right hon. Lady consider this chivvying of musicians rather ridiculous?

asked the Minister of Labour if there are any relief schemes from the Dundee area at present under consideration by the Unemployment Grants Committee; and, if so, what is the nature of the schemes, as well as the cost and the number of persons estimated to secure employment?

The Unemployment Grants Committee have at present under consideration an application from the Dundee Harbour Trust for grant from Exchequer Funds in aid of the cost of the provision of a single screw steam tug, estimated to cost £16,000, equivalent to 600 man months of employment.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in Forfarshire who are engaged in work in connection with State-aided schemes in that area; and whether any outside labour is being employed?

The latest returns show 546 persons as directly employed on 29th May in connection with State-aided schemes in Forfarshire. No transferred labour is employed on these schemes.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the number of persons at present employed on schemes of work paid for, or approved, and subsidised by the Government, distinguishing the numbers of those employed on schemes financed out of the Road Fund and those paid for otherwise?

As stated in the reply on the 29th June to the right hon. Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood), the number of persons estimated to be employed directly and indirectly at 29th May on State-aided schemes was 245,000. Of this number some 84,000 can be attributed to schemes financed out of the Road Fund and approximately 161,000 to other schemes.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of claims for unemployment benefit made and the number disallowed since 1st May, 1930, by the court of referees in Dundee?

During the period 13th May, 1930, to 8th June, 1931, 145,633 claims to benefit were made at the Employment Exchanges from which claims to benefit are referred to the Dundee court of referees. During the same period the total number of claims considered by the court of referees was 5,069, of which 3,896 were disallowed. These figures relate to claims and not to separate individuals.

asked the Minister of Labour what proportion of the persons now in receipt of unemployment insurance or transitional benefit have been in continuous receipt of benefit for three

asked the Minister of Labour the names of the chairmen of the Courts of Referees who sit at Dumbarton and Clydebank Employment Exchanges, and the amounts of fees drawn from 1st June, 1930, to 1st June, 1931?

asked the Minister of Labour the names of the chairmen of Courts of Referees in the county of Durham, and the amounts paid for their services from January to December, 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930, respectively?

asked the Minister of Labour the names of the chairmen of Courts of Referees in all Employment Exchanges in Glasgow, and the amounts of money drawn at each Employment Exchange from 1st June, 1930, to 1st June, 1931, by each person as chairman?

These questions ask for details of the sums paid to chairmen of Courts of Referees. I have previously replied to similar questions in one or two cases, but these further questions involve a good deal more detail

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is not the right hon. Lady aware of the fact that she gave the amounts and figures for Glasgow for Parkhead and for Bridgeton Employment Exchanges? I do not see why there should be any more difficulty in giving the same information now asked for in regard to Dumbarton.

That is a reply to the right hon. Lady's answer. If the hon. Member wants to ask a question he can do so, but he must not make a statement.

Is the right hon. Lady aware that she gave these figures for Bridgeton and Parkhead?

I have said that I have previously replied to similar questions in one or two cases, and if we are going to have a lot of questions all along the line, I should prefer, if it is really desired, to give this information collectively.

When the right hon. Lady proposes to give the name of these chairmen of courts of referees and the amounts they receive, will she also consider the question of reducing the amount that is paid?

That question does not arise out of the answer.

I should like to ask a definite question as to whether the right hon. Lady means that she is going to give the information in a White Paper?

I have said that I will give it, if there is a general desire.

I have asked a question with regard to Glasgow, and I desire that information for a certain purpose; I want to know if it is the intention of the right hon. Lady to give that information? She is evading the question.

I must ask the hon. Member to wait and see.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of women members of courts of referees in the United Kingdom and Scotland, respectively?

The number of women members of courts of referees panels in Great Britain is 3,896, of whom 499 are in Scotland.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in all situations in boarding houses at the seaside dealt with by her officers, they make any inquiry from the prospective employer as to wages and hours?

Employers are asked to give as full details as possible of the conditions of employment offered. Wages are always stated, but as my hon. Friend knows, the hours vary according to the circumstances of each establishment at different periods of the season. The Department make every effort to obtain particulars, and, in my opinion, it is most important that information as to hours should be given, when the vacancy is notified to the Exchange.

Would it not be simpler if a suitable form were sent out from the Employment Exchange on which there was a space for a statement as to wages and hours?

I am considering what improvements can be made.

Will the right hon. Lady also consider asking for particulars of the living and sleeping accommodation? In some cases they sleep three and four in a room.

asked the Minister of Labour the conditions laid down by her in 1929 as to grants given to local authorities because of unemployment in regard to material being of United Kingdom manufacture and, as far as practicable, of United Kingdom origin; and whether she is satisfied that these conditions are being strictly adhered to by local authorities?

The conditions under which grants to local authorities are recommended by the Unemployment Grants Committee have, since December, 1929, contained the following paragraph relating to the use of materials for grant-aided schemes:

"All materials which are required for assisted works shall, so far as practicable, be of United Kingdom origin and all manufactured articles shall be of United Kingdom manufacture, subject however to such exceptions as the Committee may find to be necessary or desirable in any particular case, having regard to all the circumstances, including the comparative price of British and foreign articles."

Are the Ministry of Labour keeping a very strict watch on the local authorities in regard to these matters?

I understand the Unemployment Grants Committee are.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any estimate of the number of agricultural workers at present unemployed in England and Wales?

I regret that no statistics are available on which I could make such an estimate as to present unemployment, although the reports we received from our county staffs indicated that, particularly in some arable areas, there was a considerable volume of unemployment during the past winter.

Does this same report show that there is a great reduction during the summer?

No. So far as our information goes, employment during the summer appears to be about normal.

Docs it not show that the demand of over 200 of my hon. Friends that this question should be grappled with now is one of which notice should be taken?

Will the Government take some steps to have a proper and accurate record kept of this class of employment?

We do obtain such records as we have power to obtain.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether, in view of the approaching Disarmament Conference, he will consider issuing, for use in schools, a suitable booklet on this subject?

Instruction is already given in schools in the work of the League of Nations, but I do not think it would be advisable to issue a booklet dealing with one particular aspect of its work such as disarmament.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is a most important aspect of the League of Nations' work, and could not the opportunity be taken of the present Disarmament Conference to use the schools as a great instrument for educational propaganda? It is not necessarily pacifist.

I think it would be very dangerous to use the schools for propaganda. It is quite contrary to our whole educational system to take one event and issue a whole series of syllabuses and text-books upon it.

Cannot we have a balance in this matter? Instead of teaching the children all about 1066, teach them about how to avoid battles.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of special schools for mentally defective children which have been opened during the years 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930, respectively?

The numbers of special schools for mentally defective children open during the years in question were five in 1926, four in 1927, none in 1928, four in 1929 and one in 1930.

Having regard to the fact that there are 105,000 mentally- defective children in this country, and only 16,000 of them are in schools for mentally-defective children, is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied with the progress that local authorities are making?

I realise the difficulties in which the local authorities find themselves.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he can yet announce the intentions of the Board with regard to taking action upon the report of the Wood Committee?

The more important recommendations of the committee involve legislation and are closely connected with the proposal for raising the school-leaving age; and it is not practicable to give any useful decision on them at the present time.

Will the President of the Board of Education tell me whether there is any connection between the reply which he gave to the preceding question and this one?

I think so.

Does the right hon. Gentleman's Department realise that these mentally-defective children are a burden on the elementary schools, and will be a future burden upon the community unless the right hon. Gentleman takes some steps to deal with them?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether his attention has been drawn to the action of Basingstoke Town Council in taking a playing field which has been set aside for children for 40 years for the erection of a car park; whether he is aware that the ground is opposite the main entrance of a large mixed school, and that 350 elementary school boys use the ground for drill and organised games; and whether, in view of the danger which will be occasioned by the traffic, he is prepared to take some action in the matter?

I have not received any representations in regard to the proposal of the Basingstoke Town Council to use a piece of land facing the Fair-fields School for a car park, but I have seen an account of it in the Press. I understand that the piece of land in question could only be appropriated for use as a car park with the consent of the Minister of Health, but that no application for his consent has been received.

asked the President of the Board of Education on what principle assistants appointed under Rules 56 are assigned or refused to the secondary schools in receipt of grant which make application for their services?

In the great majority of cases in which applications have been received from grant-earning schools for the appointment of French or German assistants for the coming year, it has been possible to grant the application. No rules are laid down for deciding in what cases applications shall be approved, but all the relevant circumstances are taken into account.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) how many French assistants, giving men and women separately, were employed under Rules 56 of the Board of Education in the years 1928–29, 1929–30, and 1930–31; and the corresponding numbers it is proposed to employ in 1931–32;

As the answers involve a number of figures, I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities in England and Wales who are, at present, erecting houses by direct labour; and the number of houses which have been altogether erected by direct labour during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date?

At the latest available date, 118 local authorities were erecting houses by direct labour, and during the 12 months ended 31st March last, 5,248 houses were erected by this means.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the medical officer of health for Leyton states in his report for 1930 that 1,237 cases of overcrowding were found in the borough and that overcrowding is now more acute than at the time of the housing shortage in 1921; and whether, in view of the fact that the land in the borough is built on practically to a maxi mum and its citizens, being outside the London County Council area, are not able to secure houses on the London County Council estates, he is prepared, as a part of a national scheme, to facilitate the building of housing estates open to all persons who are in need of accommodation?

I am aware of the conditions in this borough to which my hon. Friend refers. The question of the preparation of an adequate programme under Section 25 of the Housing Act, 1930, has been the subject of discussion and correspondence with the borough council, and the attention of the council has been called to Section 48 of that Act which provides facilities for co-operation between the London County Council and the councils of districts near London, in the provision of houses. I understand that the council have several new schemes for the erection of houses under consideration and that specific proposals will shortly be submitted.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is satisfied that local authorities are acting in conformity with Circular No. 569 of 24th March, 1925, which recommends that when there is no alternative to purchasing material from abroad the local authorities should keep in mind preference for goods and materials of Imperial origin; and whether this has been or is being done in connection with timber and joinery used in housing schemes?

I have no reason to believe that local authorities generally are not acting in conformity with the advice which has been given to them on this subject.

How does the Minister of Health account for the fact that 600,000 Russian doors are being imported this year into this country, and could not the material be ordered from the Empire or from this country?

I have no knowledge that those doors are being used on publicly assisted houses.

In view of the frequent changes in the personnel of local authorities, would the right hon. Gentleman consider re-issuing this circular as a reminder?

It is constantly being brought before the notice of local authorities, but to require them to buy British or Empire doors would necessitate legislation.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, owing to the recent destruction of some slum houses in Westminster which belonged to the London County Council, a plague of vermin, notably of the species Acanthia lectularia, has invaded certain streets within the borough; and whether he will take steps to see that the municipal authorities disinfect the houses attacked by this pest, seeing that the insects in question are well-known carriers of infection of certain diseases?

I was not previously aware of the facts stated in the first part of the question. I have no power to give directions to the local authorities in this matter, but I will communicate with them and inform the hon. Member of the result.

Does the right hon. Gentleman know that the female of this enterprising insect lays eggs four times a year, 50 at a time, and that the eradication of a pest of that sort exceeds the powers of the dwellers in most private houses; and will he call the attention of the Westminster municipal authorities to the fact that the Chelsea municipal authorities undertake the extirpation of this enterprising insect, and ask them if they will follow the example of Chelsea?

I will certainly do my best to bring this interesting information to their notice.

Has the pest spread to this House?

Is this the same kind of pest which was found recently in imported Russian butter?

Can the Minister give us the English name of this insect?

I am afraid it has not got one.

Russian!

asked the Minister of Health the average cost, size, and rent, and what subsidy, both State and local, was paid in respect to houses built by local authorities in the rural districts of Somerset under the 1923 and 1924 Acts for the last available year?

The last year for which figures are available is the year 1930. In that year no subsidies were available under the Act of 1923. The average cost and size of houses built by rural district councils in Somerset in the year were £389 and 794 superficial feet respectively. The rate of State subsidy was in agricultural parishes £11 and in other parishes £7 10s. per annum for 40 years. I regret that the other particulars mentioned are not available.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built in the rural districts of Somerset under the 1923 and 1924 Acts for the past 10 years, respectively, together with the areas in which they were built?

As the reply involves a tabular statement I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated needs of working-class houses in the rural districts of Somerset; and whether the various local authorities have submitted schemes designed to meet that need?

The only available information is contained in a Return recently made to me by the county council on the basis of information supplied by the several rural district councils. According to that return (which is still under examination by the county council) there is a need of nearly 1,400 houses. The councils of the districts concerned are generally proceeding with the provision of houses, and in all cases have the matter under their active consideration.

asked the Minister of Health if he will issue a general circular to local authorities calling attention to the use which might be made of the provisions of the Housing (Rural Workers) Act to preserve cottages of outstanding architectural merit in their areas, and suggesting to them the desirability of seeking the co-operation of the Council for the Preservation of Rural England and local archaeological societies, so as to ensure that no such cottages shall be allowed to be destroyed or spoilt without the facilities for reconditioning available under the Act being brought to the notice of the owners?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of a circular letter which has already been issued on this subject, and to which I propose to draw the attention of local authorities when the Housing (Rural Workers) Act Amendment Bill of this year has become law.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the new proposals in relation to rural housing have been submitted to the Economy Committee?

The rural housing proposals have not been specifically referred to the Economy Committee. It is, of course, for the committee itself to determine the direction of its inquiry within its terms of reference. Those terms are sufficiently wide to allow of this question being taken into consideration.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it would be wise, in view of the fact that he set up this committee, to refer such a matter as this to it, in order that, when the House comes to consider it, we shall have their observations, if any, on the matter?

No, I do not think it would be a wise thing at all. I am prepared to trust the Economy Committee to carry out their work in full under the terms of reference.

Does the right hon. Gentleman still hold the opinion about the Economy Committee that he originally announced, that he could write their report himself before they sat?

asked the Minister of Health whether he has read the report by Sir Walter Kinnear, the Controller of the National Health Insurance Department, which states that a recent investigation showed that 12 persons out of 100 were drawing sickness benefit when they were capable of returning to work; and whether he proposes to take any steps to rectify this state of affairs?

I am aware of the statement referred to, which was to the effect that out of a large and representative group of insured persons who were in receipt of sickness or disablement benefit on a certain day, and whose title to benefit was made the subject of special investigation, it was found that 12 per cent. were capable of work, and consequently not entitled to benefit. I have already addressed circulars to all approved societies and to all insurance medical practitioners on the steps to be taken to avoid payment of benefit to persons not entitled thereto, and I would also refer the Noble Lord to the reply which I gave to the right hon. Member for West Woolwich (Sir K. Wood) on 18th June.

asked the Minister of Health if he will bring in an amending Bill to make provision for payment of members of town councils for loss of time, in view of the fact that it has become a full-time job?

I regret that I cannot undertake to introduce further legislation at the present time.

In view of the fact that members of local county councils are paid, and town councillors are not, will not the right hon. Gentleman consider bringing in an amending Bill giving this power to town councils?

I think my hon. Friend must realise that at this stage further legislation is impossible.

Is it not the fact that members of county councils are only paid travelling expenses?

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons who, since June, 1929, have been refused their application for a widows' pension?

67,049 applications for widows' pensions have been rejected since 1st June, 1929.

Does the right hon. Gentleman desire to withdraw any statements that he has made on this subject?

None whatever.

In view of the interest of the Opposition in an important matter of this description, is the Minister prepared to work on the lines of an agreed Bill, to be presented to Parliament, to dispense with these anomalies?