asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has' been called to the fact that the spread of insects is attaining increasing proportions, with probable serious bacteriological results to the public; and whether he will give any information in the possession of his Department on this subject?

I am advised that the seasonal conditions of the present year, taken with those of last winter, have in general resulted in an unusual abundance of mosquitos of the sylvan species. No specific information regarding the increase of other insects has been brought to the notice of my Department, nor any evidence of new or exceptional danger to health from insect prevalence.

asked the Minister of Health the number of cases of maternal mortality that occurred in nursing homes in 1930 and during the first six months of 1931 in Essex, Middlesex, and Kent, respectively?

Separate figures for nursing homes are not available, but, according to the returns furnished by medical officers of health, the numbers of maternal deaths which occurred during 1930 in all institutions, including nursing homes, situated in Essex, Middlesex and Kent, were 68, 53 and 34, respectively. No corresponding figures are available for the first six months of 1931.

asked the Minister of Health the number of reception hospitals that now exist and that have been opened during the last 12 months in connection with public mental hospitals, and the total number of beds available in both cases?

Admission hospitals have been provided or are under construction at about a quarter of the public mental hospitals. Complete statistics on the other points raised in the question are not at present available, but I will make inquiry and communicate further with my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that, in view of the recent growth of the population of Dagenham and the development of the Ford motor works in that district, an extension of the local sewage works is necessary; and whether, seeing that the existing sewage arrangements are in danger of breaking down and in view of the ensuing risk to the health of the local inhabitants, he will take steps to arrange for a local inquiry to be held at the earliest opportunity to consider the proposals of the Dagenham Urban District Council for dealing with the matter?

I am aware of the position. A scheme for improving and extending the sewage disposal works has been submitted by the local council, and I have arranged for a public inquiry into the scheme to be held during the week ending 8th August.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the value of a new serum for preventing puerperal fever in the case of confinements; whether he intends to appoint a commission of inquiry; and whether any tests in this anti-toxin have been made in the public institutions in this country and, if so, with what results?

I understand that the serum to which the hon. Member presumably refers has been and is being used for the treatment of patients in this country, but it is not yet possible to arrive at any definite conclusions as to its value. A considerable amount of re- search into the causes and treatment of puerperal fever is being undertaken, and is being carefully watched and assisted by the Medical Research Council and by my Department. I do not consider, therefore, that there is any necessity for the appointment of a special commission of inquiry into this subject.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the variety in the standards of out-relief of public assistance committees, he will consider the advisability of inquiring into and the setting up of a minimum subsistence scale on the lines of the Charles Booth inquiry?

I will very carefully consider my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Health in how many cases he has exercised the default powers under the Housing Act, 1930?

There has as yet been no such case. The hon. Member will remember that this Act is less than a twelve-month old.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been called to the mixture of factories and residences on the Great West bypass road; and whether this has been approved by any town-planning organisation?

This matter is one primarily for the local authorities concerned. In their preliminary town planning proposals the frontage lands within the Brentford and Chiswick district are allocated mainly for industrial, shopping and business purposes, and those to the west of that district mainly for residential purposes, other buildings being allowed in each case with the consent of the local authority, or the Minister on appeal.

asked the Minister of Health what is the average amount calculated by local authorities for all the charges, except interest on capital, on a typical A 3 house; whether he will give a number of typical instances, including Manchester, London, and some rural districts; and whether he is aware of instances where the costs are substantially lower than the amount so calculated?

I understand that in the majority of cases (including the London County Council) local authorities in calculating the rent to be charged under the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, estimate an allowance of 30 per cent. of the rent to cover repairs, supervision, voids, insurance, etc. In some cases a lower percentage is taken. Information is not available as to the average amount in respect of particular types of houses, nor in the case of particular local authorities. The allowance is an average one, estimated over the life of the houses. The actual cost of repairs is normally lower than the annual provision during the earlier years, but greater in later years after the houses have been subject to wear and tear.

asked the Minister of Health the counties in which the supply of rural houses is regarded as inadequate, giving in each case any estimate which his Department may have regarding the number of such houses needed?

I regret that I have no complete information on the subject, nor any sufficient data on which to base reliable estimates, but the returns which I have received indicate that there are few, if any, counties in England and Wales in which no need of the kind exists.

asked the Minister of Health how many rural districts there are where the estimated product of a penny rate for the present financial year does not exceed fivepence per head of the population; and how many rural districts there are where the poundage of the general rate levied for the year 1930 exceeds ten shillings?

The rural districts in question number 524 and 378 respectively.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether the new office building for His Majesty's Inspectors of Taxes and staff at Newport, Isle of Wight, is yet ready for occupation; and when it is proposed to effect the transfer to the new office?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative; as regards the second part, it is anticipated that His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes and his staff will be transferred to the new office by the end of August.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the increase in the number of civil servants employed on 1st July, 1931, as compared with the number employed on 1st June, 1929; and whether he can give any reason for such increase?

The hon. Member will find the information he requires in the statements rendered quarterly to the House showing the civil staffs employed in Government Departments. The return for 1st July is not yet available, but I am sending him a copy of the return for 1st April last, Command Paper 3898 of 1931.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is now in a position to indicate what action the Government of India proposes to take with regard to the speeches of Mr. Nehru advocating the establishment of a peasant republic in India?

The authorities in India, with full information before them, are in the best position to judge whether or not a particular speech is of such nature as to call for action.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the recent cases of complaints against the police, he will consider ordering a public inquiry into the whole question of bribery and intimidation by police officers?

No, Sir. It is necessary that these matters should be investigated according to the proper disciplinary procedure.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is in a position to make any further statement as to the charges of bribery which are now being investigated in the Metropolitan Police Force; whether any further suspensions have occurred; and how soon it is expected that the investigations will be completed?

I am not yet in a position to make any further statement on this matter except to say that two of the officers concerned have been before a discipline board which recommended their dismissal, and have since appealed to the Commissioner, who has dismissed their appeal. The investigation of the other cases is proceeding as rapidly as possible, but I understand from the Commissioner that it may be some time before the whole matter is cleared up; there have been no further suspensions up to the present.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he will give the following particulars, for the year ended 31st March, 1931, with regard to pensions paid under the Old Ago Pensions Acts, 1908 to 1924, namely: the total amount of pensions paid; the cost of administration; the total number of pensions in force, men and women separately; the numbers at 10s., 9s., 8s., 7s., 6s., 5s., 4s., 3s., 2s., and 1s.; the number of applications for pensions; the number of applications rejected, giving the various causes of rejection, i.e., age, poor relief, means, and other causes; the number of pensioners whose death notice has reached pension officers; the number of paupers over 70 years of age in England, Scotland, and Wales in institutions, with an average cost per bead per annum; the number of persons over 70 years of age in receipt of out- door relief, with an average cost per head per annum, men and women separately in both cases; the number of old age pensioners in receipt of outdoor relief and institutional relief, respectively, and the total amount so expended; the number of old age pensions paid to persons over 70 years of age under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act, i.e., without means test, men and women separately; cost per head per week of a convict in penal servitude and the prisoner in local prisons; how many persons over 70 years of age are in prison

The particulars desired by the hon. Member, so far as they are available, are as follow:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that in the greater part of West Middlesex assessments of property for Schedue A are considerably higher than the assessments of such properties for rating purposes; and whether it is upon his instructions that the assessors of taxes in the area are attempting further to raise the Schedule A assessments?

Under the provisions of the Income Tax Acts the annual value of property for Schedule A under the revaluation now proceeding is required to be based on the rent at which a property is let, or is worth to be let, by the year. There may, of course, be variations in individual cases between the annual values so determined by reference to rents and the annual values adopted for rating purposes, but I am not aware that there is any general dissatisfaction with the revaluations being made in West Middlesex.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, at any time during the lifetime of the present Parliament, the Treasury have been requested by the Bank of England to sanction an increase in the fiduciary note issue in accordance with the provisions of the Currency and Bank Notes Act, 1928?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet received the considered views of the railway companies in regard to the recommendations of the report on main-line electrification; whether those views are favourable to the scheme; and whether he is prepared to publish them?

I am not yet in a position to add to the answer which I gave on 1st July to the question on this subject asked by the hon. Member for Central Southwark (Mr. Day).

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the loss of child life which has taken place in the Rutherglen Road district of Glasgow due to the excessive speed of motor omnibuses and the number that are allowed to ply for passengers on this road; and if he intends to take action to restrict the speed and the number of such omnibuses, following on complaints which he has received?

I have received no representations on this subject other than those sent to me by the hon. Member, to which I have replied by letter. The maximum speed at which motor omnibuses may travel is governed by law, and, apart from any maximum limit, it is an offence, with which the police have power to deal, to drive any vehicle at a speed which is dangerous to the public. The number of stage and express carriages which may be operated on any particular route is a matter for the Traffic Commissioners, subject to the right of appeal to me conferred by the Road Traffic Act, 1930.

asked the President of the Board of Education the total number of children under instruction in schools for the mentally defective; whether any of these schools are non-provided; what proportion of the local education authorities provide special schools for mentally defective children; up to what age is the attendance of the children admitted to such schools compulsory; if statistics are available distinguishing between retarded children and children afflicted with known mental diseases; and if information is available with regard to the after-careers of those who have attended schools for the mentally defective?

On 31st March, 1930, there were 15,500 children under instruction in special schools for the mentally defective. Nine of these schools are non-provided. Twenty-seven per cent. of the local authorities in England and Wales provide such special schools. Attendance is compulsory up to the age of 16. Statistics are available showing the numbers of children certified as suitable for education in special schools for the mentally defective. These are children who suffer from a severe degree of retardation, or incomplete development of the mind. There are no separate statistics in regard to children suffering from "known mental diseases," unless severe retardation itself is so regarded, but they are very few in number and usually fall outside the scope of the educational system. Records of after-careers are kept as far as possible by the local education authorities and voluntary bodies which maintain special schools.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many fee-paying scholars there were in rate-supported secondary schools in England in 1913–14, 1918–19, 1924–25, and the last two years for which figures are available, and the total amount paid in fees for each year for which figures are given?

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Minister of Labour how many women have been offered domestic service at the seaside through the Willenhall Employment Exchange during the present year; how many have been sent; how many have returned owing to unsatisfactory conditions; and whether any difference is made between married and single women?

During the present year, 159 women from the Willenhall Employment Exchange have been offered domestic employment at the seaside, and 30 of these were placed. Five of the 30 women have returned home. In one case I do not yet know the reason, and in three of the remaining four there were allegations that the conditions were unsatisfactory, or that the situation was not suitable. Married women are not normally offered resident domestic service away from home.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when his report on the May meeting of the Council of the League of Nations will be presented to Parliament?

This report was presented to Parliament on Friday last.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that there is a shortage of labour in connection with certain current seasonable crops; whether reports have reached his Department to this effect; and in connection with what crops this has been so?

Although statements have been made that there are shortages in connection with such crops as peas, fruit and hay, they appear to relate to isolated instances of temporary uncertainty as to the availability of local labour, and there appears to be no real shortage of labour for seasonal work.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of the shortage of labour for fruit-picking in Essex; and what steps the Government are taking to encourage unemployed men and women to engage in this work?

There does not appear to be any shortage of labour for fruit picking in Essex, and consequently the second part of the question does not arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the acreage in 1875 and in 1930 of agricultural holdings in England and Wales devoted to arable land, permanent grass for hay and not for hay, respectively, to rough grazing, wheat, barley, oats, mixed corn, rye, beans, peas, potatoes, turnips, swedes, mangolds, sugar-beet, small fruit, and orchards, and for the same years and countries the total number of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs; and the total number of poultry on

The following tables give the information desired.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can form any estimte of the total imports from foreign countries of fresh cherries, of fresh plums, and of fresh pears into Great Britain in 1930; whether he can state, in respect of each commodity,

The following statements show:

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many sub-inspectors and other officials were employed under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act in May, 1929; how many are employed to-day; and the salaries and expenses in each case?

No sub-inspectors were employed in May, 1929, nor are they employed at the present time under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act. Particulars of the number of inspectors so employed and of their salaries and expenses were given in my reply to the question of the Noble Marquess on 8th July. The number of other officials engaged solely on the work of administration of the Act was 38 in May, 1929, and is now 43. In May, 1929, their annual salaries and expenses were £10,669, and now total £12,169.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the percentage drop in agricultural price levels in the past two years, and the percentage drop in the rent of agricultural land during the same period?

The general index number of the prices of agricultural produce as calculated by the Ministry for the month of June, 1931, shows a fall of 12 per cent., as compared with the corresponding month in 1929. The Ministry is not in possession of information as to the changes which have taken place in rents of agricultural land generally during the past two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, for the years 192", 1929 and 1930, the average price per pound for English bullocks and heifers at Birmingham, Leeds, London and Manchester; the average price per hundredweight of British wheat, British feeding barley and white English oats at Bristol, Hull, Liverpool and London; the average price per hundredweight of first quality English Cheddar (dairy and factory) cheese, and of first quality English Cheshire (graded and ungraded) cheese; and the average price per pound of first quality and second quality, respectively, of dairy fresh butter at the following markets: Ashford, Bridgwater, Chelmsford, Don-caster, Dorchester, Exeter, Hereford, Ipswich, Norwich, Oswestry, Salisbury, Skipton, Swindon, Truro, Lincoln, Derby, York, Shrewsbury and Carlisle?

The following tables give the annual average prices for the years 1928, 1929, and 1930 in respect of English bullocks and heifers, British wheat, feeding barley, English white oats, English Cheddar and Cheshire cheese, and dairy butter at certain specified markets:

asked the Secretary of State for War the expenditure incurred by his Department on surgical instruments and appliances during the last financial year, or the latest year for which such information is available, and how much of this expenditure is in respect of purchases of foreign instruments; and whether he is prepared to give instructions that British-made instruments are to be purchased whenever they can be obtained in this country at a competitive price and of a comparable quality?

The latest year for which complete information can be given is the year ended 31st March, 1930. During that year, £4,428 6s. was spent on the purchase of surgical instruments and appliances, and this total included £18 7s. 6d. in respect of foreign equipment. It is the policy of the Department to buy British-made instruments whenever a suitable quality can be obtained at a competitive price.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the expenditure incurred by his Department on surgical instruments and appliances during the last financial year, or the latest year for which such information is available, and how much of this expenditure is in respect of purchases of foreign instruments; and whether he is prepared to give instructions that British-made instruments are to be purchased whenever they can be obtained in this country at a competitive price and of a comparable quality?

The sum expended by the Admiralty on surgical instruments and appliances during the financial year 1930 was £4,400, of which less than £60 was in respect of purchases of foreign instruments. The policy advocated in the second part of the question is that already followed by the Admiralty.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can make any further statement as to the proposal for an Austro-German Customs Union?

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to a similar question addressed to my right hon. Friend yesterday by my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs when the case concerning the proposed Austro-German protocol for a customs union is likely to be heard by the Permanent Court of International Justice; and what parties are being represented thereat?

As I stated yesterday in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Cocks), the Permanent Court is meeting on Monday next to consider this case. The Austrian, Czechoslovak, French, German and Italian Governments have announced that they will file written statements and that their representatives will make oral statements.