asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the amount allowed for rations for apprentice clerks in the Royal Air Force when such clerks are taking their annual leave?

The value of the cash allowance in lieu of rations, to which apprentice clerks are entitled during periods of annual leave, is at present 9d. per day.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the amount of meat allowed per day for apprentice clerks of the Royal Air Force; and whether British meat is used for this purpose?

The amount of meat allowed for an apprentice clerk of the Royal Air Force is 12 ounces per day. Practically all this meat, which is supplied under contracts made by the War Office, is of Dominion origin.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of typewriters used at the Central Record Office, Ruislip, and the proportion which are of foreign manufacture, and the age of such typewriters?

The number of typewriters in use at the Record Office, Ruislip, is 138, of which 92 are used for instructional purposes. Approximately 95 per cent. of these machines are of foreign manufacture, and their average age is 13 years and 10 months. These machines were purchased during the War when British machines were not obtainable. I understand that the present policy of the Stationery Office, who supply and maintain the typewriters used by the Air Ministry, is to purchase only British machines, except in the few cases where a special type of machine is required which is not made in this country.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether service pensions are assigned in cases of bankruptcy to a trustee or other person acting on behalf of the creditor?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to Section 51, Sub-section (2) of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, seeing that the cost of living is the same for all employés serving in the Bermuda Dockyard under agreement and that the men buy their commodities from the same stores, he will arrange for all employés, including tradesmen, serving at this dockyard to be included in the recent additional rise in the Colonial allowance?

The allowances of the agreement workmen at Bermuda have been reviewed in the light of the extra expenses which they have necessarily to incur on account of service at that dockyard, and an increase in their allowances has been granted as a result of the review.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether any Civil Service dockyard storehousemen are employed in His Majesty's ships; if so, under what Vote they are paid; and whether these appointments are of a permanent or temporary nature?

Civil Service dockyard storehousemen are employed as Assistant Inspecting Officers for short periods in His Majesty's ships. They are paid under Vote 8. The appointments are of a permanent nature.

asked the Minister of Health what progress he has made in laying out and building satellite towns as an aid to relieving unemployment?

My right hon. Friend has no powers to lay out and build satellite towns.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the desirability of setting up an inquiry, on the lines of the Commission of Health of New York upon City Noise, into the injury done to public health by constant loud noises such as rivetting, pneumatic drills, motor horns and steam whistles?

My right hon. Friend understands that the general question of the effects of noise and vibration is still under investigation by the Industrial Health Research Board, and he does not therefore see the necessity for a special inquiry on the lines suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider the desirability of taking the necessary action to control the vibration, fumes, or noise of certain steam-driven vehicles or to restrict their size, weight or number, in view of the menace to public health?

The Regualtions require that every motor vehicle shall be maintained and used in such a manner as to prevent as far as is reasonaby possible the emission of any fumes or visible vapour. I am not aware of any ground for the making of special regulations to deal with the fumes given off by steam-driven vehicles or of any evidence that the fumes emitted by motor vehicles of any type in the course of their ordinary use on the highway are a danger to public health. The vibration arising from motor vehicles can be reduced by encouraging the use of pneumatic tyres and by urging highway authorities to improve road surfaces. I am pursuing this policy, and considerable progress has been made in both directions. I have no power to control the number of any class of motor vehicle which complies with the law. The other matters referred to by my hon. Friend are dealt with in the Regulations which I have made under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, with respect to the Construction and Use of Motor Vehicles.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take steps to provide a certain measure of temporary assistance to the arable farmers to help them through the present season?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the statement I made on Monday last in the course of the Debate on the Motion introduced by the Noble Marquess the Member for the Western Division of Derbyshire (Marquess of Hartington), to which, at present, I have nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what was the acreage under beet and the acreage under potatoes in Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire (Isle of Ely), taken together,

asked the Prime Minister whether he can make some amendment to the regulations which apply in all three service departments debarring the bestowal of posthumous awards except in the case of the Victoria Cross?

The practice of confining posthumous awards to the case of the Victoria Cross has been reviewed on several occasions during and since the War, and it is not considered desirable to make any change.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury for each year since 31st March, 1913, the expenditure on secret service, in continuation of Cmd. 6144, of 1912?

My hon. Friend will find figures of the expenditure of this country on secret service in the annual Estimates and Appropriation Accounts, and he can obtain the complete

The acreage under sugar beet and the acreage under potatoes in the area comprising the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk, Lincolnshire and Isle of Ely, and in the rest of England in 1929 and 1930, and the respective increases or decreases were as follow:—series by reference to the following House of Commons Papers, No. 32 of 1922, No. 27 of 1926, and No. 63 of 1931.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if the conference on sugar research has yet commenced its deliberations; and if he will publish the agenda of business which will be submitted to the conference?

The Imperial Sugar Cane Research Conference opened its deliberations on Monday, 20th July. Its, Agenda is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in respect of Scotland, the acreage under permanent grass for the first year for which he has statistics and also for each of the past 10 years; the acreage under arable cultivation for the same years;

asked the Minister of Transport how many additional

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in respect of Scotland, the total number, respectively, of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs for the first year for which he has statistics; and for each of the past 10 years?

The following statement shows the number of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs in Scotland in each of the undermentioned years.and the acreage under wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes, respectively, for the same years?

The following statement shows the acreage of permanent grass, arable land, wheat, barley, oats, and potatoes in Scotland in the undermentioned years.schemes for freeing roads and bridges from tolls have been carried out or are now under consideration since the issue of a circular at the end of February to all highway authorities drawing their attention to the provisions of Section 53 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930; how many such schemes refer to toll roads or bridges in Lancashire; and what is the present position with regard to the toll at Bentham, on the road from Skipton to Lancaster?

No additional schemes for freeing roads and bridges from tolls have come to my notice since the issue of the circular letter referred to. The abolition of the toll at Bentham has been the subject of discussion at various times since 1923, between the local authorities concerned, but no definite proposals have yet been submitted to my Department.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress he has made with regard to steel railway sleepers as an aid to relieving unemployment?

I have been asked to reply. I understand that several railway companies are making experiments with steel sleepers.

asked the Minister of Transport when it is anticipated that the Development (Public Utility) Advisory Committee will make their report to the Government on the request of the London and North Eastern Railway Company for financial assistance to electrify some of their suburban lines out of King's Cross Station?

I understand that this matter has been discussed between the Development (Public Utility) Advisory Committee and the railway company, who have agreed together that the company's application in respect of the electrification of their Great Northern suburban area should remain in abeyance pending the decision of Parliament upon the London Passenger Transport Bill. In the event of the Bill being passed, the company would submit a proposal to the Joint Committee representing the Board and the main line companies, to be set up under the Bill, for their approval along with the traffic and revenue considerations appropriate to the proposal, and if the scheme met with the Joint Committee's approval, would renew their application to the Development (Public Utility) Advisory Committee, placing before them any new and relevant data.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now state when the London and North Eastern Railway Company will be in a position to put forward definite proposals to deal with the suburban traffic out of Liverpool Street Station by electrifying their suburban system?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer, of which I am sending him a copy to a question on this subject last Wednesday by my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg (Mr. Quibell).

asked the Minister of Transport what work, if any is proceeding on the damaged portion of Waterloo Bridge; for how long a period is there a guarantee of safety with the temporary bridge; and whether any steps are contemplated for the demolition of Waterloo Bridge?

I am informed that, apart from occasional maintenance repairs to the temporary staging, no work is at present proceeding on the damaged portion of Waterloo Bridge. The most perishable portions of the temporary bridge are the pile supports, which, I understand, should have a life of 10 years without repair. They have now been in use for seven years. I am not aware of any steps in contemplation for the demolition of Waterloo Bridge pending a decision on the proposed new road bridge at Charing Cross.