asked the President of the Board of Trade the amount of cane sugar imported into New Zealand for the last year, differentiating between raw and refined sugar; the country of origin of this sugar; the wholesale price of both categories; the retail price of cane sugar in New Zealand; whether there is an import duty on sugar; and whether there is a preference in favour of British sugar?

The following table shows the quantity and value of raw and refined sugar imported into New Zealand during the year 1930, distinguishing the countries of origin. Cane sugar and beet sugar are not recorded separately:

The only refinery in the Dominion is at Auckland and the price of raw sugar is not quoted. The average value of the raw sugar imported in 1930 was £8 2s. 6d. per ton. In the four principal towns the retail price of refined sugar throughout

1930 was recorded at 2½d. per lb., except in Dunedin, where for the first quarter of the year the average price was 2¾d. per lb. Raw sugar is imported duty free and refined sugar is subject to a duty of ¼d. per lb. Preference is not granted to British refined sugar.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the total amount of exports, and the amount per head of the population, exported from the United Kingdom, the United States of America, Franco, and Germany for the first four months of 1931, excluding exports of refined mineral oils;

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the provision in the Midwives and Maternity Homes Act, 1926, Section 2, requiring claims to be sent in by medical men for their fees within two months from the date of attendance on patients, inflicts hardship on many medical men because their arrangements normally are to send their accounts out twice annually; and if he will by regulation provide that medical men to whom fees are due under this Section may send

The following table shows, in respect of the United Kingdom, the United States, France and Germany, the values of the exports of merchandise (a) including refined petroleum oils, and (b) excluding refined petroleum oils, and the values of such exports per head of the population, during the four months January to April, 1931:their accounts to the local authority on the next occasion of sending out their accounts after having attended the patients?

Representations on this matter were made to the Departmental Committee on the Training, and Employment of Midwives, whose-report included a recommendation on the subject. The question will be borne in mind in connection with any legislation for the amendment of the Mid-wives Acts, but I have no power to deal with the matter by regulation.

asked the Minister of Health which county councils and county borough councils have already transferred their appropriated hospitals to the charge of their public health committees; and which are taking the necessary steps to carry this out?

Appropriation of transferred Poor Law institutions for the purposes of the Public Health Acts has already been effected by the London County Council and by the county borough councils of Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Derby, Halifax, Leicester, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Oldham, Plymouth, Reading, Rochdale, Southend-on-Sea, Sheffield, Southampton, Sunderland, Warrington, West Bromwich. Applications for consent to such appropriation are at present under consideration from the county councils of Glamorgan and the North Riding of Yorkshire, and from the county borough councils of Burnley and Preston.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has any information as to the number of female nurses employed in the male wards of mental hospitals; and whether the question of this being a suitable occupation for women has been considered?

The number of women nurses now employed in the nursing of male patients in public mental hospitals is approximately 320, who are mainly employed in the infirmary wards. The general principle has been the subject of careful consideration by the central and local authorities for many years past, and the practice of employing women in the nursing of selected male patients is of long standing. The Royal Commission on Lunacy, which reported in 1926, recommended the more general employment of women nurses in certain male wards.

asked the Minister of Health how many guardians' committees in the county of Cornwall do not provide night garments for boys in their care; and which of these committees have failed to provide such garments after being recommended by the inspectors of the Ministry of Health to do so?

I have learnt from reports of my inspectors that the county council do not provide night garments for boys in any of their three homes, although in the case of the Bodmin Home the council promised to consider the matter. I have more than once called their attention to this matter—the last time being the 13th of this month—and will press the point further if necessary.

asked the Minister of Health how many organisations have applied for approval under the Local Authorities (Publicity) Act, 1931; how many have been approved; and what is his guiding principle in considering such applications?

Applications have been made for my approval on behalf of six organisations but, so far, I have approved the Travel Association of Great Britain and Northern Ireland alone. In dealing with applications my guiding principle is that the national interest and not sectional interests shall be served, that the best value shall be obtained for the ratepayer's money, and that there shall not be competition between different parts of this country at the ratepayer's expense.

asked the Minister of Health the number of outstanding applications for council houses in the borough of Northampton for which no houses are available; the number of houses now under construction; and under which schemes such houses are being built?

I understand that the total number of applications now before the town council is 1,322. It will be appreciated that a proportion of those applications would not be found satis- factory on examination. 187 houses are under construction by the town council and will be allocated on completion either for the purposes of the Housing (Financial Provisions) Act, 1924, or of the Housing Act, 1930, as may be found necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for War 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. Member to Section 51 of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914.

asked the Secretary of State for War the number and rate per 1,000 of Army horses injured each year during the last 10 years?

Statistics showing the numbers of horses injured year by year are not available. But the number of injuries amongst Army horses and the ratio a 1,000 horses is given in the attached table:

asked the President of the Board of Education how many schools are still on the black list?

There are 1,577 schools still on the "black list"; 311 of these are in Division A of the list, 1,012 in Division B, and 254 in Division C.

asked the President of the Board of Education how many children were subject to dental inspection for the year ending March, 1931; how many were stated to require treatment; and what percentage of them requiring such treatment received attention?

During the year ended 31st December, 1930, 2,840,000 children attending public elementary schools in England and Wales were inspected by school dentists. Of these, 1,975,000 were found to require treatment, and 63.4 per cent. of this latter number received treatment under arrangements made by the local education authorities.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) the number of children attending elementary schols who were supplied with milk by local authorities in England and Wales on 30th June, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930 and 1931; the number who received the milk free of charge; and the number who paid for the milk, giving separate figures for Lancashire;(2) the quantity of milk supplied by the local authorities to children attending elementary schools during each of the five years ended 30th June, 1931; the quantity that was supplied free of charge; and the quantity that was paid for by the children, giving separate figures for Lancashire?

Until May, 1930, the statistics obtained by the Board did not distinguish between the provision of milk and that of other meals, and I regret, therefore, that I am not able to give any figures for the earlier years mentioned in these questions. Following are the figures so far as they are available for the years 1930 and 1931:

asked the Minister of Labour the number and estimated cost of separate schemes and schemes undertaken jointly, approved or under considera-

asked the Minister of Labour the number of per- tion, by the Unemployment Grants Committee for the borough of Ilkeston and the urban district councils of Heanor and Ripley?

The following are the particulars:sons employed on approved work schemes in Lancashire at the latest date at which such information is available; how many are ex-service men; and how many are in receipt of a War pension?

The latest returns show 12,912 persons as directly employed on 26th June in connection with State-aided schemes in Lancashire, Of these, some 7,000 were known to be ex-service men. In addition 810 persons were employed on work in Lancashire and Cheshire in connection with the Mersey Tunnel. No information is available as to the number of War pensioners.

asked the Minister of Labour the present weekly amounts paid in Germany in unemployment benefit for the various classes of workpeople, expressed in sterling?

The weekly amounts paid in unemployment benefit in Germany vary according to the wage

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can now fix a date when loans will be available for farmers and smallholders under the Agricultural Credits Act?

The Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Agricultural Security Corporation to be set up under the Agricultural Credits (Scotland) Act, 1929, have now been approved by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland. The further stages in the formation of the Corporation are being carried out as rapidly as possible but I am not yet in a position to say when the Corporation will be ready to commence operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of schools in urban and landward areas, respectively, which are not provided with efficient water supply and also with modern water-closets for the children; the particular education authorities under whose jurisdiction such conditions prevail; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that all schools will be properly equipped in the respects stated?

It will take some time to obtain the detailed information asked for in the first and second parts of the question, but I will supply it to the hon. Member on the completion of certain inquiries which are being made. The sanitary equipment of the schools is reported on by the inspectors of the Department on the occasion of their periodic visits, and matters calling for improvement are thereafter taken up with the education authorities concerned.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he can make any statement regarding the closing of Spindleside Colliery, Cleland, Lanarkshire?

According to returns made to my Department by the owners of the Spindleside pit, it was closed during the week ended 18th July, owing to want of trade.

asked the Secretary of State for India how far the Government of India is interested in the Peninsular and Oriental Banking Corporation; whether any subsidy out of the Indian revenue is paid to them for carrying mails; and, if so, what was the amount for last year?

I assume my hon. Friend's question refers to the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. A subsidy is paid to that company by the British Government on account of the Eastern Mail Service, towards which the Government of India contribute approximately £22,000 a year.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air 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 (2) of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914.

asked, the Home Secretary how many women have been proceeded against for infanticide since the passing of the Infanticide Act, 1922?

Figures are available only for the years 1924 to 1929. During those years 110 women were proceeded against for, or were convicted of, infanticide. The figures prior to 1924 are not separately recorded, and those for 1930 have not yet been tabulated.

asked the Home Secretary how many persons were sentenced to death in the six months ended 30th June, 1928, 1929, 1930, and 1931, respectively; how many of such persons were reprieved; and how many were executed, respectively?

The figures are given in the following table:

asked the Home Secretary what percentage of those persons convicted of murder in England and Wales during the last 10 years have been recommended to mercy by the jury; and what percentage of those persons so recommended have been executed?

The required figures are 33⅓ per cent. and approximately 24 per cent.

asked the Home Secretary whether there is any change in the prison routine on the morning of an execution; and whether prisoners are confined to their cells until the execution is over or whether they are employed in the workshops in the ordinary way?

Whether prisoners are in their cells or in the workshop depends on the time fixed by the Sheriff. In some recent cases the Sheriffs have fixed 9 a.m. and at that time prisoners are in the workshops. In any case, as little change as practicable is made in the ordinary routine.

asked the Home Secretary what is the standard rate of pay to executioners and assistant executioners, respectively?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to-day to a question on this subject by the hon. Member for West Middlesbrough (Mr. Griffith).

asked the Home Secretary how many persons, having been proceeded against for murder in England and Wales from 1920 to 1929, were acquitted of the charge of murder but were found guilty of some lesser charge, such as manslaughter?

I regret that I cannot supply these figures. The Criminal Statistics are prepared so as to show the character of the offence as judicially determined; and in order to ascertain the number of persons charged with murder who were eventually convicted of a lesser offence it would be necessary to re-examine the material from which the statistics were prepared.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can give any estimate of the cost to internal drainage boards of making surveys and valuations prior to levying the new rates under the Land Drainage Act, 1930; and whether he is prepared to render them any financial assistance in carrying out such valuations?

I am not in a position to make any estimate of the cost of making the surveys and valuations to which the hon. and gallant Member refers. As regards the latter part of the question, I am unable to make grants towards the administrative expenses of drainage boards.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the financial burden placed on internal drainage boards by the Land Drainage Act, 1930, he is prepared to introduce any amending legislation to overcome their difficulties?

I do not consider that the introduction of amending legislation is necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has considered the resolution sent to him from the Lindsey County Council regarding the difficulties experienced by drainage districts in effecting valuations under the Land Drainage Act, 1930; and whether he proposes to take any action in the matter?

I have considered the resolution to which the hon. and gallant Member refers. It is in the same terms as resolutions previously received from certain drainage boards, and I am sending the hon. and gallant Member a copy of the reply to a question on this subject put by the hon. Member for Holland-with-Boston (Mr. Blindell) on 9th July.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of higher clerical officers employed in the London Engineering District Office as at 1st April, 1931; and the number of higher clerical officers promoted to higher posts during the period 1st April, 1930, to 31st March, 1931?

Thirty-one higher clerical officers were employed in the London Engineering District on 1st April, 1931. There were no promotions of officers on this grade to higher posts during the preceding 12 months.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of higher clerical officers employed in provincial engineering district offices as at 1st April, 1931, and the number of higher clerical officers promoted to higher posts during the period 1st April, 1930, to 31st March, 1931?

132 higher clerical officers were employed in the provincial engineering districts on 1st April, 1931. Four officers on this grade were promoted to higher posts during the preceding 12 months.

asked the Prime Minister if he will give an opportunity for the discussion of the Agricultural Produce (Grading and Marking) Amendment Bill before the end of this Session?

This Bill was read a Second time last night,

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether Civil Service pensions are assigned in cases of bankruptcy to a trustee or other person acting on behalf of the creditor?

I would call the hon. Member's attention to Section 51, Sub-section (2) of the Bankruptcy Act, 1914, which provides (inter alia) that the court on the application of the trustee shall make such order as it thinks fit for the payment to the trustee of any pension granted by the Treasury or any part of it to be applied as the court may direct.