asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the experiments carried out by the French railways with rubber-tyred rolling stock; and whether, in view of the benefit that would accrue to the rubber industry if such rolling stock were adopted for general use, he will arrange for similar experiments to be carried out in this country?

I have no information regarding the experiments on the French railways referred to. I will, however, bring the hon. Member's suggestion to the notice of the principal railway companies in this country.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the heavy burden incurred by people in rural districts in Scotland owing to an extra licence charge being imposed on motor omnibuses conveying passengers to rural entertainments when such motor omnibuses have already paid the annual licence fee, he will take steps to discontinue any such extra licence charge?

In prescribing the fees to be paid for the certificates and licences required by the Road Traffic Act, 1930, in connection with the operation of public service vehicles I adopted the general principle that the scheme of control under Part IV of the Act should, so far as practicable be self-supporting and the scale of fees was fixed with a view to attaining that end. I am not at present prepared to amend that scale.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the proprietors of the Deer-ness Omnibus Company, at Durham, were informed by the Traffic Commissioner for the northern area that the company would have in future to employ trade union labour only; and whether he will issue instructions to the Commissioners to refrain from exerting pressure of this kind?

I am informed that some discussion took place at the traffic commissioners' public sitting at Durham on 16th July as to rates of wages, but that no suggestion was made then or at any time to the Deerness Omnibus Company that in future they would have to employ trade union labour only.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can now inform the House of the Government's decision on the application of the London County Council for an undertaking that a grant at the rate of 75 per cent. would be available from the Road Fund should the council decide to promote a Bill for the construction of a road bridge at Charing Cross, based on the scheme recommended by the majority of the Advisory Committee presided over by Sir Leslie Scott?

I have caused the following letter to be addressed to the London County Council:

"I am directed by the Minister of Transport to refer to your letter of the 22nd July (E. 2/43555) informing him of the decision taken by the London County Council at their meeting on the 21st July that, subject to His Majesty's Government agreeing to contribute from time to time 75 per cent. of the actual ascertained expenditure on the Charing Cross Bridge scheme and on the scheme for the reconditioning of Waterloo Bridge as recommended by the Royal Commission on Cross-River Traffic in London, and on the understanding that the net cost of carrying out the former scheme would not exceed £12,500,000, the council would be prepared to promote a Bill in the next Session of Parliament for the construction of a road bridge at Charing Cross and the removal of Charing Cross Station to the south side of the river, in accordance with Scheme No. 6 recommended by the majority of the Advisory Committee presided over by Sir Leslie Scott, K. C.

2. It is within the knowledge of the council that at the time when the London County Council (Charing Cross Bridge) Bill, 1930, was rejected by the Select Committee of the House of Commons the Minister caused an assurance to be conveyed to them that the Government would be prepared to support the council should they decide to move the recommittal of the Bill. The council, however decided on the alternative course of appointing an Advisory Committee to recommend 'an agreed scheme' for a new road bridge at Charing Cross. When this decision was conveyed to the Minister he considered it his duty, in view of the delay that would he involved and the uncertainty as to the outcome of the deliberations of the Advisory Committee, to inform the council that he must be regarded as free to consider any scheme recommended by the Committee on its merits and to examine it from the financial aspect, taking into account the position of the Road Fund at that time.

3. The council are aware that the resources of the Road Fund are now insufficient to meet the heavy commitments undertaken in connection with schemes for the improvement and construction of roads and bridges in all parts of the country, the initiation of which schemes has in many cases been expedited in order to provide some alleviation of the present state of unemployment.

4. Unfortunately, in spite of their thorough and arduous efforts, the Advisory Committee have been unable to submit a scheme which can be regarded as 'agreed.' The scheme recommended by the majority is in fact the subject of considerable controversy. Furthermore, on the question of the merits, the possibility cannot be ignored that future events such as a rapid development in the electrification of main line railways may profoundly affect the considerations which would determine the site of the railway station and the lay-out of the approaches on the south side of the river.

5. The Government have most carefully reviewed the position in the light of all the circumstances of the case, including the present serious economic situation, and have authorised the Minister to convey to the council their decision that it is not possible at the present time to renew the offer of a 75 per cent. grant from the Road Fund towards the cost of a new road bridge at Charing Cross."

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what is the infantile mortality rate in Malta for each of the last 10 available years?

The required figures are:Number of deaths of children under one year during

1920–1,751	(or 224.11 per 1,000 births).
1921–1,899	(or 251.92 per 1,000 births).
1922–2,084	(or 261.87 per 1,000 births).
1923–2,129	(or 280.13 per 1,000 births).
1924–2,076	(or 268.59 per 1,000 births).
1925–2,038	(or 271.58 per 1,000 births).
1926–1,953	(or 260.81 per 1,000 births).
1927–2,250	(or 301.32 per 1,000 births).
1928–1,963	(or 267.91 per 1,000 births).
1929–2,019	(or 260.75 per 1,000 births).

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses completed during the nine months ended 30th June by local authorities and private enterprise, respectively, and the corresponding figure for the previous year?

The following table gives the information for which the hon. Member asks:

Period.	Completed by
	Local Authorities.	Private Enterprise.
	State-Assisted.
9 mouths ended 30th June, 1931.	43,968	1,384
9 months ended 30th June, 1930.	35,279	1,164
	Not State-Assisted.*
12 months ended 31st March, 1931.	3,360	125,368
12 months ended 31st March, 1930.	91,691†
* Excluding houses with a rateable value exceeding £78 (£105 in Metropolitan Area). Returns relate only to half-yearly periods ending March and September.
† Returns did not distinguish houses completed by local authorities from houses completed by private enterprise.

The figures shown above do not include houses erected by local authorities in replacement of houses demolished under improvement and reconstruction schemes confirmed prior to the passing of the Housing Act, 1930.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that the report of the Anglo-Persian Company in December, 1022, with regard to the deposits of oil in Palestine, suggested that test drilling could justifiably be started forthwith; and whether any action has been taken under Article 11 of the mandate for Palestine with regard to this?

I have examined the report of the directors of the Anglo-Persian Oil Company dated December, 1922: but it contains no reference to oil in Palestine. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if, in the instructions issued to the Director of Development in Palestine in the matter of the resettlement of Arab cultivators whose land has been disposed of to Jewish interests, it is proposed to differentiate in treatment between those Arabs who have been actually displaced by the sale of land by absentee landlords and those Arabs who have themselves sold their holdings to Jewish interests; and if it is proposed further to encourage the attempts of various organisations to promote collective action in the purchase and cultivation of land?

The instructions to the Director of Development may be taken to be conveyed in the despatch which has been laid before the House. The differentiation in treatment suggested by my hon. Friend is not contemplated in that despatch, or in the relevant passage of the Prime Minister's letter to Dr. Weizmann of 13th February. As regards the second part of the question, the matter will be one for consideration by the director, in connection with the report which he has to submit.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies what authority will regulate the future transfer of land in Palestine?

As stated in paragraph 12 of the Prime Minister's letter to Dr. Weizmann, the centralised control of transactions relating to the transfer and acquisition of land, as there described, will take effect from such date only as the authority charged with the duty of carrying out the policy of land development shall begin to operate. As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, a director of development has recently been appointed, and he will in the near future proceed to Palestine to take up his duties in accordance with the despatch, of which a copy has been laid before the House. It is contemplated that the necessary powers in regard to land transactions will be vested in the High Commissioner.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that the present rate of advancement in the seaman, wireless telegraphy and signal branches is so slow as to discourage efficiency among the lower ratings; and whether he will take steps to deal with the matter?

Statistics do not disclose any undue slowness of advancement in the branches in question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he is aware that the complement of W/T rating in large ships is insufficient to allow of proper instructions being given by the chief petty officer or petty officers to junior and boy ratings; and whether he will cause the complements to be adjusted to admit of instruction being given to juniors?

W/T complements of His Majesty's Ships are being gradually augmented as the necessary telegraphist ratings become available.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will withdrawn the notice which has been given to the semi-skilled and unskilled workers at Woolwich Arsenal to the effect that their rates of pay when on piecework will shortly be subject to the new engineering agreement, to which the men in question have not been parties, until such time as an opportunity has been afforded for discussions to take place between the Department and the men's organisation, namely, the Government Minor Grades Association?

No formal notice to the men of the changes proposed by the Department has yet been posted. In accordance with the usual practice, the nature of such changes has, however, formed the subject of local discussion with the men's representatives, and a further meeting with trade unions concerned is in course of arrangement. I am not aware that the association named by the hon. Member can properly claim to be representative of the class of workers in question.

asked the Secretary of State for War if he is aware that in some of the canteens administered by the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institute only foreign eggs are being supplied; and whether he will give instructions that, if possible, only British eggs should be supplied in all canteens?

Purchases made by the Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes are not under the control of the War Department, but are the responsibility of the Board of Management. I am informed that foreign eggs are sold by these institutes only when they are definitely asked for on account of their cheapness, and that the sale of British eggs is considerably larger than the sale of foreign eggs. British eggs are always procurable from the institutes.

asked the Postmaster-General the amount of money expended on the extension of the telephone system in Caithness and Sutherland in each of the years from 1925 to 1931, and the mileage of the extensions in each year?

The following particulars relate to individual works costing over £200 each:

Year.			Expenditure.	Mileages of wire.
			£	Miles.
1925	…	…	664	21
1926	…	…	29,396	579
1927	…	…	2,080	110
1928	…	…	9,444	468
1929	…	…	296	21
1930	…	…	6,621	212

Information as to works costing less than £200 (which would include practically all cases of provision of public call office circuits), could not be obtained without considerable labour and expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is now able to say what steps he proposes to take following on the report of the Departmental Commission's examination of piers in the Island of Skye?

As stated in my reply of the 27th instant to the hon. and gallant Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Sir A. Sinclair), a Bill dealing with this question generally is in course of preparation, but its details will depend upon the outcome of consultation between the Departments concerned and with local authorities. The committee's report on conditions in Skye will, of course, be kept in view in this connection.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury if he will indicate what qualifications are necessary for an ex-service civil servant to be regarded as an overseas man for the purpose of selection for the P clerical class, with particular reference to the nature and period of the overseas service which must have been rendered?

It has not been found necessary to amplify the description "overseas ex-service man," but if my hon. Friend has in mind any case which in his opinion has been wrongly classified, I will look into it.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he will state the reasons for the resignation of Mr. Pulbrook from the advisory committee of the Export Credits Guarantee Department?

Mr. Pulbrook's resignation from the advisory committee of the Exports Credits Guarantee Department, which took place last December, was due to the decision taken by the executive committee of the Department to pay commission to approved brokers and agents introducing business.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in the building industry at the latest available date?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Monday last to a similar question by the hon. Member for Devonport (Mr. Hore-Belisha).

asked the Minister of Labour if she has considered the request made to her from the Greater Birmingham Employment Committee that more Employment Exchanges should be opened in Birmingham, and especially in the Erdington, Perry Common, and Kingstanding districts; if she will, in view of the pressure on the Beacon Hill (Aston) Exchange, consequent upon the housing developments in Erdington and in view also of the representations made to her by the trade union branches having membership in Erdington, take steps immediately to provide Exchange accommodation for Erdington and expedite similar accommodation for the Perry Common and Kingstanding districts?

These representations are under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour the wage changes which have taken place since 1925 in the industries covered by Protection duties?

I assume that the industries for which the hon. Member desires information are those to which the Safeguarding of Industries Act has been applied. There has been an increase in wages since 1925 in the fabric glove industry in which a reduction of 12½ per cent. in rates of wages which had been made in April, 1923, was restored in 1928. Since the beginning of the trade depression there have been reductions in wages in some of these industries as in many other industries. The particulars are as follow:As regards industries in which duties under the Safeguarding of Industries Act are now in operation, in the pottery industry rates of wages were reduced in May, 1931; for the majority of the workpeople concerned the reduction amounted to 10 per cent., but for some classes of workers they were less than this amount. These reductions applied both to the safeguarded and to the non-safeguarded sections of the industry. In industries in which duties under the Act were formerly in operation but have now lapsed, the followng general changes in rates of wages have been reported. In the paper-making industry agreed reductions in rates of wages amounting to ⅞d. or 1d. per hour for men and ⅜d. for women, came into operation in August, 1930. These reductions applied without distinction between safeguarded and non-safeguarded sections of the industry. In the cutlery industry the agreed rates of wages have been reduced in July, 1931, by varying amounts ranging, on different classes of work, from about 3½ per cent. to 8¾ per cent. of the current rates, inclusive of bonuses. It is possible that, apart from general changes in rates of wages, changes may have occurred affecting workpeople employed by individual firms. Moreover, actual earnings may have altered as a result of changes in the state of trade and employment. Statistics as to such changes are not, however, available.