asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of lieutenant-commanders of the executive and engineering branches promoted to commander's rank on 30th June last; the number who were ex-mates or ex-mates (E); and the number of ex-mates and ex-mates (E) who have been included in the half-yearly promotion lists since 1925?

The figures are as follow:

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of lieutenant-commanders and lieutenants (ex-mate) now serving in command of fully commissioned destroyers and submarines?

Two officers (ex-mate) are now serving as lieutenant-commanders in command of destroyers.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) who were in the zone for promotion to commander on 30th June last: the number who were in first-class appointments (battleships, battle-cruisers, cruisers, and destroyers in full commission); and the number under 40 years of age?

The number of lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) in the zone for promotion to commander on 30th June, 1031, was 32. Of these 11 were serving in battleships, battle-cruisers, cruisers and destroyers and 13 were under the age of 40.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the advisability of providing that established employés in His Majesty's dockyards shall be placed in the same position as regard qualification for unemployment insurance on leaving His Majesty's service as the personnel of the fighting services?

Established employés in His Majesty's dockyards are excepted from Unemployment Insurance in accordance with the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance Acts, which except from unemployment insurance all established civilian employés of the Crown. In view of the benefits they enjoy under the Superannuation Acts, I am unable to recommend that the established dockyard employés should be made eligible for unemployment benefit on leaving the service.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will consider the introduction of provisions to ensure that in the event of established employés in His Majesty's dockyards who have qualified for leave with pay being unable to avail themselves of such leave, either by reason of their death or of their being discharged on pension on account of illness, the amount of pay they would have received during such leave shall be paid either to their next of kin or to them as the case may be?

The purpose of leave is to enable employés to enjoy a respite from duty without loss of pay. I am unable to entertain the suggestion that leave may be converted into a payment in lieu.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware of the grievance felt by established men serving in His Majesty's dockyards in the tropics, and who are in receipt of colonial allowances, that Income Tax is now charged on their wages plus emoluments; and whether, seeing that Income Tax is not chargeable on the emoluments of hired men serving in the same stations and under the same conditions, he can see his way to allow the emoluments in the case of established men to be tax free?

Under the law ail established civil servants, whether serving in this country or abroad, are liable to Income Tax Schedule E on their full official emoluments. I can see no justification for amending the law so as to relieve one particular section of this class from liability.

asked the Minister of Health if, with a view to the fullest possible use of legislation affecting rural housing, he will issue a statement showing the number of houses built and the number reconditioned in each rural district of England and Wales under the Acts of 1923, 1924, and 1926, respectively?

I will consider the preparation of such a statement as the hon. Member has in mind, after consultation of the Housing (Rural Authorities) Advisory Committee.

asked the Minister of Health whether in the re-arrangement of county districts his department is suggesting to county councils that there should be a percentage reduction of districts within a county, or that the redistribution should be based upon capacity to administer and the other conditions recommended by the Royal Commission?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and to the second in the affirmative. I am sending the hon. Member copies of memoranda on the subject which I have issued, and I would draw his attention to paragraphs 4 and 7 of the first Memorandum and to paragraph 4 of the second Memorandum.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will give a list of the Part III education authorities of England and Wales arranged in descending order of population according to the 1931 Census and showing the population of their areas according to the 1901 and 1931 Census, respectively, the number of children on the rolls of the public elementary schools in their areas in 1903–4 and in the last year for which figures are available, and the percentage this last figure is of the total population according to the Census of 1931?

I am sending my hon. Friend the information for which he asks.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the amount per child received from national funds for education in Scotland in the years ended 31st March, 1914 and 1931, respectively?

The total expenditure from national funds on education within the purview of the Scottish Education Department (excluding expenditure on reformatory and industrial schools) expressed as an amount per pupil in full time attendance at grant-aided schools was approximately as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Education if his attention has been called to the resolutions passed by the Kent local authorities in favour of a spread-over of the holiday period for elementary, central and secondary schools between June and September; and whether, in view of the losses sustained by both holiday-makers and seaside resorts owing to inclement weather, he will inquire into the possibility of such a change?

My attention has not been called to the resolutions in question, but the matter has been brought to the notice of my Department on several occasions in previous years. Ender the provisions of the Education Act the fixing of school holidays is a matter which lies within the discretion of the local education authorities.

asked the Postmaster-General if he will issue a statement showing the number of post offices and branch offices opened in North-west Kent during the last five years, together with a statement of the numbers of staff added in that period?

I am taking steps to obtain this information, and will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that a resolution urging noninterference with correspondence while passing through the Cyprus post office was passed by the Legislative Council of Cyprus on 6th May and was published in the Cyprus papers of 10th May; and when the Government of Cyprus proposes to give effect to this resolution?

I am aware of the terms of the resolution to which the hon. Member refers, which were to the effect that the universally accepted principles of secrecy in correspondence should be established by law, and that any enactment to the contrary, especially Section 31 of the Post Office Law, 1881, should be repealed. The Governor stated that the Government fully accepted the principle that high regard should be placed on the secrecy and normal inviolability of correspondence, but could not agree to the repeal of the legislation in question. He promised that in applying the local law, due weight would be attached to the views expressed by the Members of the Council.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what were the exports of motors and parts, motor cycles and parts, and rubber tyres; all other goods subject to Safeguarding or other protective duties; and British manufactured goods not included in the foregoing, in the first six months of 1929, 1930, and 1931, with the percentage of decline during the last two years in each category?

On account of the labour involved, full particulars on the lines asked for by the hon. Member are not compiled except for calendar years. For the years 1924–30 these particulars were published in the OFFICIAL REPORT for 27th February, 1929, 17th April, 1930, and 27th March, 1931. In addition, particulars of the exports of the more important of these goods during the first six months of this year, together with corresponding figures for the same periods of 1929 and 1930, will be found in the June issue of the monthly accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what quantities of bacon and butter, respectively, have been imported from the Soviet Union since 31st March last; and what quantities of canned tomatoes, tomato pulp, canned cherries, and glacé cherries have been imported this year from the same country?

The total quantities of bacon and butter imported into the United Kingdom and registered during the three months ended 30th June as consigned from the Soviet Union amounted to 6,515 cwts. and 69,761 cwts. respectively. During the first six months of 1931 the imports of canned tomatoes, including tomato pulp, from the Soviet Union amounted to 4,405 cwts. Similar particulars regarding canned and glacé cherries are not separately recorded.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of flour produced from one quarter (504 pounds) of English-grown wheat; the number of four-pound loaves of bread made from this quantity; the approximate value of offals in this quarter; the quantity of flour produced from one quarter (480 pounds) of No. 1 Manitoba wheat; the number of loaves of bread made from this quarter; the approximate value of offals in this quarter; the value of the wheat thereof on the foregoing basis after crediting the value of offals; the relative respective value of English wheat and of Canadian wheat in a four-pound loaf of bread, assuming 15 per cent. is English and So per cent. is Canadian in this loaf at present day prices; and what would be the increase in the value of the wheat in a four-pound loaf, assuming that the English wheat was 50s. a quarter (504 pounds) for 15 per cent. and the Canadian quarter (480 pounds) at 22s. 6d. for 85 per cent.?

I regret that I am unable to furnish the hon. Member with all the information for which he asks, but he will find below such of this information as is available from official sources.The quantity of flour obtained from wheat ground in the United Kingdom, as shown by information voluntarily furnished by a large number of millers in connection with the Third Census of Production (1924), was approximately 70 per cent. of the weight of the wheat ground in country areas, and nearly 71½ per cent. of that of the wheat ground in mills at seaports. In each case, however, the wheat used is a mixture of wheats from different sources. The outturn of flour in grain mills in Canada, as shown in official reports, is approximately 72 per cent. The character and value of the offals produced at different mills is understood to vary considerably, and, in the Returns made in connection with the Third Census of Production, separate values for the flour and for the offals produced were not enforced. The use of market quotations to determine the value is limited by the information available regarding the quantities of offals of different classes (sharps, middlings, bran, etc.) produced, which vary with the blend of wheat used and the grades of flour produced. Estimates given in evidence before the Royal Commission on Food Prices on the yield of bread from a sack of flour (280 lbs.) showed variations from 92 (and even fewer) to 97 loaves (of 4 lbs.). The Commission expressed the opinion that an efficient baker might be expected to produce at least 93 or 94 4-lb. loaves from a sack of flour.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is yet able to state if the Mexican Government has come to any arrangement to terminate its 17-years-old default in its obligations to British investors in Mexican Government securities?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the answer returned on 29th June to the hon. Member for North Newcastle (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle), since which date the position has remained unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) why awards of £100 each were made to the consul at Perim and the pilot in connection with the detention of the German steamship "Lindenfels," of the Hansa Line, 5,478 tons, value approximately £125,000, in August, 1914, whereas only £15 was awarded to Mr. Frederick Dakin, who, by his signals, was instrumental in the ship being captured; and will he cause a full inquiry to be made into the matter;(2) why no award has been made to Mr. Frederick G. Dakin, of 3, Albert Road, Brighton, who was in August, 1914, mainly responsible, by signals, for the capture in Perim harbour of the German steamship "Varzin," of the Deutsche Ost-Afrika Line, 4,455 tons, value approximately £125,000; and will he inquire into the matter?

I see no reason to doubt that £15 was an adequate reward for the services performed by Mr. Dakin, and I am not prepared to reopen the case.

asked the Secretary of State for India what is the annual payment by the Government of India to the Associated Press for the supply of local Indian news to Government officials?

I regret that I have not this information.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what have been the costs to date of the proceedings against Lord Kylsant and Mr. Morland, and how much the Law Officers of the Crown will receive in respect of this prosecution?

The costs to date of the prosecution in the proceedings referred to may be esti- mated at approximately £500. This estimate excludes counsels' fees which will, in accordance with the usual practice, be settled when the case is over.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider a means of raising further revenue by a compulsory licence for all persons, whether members of a recognised stock exchange or not, holding themselves out to be stock and share brokers or dealers, similar to that which obtained in the City of London prior to the passing of the Brokers Relief Act, 1884?

My hon. Friend's suggestion has been noted.

asked the Minister of Transport the total amount of the contracts placed by the Central Electricity Board; the number of miles of main transmission lines now in operation and the number under construction; and the output of electricity in Great Britain in each year since the Electricity (Supply) Act was passed?

I am informed that at 31st May last the Central Electricity Board were committed to expend under contracts either placed or about to be placed, sums amounting to over £20,000,000. This figure does not include expenditure on standardisation of frequency in connection with which the Board have specifically approved expenditure estimated to amount to £5,250,000. Over 540 miles of the main transmission lines are now in operation and in addition some 940 miles of transmission lines have been completed or are in course of construction, sections of which will be brought into use at early dates. The output (units sold) of electricity by authorised undertakers in Great Britain in each year since the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1926, was passed, is as follows:

asked the Minister of Transport the total amount paid by Scottish local authorities into the Road Fund as receipts for payments for motor-car licences and the total amount received by Scottish local authorities from the Road Fund for the last three years?

Motor licence duties collected by licensing authorities in Scotland during the last three years amounted to:

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the state of the road between Charlton village and Blackheath Common; and whether he will ascertain what action the local authority proposes to take?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to Charlton Road (Route B.210). My attention had not previously been called to the state of the section of the road referred to, but I have ascertained that a new water main has been recently laid under this road, as a result of which there has been a certain amount of subsidence. The council have patched the road temporarily and propose to lay a concrete surface when conditions are suitable.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is proposed to proceed with the survey of the Forth road-bridge?

asked the Minister of Transport what decision has been reached regarding a road-bridge across the Forth; and if any expense has yet been incurred on a survey of the site?

At the request of the local authorities concerned, a grant is being made from the Road Fund towards the cost of a preliminary engineering investigation into the possibility of constructing a road-bridge across the Forth at Rosyth. No expense has yet been incurred, but I hope that the borings will very shortly be begun.

asked the Minister of Transport what has been the number of prosecutions of owners of public service vehicles for exceeding the speed limit of 30 miles an hour laid down by the Road Traffic Act; and in how many cases were convictions obtained?

The only figures which I can give relate to drivers of public service vehicles who have been summoned for exceeding the speed limit of 30 miles per hour in the Metropolitan Police District. During the six months ended 30th

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give, by counties, a list of the common lands and manorial wastes to which the public have been given, since, 31st October, 1920, right of air and exercise under the Law of Property Act, 1925, stating in each case the parish in which the common is situated, the acreage of the land, and the name of the person executing the deed?

The particulars which my hon. Friend requires as regards gifts of such rights since 31st October, 1930, are shown in the following statement:

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give, by counties, a list showing the acreage of common lands and manorial wastes to which the public have been given, since the passing of the Law of Property Act, 1925, rights of air and exercise under that Act, and showing those counties in which no action under the Act has been taken in this matter?

Section 193 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, gave to the public rights of access for air and exercise to all metropolitan commons and to all commons and manorial wastes wholly or partly situated in boroughs or urban districts. The Ministry has no information as to the acreage of such lands. As regards other lands subject to common rights, the owner of the soil was enabled by Section 193 to apply the section to such lands by means of a deed of declaration deposited with the Ministry. The total area of lands in respect of which such deeds have been deposited is 17,809 acres, comprised in the following counties:

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give a list of the commons in respect of which applications have been made since 31st October, 1930, including also those in respect of which an application was under consideration by him on that date, for sanction under the Law of Property Act, 1925, Section 194, to make an enclosure or to carry out works whereby access to the common will be prevented or impeded, specifying in each case whether a public inquiry has been held, the area of land affected, the purpose for which it was proposed to enclose or interfere with the access to the land, the area, if any, of the land thrown into the common in lieu of the land affected, the result of the application, and the reason, in any case where his consent has been given without an area being thrown into the common at least equal to the land enclosed, for not requiring this course to be followed?

The particulars which my hon. Friend requires as to applications under Section 194 of the Law of Property Act, 1925, under consideration on and received since 30th October, 1930, are as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can issue any information for the guidance of deep-sea fishermen pending the final report of the Committee on Fisheries?

I do not contemplate the issue of a statement in anticipation of the report of the Committee on Fisheries. Perhaps the hon. and gallant Member will let me know what particular points he has in mind.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of any other cases in which the Home Office have approved the appointment to the office of chief constable of a police officer Already holding a similar position in another police division; and why this procedure was followed in the case of the appointment of Mr. Freeman Newlin to be chief constable of the County of Hereford while he was still holding the position of chief constable of the city of Hereford?

Yes, Sir. There are a number of cases in which a chief constable acts, or has acted, in that capacity for two or more police jurisdictions, and an arrangement very similar to that applying to the Hereford forces, i.e., for a chief constable of a city force to act also as chief constable of a county force, was made and approved quite recently.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the next issue of Local Loan Stock will be to the National Debt Commissioners or to the general public?

I cannot say. There has in fact been no public issue since 1922.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether the proposals for re-housing His Majesty's Inspector of Taxes and staff of Soho 1st district have now been approved; and, if so, the date on which it is hoped to effect the transfer to the new office?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Gower (Mr. D. Grenfell).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether in view of the impending arrival of Sir Percy Loraine in this country and in view of the fact that Anglo-Egyptian treaty proposals are still open for acceptance by a freely-elected Egyptian Parliament, he will consider the advisability of instructing Sir Percy Loraine to reopen this question?

No, Sir. It is not intended to give Sir Percy Loraine any such instructions.

asked the Prime Minister if he is aware that a large section of the Scottish oil industry has been closed down involving the loss of employment of over 2,000 men; and if he will receive a deputation from the local authorities in the area concerned?

I am aware of the present unfortunate position in the shale oil industry and the possibility of rendering assistance to avert the partial closing which has taken place has recently been under consideration by the Government. It was with great regret that it was decided that it was not practicable to adopt any of the several proposals which were put forward. Owing to the heavy demands on my time, it will not be possible for me to receive the deputation from local authorities, but arrangements have been made for the President of the Board of Trade and the Secretary for Mines to receive it next week.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any progress to report with regard to experiments in crop drying?

The Department of Agriculture for Scotland have suggested to the agricultural colleges in Scotland the desirability of their making further investigations and experiments in crop-drying, and they are also in communication with the Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Oxford, in regard to the merits of improved machinery for crop-drying which has recently been devised.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many men and their families, transferred from other districts under the Ministry of Labour transfer scheme, have been chargeable to the public assistance committee in the county of Fife during the past two years?

I am informed that during the period from 16th May, 1930, to date 19 men have become chargeable to the Fife Poor Law authority after transfer under the scheme referred to.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department what methods are adopted to co-ordinate the work of the Home Office, the Ministry of Transport, the Scottish Office, and other Government Departments concerned in encouraging and extending the tourist industry in Great Britain?

My right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal and I recently held a conference of representatives of the State Departments concerned and of the Travel Association, and I am satisfied that the Departments and the Travel Association are in close and constant contact on all questions relating to the encouragement of foreign visitors to this country.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether, in view of the report of the coroner's inquest on a number of miners who died as the result of an explosion at Minorca Pit, Measham, Leicestershire, on 12th April last, and in view of the admission of the management that gas was found in the district on four previous occasions, and the fact that a deputy was discharged from the service of the colliery company after reporting the presence of gas, he will institute inquiries as to whether there was neglect to protect the lives of the worker in this particular pit?

Such inquiries have already been made. His Majesty's Inspectors of Mines have made close inquiries at the colliery and the circumstances of the explosion were investigated very fully at the coroner's inquest in which the Divisional Inspector took part. I have carefully examined all the information available to me, and have come with some reluctance to the conclusion that it does not provide proof of any contravention of the requirements of the safety law. Since the accident safety lamps have been made compulsory throughout the seam in which it occurred, and a proper system of searching all the workers has been put into force.

asked the Minister of Labour if she can make a statement as to her efforts to persuade employers and workers in the wool textile industry to confer with a view to arriving at a settlement on the question of wages?

As I stated in a previous reply, I do not think that I can usefully make any statement on the position.

asked the Home Secretary by whom application has been made for the use by cadets this summer of rifles; the numbers affected; the ages of the boys; and whether similar applications and, if so, to what extent have been made in the previous three years.

No application has been made to me with special reference to the use of rifles by members of cadet corps during this summer. Applications have been received for the approval of such corps in order that they may enjoy the facilities authorised by Parliament in Section 1 (8) (e) of the Firearms Act, 1920; and such applications are usually made by one of the organisations to which they are affiliated. I cannot, in the time available, give the number of these applications; and I have no information as to the numbers and ages of the individual members of such corps.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of young unmarried women who have been refused unemployment benefit in the Stoke-on-Trent area as the result of their refusal to accept employment at Navy, Army, and Air Force Institutes on domestic and other grounds?

Eight women between the ages of 19 and 25 have been disallowed benefit for refusal of employment with the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes during the four months ended 6th July. All these women were unmarried. In five instances the reason for refusal was stated to be that' their parents refused to allow them to take the work. In the sixth case refusal was on domestic grounds, and in the seventh and eighth the applicant stated that she was not strong enough for the work.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the terms of the arrangement between employers and employed at the Rose and Roden Mills, Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, by means of which the mills have been kept running in spite of shortage of capital; and will she consider offering a guarantee of security for workers' investments in this and other cases where the workers voluntarily leave part of their wages in the hands of the employing firm rather than lose their employment?

I am not aware of the terms of this arrangement but in any case it would not be within my powers to offer the guarantee suggested.