asked the Minister of Labour if he has now come to a decision to reduce the fees of two-and-a-half guineas plus travelling and subsistence allowance now paid to chairmen and deputy-chairmen of courts of referees for each sitting?

A reduction of 10 per cent. is being made as from 1st October in the fees payable to chairmen, reserve chairmen, and deputy-chairmen of courts of referees. No alteration is at present contemplated in the scales of travelling and subsistence allowances.

I would like to know whether there have been any consultations with these chairmen with reference to this cut, and also why no cut has taken place in the subsistence allowance, seeing that those they have to deal with have had a cut in that respect?

No, Sir, no consultation has taken place, and it seems to me that a cut of 10 per cent. is in the circumstances fair.

Is the Minister aware that the cut of 10 per cent. will still leave these men with £2 7s. 6d. a day, and does he think the position of the country warrants that?

Yes.

Order. This is evidently a matter of opinion and ought not to be answered.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that numbers of girls in the Birmingham district have been deprived of their unemployment benefit for a period of six weeks in consequence of their refusal to accept service in Army canteens; whether their parents' consent was obtained before they were offered this employment; and if conscientious objection to any form of military service is taken into account in such cases?

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware of the denial of unemployment benefit to several young women in Birmingham because of their refusal to accept work in military canteens; and whether he will instruct the local officers not to insist upon the acceptance of such work away from home as a condition for the receipt of benefit?

I am making inquiries regarding these questions and will communicate with the hon. Members as soon as these are completed.

Will the hon. Gentleman take into consideration the fact that conscientious objection to military service was recognised during the War, and bear that point specially in mind?

As the hon. Member knows, this question was fully considered by my predecessor, and, as at present advised, I see no reason to alter the course she took.

Can serving in a grocer's shop be regarded by any stretch of the imagination as military service?

asked the Minister of Labour when the report of the committee dealing with Regulations under the Unemployment Insurance (No. 3) Act will be available to Members?

The committee have held two meetings and will meet again to-morrow to consider thtir report.

Has the Minister any idea when it will be available? Will it be before the House rises for the General Election?

I certainly hope so, and, as the hon. Member knows, under the terms of the Act it will be laid on the Table of the House.

Are any regulations under consideration?

They have been considering them during the meetings which have been held.

But have you submitted to them regulations for their consideration?

Yes, I have, and I am awaiting their report on what they think of the regulations.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that at the Woolston, Southampton, Employment Exchange large numbers of men are compelled to queue up in wet weather without any shelter; and what steps he proposes to take to remedy this?

Speaking generally, there is no need for claimants to wait for any length of time without shelter, if they will only observe the timing system. I am, however, having inquiries made into the position at Woolston, and will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons are registered at South Shields, and how many of these have drawn 26 or more weeks' benefit during the present benefit year, giving the figures for the last week for which both sets are available or for which a reliable estimate can be made?

asked the Minister of Labour how many of the present recipients of benefit at the Borough Employment Exchange are receiving transitional benefit; and if the whole of such cases are to be remitted to the public assistance committees for examination as to means?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons receiving benefit at the Sheffield and Attercliffe Employment Exchanges, respectively, at the last available date and the number receiving transitional benefit; and whether he can give any estimate as to the number likely to be referred to the public assistance committee when the proposed change first comes into operation and also three months later?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in receipt of transitional benefit in Glamorganshire and Monmouthshire separately?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed in receipt of benefit in the counties of Monmouth and Glamorgan, separately; the average weekly amount paid to each insured person; the number of those in receipt of transitional benefit at present; and the estimated number of those who will have completed their standard benefit and passed to the transitional stage for the months of October, November and December, respectively?

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed men and women are receiving transitional benefit at Birkenhead Employment Exchange; and whether all those cases will be referred to the public assistance committee for a means test?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons in the city of Sheffield receiving transitional benefit who will, under the new regulations, be referred to the public assistance committee for assessment of means?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered at Pontefract, Castleford and Goole Employment Exchanges at the latest available date; and the number who will be transferred to the public assistance committees for calculation of benefit when the new proposals come into operation?

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons (men, women, boys and girls) registered as unemployed in the city of Leeds to the latest convenient date, and the number who are at present in receipt of transitional benefit in the same area whose cases will be referred forthwith to the public assistance committee under the National Economy Act?

I am having the figures extracted and hope to circulate the answers in the OFFICIAL REPORT to-morrow morning.

Has the hon. Gentleman entered into communication with public assistance committees in places like South Shields to ascertain how long they think it will take them to deal with the application of a needs test to the large number of people involved?

No Sir, I have not.

Will the hon. Gentleman give separately the numbers who reside outside the borough of South Shields and register there?

Can we have papers laid showing the facts in all the areas?

I shall not only be very glad, but it will be my duty to give the figures after they have been extracted with regard to any areas, and, if the hon. and gallant Member desires, Hull.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether public assistance committees in assessing the incomes of unemployed persons will take into account disability pensions; and whether he is aware that dissatisfaction exists in some branches of the British Legion regarding this matter?

There is another question on that point.

Will the hon. Gentleman arrange that the figures shall he available for hon. Members to-morrow, so that they can take them to their constituencies where they have to meet public assistance committees?

Yes, I had that in mind. This involves a great deal of labour, but I will make every endeavour to get these figures into the OFFICIAL. REPORT by to-morrow morning.

asked the Minister of Labour how many unemployed persons will be transferred to the transition class as a result of the terms outlined in the White Paper 3952; and what will be the total number in the transition class according to the latest estimate?

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons on transition benefit, including those who will come on transition under the operation of the new 26 weeks benefit rule, whose cases will have to be investigated by the public assistance authorities?

Figures obtained in respect of 14th September, 1931, show that on that date about 377,000 persons (of whom about 80,000 were women) in receipt of benefit other than transitional benefit had received 156 days' benefit or more in their current benefit years. In addition there were at 24th August, 1931, about 475,000 persons (of whom 101,000, were women) with claims authorised for transitional benefit. Tre total number in these two classes was therefore approximately 852,000 of whom 181,000 were women.

Has any estimate been obtained of the cost of the inquisition into the means of these 900,000 people?

That is quite another question.

Have any discussions taken place with the public assistance committees as to how they are going to handle these large numbers of people?

We have every reason to believe that the public assistance committees will be quite capable of dealing with the work.

Are we to understand that the public assistance committees have been notified that the numbers will be approximately 900,000?

They will have been notified, because figures have already been given—the figure of 377,000 in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson) and the other figures, which are less than those estimated by my predecessor, have been given in the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Has any estimate of the cost of the inquisition been produced? If so, may we know the figure?

No, Sir, it is impossible at this stage to tell the cost.

This is a rather important matter, because we are laying a great burden on the public assistance committees, and probably at some cost to them. Has there been any direct communication with the public assistance committees as to whether they will agree to undertake these duties?

I think I see now what is in the hon. Gentleman's mind. The additional cost to the public assistance committees will be borne by the Exchequer and not by the public assistance committees.

Will the hon. Gentleman guarantee that not co-opted members of the public assistance committees, but elected guardians shall deal with these cases?

asked the Minister of Labour whether instructions have been issued to the Exchanges to discontinue unemployment benefit on the first payday after 1st October to those persons who have drawn 26 weeks' benefit; and, if so, if he can state approximately the number of men and women who will cease to draw benefit?

No instructions have yet been issued. The numbers likely to be affected were given in the reply of 2ist September to the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson). Those affected will be entitled to claim transitional payments, and during the interval of time that will necessarily elapse before the case of an individual claimant can be examined payments will be continued at the revised standard rates, subject to the usual conditions as to proof of unemployment and otherwise.

Is the House to understand that, if a man has received 26 weeks' benefit he has to attend and prove whether he is entitled to further benefit?

He will then come before the public assistance committee for the assessment of his means.

Is that answer in accord with the statement made by the Prime Minister, that the whole of the applications and the whole atmosphere will be that of the Employment Exchange and not an investigation under the Poor Law?

I am not sure that I have in mind precisely the passage to which the hon. Member refers, but, if there is any further information that he wants, perhaps he will put down another question.

Is the Minister of Labour not aware that it is recorded in the OFFICIAL REPORT that that statement has been made with regard to this change of the law?

asked the Minister of Labour what instructions, if any, have been issued to public assistance committees for guidance in dealing with cases referred to such committees by labour Employment Exchanges under the new means test?

would refer the lion. Member to the reply given on the 22nd September in answer to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. R. A. Taylor).

In the case of unemployed men who have built houses of their own and come before the public assistance committee, will that be taken into consideration before they get any relief?

Could the hon. Gentleman let me have a copy of the instructions?

The regulations, as I have said, are under consideration and will be laid before Parliament in due course.

Will disability pensions be taken into account by the public assistance committee, and is the Minister aware of the dissatisfaction existing in some branches of the British Legion on this matter?

There is another question on the Order Paper dealing with that very point.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of unemployed workers on the registers of the Employment Exchanges in Edinburgh and Leith, respectively, on the 15th May, 1931 and the proportion of these in receipt of benefit; and will he give similar particulars for each of the preceding three years?

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may,

asked the Minister of Labour the total amount paid out in unemployment benefit at the Employment Exchanges in Edinburgh and Leith, respectively, during the year ended 15th May, 1931; and will he give similar particulars for each of the preceding three years?

As the reply involves a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the Minister of Labour give an indication of how the figures go?

There are two long columns. I am in the hands of the House, and I will read the figures if the House wishes.

No.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government will consider allowing the amount to be saved

No, Sir. This is not a practicable course.

On a point of Order. Before this question is asked, may I submit that it is a hypothetical question?

It would not be on the Order Paper if it were.

I would refer my my hon. Friend to the reply given yesterday to the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Perry) by the Lord President of the Council.

In view of the fact that the unemployed are going to have, in addition, a devaluation cut and a tariff cut, will the hon. Gentlemen not reconsider abandoning these proposals?

Has the hon. Gentleman now got a copy of the circular referred to yesterday showing an increase of 2s. 3d. a sack on flour?

That is not relevant to the question on the Paper. The answer to that question was given by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council yesterday.

Did the hon. Gentleman refer to that answer?

Has the hon. Gentleman seen the retail charges in the co-operative shops?

asked the Prime Minister the fall in the value of the pound since Thursday, 17th September; and whether, in view of the resulting increase in the cost of living in this country, he will reconsider the threatened cut in unemployment benefit and in the other services?

As regards the external value of the pound, the bon. Member must form his own judgment from the various published exchange quotations. As regards the rest of the question, I would refer to the answer given by me yesterday in reply to a question by the hon. Member for Kettering (Mr. Perry).

As the Prime Minister himself based the justification for the cut in unemployment benefit on the fact that the cost-of-living had fallen by 11½ per cent., is it not now justifiable to remove that cut when the cost of living is increased by 10 per cent.?

I think that at present the suggestion of the hon. Member is in the region of hypothesis. The facts are against him, and I am sure he will agree with that distinguished philosopher who said that there was no greater tragedy than to see a hypothesis killed by a fact.

The right hon. Gentleman will see his hypothesis killed by my facts if he will accompany me to any working-class district to-night.

Has the right hon. Gentleman now confirmed the information which I tried to convey to him yesterday, that one of the largest firms of millers in this country increased their price by 2s. 3d. per sack?

I have nothing to add to what I said yesterday.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will inquire from the lenders as to the possibility of a modification of the special conditions of borrowing which have necessitated cuts in unemployment benefit, with a view to the abandonment of such cuts?

I am unable to accept the implications contained in the hon. and gallant Member's question, to which the answer is in the negative.

Are we to understand that what the Prime Minister said on Monday last is not correct?

I cannot answer for the contents of anyone's mind except my own. I would remind the lion and gallant Gentleman that two days ago the Chancellor of the Exchequer was asked, in precise terms, whether any conditions, political or economic, had been imposed, and he answered, "No," which seems to me comprehensive and to which I can add nothing.

What special conditions were laid down in respect of the credits which this country obtained, as stated by the Prime Minister?

Perhaps the hon. and gallant Gentleman would be good enough to put that question down.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any estimate can be given to the House as to the net charge likely to fall upon the taxpayer in repaying the credits which were used up in pegging or defending sterling; and how it is intended to meet this deficit?

Clearly no such estimate can be given at the present time. As the right hon. and gallant Member is well aware, there is no question of any real loss since the liabilities in gold currencies are fully covered by holdings in actual gold.

Am I to understand that we need not repay the £80,000,000 credit in gold? I understood it was borrowed in sterling and was used for sterling and has to be repaid in francs and dollars.

I think I said the other day that the gold reserves at the bank are held against the possibility of having to redeem in gold.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any under-writing or over-riding commissions or other cash benefits accrued to the negotiating British bankers on the $200,000,000 loan raised in the United States of America and on the 2,500,000,000 francs raised in France?

The answer is in the negative.

Is this to be taken as a precedent far further Government loans? Are there to be no more underwriting commissions?

If it is necessary to have further Government borrowings, that matter, among others, will, no doubt, be taken into consideration.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that in the past very heavy commissions have been paid for Government loans?

I have nothing to add.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the desire of the French Government to lend us money to keep up the price of sterling; and will he see that any future credits to this country are made in sterling?

His Majesty's Government warmly appreciate the desire expressed by the French Government to do everything in their power to assist in maintaining the stability of sterling. Circumstances were not such as to make it useful for His Majesty's Government to obtain a further credit in France. Clearly I could make no statement at present on the suggestion in the last part of the right hon. Gentleman's question.

Will any future attempts to peg sterling be made on money borrowed in sterling and not on money borrowed in other currency?

That is simply a repetition of the last part of the question. It is a hypothetical question, and I am not prepared to answer it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he proposes to take to effect a rise, with concomitant stabilisation, in the price of silver?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar question which he asked on 17th March last.

Has no action been taken in the matter in the interval? Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a few days ago the right hon. Gentleman the Member for Hillhead (Sir Horne) said in a public statement that a rise in the price of silver would be of immense benefit to British commerce and industry? Is no attention to be paid to the right hon. Gentleman's views?

I am afraid I do not always read the speeches of politicians, and I am not aware of the statement to which the hon. Member refers. The answer to the first part of his question is the answer that I gave him.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can state the number of transactions in sterling by British nationals in the past three weeks; and whether he can state how many were transactions of a bona fide commercial character?

It is not possible, for obvious reasons, to give any exact figures as to foreign exchange transactions by British nationals in any given period, such as those asked for in the question.

Would it not be possible to get the information by consulting private exchange brokers and others?

We have, as I said the other day, made very exhaustive inquiries into the matter. There are thousands of transactions involved and it is impossible to get at them all, but my information is that there has been no substantial withdrawal on British account.

In cases where it has been proved that such convertibility has taken place, is it not possible for the right hon. Gentleman to take action?

There was no power to take action before Monday, but now, by the Treasury Order that I signed on Monday night, there will be greater power by the banks to refuse to transfer into foreign exchange.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether, in view of the fact that the sums placed to reserve by co-operative societies for the purpose of extending their businesses are not subject to Income Tax under Schedules C and D, he will grant similar exemption to all forms of private enterprise for the purpose of encouraging the trade and commerce of the nation;

(2) whether he is satisfied that the provisions of Section 24 of the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1893, are being observed with regard to the exemption of co-operative societies from payment of Income Tax under Schedules C and D if they do trade with non-members; and, if he is not, whether he will have the necessary action taken to enforce the provision regarding co-operative societies trading with non-members;

(3) whether the Government will cause co-operative societies to keep separate records of trading transactions with nonmembers in order that the trading profit therefrom may be accessible to Income Tax under Schedules C and D?

The hon. Member is mistaken in supposing that the exemption from Income Tax, Schedules C and D, to which he refers, is invalidated by sales to non-members. The exemption still applies unless there is in addition a limitation on the society's shareholding. Nor is he correct in assuming that the undistributed income of the societies is entirely exempt from taxation, for in fact the societies pay Income Tax, Schedules A and B, on their property. I must point out that the whole question of the taxation of cooperative societies has frequently been discussed in Finance Bill Debates in recent years and successive Governments have declined to alter the existing basis of taxation.

Will the right hon. Gentleman start a precedent by going into the whole question and taking steps to tax them?

Does not a state of emergency arise?

There is no need for me to go further into the matter. I think I understand the position and, if an inquiry were necessary, I certainly would not prejudice it by making up my mind beforehand, as the hon. Member suggests.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, with reference to the instructions which have been issued to the clerical staff of the Income Tax department to work overtime until April next in consequence of the changes that have been made in the scales of Income Tax, if he will state the number of hours per week to be worked; whether special rates are to be paid; the estimated cost of the overtime; and whether he has considered the advisability of employing extra temporary men and women having the necessary qualifications for this work?

The amount of additional work resulting from the projected changes in the Income Tax law cannot yet be ascertained with precision, and accordingly no reliable estimate of its cost can be given at present. It is clear, however, that the volume of work will be considerable. Wherever practicable, additional temporary staff will be employed, but I am afraid it will not be possible to find any substantial number of men and women possessing the qualifications to which the hon. Member refers. The nature of the work to be carried out is such as to preclude the employment of untrained staff to any large extent. In these circumstances there is no alternative but to call upon the clerical staff to work an abnormal amount of overtime. This may amount to as much as 15 hours a week per head, but there will, of course, be suitable intervals free of overtime. The usual arrangements in regard to rates are being modified in some respects to meet the altogether exceptional circumstances which have arisen.

Am I to understand from that answer that, although it is rather a technical job, there are no people knocking about qualified to assist in getting through this work at all?

Not quite that. This is work of a special character, and, in view of the necessity of getting it through, the skilled staff will be more effective than people taken on temporarily.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider issuing cheap reprints of the May Economy Report and the Macmillan Report, with a view to their wider circulation?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will consider issuing the Report of the Macmillan Committee on Finance and Industry in a cheap edition instead of its present price of 5s., in view of its importance in the present economic situation?

The prices of these publications have been fixed according to the standard scale for Stationery Office publications. Experience goes to show that sales would not be increased to any extent by lowering the price. I fear, therefore, that I should not be justified in adopting this suggestion.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that great public interest is being taken in the matter dealt with in the Macmillan report, and could not the experiment be tried of issuing a cheap edition? [Interruption.] Have you read it yourselves?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the extent to which 1929–47. War Loan is held by other than British subjects?

I regret that the information is not available.

Is not the Financial Secretary aware that on the Finance Bill, in reply to the hon. Member for East Leicester (Mr. Wise), he stated that foreigners held the bulk of this War Loan? It is in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

I doubt whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer committed himself to any such thing.

You did.

I may say quite definitely, I did not.

You read the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total amount of national savings certificates owing to holders; how many of the old series have been exchanged for present certificates; and what is the number claimed for repayment?

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the present figure of the National Debt; what is the amount of the external debt; and what do we owe to the United States of America?

I would refer the hon. Member to the Finance Accounts (House of Commons Paper, No. 106 of 1931). He will find details on pages 74 to 77.

Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman tell me where I can get a copy?

The hon. Member ought to be able to get it from the Library.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total amount paid in commutation of pensions to the descendants of deceased Army and Navy officers for the past 20 years; and what number of such descendants still remain on the pensions list contained in Finance Accounts?

The total amount paid in commutation of pensions to the descendants of deceased Army and Navy officers for the past 20 years is £58,060 in commutation of a perpetual charge of £2,720 a year. Two such pensions still remain, one of them terminable at the decease of the present holder.

Can the hon. and gallant Gentleman express any hope that this will be included in the Economy Bill?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the coroner's inquest, on 7th August, on Wilfred Armstrong Rhodes, at Asenby, in the North Riding of Yorkshire, and to the fact that during the interval of three days between the recovery of the body and the holding of the inquest the body was laid in a shed; and whether he will take steps to secure that all proper provision is made for the housing of the body during such interval, so as to prevent distress to the relatives and the neighbourhood?

My attention had not been called to this case, but I have made inquiry and I have consulted my right hon. Friend the Minister of Health. I understand that no other accommodation in the nature of a mortuary was available, and the Minister informs me that the circumstances are such that he does not feel justified in pressing the local authority to provide a public mortuary.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take steps to see that the inquest takes place as soon after the death as possible and not after a delay of three days, and also see whether it is possible that the body shall be housed in a more suitable place than a garage?

I will bear in mind the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Home Secretary if he has now considered the statements supplied to him by Members of this House and by private individuals concerning the action of the police in dealing with the unemployed section of the crowd outside the House of Commons on Tuesday, 8th September; and if he can now make any further statement on the matter?

Yes, Sir, I have made inquiry into each of the statements I have received. I find that three persons complained of injury at the police station and three persons were treated for minor injuries only at Westminster Hospital. One was found to be a case of hernia and, in another case, the patient had collapsed in the crowd and been trodden on. I cannot find that in any case the injuries can be attributed to improper use of force by the police. Certainly no one was injured by police batons, as no batons were drawn.

Has the Home Secretary received a long letter from an ex-Member of this House—a lady of very high standing—making very serious charges, and will the Home Secretary consider very carefully the statements contained therein?

Yes, Sir. Those statements have been considered in detail, and I have formed the opinion that the allegations are a good deal exaggerated. Those matters were probably before the magistrates court which dealt with the case.

Is the Home Secretary aware that the lady in question is prepared to make a sworn statement?

Proceedings can be taken against the police. It is quite open to anyone to do that.

May I ask whether the right hon. Gentleman, in the course of his investigations, came across any evidence that a deputation of the unemployed were thrown out by violence—[Interruption.]

asked the Home Secretary what action he proposes to take with regard to a letter addressed to him by Mr. Edward George, of 47, Brunswick Square, Hove?

I do not propose to take any action in this case.

asked the Home Secretary why permission is refused by the Governor of His Majesty's Prison at Parkhurst for a heart specialist to visit a prisoner, a previous patient, who is suffering from angina pectoris; and whether it is possible to make any exception?

The prisoner in question has been free from heart attacks during his sentence. He is receiving all necessary medical care and attention and, if necessary, the prison medical officer could call in a specialist. In these circumstances, there is no reason for taking any excxeptional course.

As the cost of the specialist will not fall on the public funds, is there any reason why this man should not be examined by his own doctor who is quite familiar with his case.

If that were done in one case, it would have to be done in others, and there is no special reason why an exception should be made in this case.

The only reason is life and death. Could not the right hon. Gentleman make an exception in this case?

This patient is not ill, and has not been subject to any heart attacks during his imprisonment. The medical officer is carefully watching the case, and, as I have said, if there is any reason of life and death, a specialist will be called in.

Is the right hon. Gentleman waiting for a heart attack?

asked the Home Secretary if the Prison Commissioners intend to keep Portsmouth prison as a closed prison; and whether, in the event of the Commissioners deciding to dispose of it, the city council will be given the option of acquiring it under special terms?

Although it is proposed to close Portsmouth prison, it is not intended at present to dispose of it. If, at some future date, it should appear that the prison can be disposed of, an offer of reconveyance would have to be made to the local authority, in accordance with the provisions of Section 34 of the Prison Act, 1877.

Will that apply also to Government, House and another house which is part of the same property?

I shall be obliged if the hon. Member will give me notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Education if the proposed reduction in the salaries of teachers will, apply also to the inspectors, administrative officers, and other staff employed by public education authorities?

Local education authorities have been informed in paragraph 3 of circular 1413, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy, that in determining the amount of expenditure by authorities on the salaries and wages of their officers other than teachers which should be recognised for purposes of grant, the Board will have regard to the extent to which appropriate reductions in such salaries and wages have been made in the light of the reductions in the salaries of teachers and the various branches of the public service.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that many of these rates of wages have been the subject of negotiation by existing joint machinery and are actually post-dated month after month? Is he aware that what is now proposed would be regarded by the men's representatives as undue interference with the existing machinery and certainly would be resisted?

All facts of that kind have been taken into account and sympathetically considered.

Is not that precisely the case with the teachers, and is there not a body to which they have looked to fix their salaries in precisely the same way?

asked the President of the Board of Education whether school medical officers are included among the officers other than teachers referred to in Circular 1413, issued 11th September, 1931; whether his Department has opened any negotiations with the British Medical Association in the matter of reductions of school medical officers' salaries; and, if so, whether he will communicate the result of any such negotiations to education authorities for the authorities' guidance, so that there may be a scale or scales of reductions generally acceptable and applicable throughout England and Wales?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I have not opened any negotiations with the British Medical Association in the matter of school medical officers' salaries, and the third part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this association is a very powerful trade union, and that it has successfully dictated to public authorities what salaries shall be paid to its members?

I am aware of the power of all trade unions. If the association desires to make any representations to me, I shall be very glad to receive them.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why this matter is left to public authorities, while in the case of the teachers there is an ultimatum?

Answer!

I have no objection at all to answering the hon. Member's question. The answer is that they are employed by the local authorities, as, indeed, the teachers are, but in this case the local authorities have complete control of them.

asked the President of the Board of Education in how many cases during the five years prior to the issue of Circular 1413 the Board have made representations to, or withheld grants from, local education authorities in respect of the expenditure of such authorities on the salaries and wages of officers other than teachers?

The expenditure of local education authorities on administration, in common with all their other expenditure, is scrutinised by the Board with a view to ascertaining whether any part of it is not recognisable as expenditure in aid of which Parliamentary grants should be made; and when this is the case such expenditure is excluded in the calculation of the Board's grant. I regret that the Board have no available record of the number of cases in which they have made representations to, or withheld grants from, authorities in respect of their expenditure on administration.

Is not the reason for the last part of the answer the fact that this paragraph is absolutely without precedent, the Board hitherto having regarded the fixing of these salaries and wages as a matter within the competence of the local authority with which they have had no concern?

I will see whether the. Board may not start a record of the kind which the hon. Member needs.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of local education authorities who have put into operation the feeding of necessitous school children; and the latest figures of the number of children being fed?

In the week ending 18th July, 134 local education authorities made provision for the feeding of school children. The number of children receiving meals was approximately 154,500, of whom 101,500 were necessitous children receiving meals free of charge.

Can the right hon. Gentleman inform us whether or not there is to be a cut in the amount granted by the Board to the local authorities who are carrying on this work?

That matter does not arise on this question.

Has the right hon. Gentleman taken any steps to meet the anticipated increase in the number of necessitous children following the policy which the Government are pursuing?

That question is being very carefully watched.

Arising out of the original reply, can the right hon. Gentleman say how many authorities have refused to put the Act into operation?

That question, also, does not arise.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether teachers' pensions are to be based on the present rate of salaries before the 10 per cent. reduction or after it has taken place; and if the teachers' treatment on that matter differs from that of the police?

In reply to the first part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to my answer, of which I am sending him a copy, to a question asked by the hon. Member for Middleton and Prestwich (Sir N. Stewart Sandeman) on the 16th instant. The answer to the second part is in the affirmative. The terms of engagement and conditions of pension of the two classes differ materially in a number of respects.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that part of the drainage system of Islington dates back to the year of the Indian Mutiny; that the sewer under Caledonian Road runs into a connection of the Fleet River draining a large part of North London, with the result that in times of heavy rain there occurs a practical stoppage of outlet for Islington drainage at the King's Cross junction; that recent floods have occasioned serious hardship and loss to residents of West Islington; and whether he will make representations on the subject to the appropriate local authorities?

I am aware of the circumstances, but am informed that it is not correct that there has been a practical stoppage of outlet at the King's Cross junction. The London County Council, with whom the borough council have communicated, are fully alive to the position. They have a scheme for adding to the storm relief sewers of London, and have already spent over £3,500,000 on the most urgent work. The scheme includes proposals for improving the drainage of Islington.

Is the Minister aware that these floods have been frequent ever since 1895, and nothing has been done?

I do not think it is correct to say that nothing has been done. I understand that improvements have been made from time to time. It is, however, impossible to provide that there will never be overcharged sewers in cases of exceptional floods.

Can the Minister say whether the construction of a system of relief sewers is one of the matters which will be delayed by the London County Council in accordance with what is believed to be necessary in view of the economic situation?

No, Sir, I cannot.

asked the Minister of Health the estimated annual relief to owners of agricultural land and others in the county of Northamptonshire by the de-rating of agricultural land and buildings under the Local Government Act, 1929?