asked the President of the Board of Trade the total imports of cotton cloth into this country and the total imports of cloth containing artificial silk, and the proportion of these imports coming from Japan?

During the first eight months of 1931, 49,986,090 square yards of cotton piece goods, 25,765,000 square yards of piece goods wholly of artificial silk, and 13,018,000 square yards of piece goods of artificial silk mixed with other materials, unless known as "woollens" or "worsteds," were imported into the United Kingdom. The proportion that was consigned from Japan was 3.3 per cent., 0.1 per cent. and nil respectively.

asked the Secretary for the Overseas Trade Department the number of firms who have applied for space at Olympia to date, compared with the total number of firms exhibiting at Olympia in 1930 and 1931 and at the White City in 1929?

The London section of the British Industries Fair is not confined to Olympia; part of that section was held at the White City in 1931, and will be held there again in 1932. The relevant figures for numbers of exhibitors and of space occupied are as follow:

—	Exhibitors.	Sq. ft.
1929 at the White City	1,466	319,632
1930 at Olympia	1,079	250,509
1931 at Olympia and White City.	1,268*	336,044
*Of which 1,152 were at Olympia.

The applications for space for the 1932 Fair are already:

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether, in view of the fact that over 90 per cent. of the figures and models at Olympia in the last fair were of foreign manufacture, steps are to be taken by his Department to prohibit the use of foreign goods in this connection at the 1932 fair?

As stated in reply to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Dulwich (Sir F. Hall) in February last, the regulations of the British Industries Fair stipulate that all exhibits must have been manu- factured mainly within the British Empire. To apply this stipulation to materials for the display of exhibits would handicap exhibitors in that display. I propose, however, to issue a special appeal to all exhibitors to utilise British figures and models to the utmost extent possible.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons within the areas of Aberdare and Mountain Ash Employment Exchanges at present in receipt of unemployment benefit and those in receipt of transitional benefit who, under the Government's proposal, will be referred to the public assistance committee for the calculation of their rate of benefit?

At 14th September, 1931, there were on the registers of the Employment Exchanges at Aberdare and Mountain Ash, 2,445 persons with claims authorised for transitional benefit, and in addition 428 persons in receipt of benefit other than transitional benefit who had received 156 days or more in their current benefit years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received the memorandum submitted by the Attorney-General of Bermuda purporting to give reasons against the enfranchisement of the women of that Colony; and whether he will lay this document upon the Table of the House?

I have seen a copy of the memorandum referred to; but it has not been communicated to me officially, and I am not prepared to consider its publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what the total weight and value were of goods exported by rail from Nyasaland during the last year for which figures are available or, if rail figures are not available, the totals exported in any way?

12,888 tons of goods were exported from Nyasaland during 1930, of which all but three tons went rail. The value of the goods exported was £691,908.

asked the Minister of Transport the total amount of Government grants made to the counties of Brecon and Radnor, separately, for the year ended 30th June, 1931, and each of the preceding four years?

The information in my possession relates only to the grants made from the Road Fund, which were as follow:

County of Brecon.
	Total.
Financial Years.	£
1927–28	40,981
1928–29	31,136
1929–30	64,614
1930–31	66,401
1931–32 (first quarter)	41,491

County of Kadnor.
1927–28	22,830
1928–29	24,085
1929–30	27,406
1930–31	33,396
1931–32 (first quarter)	21,839

The figures are given for each financial year. The compilation of figures for the yearly periods asked for in the question would have involved a great deal of additional work, and I hope the information in the form supplied will serve the hon. Member's purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called.to the fact that the temporary wooden supports to the damaged arches of Waterloo Bridge are infected by death-watch beetles; and whether any inspection has been made of these supports since 1923?

The bridge and its supports are subject to constant inspection by the engineering staff of the London County Council, and I am assured that the hon. Member is misinformed.

asked the Home Secretary whether the Government have considered the desirability of postponing, as a matter of economy, the review of county districts for the purpose of rearrangement under Section 46 of the Local Government Act, 1929; and, if so, what decision they have come to in the matter?

I have been asked to reply. My right hon. Friend has considered the matter, and has decided that it is not in the public interest to postpone the consideration of county reviews.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will give figures showing what proportion of the Government troops now being employed against the rebels in Burma is Indian and what proportion is British?

Excluding military police, the proportion of Indian to British troops in Burma is about 2.8 to 1.

asked the Secretary of State for India how many Indian gentlemen hold King's commissions in the Air Force, Royal Artillery, Royal Engineers, and other branches of the military forces other than the cavalry and infantry of the Indian Army?

The Indian Air Force has not yet been constituted, though Indian cadets are now under training at Cranwell with a view to qualifying for commissions in that force. Indian cadets are similarly under training at Woolwich for branches of the Army other than cavalry and infantry, but the first batch is not due to pass out until January next.

asked the Secretary of State for India how many Indian gentlemen hold King's commissions in the cavalry and how many in the infantry of the Indian Army?

Up to March last the numbers were 26 in the cavalry and 70 in the infantry, excluding officers serving with the Political Department who may be borne on the strength of cavalry or infantry units.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is yet able to give the House information concerning Mr. Sabhraj and Swami Priyog Bharati, two political prisoners who were asked to be vaccinated in Hyderabad jail early this year and who refused on conscientious grounds; whether he is aware that they were handcuffed and then forcibly vaccinated and, when they protested, their leave of grace was cancelled; and what action he intends to take to prevent a recurrence of this incident?

Yes, Sir. The prisoners referred to were vaccinated by order of the Government of Bombay, in accordance with the provincial jail regulations, which require all prisoners to be vaccinated. The prisoners were not handcuffed.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he can give figures relating to the year 1930–31 and the previous five years, showing the number and membership of primary co-operative societies in India; the total amount issued by these societies in loans; and the total working capital possessed?

No figures are available later than those for 1928–29. These will be found, together with those for the nine previous years, on pages 370 and 371 of the Statistical Abstract for British India for the 10 years ending 1928–29.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated monthly cost of the committees set up by the late Government; and whether it is proposed to discontinue any of them in the interests of economy?

The expenses of committees are, in general, borne on Departmental Votes. I am not, therefore, in a position to furnish the estimate desired. The question whether a committee should be discontinued is, in each case, a matter for Departmental consideration. If my hon. Friend has a particular committee in mind, he will no doubt address an inquiry to the Minister concerned.