asked the Minister of Pensions how many persons were on the staff of the Ministry of Pensions for the current year; the number for the year 1927; and the number of pensioners in the corresponding years?

The staff of the Ministry numbered 8,271 on 1st October, 1927, and 5,072 on the corresponding date in the present year. The numbers of pensioners on the same dates were approximately 1,003,000 and 908,000 respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what amount of ex- amination fees was received by the Civil Service Commission in respect of the shorthand-typist and clerk-shorthand-typist examination held on 3rd February, 1931; and what total expenditure was incurred by the Civil Service Commission in the holding of the examination?

The fees received in respect of the examination in question amounted to £671 5s. The total cost involved in the holding of the examination, including an apportionment of overhead administrative and ancillary costs, is estimated at £937.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will make inquiries into the compulsory discontinuance of the omnibus service at Ridsdale and Woodburn, Northumberland, with a view to alleviating any hardship to the public?

The licensing of road passenger services is a matter for the Traffic Commissioners set up under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and I have no jurisdiction in regard to any particular case, except on appeal being made to me, under the provisions of the Act. The particulars given in the question are insufficient for me to verify whether or not an appeal has been lodged in the case to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will take steps to bring to an end the prolonged trial of the men charged with conspiracy at Meerut?

I am not prepared to interfere with the ordinary administration of the law in this case, at the stage which it has now reached.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of days lost owing to industrial disputes in this country for each period of six months from 1st January, 1924, to 30th June, 1931, inclusive?

The approximate numbers of working days lost owing to industrial disputes occurring in Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the periods specified were as follow:

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the total number of applications relating to trade with Russia under the Export Credits Acts, the total number of applications granted, and the amount of credit involved for the years 1926 to 1931, inclusive?

As many inquiries, which may or may not crystallise into definite proposals, are discussed with the Export Credits Guarantee Department, and as many inquiries and proposals relate to the same business, it is impossible to give any reliable figures as to the number of applications received and granted. The only reliable figures available relate to contracts definitely concluded between the Department and exporters. The total amount of such contracts concluded in respect of exports to Russia from 1st August, 1929 (when that country was first included in the scope of the scheme), to 31st October last was £12,770,242.

asked the Minister of Health whether the issue of Circular A.S. 282 to approved societies is an indication of a change of policy in his Department to intervene in the domestic administration of approved societies; and why officers of his Department are now to be instructed to interfere in the internal affairs of approved societies when this procedure has never before been adopted?

The hon. Member appears to be under a misapprehension as to the purpose of the circular. It has always been the policy of my Department to give help and guidance to approved societies, where necessary, on matters relating to their administration, and for this purpose to make use of the services of its officers. The circular in question did not indicate any departure from this policy.

asked the Minister of Health the list of questions for answer by the applicants for Poor Law relief in the county of Essex; and whether such questions were authorised by his Department or whether they were issued by the Essex Public Assistance Committee?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regards the second and third parts of the question, I have not prescribed any form of questions for obtaining the information required by a public assistance authority before considering applications for relief.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of money lent by British nationals to Germany; how much of it is on short-term loans; how much is repayable at the end of one year or two years, respectively; and whether any steps are being taken by the Government, in association with other Governments or by the League of Nations, to put German credit on a sound footing and to avoid a financial collapse early in 1932?

There are no complete figures as to the amount of money lent by British Nationals to Germany, but the hon. Member will find certain estimates in Annexes V and VI to the Report of the Committee appointed on the recommendation of the London Conference of July, 1931, which was published in a supplement to the "Economist" on 21st August, 1931. In reply to the last part of the question, I would refer to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council in the Debate on the Address in 13th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he has received representations as to the impoverishment of many British settlers in Australia under the Empire Settlement Act; and if he has taken any steps to deal with this problem?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend has every sympathy with those settlers from the United Kingdom who are feeling the effects of the economic depression in Australia. He has, however, every reason to believe that they are receiving the same consideration as native-born Australians. He is also taking steps in co-operation with the Commonwealth Government to ensure that the various organisations set up to provide aftercare for United Kingdom settlers in Australia shall be in a position to function effectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the printed copy of the evidence given to the Mac-millan Committee will be ready.

The evidence is being published to-day.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is proposed to convene at an early date an international conference to stabilise the rate of exchange?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for the Colchester Division (Mr. Lewis) on Thursday last.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of potatoes imported into this country from abroad within the last month; whether this total represents an increase in the amount normally imported in this period; and what are the respective prices for these potatoes obtained in the two periods in question?

Imports of potatoes into the United Kingdom during October, 1931, amounted to 91,654 tons. During the corresponding period of the previous five years imports varied from 1392 tons in 1928 to 13,069 tons in 1930. The estimated average wholesale price of imported potatoes during October, 1931, was about 114s. per ton as against about 78s. in October, 1930.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the state of agricultural depression on arable land, he will consider the extension of the remission of tithe under the Tithe Act, 1891, where the amount payable exceeds two-thirds of the assessment to Income Tax, Schedule B?

An extension of the remission provisions of Section 8 of the Tithe Act, 1891, would involve legislation. I can hold out no hope of the introduction of any legislation on the subject of tithe.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the plant known as phaeocystis has been found in the North Sea in considerable volume during the past six months; and what effect upon the herring fishery is expected from the presence on the herring spawning grounds of this plant?

The occurrence of phaeocystis in the North Sea is a normal annual event. Herring appear to avoid waters containing phaeocystis, and if large concentrations of the plant occur on or near the usual herring grounds the herring may be diverted from them. The main autumn crop of phaeocystis is likely to have disappeared before the principal spawning period, which falls in December and January and it is therefore improbable that spawning will be interfered with.