asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will give instructions in the proper quarter that full particulars of the land, buildings, equipment, wharfage, etc., which may be available for industrial purposes in and around Rosyth Dockyard, with an indication of the approximate terms of purchase or lease, be supplied to the Dunfermline local development committee recently set up by the Dunfermline municipal council?

Particulars of the land available have already been furnished to the Dunfermline authorities. The facilities that might be granted in the use of buildings, equipment and wharfage must depend upon the proposals of the applicant. The terms of purchase or lease would be a matter for negotiation in the normal way. At the suggestion of the Dunfermline Burgh Council, the Admiralty Superintending Civil Engineer at Rosyth Dockyard has been appointed a member of the executive sub-committee of the development committee referred to by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that the rents of working-class houses in Newcastle and other urban areas are exceptionally high; that the shortage of houses prevents unemployed persons from procuring cheaper accommodation; that in such areas the present scale of unemployment benefit leaves an inadequate sum for necessaries of life after payment of rent; and whether he will sympathetically consider the feasibility of increasing benefits in such areas to compensate for the rents charged?

The rates of insurance benefit, which are also the maximum rates for transitional payments, are fixed at uniform figures for the whole country, and cannot be varied for particular areas.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what machinery has been set up to operate the Foodstuffs (Prevention of Exploitation) Act; and whether any instances of profiteering have yet been brought to light?

The work in connection with this Act is being carried on by the Department in consultation with representatives of the food trades concerned. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to-day to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton East (Mr. Mander).

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any evidence of excessive profits arising in respect of raw materials and commodities, other than foodstuffs, since the change in money values; and, if so, what action he proposes taking to deal with the situation?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fluctuating value of the pound and the impossibility of estimating any capital values two or three years ahead, he will bring in legislation to postpone valuations of land under Part III of the Finance Act, 1931, until such time as monetary conditions are more stable?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Gentleman to the answers given yesterday by the Financial Secretary to the Treasury on this subject, to which I can at present add nothing.

asked the Home Secretary the latest figures available of the number of males serving sentences in convict prisons, local prisons, and Borstal institutions, respectively, who have previously served sentences of detention in a Borstal institution?

The number of males previously sentenced to Borstal deten- tion who were received into prison under later sentences during the course of the year 1930 was 1,076 out of a total number of 33,536 males received in that year into prison under sentence. The separate figures asked for are not readily available.

asked the Home Secretary whether the regulations for the admission of aliens into this country were in any way relaxed during the time his predecessor was in office; and, if so, whether he has taken any steps to strengthen them again?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not therefore arise.