asked the Minister of Labour the number of men registered as unemployed in the country who are receiving part-time benefit for two or three days per week, as the case may be, at the beginning of the present month?

Statistics of the numbers on the register who are in receipt of benefit for part only of the week are not regularly compiled. Under the operation of the rule for reckoning continuity of unemployment, it is unlikely that there could be any appreciable number in receipt of benefit for two days only each week. As the result of an investigation made on 22nd June, 1931, it was found that out of a total of 461,846 males classified as temporarily stopped and unem- ployed on that day, 90,011 were experiencing employment and unemployment in each week under a system of short-time working, and the great majority of these would be in receipt of benefit for three days in the week.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons coming under the Unemployment Insurance Acts for the whole of the country, including the unemployed, and the number of those who work for gain in the country between the ages of 16 and 65, both at the beginning of the present month?

It is estimated that, at the beginning of July, 1931, there were 12,500,000 persons aged 16 to 64 years inclusive, insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain. Statistics of the total number of gainfully occupied persons are not yet available for any date later than the 1921 Census, but it is probable that the number of such persons, aged 16 to 64 years, in Great Britain at the present time is between 19,000,000 and 19,500,000.

asked the Minister of Pensions the result of observation of Rollason, reference 6/M/1380, who has been in Highbury Hospital during September and October, 1931, and whose case is under consideration by the chief area office in Birmingham?

As a result of one month's observation in hospital, it cannot be found that this case exhibits symptoms of the complaint, mucus colitis, from which it is claimed that Mr. Rollason is suffering. Should such symptoms develop, it is open to Mr. Rollason to apply for treatment in the usual way.

asked the Minister of Pensions if he will investigate the circumstances attending the refusal of a need pension to Mrs. Steward, of 31, Gurney Road, Stratford, E., in respect to the loss of her son?

The claim in this case was investigated in September last, when it was ascertained that the weekly income of Mr. and Mrs. Steward did not admit of an award of pension in respect of need under the Regulations.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury when the pensions formerly paid to descendants of Richard Pendrell for services performed 280 years ago were discontinued; and the former amount of the pension and the total sums paid?

These pensions consisted of a number of fee farm rents formerly payable to the Crown, but granted by Letters Patent of 24th July, 1676, to three trustees in trust for various members of the Pendrell family, with benefit of survivorship to the others on failure of heirs of any one of the beneficiaries and with reversion to the Crown on failure of all issue. The Crown's reversionary interest was sold in 1923, and the pensions are now administered by a private trust. I have no information as to their discontinuance or otherwise. The original pensions were six in number, two of £100 per annum, one of £50 per annum, and three of 100 masks (£66 13s. 4d.) per annum). Full details are given in Appendix No. 9 to the report of the Select Committee of the House of Commons on Perpetual Pensions dated 29th July, 1887 (No. 248 of 1887). I am unable to state the total amount paid under the trust.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in view of the insecurity of the position of the large number of temporary clerks and assistants in the Civil Service, many of whom are of long standing, he will consider introducing into the Civil Service a regulation whereby any person who has been employed in a temporary capacity for a prescribed number of years shall be eligible for appointment on the permanent staff, so that these persons may enjoy some security of tenure?

The Government are at present considering the report of the Royal Commission on the Civil Service, among whose recommendations is a proposal similar to that made by my hon. Friend.