asked the Secretary of State for India if he is in a position to make a statement regarding the present position in Kashmir?

I do not know that I can usefully add anything to the reports which have been appearing in the Press. But I will send the hon. Member a copy of the announcement of action which is being taken by the Kashmir Government.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he will inform the House as to the present situation in regard to the disturbances in Burma?

The following statement covers the events of the past week.The general improvement in the situation continues. On 20th November, a military police party in the Pegu District met a gang of rebels between 20 and 30 strong, and killed the leader, wounded several others and recovered four guns and over 100 rounds of ammunition. The leader, who was not known at the time, has since been identified as Myat Aung, the right hand man of Saya San, whom he succeeded in the Tharrawaddy District. Karen irregulars in another part of the Pegu District met another gang of rebels under Tun Myat, killed two, wounded one and recovered two elephants which were being used by rebels. Elsewhere patrols have operated as usual. During the week 159 rebels were released from custody, and the number remaining is 884. One irregular police and one village headman were reported killed. Saya San was executed on 28th November. There has been no rain, and as it is now too late for rain to do any good, the crop over most of Lower Burma will probably be light. The price of paddy in Rangoon remained fairly steady. The numbers on relief works increased in the Myingyan and Sagaing Districts, but decreased elsewhere, the total being over 17,000.

asked the Secretary of State for India (1) the grounds on which the Government of Bombay have withdrawn the exemption of the Dawoodi Bohra, Community from the operation of the Mussulman Walof Act, 1923, on the report of a committee, without giving that community any sufficient opportunity to rebut the allegations made against them;(2) whether, in view of the fact that the Bohra Walof Community had been exempted, instructions were issued to the committee appointed by the Bombay Government to report on the administration of the Walof Acts not to deal with that community;(3) whether, seeing that the withdrawal of the exemption of the Bohra Community from the operation of the Walof Acts has given rise to resentment amongst that community, His Majesty's Government will take action to remove their grievances by the appointment of an independent committee of inquiry or otherwise?

I have no official information regarding the application of the Mussulman Wakf Act to the Dawoodi Bohra Community. As "religious and charitable endowments" is a transferred subject, under the Government of India Act, and therefore dealt with by the Governor acting with his Ministers, I am unable to interfere with their discretion in the manner suggested.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any appointment has yet been made of a referee to deal with disputes under the Abnormal Importations Act; if so, his name and qualifications; and the rate of remuneration to be paid for refereeing in this connection?

No appointment of a referee under Section 4 of the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, 1931, has yet been made, but steps are being taken to that end.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what are the conditions governing the granting of licences to export arms to foreign countries?

The Board of Trade are guided in this matter by the advice of the Foreign Office and the Service Departments, arid questions of policy should be addressed to those Departments.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the large increase in the home prices of offals in the last two months; and whether, in view of the fact that the declared import value, c.i.f., of these imports into the United Kingdom registered during the month of October, 1930, and October, 1931, showed only an increase of 5d. in the case of bran and middlings, and in the case of other offals a considerable decrease, he will make inquiries and take action, if necessary?

I am aware of the recent increases in the price of home produced and imported offals in this country, but I would remind the hon. and gallant Member, as regards the second part of the question, that imported offals constitute a relatively small proportion of the total consumption of offals in this country, so that the general price is not affected greatly by the price of the imported commodity.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total annual sum paid by the State in respect of pensions to admirals, commanders, lieutenant-colonels, majors and captains; whether there are any monetary benefits for officers of local territorials; and, if so, how much?

I would refer the hon. Member to the particulars given in Vote 13 of Navy Estimates, Vote 13 of Army Estimates and Vote 11 of Air Estimates. Officers retired from the Territorial Army do not receive pensions.

asked the Minister of Transport, in view of the fact that safety glass will be compulsory on lower front windows of new vehicles after 1st January next, whether, as a result of the serious accident which occurred to a London General Omnibus Company omnibus at Bishopsgate, on 18th November last, he will include side and upper windows in the new Regulations?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the collision which occurred at Bishopsgate on 18th November between a crane jib carried by a lorry and the upper deck of a motor omnibus, as a result of which certain of the passengers were injured. While regretting the occurrence of this accident, I do not think, in view of its unusual nature, that I should be justified in making Regulations on the lines suggested.

asked the Minister of Transport why the traffic commissioners took away the licence of the local carrier for a motor-van at Cold Ash, near Newbury; and whether, in view of the hardships imposed on the inhabitants of Cold Ash by the loss of their only transport service, he will issue a licence immediately to one of the applicants?

Mr. Austin, of Cold Ash, made application for road service licences in respect of two routes, Newbury and Bradfield and Newbury and Marlstone, both via Cold Ash. Licences were refused, and on appeal I upheld the decision of the traffic commissioners as I was satisfied, and so informed the appellant, that at the time when the applications were determined by the commissioners he was not in a position to operate the services. I am informed that Mr. Austin's services were not the only ones serving Cold Ash as two other services (one between Cold Ash and Newbury on weekdays, and one between Cold Ash and Reading on Fridays) are in operation under the provisions of the Public Service Vehicles (Transitory Provisions) (No. 2) Order pending decisions by the commissioners on applications for road service licences. Further, Mr. Austin has now made application in respect of a route between Newbury and Hermitage via Cold Ash (which is almost identical with the route Newbury to Marlstone mentioned above), and it is the commissioners' intention to deal with this application ht an early date.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total expenditure incurred in operating the 1924 Agricultural Wages Board Act for England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, for the years 1927, 1928, 1929, and 1930?

Expenditure under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924, for each of the years 1927 to 1930 inclusive (including overhead charges borne on the Vote of the Ministry or of other Departments) was as under:

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can now make a statement as to the agricultural policy of the Government?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statement I made after Questions on Thursday last.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured persons, under the Unemployment Insurance Act, on 31st December, 1913, and also on the latest date where the information is available, specifying the number of women in each ease?

In July, 1914, the date nearest to December, 1913, for which these statistics can be given, the number insured under the National Insurance (Part II) (Unemployment Insurance) Act was 2,326,000 of whom approximately 10,000 were females. The Unemployment Insurance scheme then applied only to a small number of trades. At July, 1921, shortly after the extension of the scheme in November, 1920, the estimated number insured in Great Britain aged 16 and over was 11,080,950, including 3,106,660 females. At July, 1931, the number insured aged 16 to 64 was 12,500,000 including 3,479,000 females.