asked the First Lord of the Admiralty what steps are being taken or contemplated by the Admiralty to prevent the proposed erection of a pier opposite the battery at the headquarters of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve at Hove?

We are at present in communication with the promoters of the pier scheme, and our action must depend on their willingness and ability to comply with necessary naval requirements.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider the possibility of equipping submarines with a buoy or some other device which, in case of casualty, could be released in order that the position of the submarine might be definitely located?

Provision has already been made to fit all submarines under construction with two indicator buoys which can be readily released in an emergency. An experimental buoy is now under trial in His Majesty's Submarine "Rainbow." It is proposed to extend this fitting to all submarines in commission on completion of satisfactory trials of the buoy in "Rainbow."

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the minutes of the court-martial on the late commanding officer of His Majesty's Ship "Petersfield" for the loss of his ship on Tung Yung Island have yet been received; and whether he can make a statement as regards the navigation of the ship on that occasion?

The reports of the courts-martial have been received. From an examination of the minutes, their Lordships are of the opinion that the responsibility for the loss of His Majesty's Ship "Petersfield" must rest entirely on her captain. On the afternoon before the grounding, the Commander-in-Chief on two occasions gave directions regarding the navigation of the ship when he considered the proposed actions of the captain were not suitable to the circumstances. His reasons for doing so are considered by the Admiralty to have been entirely sound from the navigational point of view. Their Lordships are satisfied that there was nothing in these directions, nor in subsequent events which gave the commanding officer any grounds for assuming that the Commander-in-Chief had taken charge of the navigation of the ship.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has considered the advisability of placing a tariff on imported bacon, other than Empire produced, coupled with the admission, free of duty, on a diminishing quota system, under veterinary inspection, of carcasses for curing, to prevent any exceptional rise in prices until such time as the pig population in England is sufficient to meet all the requirements of the home trade; and if he is aware that such a procedure would tend to employ additional workers in English bacon-curing factories and lead to a revival in the English pig-breeding industry?

I cannot anticipate the announcement of the Government's agricultural policy.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if his attention has been directed to the increase in the number of civil servants as at 31st October; and will he, in view of the necessity for economy, cause a fresh inquiry to be made without delay with the object of effecting a reduction in numbers?

Yes, Sir. I find that the increase in the number of civil servants as at 31st October last was due primarily to the increase in the unemployment live register, increased postal delivery work, and increased tasks in connection with the collection of the Inland Revenue. I would remind my hon. Friend that barely six months have elapsed since the Committee on National Expenditure completed its survey of the whole field of Civil Service administration. I do not think that any advantage would be gained from a further inquiry at the present time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what countries are at present off the Gold Standard and what is the value of the pound sterling in those countries; and whether the Government will convene an international conference to fix an international standard of exchange?

The only countries which remain on the Gold Standard and in which the currency authority freely buys and sells gold at a fixed price and the export of gold is unrestricted, are the United States of America, France, Belgium, Holland, South Africa, Switzerland, Danzig, Lithuania and Poland. There is a number of other countries which have not departed from the Gold Standard but which maintain their currencies by means of exchange restrictions. The value of the pound sterling in foreign countries is quoted daily in the Press. I do not think that an International Monetary Conference could hope to achieve practical results at the present time, but the Government will continue to watch the situation.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether it is proposed to set up the working committee in connection with the Round Table Conference without delay; and whether every effort will be made to secure Adequate representation of the various points of view by the appointment of Indian members?

The hon. Member's question was placed on the Paper before the names of this committee were published. I hope, having seen the list and recent Press accounts of the committee's first meeting, that he is satisfied on both the points his question raises.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Finance Committee to be set up in connection with the Round Table Conference will include representative Indians in its membership

As the hon. Member will have seen since his question was placed on the Paper; this committee includes three distinguished Indian members.

asked the Minister of Pensions in how many cases during the last 12 months the Ministry's medical officers have overridden, in part or wholly, death certificates of pensioned ex-service men whose widows have made a claim for pension; and whether he is aware that there is a feeling of resentment felt when this policy is followed?

I am unable to give the figure asked for, but I may assure my Noble Friend that the fullest consideration is given to any statement by a deceased ex-service man's doctor, whether in the death certificate or elsewhere. It is, however, necessary for my medical advisers to consider, in the light of their wide experience, all the information in the possession of the Ministry and the facts and history of each case, both during service and since discharge, and on this basis to determine whether the certificate required by the Royal Warrant can be given.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the importance of the forthcoming Imperial Conference, he will give consideration to the advisability of inviting representation from the various Australian States at such a conference, in view of the fact that the land, mines, railways, forests, etc., are controlled exclusively by these States, in contra-disinction to the conditions prevailing with regard to other Dominions?

The practice is for His Majesty's Government in the Commonwealth of Australia, and not for the State Governments, to be represented at meetings of the Imperial Conference. Any suggestion for altering this practice would be a matter for discussion, in the first instance, between the Governments of the States and the Commonwealth.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has considered the Reports of the Law Society and the General Council of the Bar on the proposals put forward in April, 1930, by the London Chamber of Commerce for reducing the cost of litigation; and whether, in view of the lapse of time since the issue of these reports and the importance of the matter to the commercial community, especially in the present difficult period, he will indicate what steps are being taken to put into practice those recommendations upon which the three bodies are in agreement?

I have considered the reports to which the hon. Member refers. So far as they advocate changes which can be effected by Rules of Court, I understand that they are being considered by the Supreme Court Rule Committee. Some of the changes advocated with regard to evidence would require legislation. I hope that a Bill dealing with this subject may be introduced at an early date.

asked the Prime Minister what is the total personnel employed in writing the official history of the War; what is the total annual cost to the public; and how soon it is anticipated the work will be completed?

The total personnel employed in the Historical Section of the Committee of Imperial Defence, which is responsible for the compilation of the Official Histories of the War, is 31. The total cost to the public for the current financial year is approximately £13.000. It is hoped that the bulk of the work will be completed by 1938; meanwhile expenditure on the work is being reduced year by year.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give any information, in advance of the annual Return which is presented to Parliament, of the number of street accidents caused by vehicles and horses in 1931 which resulted in personal injury and came to the notice of the police?

The following are preliminary figures as to street accidents caused by vehicles and horses during 1931 which resulted in personal injury and came to the notice of the police. The total number of such accidents recorded in Great Britain was 181,486, of which 6,495 resulted in fatal injuries to one or more persons. The corresponding figures in 1930 were 156,793 and 7,074 respectively. The number of persons killed in 1931 was 6,685 and 202,147 injured as against 7,305 and 177,895 respectively in 1930. There was thus in 1931 a considerable increase in the total number of accidents resulting in personal injury which were recorded by the police, but a decrease in the number of fatal accidents as compared with 1930. The figures for England and Wales show similar changes, the total number of accidents resulting in personal injury being 165,521 (an increase of 23,127) and fatal accidents 5,851 (a decrease of 466). The total number of persons killed or injured in England and Wales was in 1931 190,831 (an increase of 22,329), and the number killed 6,026 (a decrease of 496). These changes in the number of persons killed and injured respectively suggest that the increase in the total number of accidents resulting in personal injury may be more apparent than real and attributable to the police obtaining fuller information regarding the accidents which occur by reason of the institution of the motor patrols and the new requirements of the Road Traffic Act as to the reporting of accidents. The figures from many police districts support this view, but it is to be noted, on the other hand, that those for the Metropolitan Police District show a decrease in the total number of persons injured as well as a decrease in the number killed, the totals for 1931 being 1,324 killed and 54,422 injured (not fatally) as against 1,398 and 55,827 respectively in 1930. On the other hand, in some police districts, including, for instance, the parts of Kent and the West Riding of Yorkshire policed by the county police, there was an increase in 1931 in the number of persons killed as well as in the number of persons injured. Amongst the cities and boroughs in England and Wales, Birmingham had the highest total of killed or injured during 1931, namely, 5,688, an increase of nearly 800 over the previous year. This figure, however, is exceeded by Glasgow, where the number of persons killed or injured was 5,904, which is, however, nearly 300 less than in 1930. The Liverpool figures show an increase in persons killed or injured from 4,447 to 4,648, and those for Manchester an increase from 3,571 to 3,848. Wales as a whole had a total of 232 killed 'and 7,422 injured, as compared with 270 killed and 5,816 injured during 1930. In Scotland the corresponding totals show a de- crease of 124 killed and an increase of 1,427 injured, the totals for 1931 being 659 and 17,342 respectively.

asked the Secretary for Mines what fatal and non-fatal accidents have occurred at the Hilton Main Colliery, South Staffordshire, during the last three years?

The figures are as follow: