asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of nursery schools in Scotland conducted by local education authorities and by voluntary bodies, respectively; the average number of children in attendance; and the approximate cost per place of building a new school?

At 31st July, 1931, there were 21 nursery schools, or ordinary schools containing nursery classes, in Scotland. Of these, eight were conducted by education authorities, one by a provincial committee for the training of teachers, and 12 by voluntary managers. The total number of children in attendance was 676. In addition, there were, in Glasgow, 14 centres conducted by the education authority at which children of nursery school age receive attention. The cost per place of building a new nursery school depends partly on the cost of the site and other local factors, and varies according to the number of places provided. The approximate cost of building and equipment for two schools recently provided, each with accommodation for about 50 children, was £62 per place.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of free places in secondary schools to the awarded by the Lancashire County Council in the year commencing 1st April, 1932?

Free places in secondary schools are normally awarded for the school year beginning as from 1st August. I have no information as to the number to be awarded by the Lancashire County Council in the school year beginning on 1st August., 1932, and I understand that the matter is still under consideration.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed for each of the last four weeks, respectively?

These statistics are now collected only for one date in each month, instead of weekly as hitherto. On 25th January the total number of unemployed persons on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain was 2,728,411.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number employed for each week in November, December, and January, respectively?

As indicated in the reply I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member on 7th December, 1931, estimates of the numbers of insured persons in employment can only be made in respect of one date in each month. It is estimated that the number of insured persons in employment in Great Britain was 9,510,500 at 23rd November, 1931; 9,592,600 at 21st December, 1931: and 9,365,700 at 25th January, 1932.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what are the approximate figures, or other available data, relating to foot-and-mouth disease in Denmark, Sweden, Lithuania, and Poland during November and December last?

The numbers of outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease reported from the countries mentioned are as follow:

asked the Prime Minister if he will investigate the extent to which Government Departments are assisting the British film industry in providing facilities for backgrounds, with the object of ascertaining whether extra help on these lines can be afforded it?

I have no reason to believe that reasonable facilities are not accorded. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in which he is interested, perhaps he will address his question to the Government Department concerned.

asked the. Prime Minister whether he will now publish the report of the committee set up by the last Government to inquire into the iron and steel industry?

It is not proposed to publish the report, which was prepared for the confidential information of His Majesty's Government.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what efforts have been made by his Department in recent years to secure co-operation between British exporters for the avoidance of unnecessary competition between each other and the more adequate representation of British goods in foreign markets; and what success has attended those efforts?

My Department and its overseas officers have persistently advocated the adoption, under modern conditions, of co-operative action among exporters and the more adequate representation of British goods as a means of meeting powerful competition in overseas markets. Stress has been laid on the importance of such co-operation in the reports of trade missions and specialised trade investigations sent out in recent years. A number of trades which are strongly organised have already taken effective action for the elimination of unnecessary competition, and groups of individual firms in other trades have been formed for the purpose of joint selling in oversea markets. Continuous efforts are being made to secure the more general adoption of this form of organisation. As an example of steps being taken for the more adequate representation of British goods in foreign markets, I would draw attention to the action of the British Electrical and Allied Manufacturers Association who, with the cooperation and support of the Department of Overseas Trade, have decided to send to Buenos Aires a technically qualified man to undertake joint representation of their common interests.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total imports into Great Britain of motor-boat propellers from foreign countries and from the Dominions during the last 12 months?

Particulars of the imports of motor-boat propellers are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom. I regret, therefore, that the information desired by nay hon. Friend is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the volume of goods subject to the duty of 50 per cent. that have entered British ports since the Abnormal Importations Act came into operation?

The total declared value of such goods on which duty was paid was £1,194,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has considered the representations of the Timber Trade Association as to the need for duties on soft woods; and whether he can hold out hope of acceding thereto?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 4th February and to the Resolutions now under consideration in Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any consultations, and, if so, of what nature, took place with the Dominions before the Tariff Bill was drafted?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the fact that the Government have taken the whole time of the House, he will consider the advisability of himself introducing a Bill, for which there is a demand from retailers all over the country, to make coupon free-gift trading illegal?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I have given to-day to the questions on this subject asked by my hon. Friends the Members for East Toxteth (Mr. Buchan-Hepburn) and Finchley (Mr. Cadogan).

asked the Postmaster-General whether he has given consideration to the letter addressed to him on 27th November last by the Guild of Sorting Clerks and Telegraphists; and whether a decision has been arrived at as to the reinstatement of local recognition of this association?

A reply was sent to the guild in December last. This body, I may say, has never been accorded official recognition as a separate unit; and as it represents only a small fraction of the grade concerened, my right hon. Friend does not see his way to accede to the request for recognition.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the fact that no telephone repairs are carried out between 1 p.m. on Saturday and Monday morning, except in the case of those telephones belonging to doctors, this privilege can be extended to the general public, seeing that no money is refunded in respect of the period in which their telephones are out of working order?

The present arrangements for fault repair during week-ends apply not only to the circuits of doctors, but also to fire alarm, police, hospital and other circuits where the immediate restoration of communication is in the general public interest. My right hon. Friend is considering whether it is possible to extend their scope.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what are the conditions under which special campaign pensions are granted; and why the maximum income under which a pension may be granted has been altered from 19s. a week for a single person and 38s. a week for a married couple?

The conditions under which special campaign pensions may be granted are laid down in Article 1114 of the Pay Warrant, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. The previous rates were reduced for new awards made on or after 1st October. 1931, to a scale which, like that adopted for service pensions, takes into account the fall in the cost of living.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what will be the cost of the mechanisation of the Territorial Army brigades of Royal Artillery; and why it is proposed to complete the mechanisation in the year 1932 instead of the year 1933, as originally planned?

The mechanisation of the Territorial Army field and medium brigades will result in a considerable saving. The earlier completion of the scheme is made possible by the fact that a number of mechanical vehicles has become available through a reorganisation of the cavalry of the Regular Army.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, with reference to the male adult staff of Woolwich Arsenal, what percentage of the normal industrial staff is the total tending to reduction, including replacements, arising from the following causes per annum, giving figures for two years separately: resignations, formal or otherwise; discharges, showing bulk discharges separately; ill health; deaths, including deaths through accidents; old age; promotion or transfer to non-industrial posts; and any other cause or causes commonly operating to reduce staff?

The following figures give the information which it is understood that the hon. Member requires so far as the Royal Ordnance Factories are concerned:

asked the Secretary for Mines if he can now state the substance of the reply of the Miners' Federation to the official request to express its views on the working of Part I of the Coal Mines Act, 1930?

The reply has not yet been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if His Majesty's Government have under consideration the appointment of a Minister to the Vatican?

No, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the amount of the subsidy given to each approved light aeroplane club during the current year, and the corresponding amounts for last year?

The following table gives the information requested:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the increased duty on beer has so far contributed to a reduction in consumption; and whether the utility of continuing or abolishing this increased duty is being considered?

I would refer to the reply given on 4th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Canterbury (Sir W. Wayland). With regard to the second part of the question, the situation is being carefully watched.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount of revenue received from the Beer Duty during the month of December, 1931, and during the month of January, 1932?

The amounts are respectively 26,166,000 and £7,490,000.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the Entertainments Duty during the year ended 31st March, 1931, was derived from theatres and cinemas, respectively?

I regret that the information requested is not available. Separate particulars of the receipts of Entertainments Duty from different classes of entertainment are not obtainable, because in the case a duty paid by the purchase of stamps or stamped tickets there is no official information as to the class of entertainment for which the stamps or tickets may be used.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the cost to the Exchequer if all company reserves were relieved of Income Tax until distributed to the shareholders either in the form of dividends or bonus shares?

In a normal year the cost of this relief on the basis of a standard rate of 5s. in the £ would be in the neighbourhood of £60,000,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how long the affairs of the company known as Dolcoath Mine, Limited, have been in the hands of the Government Receiver; what progress has been made in bringing the liquidation to completion; and how it is proposed to dispose of the property?

The disposal of the assets of Dolcoath Mine, Limited, is in the bands of the receiver and manager appointed by the court on 22nd March, 1930, and is being carried out under the direction of the court.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any negotiations have taken place with the staff side of the National Whitley Council in favour of better arrangements in absorbing redundant staffs than exist at present; and, if so, what representations were made by the staff representatives on the subject, and what was the nature of the Treasury reply?

Yes, Sir. The staff side of the general purposes committee of the National Whitley Council have put forward proposals on this matter. Discussions are proceeding, but I am not yet in a position to make any statement on the subject.