asked the Minister of Agriculture what provision is being made in England for allotments for unemployed miners; and whether any State assistance is contemplated or given?

The ordinary machinery of the Allotments Acts is available for the provision of land, and a scheme is being operated by the Society of Friends out of funds collected privately to enable seeds and other requirements to be provided at reduced prices. No assistance is given from State funds, the Government having decided last September on grounds of economy not to continue the grant which was voted last year for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in making arrangements for the future assistance of the sugar-beet industry, he will consider the advisability of giving support in the form of free transport from the farm to the factory, in order that those farmers situated at great distances from the factories shall benefit equally with those in the vicinity of them?

I regret that I cannot entertain my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what representative agricultural bodies have been approached in connection with the forthcoming Ottawa Conference: and what provision is being made for the representation of British agricultural opinion at that Conference?

I am already in possession of the views of representative agricultural bodies, including the National Farmers Union and the Central Chamber of Agriculture, on the position of home agriculture in connection with Imperial Preference. A deputation of the former body waited upon me quite recently with reference to this subject especially. I intend to convene a meeting at an early date of the Agricultural Advisory Committee set up under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Act, 1919, to discuss this question. As regards the last part of the question, I have nothing to add to the reply given on Monday last by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Newbury (Brigadier-General Clifton Brown).

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware of the report of the Royal Commission on London Cross-River Traffic in regard to Waterloo Bridge and that it is now proposed, contrary to that report, to erect a new six-way bridge on that site; if the Ministry has been approached for a grant in aid of the construction of such a new bridge; and will he make a statement on the present position?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which I gave yesterday to a question by the hon. Member for West Walthamstow (Mr. McEutee), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Transport the names and whereabouts of those toll bridges which have been freed since the passing of the Road Traffic Act, 1930; in how many cases negotiations for the freeing of such bridges have been suspended during recent months; and whether in such cases he has drawn the attention of the local authorities concerned to the possibility of recouping their outlay under Section 53 (2, b) of the said Act?

The following toll bridges have been freed since the passing of the Road Traffic Act, 1930:Bursledon Bridge situated on the road from Southampton to Titchfield.Bridge over River Avon, Nelson Road, Salisbury.Negotiations for the freeing of one toll bridge have been suspended owing to the necessity for economy of public funds; I am advised that the authority concerned does not propose to take any action under the Act of 1930.

asked the Minister of Transport the conditions laid down by the Ministry for the laying of the various types of road-surfacing on the Kingston by-pass road; and to what extent those contractors who were ready to supply new material were given facilities?

The test lengths on the Kingston by-pass were laid down in collaboration and under conditions agreed with the associations representing manufacturers of tar and bituminous materials. It was impracticable to deal direct with individual contractors, and in. consultation with the association a selection was made of what were considered to be the most representative materials in the various groups selected for test.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, seeing that motor omnibuses desiring to set down or pick up passengers are forbidden to do so within 30 yards of main cross roads, and that tramcars are more dangerous and obstructive to other traffic owing to their stopping in the centre of the roadway, he will take steps to compel tramcars to observe the same conditions?

I am not aware that motor omnibuses generally are prohibited from stopping within 30 yards of main cross roads, and I do not think that it would be practicable to impose any such general restriction on tramcars.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the Kibble Motor Company of Lancashire are making a minimum charge of 2s. and maximum 13s. 6d. for returning to the owners any lost property, however small in value, of which sum the company retain Is. and the balance is paid to the conductor or finder of the property; and, seeing that finders who fail to restore lost property are liable to prosecution, will he consider an alteration of the provisions of the Road Traffic Act relative to lost property?

I am aware that certain hardships have arisen out of the provisional regulations now in force, and have already asked the various interests concerned for their views as to the possibility of amendment.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the inauguration of a daily service of 120-horse-power lorries designed to haul 16½ tons, of produce daily from Penzance to London in a running time of 13 hours for the distance of 305, miles; and whether, in view of the impossibility of maintaining this service without frequent breaches of the, speed, limit, laid down for this class of vehicle in the Schedule to the Road Traffic Act, 1930, he proposes to cause proceedings to be take against the company which has instituted this service?

I have seen a reference in the Press to the inauguration of a service of the nature referred to by my hon. Friend. The enforcement of the provisions of the First Schedule to the Road Traffic Act, 1930, with regard to the speeds at which motor vehicles of various classes may be driven is a matter for the police, whose attention is being drawn to the matter.

asked the Minister of Transport how much of the revenue derived from the taxation of motor vehicles was derived from private motor cars and how much from commercial vehicles (including motor omnibuses and char-a-bancs, respectively, in the last financial year?

Figures for the financial year are not available, but the gross revenue derived during the period 1st December, 1930, to 30th November, 1931, from the taxation of motor cars taxed on horse power and motor cycles amounted to approximately £15,000,000. The corresponding figure in respect of commercial motor vehicles (including hackney motor vehicles) was approximately £12,250,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will consider the withdrawal of the British Ambassador from Washington, leaving the Canadian representative to speak to the United States in the name of the British Empire?

No, Sir.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the various minorities and respective numbers from which the 73 receivable petitions were received during the 12 months ending 30th May, 1931, by the League of Nations?

Under the existing rules of procedure publicity is ordinarily only given to the number of petitions received, the numbers declared to be receivable and non-receivable and the number of petitions of which the examination by a committee of three members of the council has been completed. My right hon. Friend regrets, therefore, that he is not in a position to supply the information desired.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have submitted clearance schemes under the Housing Act, 1930; and how many have already been confirmed by the Ministry?

Up to 31st January last I had received resolutions from 115 local authorities in England and Wales declaring areas in their districts to be clearance areas under the Housing Act, 1930. These resolutions do not require confirmation by me. Clearance orders and compulsory purchase orders submitted by 35 local authorities have already been confirmed.

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses being erected under the various Housing Acts on 1st January, 1931, and on 1st January, 1932?

The numbers of houses under construction in England and Wales on 1st January, 1931, and 1st January, 1932, were 36,815 and 42,498 respectively.

asked the Minister of Health the number of rural district councils, urban district councils, borough councils, and county councils, respectively, who employ whole-time or part-time planning officers?

I regret that I cannot provide my hon. Friend with full particulars. So far as my information goes there are not many authorities with whole-time planning officers; in most cases the work is done by officials primarily engaged on other work, with such assistance as may be necessary.

asked the Minister of Health if he will investigate the circumstances attending the non-payment of old age pension to Mr. S. Prashner, of 87, Albert Square, Deptford?

Notice of the award of pension together with the relative order book was sent to Mr. Prashner on the 4th instant.

asked the Minister of Health what reports he has received from his officials on the publication by Spahlinger of his formula for the treatment of tuberculosis?

I have received from M. Spahlinger a copy of his statement as issued to the Press, and I am considering it. I have also sent copies of the statement to the Medical Research Council and other competent research bodies for their observations.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons whose insurance with approved societies has lapsed following prolonged unemployment, despite the Prolongation of Insurance Acts; whether further action can be taken to ensure full benefits for persons who are only able to remain in insurance by virtue of their cards being franked at the Employment Exchange; and what is the method adopted to retain records of persons getting their cards franked with a view to obtaining the old age pension at the age of 65 who have had their insurance membership terminated by an approved society?

In order to obtain the information asked for in the first part of the question, it would be necessary to scrutinise the records of 7,000 approved societies and branches for the past 10 years. As regards the second part of the question, I would point out that under the existing law insured persons are entitled to benefits at the full rates for a period of at least 18 months of continuous unemployment without the payment of any contributions and an extension of that period would impose on societies a burden which they are not in a position to bear. With regard to the last part of the question it should be borne in mind that, quite apart from the temporary provisions of the Prolongation of Insurance Act, insurance both for health and pensions is already kept alive for nearly three years of continuous unemployment, while insured persons who cease employment at the age of 60 are kept in insurance year by year, so long as continuous unemployment can be proved, until they reach the age of 65, at which the title to old age pension matures.

asked the Minister of Health the number of extra staff engaged to tranact the business of the Army, Navy and Air Force Insurance Fund transferred from insurance committees?

It has not been necessary to engage any extra staff in consequence of the transfer referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Health the number of local authorities which have instituted schemes for operating the Blind Persons Act, 1920, and the number and names of those authorities which have not proposed any such schemes; and what action he proposes to take to compel local authorities to operate schemes for the teaching and training of the blind?

All the local authorities concerned have made schemes under Section 2 of the Blind Persons Act. Any question as to the teaching and training of blind persons should be addressed to my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Education.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is in possession of any statistical information showing for various districts the numbers of applicants for transitional payments who have been assessed at the full rate and at less than the full rate?

Statistics giving the information desired by my hon. and gallant Friend are collected, and I have already given particulars regarding certain areas in answer to questions in the House. I should point out that any comparisons between authorities on the basis of these statistics must be subject to a good many qualifications. The proportion of persons receiving less than the full rate of benefit or receiving no transitional payments in any particular area would be substantially affected by various factors, as, for example, the general economic conditions of the area, by the

asked the Minister of Labour what is the present number of registered unemployed in Cowes; what percentage this number represents of the total number of insured workers in that town; and how this percentage compares with similar percentages for London, Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham?

At 25th January, 1932, there were 1,899 persons on the registers of the Cowes Employment Exchange, representing 23.1 per cent, of the estimated number of insured persons in the area at July, 1931. The correspond-

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered as unemployed at the Stratford and Canning Town Employment Exchanges in December, 1929, 1930, and 1931, respectively, giving men and women separately?

The following table gives the particulars for which the hon. Member asks:ing percentages for Greater London, Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham were 14.1, 29.0, 17.0 and 16.5 respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour the industries and the numbers for each industry which are responsible for the 218,000 increase in unemployment over the figures for December?

The principal industries in which there were increases between 21st December, 1931, and 25th January, 1932, in the numbers of insured workpeople recorded as unemployed were as follow:

asked the Minister of Labour the date when the largest number of unemployed were registered at the Employment Exchanges between 21st December, 1931, and 25th January, 1932?

These statistics are now collected only for one date in each month, instead of weekly as hitherto. I regret therefore that the information is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the number of years remaining in the lease of the Royal Army Clothing Factory, Pimlico; and whether, in the event of the premises being vacated before the lease expires, any compensation will have to be paid, and, if so, what amount?

The leases will terminate in September, 1937. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that firms of cotton manufacturers are prepared to extend their plant if they can receive a, guarantee that the import duty on goods similar to those they manufacture and at present coining within the provisions of the Abnormal Importations Act will not be dropped below 25 per cent.; and whether, in the interests of employment in Lancashire, he will give an undertaking that orders made under the Abnormal Importations Act will not be allowed to lapse until a recommendation has been received from the Tariff Advisory Committee and acted upon by the Treasury?

My hon. and gallant Friend can rest assured that the considerations to which, he refers will be borne in mind before any change is made in the import duties imposed under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act. It will be remembered that one of the first tasks of the new committee will be to consider such duties.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is prepared to consider some measure of Protection against the import of tinned hams and tongues?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the statements of Government policy which have been made recently in Debate, and to the terms of the Import Duties Bill which will be available very shortly.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, owing to the absence of provision for drawback in the case of non-bonded imports chargeable with duty used in the re-export trade to the Irish Free State and returned from there by a dissatisfied customer, double duty, amounting in all to 100 per cent., can be levied on the two transactions; and whether he will take steps to remedy this?

I am aware that foreign goods liable to Abnormal Importations Duty which are imported into this country and re-exported to the Irish Free State would not be eligible for reimportation duty free if returned; but I would point out that such, goods may be imported into this country for transhipment to the Irish Free State under bond or may be deposited in warehouse and exported thence without payment of duty in the first instance. I fear I do not see my way to propose the amendment of the law which would be necessary to give effect to the hon. and gallant Member's proposal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that wine lees, argol, and tartrate of lime are raw materials and are not available in this country or in the Empire, and that exports, including citric acid, amount to nearly £400,000 per annum, and that a 10 per cent, duty will extinguish the export trade, he will put these articles on the free list?

I must ask my hon. Friend to await the publication of the Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, having regard to the proposed imposition of general tariffs, whether it is intended to establish free Customs areas in certain of the larger ports as recommended by the Departmental Committee of the Board of Trade in 1918?

No, Sir.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has under consideration proposals to safeguard the investor and to restrict appeals for capital to bona fide ventures.

A number of suggestions have been made for amending the Companies Act with a view to giving further protection to the public and preventing abuses. These have been noted, and will be investigated when the question of amending the Act is under consideration.

asked the Home Secretary the total number of officials with diplomatic immunity and without such immunity, respectively, attached to the Soviet Embassy and trade organisations in the United Kingdom?

Thirty-six persons connected with the Embassy, including two members of the trade delegation, enjoy diplomatic immunity. 279 persons connected with Soviet trading organisations, including 24 employed at the trade delegation, do not enjoy such immunity.

asked the Home Secretary how many foreign actors, actresses, and variety artistes, respectively, have received notice to leave this country during the past 12 months; what has been the length of stay of such entertainers in each case; and what is the reason in each case for the withdrawal of permission to them to continue their work here?

The power to grant or refuse an extension of time rests with the Secretary of State, but in cases involving employment it is the practice to act on the advice of the Minister of Labour. No statistical record of such cases is kept, but I have no reason to think that the number has recently been abnormal. It has long been the practice for permits to be limited in time; and the persons concerned are required to leave in accordance with the time limit, unless adequate reason is shown why the period should be extended.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Customs and Excise senior chief clerks, chief clerks, officers with reserved rights blocking departmental higher clerical officers, departmental clerical officers (men), departmental clerical officers (women), P-class clerks, temporary clerks, casual clerks, writing assistants, and members of the typing grade, employed in the Customs and Excise Department as at the most convenient latest date; and the allocation of such officers to each office or sub-office in London and in the provinces?

The particulars requested are given in the following table, but I should state that in future, with a view to economy in printing, I propose in suitable cases, unless specifically requested to circulate in the OFFICIAL REPORT, to reply formally to questions involving lengthy and complicated tables and to send directly to hon. Members the information desired.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the estimated increase in the staff in the Customs and Excise Department during the current year; and what proportion of the new personnel required will be ex-service men?

I regret that it is not at present practicable to furnish the information requested.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what steps have been taken to find employment for those persons who have lost their employment as a result of the decision to suspend land valuation?

The majority of the men whose engagements with the Inland Revenue have been terminated by reason of the decision to suspend Land Valuation were professionally qualified for valuation work. Their engagement with the Inland Revenue was of a strictly temporary character, and, much as I regret the position of the men concerned, my hon. and gallant Friend will appreciate that in the absence of alternative Government work suitable to their qualifications, it was not possible to offer them further Government employment.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the desirability of taking steps to remove the holder of a licence for the sale of wines, spirits and beer from the control of the company or brewery that owns the premises?

This would require legislation; and as to that I have nothing to add to my answer to the hon. Member for the Don Valley (Mr. T. Williams) on the 4th of this month.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the character of Communism and the harm it does to industrial peace and the welfare of the working classes in the United Kingdom, he will consider taking the necessary steps to make all Communist organisations, newspapers, literature, meetings, and propaganda illegal?

There is no sufficient reason for proposing the legislation that would be necessary to effect this purpose. Any attempts to foment breaches of the law can be, and are, proceeded against in the ordinary course.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in formulating new measures for dealing with convicts of a specially dangerous type, he will take into full consideration the extent to which the recent increase of amenities and relaxation of discipline at Dartmoor were responsible for the outbreak which occurred lately in that institution; and whether the report of the committee appointed in April, 1931, to consider the whole problem of persistent offenders will be made public before any new provisions in this connection are drawn up?

There has been no recent relaxation of discipline at Dartmoor Prison, and as pointed out in the report of the Inquiry, there is no reason to think "that the more humane and reformative treatment of prisoners which has been the aim of prison administration in this country for many years conduces to disorder." It is contemplated that when the report of the Committee on Persistent Offenders is received it shall be published without delay, and no substantial changes are likely to be made in advance of the publication of this report.

asked the Home Secretary how many children have been adopted under the Adoption Act, 1926, in each of the years from that date to 1931?

I am informed that the numbers of entries made by the Registrar-General in the Adoption Register for the years 1927 to 1931 inclusive are as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury why women are not employed in the examination of passengers' luggage for customs; and whether, in view of the number of articles of women's clothing now dutiable, he will consider opening this branch of the waterguard service to women?

The examination of passengers' baggage forms only part of the duties of the waterguard staff; the other duties of the staff, which include boarding ships, searching crews' quarters, turning out bunker coal, etc., are such as it would not be reasonable to expect women to perform. It would be impracticable and uneconomical to employ women on baggage examination duties only, since the volume of incoming passenger traffic is too small to provide women with full-time employment or with any avenue for promotion or inducement to efficiency.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the difference in the contract prices between foreign meat supplied to the Army, Navy and Air Force, respectively, and the similar prices which would have to be paid were the contracts confined to home-raised meat; and what, in each case, would be the aggregate difference in price between the supply of the foreign article on the one hand and the supply of the home article on the other?

I am informed that the amount of foreign meat supplied to the Army, Navy and Air Force is less than 1 per cent. and that the balance is entirely of Dominion origin. If home-killed meat, which is not necessarily the same as home-raised meat, were substituted the cost would be approximately doubled. The extra expenditure would amount to about £600,000 per annum, of which the Army, Navy and Air Force shares would be £417,000, £100,000 and £83,000, respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can state, on the basis of the present estimates of revenue, the proportions which direct and indirect taxation, respectively, are expected to yield?

The estimated yield of taxation for the current year is 66.16 per cent. from direct taxation and 33.84 per cent, from indirect taxation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the Government propose to take to give effect to the recommendations of the Macmillan Committee on Finance and Industry?

Certain of the recommendations of the committee relating to domestic matters are under consideration and will be pursued. But in view of the far-reaching changes which have taken place since their report was published it will be obvious that no immediate action can be taken at this time to give effect to the majority of the recommendations, which assumed the existence of the Gold Standard as the basis of a common monetary policy among all the great nations acting in concert.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he proposes to introduce to the House measures for raising the school-leaving age to 15 and, if so, when?

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

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will give figures bringing up to date the information given in his reply of 22nd January, 1931, regarding the size of classes in public elementary schools and grant-aided secondary schools?

The information is as follows: