asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is the intention of the Government that the existing duty on imported petrol and similar oils shall still apply to such imports from the Empire after 1st March?

As hydrocarbon oils are goods chargeable with an existing duty of Customs, they will not be affected by the proposals in the Import Duties Bill, which are what I presume my hon. and gallant Friend has in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether any representations have been received from British consular authorities overseas as to the probable effects of the Import Duties Bill upon the demand for British exports; and, if so, the nature of such representations?

I have received no reports of the nature indicated.

asked the Minister of Health whether his returns show any appreciable premature mortality or shortness of life in excess of normality among those who have been trained as children for acrobatic and similar work and have earned their livelihood in this branch of entertainment

I regret that no statistics are available in my Department on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that Japanese airmen have dropped bombs on a factory in the International Settlement at Shanghai whereby death and damage have been caused; and whether he is taking steps to protest against this breach of international law and to prevent its recurrence?

A bomb was dropped on a mill in the American sector of the International Settlement on 11th February. In reply to a protest from the United States Consul-General, the Japanese Admiral apologised for the incident, explained that it was due to an accident, and stated that orders had been given that no Japanese aircraft were to be flown over the International Settle- ment. No action by His Majesty's Government is therefore required.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the protest in the name of humanity made by Sir John Hope Simpson against the bombing of a flood relief camp, containing over 8,000 Chinese refugees, by Japanese air forces on 5th and 6th February, by which 50 patients were killed; and whether His Majesty's Government will protest to the Japanese Government against this action?

Sir John Hope Simpson's telegram was, I understand, received at Geneva on Saturday by the League authorities, and will, of course, be dealt with by them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the dates of any Orders in Council issued under the Treaty of Peace (Turkey) Act, 1924, and the respective articles, conventions, or protocols of the Treaty of Lausanne to which such orders gave effect?

The Orders in Council are:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he is in a position to state the net balance of payments for Great Britain for the year 1931, distinguishing the principal items of invisible exports?

In accordance with the undertaking given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, a table is appended showing the latest available figures of the balances of credits and debits in the transactions between the United Kingdom and all other countries for the year 1931 and the two preceding years. Explanations of the various items in this table will be found in the Board of Trade Journal to be issued to-morrow.(

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that since the abolition of the speed limit for motor vehicles a number of fatal accidents or injuries to pedestrians have occurred owing to skidding in streets or frequented roadways due to high speed; and whether he can devise means to restrict excessive speed in such thoroughfares?

Returns for 1931 for the country as a whole are not yet available. Those for the Metropolitan Police district show an increase in fatalities to pedestrians attributed to skidding from 14 in 1930 to 17 in 1931. Accidents of this kind are related to weather conditions, and it would be premature to conclude, as my hon. Friend suggests, that the increase, which no one regrets more than I do, is due to the abolition of the maximum speed limit for motor cars and motor cycles.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the fact that the memorandum handed in to the Minister of Transport by the Railway Companies' Association does not give any reply to the criticisms made in the final report of the Royal Commission on Transport, he will ask the railway companies to deal specifically with all the several points raised in that Report?

The memorandum to which my hon. Friend refers did not purport to reply to criticisms of the railways made in the final report of the Royal Commission on Transport. I have, however, received written observations on the conclusions and recommendations of the Royal Commission from the railway companies and other interested parties.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the dissatisfaction with the decisions arrived at by the traffic commissioners under the Act expressed by the travelling public and by those engaged in road traffic transport, he will take steps to amend the provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, relating to licences for road transport services?

I have recently discussed with the principal organisations representing passenger transport by road the operation of certain Sections of the Act. It has not appeared that amending legislation is necessary, but I have issued certain directions and also, in co-opera- tion with the commissioners, made arrangements in respect of detail and of procedure which will, I think, do much to promote the smooth working of the Act in the second year of its operation.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will now consider granting to local authorities or private contractors facilities for trying out new surfacing materials; and can he state the policy which his Department is pursuing in regard to county councils and road maintenance?

In suitable cases my Department gives financial assistance towards the cost incurred by local authorities in the practical testing of new surfacing materials. Maintenance grants are normally made to county councils at the rate of 60 per cent. for Class I roads and 50 per cent. for Class II roads.

asked the hon. Member for the Rye Division, as representing the Forestry Commissioners, the acreage of arable land enclosed for forestry in the Thetford, Norfolk, area; and how many farmhouses and premises have thus been deprived of occupiers, workers, and live and dead farming stock in that area since its inception?

With trivial exceptions, no arable land that at the time of acquisition was under cultivation, other than for the purpose of providing food for game, has been enclosed for planting. One farmhouse and premises has since acquisition ceased to be occupied, but as against this many farmhouses and premises which were unoccupied and derelict when acquired by the Forestry Commissioners have been repaired, and are now occupied either as small farms or as forest workers' holdings.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if, when British warships are sold for breaking-up in a British port, he will consider including in the contract the condition that in towage from one British port to another preference shall be given to British tugs?

The Admiralty have considered this matter in the past and have decided that it would not be advisable to include a condition of this nature in the contracts.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware of the hardship inflicted upon all ranks of Army and supplementary reservists by the reduction of their pay by 25 per cent. on 1st January, 1932; and whether he will give consideration to restoring a portion of this cut to bring reservists into line with the regular ranks who have suffered only a 10 per cent. reduction?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave on 4th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Deritend (Mr. Smedley Crooke).

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the figures of the expenditure in roubles, or estimates when expenditure is not known, for the years 1924–32, of Soviet Russia on military health administration and special forces, including the commissariat of military and naval affairs' expenditure; and whether he is aware of any other expenditure on military preparations under other departments?

I can only refer the hon. Member to the League of Nations Armaments Year Book, which contains all the information which has been published on this subject.

asked the Secretary for Mines if he will ask the Miners' Federation to expedite its reply to the official request to express its views on the working of Part I of the Coal Mines Act, 1930; and if he has yet received the views of the coalowners on the same matter?

My Department is in frequent touch with both the Mining Association and the Miners' Federation, and I know that both bodies have this matter under active consideration. No further action on my part at the present time would serve any useful purpose.