asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate was made for the year 1930-31 of the revenue to be derived from the profits of the issue department of the Bank of England?

It was estimated at £6,000,000.

asked the Minister of Health for what specific purpose the Million Fund for the encouragement of co-operative industrial research has been allocated, and how much remains; what contributions in connection therewith have been received from employers; and what further sums are being spent at the present time by his Department for research in other directions?

As Minister responsible for the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, I have been asked to reply. The Million Fund for the encouragement of scientific and industrial research was placed exclusively at the disposal of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1917 to enable it to co-operate with the industries of the country in the foundation and maintenance of approved associations for research. A list of existing industrial research associations established in connection with the scheme, and figures indicating the total grants paid by the Department to each association up to 31st July, 1931, are given in Appendix V to the Department's Annual Report for 1930-31 (Cmd. 3989). The balance of the Million Fund on 31st March, 1931, was £132,196; it is estimated that this figure will be reduced to about £40,000 on 31st March, 1932. The total funds subscribed to research associations by industry up to 31st October, 1931, amounted to approximately £1,300,000. A summary of the expenditure of the Department during the year ended 31st March, 1931 (a net total of £555,691), is given in Appendix IV to the Annual Report for 1930-31.

asked the Minister of Health if he intends to introduce legislation amending the Rent Restrictions Act during the present Session?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on the 11th instant to the hon. and gallant Member for Fulham East (Sir K. Vaughan-Morgan).

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the advisability of promoting the formation of a committee of inquiry to take evidence and to report as to the best methods of forwarding radium research and advising as to the most useful application of the sums of public money subscribed for that purpose and at present in the custody of the National Radium Trust?

My hon. Friend will be aware that, as has already been stated in the House on several occasions, the Radium Trust and the Radium Commission are not appointed by the Minister of Health, but are constituted by Royal Charter. It is the duty of the Radium Commission under Article 7 of the Charter to make arrangements for the proper custody, equitable distribution and full use of the radium which may from time to time be the property of the Trust with the object of promoting the treatment of the sick throughout Great Britain and the advancement of knowledge of the best methods of rendering such treatment and of securing due economy in the use of radium for the purposes of such treatment; to consider proposals submitted to them for the use of the radium for these purposes, and to arrange the supply on loan of the radium or any preparations of it so as to enable proposals approved by them to be carried out. I have, therefore, in the first instance referred my hon. Friend's suggestion to the Radium Commission for their consideration, and I will inform him of their views in due course.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he will give figures showing, at the latest convenient date, the number and percentage of school meals provided free and for payment, respectively; and the number of children fed by county councils, borough councils,

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has considered the resolution passed by the Thornaby Town Council, of which a copy was sent to him, requesting that the Provision of Meals Act should be put into operation in the borough; if he is aware of the refusal of the North Riding Education Committee to comply with this request; and what action he proposes to take in this matter?

I have received a copy of the resolution to which the hon. Member refers, but I have as yet no information as to the action taken by the North Riding Education Authority. It is for that authority to decide whether there is a, need in their area for the exercise of their powers to provide meals for school children, and I do not think that I can properly interfere with their discretion in the matter.

The following statement gives the figures in question, for the week ended 30th January last.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in deciding whether fresh fish is British-caught or foreign-caught, he will impose any conditions on the employment of British subjects in all ships with a British port of register; and, if not, what are the objections to this course?

I presume my hon. Friend desires that the employment of aliens in British fishing boats should be restricted. The Aliens Restriction (Amendment) Act, 1919, provides that no alien shall act as skipper or second hand of such a boat. Apart from the general regulations governing the landing of aliens in this country, there are no other restrictions on the employment of aliens in British fishing boats. The number of aliens so employed, however, is insignifi- cant, and no useful purpose would be served by the imposition of further restrictions at the present time.