asked the Minister of Labour if he will issue a further circular for the guidance of public assistance committees recommending that in suitable cases applicants on transitional benefit under the means test should not be obliged to deplete their savings to approximately £15, but that a higher figure should be permitted and only the interest taken into consideration?

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he is aware that the various urban district councils in the Farnworth division have passed resolutions calling for an alteration in the regulations governing the means test; and will he consider taking steps to have the law altered to avoid possible harshness of application of the regulations in future;

(2) whether his attention has been drawn to representations by various Lancashire guardians' committees to the public assistance committee at Preston that the regulations governing the application of the means test are penalising thrift; and whether he will consider taking steps through legislative or other channels to ensure that only the income from savings, investments or property will be assessed in estimating family income?

I would refer my hon. Friends to the reply given to a number of questions on the subject of the needs test on 19th November last. The manner in which the resources of an applicant and of the household in which he lives are to be taken into account is within the discretion of the local authority, subject to the provisions of the Order in Council, and I cannot add to the considerations to which the notice of authorities has already been drawn in the circulars issued from my Department. I have no reason to believe that public assistance authorities, in considering whether applicants are in need of transitional payment, do not take properly all the circumstances into account. I cannot undertake to introduce legislation on these matters in advance of the report of the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance.

Do I understand that the public assistance committees are perfectly free to exercise their own discretion as to the way in which they deal with this matter?

If the hon. Member will look at the answer—a very full one—which I gave on the 19th November, he will see what my views on that matter are.

If an engineer who is unemployed goes to the Employment Exchange, and if his son and daughter are working and bringing in £2 15s. a week between them, and he is cut off, does the right hon. Gentleman say that that is correct?

I could not give an answer on any particular point without knowing all the facts and the reasons for the decision.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men, women and young persons were refused transitional benefit after examination by public assistance committees in the months of January and February, 1932?

During the five weeks ended 23rd January, 1932, it was decided by public assistance committees in Great Britain, in the case of 80,089 applications by men and 33,299 by women, that the needs of the applicants did not justify transitional payments being made. Persons under 18 years of age are not entitled to transitional payments. Figures for February are not yet available.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of those who have had their claims for transitional benefits examined by the public assistance committee for the area of Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley who are single persons; how many have been allowed full benefit; how many partial benefit; and how many disallowed benefit altogether?

I regret that separate statistics for single persons are not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will undertake to call a regional conference of representatives of public assistance committees in the Staffordshire area with a view to correlating the administration of transitional benefit and the means test?

I will certainly consider this suggestion.

(for Mr. McGOVERN) asked the Minister of Labour the number of single men and single women, also married men, in Glasgow who have been refused benefit as a result of the application of the means test?

The total number of applications on which the Glasgow public assistance committee decided that the needs of applicants did not justify payment, was 13,527 up to 23rd Janu- ary, 1932. I regret that I cannot give separate figures for single and married persons.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any local authorities have definitely refused to carry out public assistance work in connection with transitional benefit?

No, Sir, I am happy to say that all local authorities are co-operating in the administration of the transitional payments scheme.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will issue specific instructions to all Employment Exchanges at which hitherto any considerable number of seasonal workers has been registered, to call their attention to the state of the law as it is affecting such seasonal workers, and to suggest to them that they should apply for certificates of exemption?

All claimants are given a copy of leaflet U.I.L. 18, which states, in paragraph 17, the restrictions affecting seasonal workers. As to the second part of the question, I will arrange for each person whose claim is disallowed under these restrictions to be supplied with a copy of leaflet U.I.L. 13, explaining the conditions under which exemption may be obtained by certain seasonal workers. I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of these two leaflets.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is very great dissatisfaction in certain areas with the way in which these Regulations are being interpreted by courts of referees in the case of yacht workers who are employed during the summer, but for whom no work is available in the winter months?

As my hon. and gallant Friend knows, I am watching the administration of the Anomalies Act very carefully, and I shall be very glad to hear of any points to which he can draw my attention.

I will send some cases.

May I ask if the advisory board which was set up has held a meeting to deal with any new points; and, if not, why it is that they have not met?

They have not been called together since the first Regulations were approved. When the time comes when I think it will be advisable that they should be called together again, I shall ask them to meet.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state if, when married women are disallowed benefit under the Anomalies Act, any inquiry is made into the wages earned by their husbands at the time of the claim being made; and in how many cases do their husbands earn £5 a week?

The circumstances of the husband of a married woman may be relevant to the question whether the applicant will normally seek to obtain her livelihood by means of insurable employment, and it is, therefore, within the competence of the statutory authorities to make inquiries on the point. I have no statistics as to the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that at the Glasgow Central Exchange persons whose cases are being heard before the court of referees are denied the right of asking the court to be allowed to appeal to the Umpire, and are merely handed the court's decision outside the court; and whether, as this is contrary to practice in all other courts, where the person concerned is allowed to be present when the court announce their decision, he proposes taking any action in this matter?

I am looking into this matter, and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as my inquiries are completed.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of young unemployed men admitted annually to the Slough Training Centre; what number of these are local men; and what number are men drawn from depressed areas?

During 1930 and 1931 (the two complete years during which the Slough Government Training Centre has been open), 939 and 838 men, respectively, were admitted. During the same periods, 644 and 721 men completed training. All those admitted to the centre are drawn from the depressed areas.

Does the Minister realise that there are now 2,000 local people unemployed in Slough; and is it not very unfair that these young men are not allowed to enter this training centre, but should have to remain watching unemployed people from distressed areas being trained at the Government's expense to take their jobs?

I am aware that there has been some increase of unemployment in Slough, but I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that there is, unfortunately, much more unemployment in many of the depressed areas, and these centres are primarily intended for men from the depressed areas.

Is it not possible to admit to these centres a proportion of local young men who want training?

I will look into that point, but I cannot give an undertaking, because it really is the intention that the first preference in this matter should be given to men from depressed areas, where the percentage of unemployment is very severe.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the fact that this causes tremendous local resentment?

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were registered as unemployed at the Employment Exchanges in the boroughs of Poplar, Hackney, West Ham, Bethnal Green, and Shoreditch on the 27th February, 1931, and 27th February, 1932; and how many persons were disallowed benefit during this period?

As the reply includes a table of figures, I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons registered at the Farnworth Employment Exchange as totally and temporarily unemployed on 27th October, 1931; the number registered up to date; and how many have been struck off the register through the application of the means test?

At 26th October, 1931, there were 4,860 persons wholly unemployed and 5,150 temporarily stopped on the register of Farnworth Employment Exchange. The corresponding figures for 25th January, 1932, were 3,840 and 4,954. Statistics are not available showing the number of persons who have ceased to register at the Farnworth Exchange as the result of determinations by public assistance committees that their needs did not justify transitional payment being made.

Do not all these returns prove undoubtedly that unemployment is on the increase; and are not the Government prepared to do anything to mitigate the serious problem of unemployment?

I cannot, of course, accept the premise of the hon. Gentleman's question. The fact that a considerable number of persons, after having been struck off, are not registering, may be due to one of two causes; it may be that they have found work elsewhere, or it may be that they do not need this assistance.

asked the Minister of Labour what new schemes, assisted through the Unemployment Grants Committee, were started in November and December, 1931, and January and February, 1932; and how many men have been directly employed?

Schemes approved by the Unemployment Grants Committee on which work was begun in November last numbered 36, the corresponding figures for December and January being 220 and 60 respectively. These schemes are estimated to provide work for about 15,000 men for a period of 12 months on an average. No grant-aided schemes were begun in February, as it was an essential condition of grant that work should be begun by the 31st January at latest.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the intentions of the Government with regard to the restoration, in whole or in part, of the recent reduction in the rate of unemployment benefit?

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of Thursday last to the hon. Member for Gorbals (Mr. Buchanan).

Is there likely to be any change in the point of view of the Government by reason of the passing of the Import Duties Act?

(for Mr. McGOVERN) asked the Minister of Labour the number of building trade workers in Glasgow who are unemployed; and what are the trades?

As the reply includes a number of figures I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

(for Mr. THORNE) asked the Minister of Labour the number of firms regularly notifying Employment Exchanges of vacancies existing for boys of 14 years of age to take the place of those employés who have attained the age of 18 years and thus come within the scope of unemployment insurance; and if he can state what reasons are given for the discharge of such employés?

I have no statistics on this point. It is not the practice of employers to give the reason for the discharge of a former employé when they notify a vacancy.

asked the Home Secretary if he will state the number of children killed and the number injured in street accidents in England and Wales during 1931; in how many cases was a motor vehicle concerned; and in how many cases was the child on a footpath or entering or leaving school premises, respectively?

I regret that such figures are not available.

In view of the number of accidents that take place at school gates, will some consideration be given to the idea of putting barriers between the school and the actual road on which the children debouch?

That is sometimes done. I am not sure that it relates to my Department, but I will consider the suggestion.

May I suggest that the example of Glasgow might be followed, where a policeman is stationed at the school.

asked the Minister of Transport if his attention has been called to the position of the railway services as shown by the recent reports of the London, Midland, and Scottish and London and North Eastern Railway Companies; and what action the Government intends to take to enable the railway companies to meet the competition of heavy road transport?

I have seen the reports of the railway companies to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers, and as he is aware the four amalgamated railway companies have jointly made representations to me with respect to the competition of heavy road transport. I have these representations under consideration, but I am not in a position to make a statement on the subject.

Can my hon. Friend say how long it will take before he can state definitely what the policy of the Government will be, in view of the gravity of the position as shown by these reports?

I am very anxious to consider the situation, but I am not at present in a position to give any undertaking.

Will the hon. Gentleman be prepared to receive any representations from the heavy road transport interests?

I hope I shall succeed in dealing equally with the representations of all interested parties.

asked the President of the Board of Education (1) if he will state the names of the secondary schools in the county of Cornwall in respect of which expenditure on building work has been sanctioned by his Department since 15th January, 1932, giving the dates in each case on which sanction was given;

(2) if any contractual obligations had been entered into with regard to the proposed expenditure on Bodmin secondary school before his circular order referring to building expenditure had been issued?

Building work has been approved at two schools in Cornwall. A proposal for alterations and additions at the Bodmin County Secondary School was originally approved by the Board in July, 1931, and was again approved on 2nd February, 1932. The local authority were not contractually committed to the expenditure on this proposal before the issue of the Board's circular 1413. The other case was the provision of a new boarding-house at the Truro High School for Girls which was approved on 3rd February, 1932. This latter project involves no cost to public funds.

In the case of Bodmin, has the finance committee of the Cornwall County Council approved of the project?

As far as I know, it must have approved of it or it could not have reached me.

asked the President of the Board of Education in how many aided and maintained secondary schools the tuition fee has been increased since 1930?

Since 1930, tuition fees have been increased at 21 secondary schools maintained by local education authorities, or aided by grant from the Board of Education.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it rather unwise, at a time of great industrial depression and distress, that parents should be asked to pay higher fees? Does he realise that it may lead to many suitable children being deprived of the opportunities of secondary education?

I have no doubt that in some cases hardship will be caused, but all relevant circumstances were taken into consideration when the decision was arrived at.

Is it the policy of the Board to discourage the increase of fees generally?

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind that, when we began to cut down on education in 1919, it had a disastrous effect on the country and cost us more in the end? Does the right hon. Gentleman propose to economise on children?

We have to take into account the exceptional financial condition of the country. I assure both hon. Members that the most careful consideration is given to each one of these cases before consent is given.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether he will state the number of aided and maintained secondary schools in which no tuition fees are charged, together with the number of pupils in attendance at such schools?

The number of secondary schools in England and Wales in which no tuition fees were charged on 1st October, 1931, was 78, all of them being schools maintained by local education authorities. The number of pupils in these schools on that date was about 31,500.

asked the President of the Board of Education the number of teachers being trained in broadcast lessons; whether the training is being done by the British Broadcasting Corporation or the Central Council for School Broadcasting; and whether the training has the approval of the Board of Education?

I am not aware of any course of training at a training college. The matter is still in an experimental stage and I am watching it with much interest.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the price of bricks, which is now per 1,000, best stocks £4 3s. 6d., flettons £2 11s. 3d., and glazed £20 10s., as compared with the following prices in August 1914, best stocks £1 16s., flettons £1 14s., and glazed 213; and whether any action is being taken to obtain a reduction in the price, in view of the need of materials for housing the working classes?

Yes, Sir. The Inter-Departmental Committee appointed to review the prices of building materials is at present engaged upon a survey of these prices. I may, however, point out that glazed bricks are not used in the construction of working-class houses.

asked the Minister of Health whether the use of Empire materials is a condition imposed upon local authorities in connection with State-aided schemes of house building; and if not, whether, in view of the increasing competition from abroad, notably in respect of timber, the terms of the condition could be drawn again to the attention of municipalities throughout the country?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a similar question put by my hon. Friend the Member for Denbigh (Dr. Morris-Jones) on Thursday last, of which I am sending him a copy. I am also sending him a copy of the Circular letter mentioned in that reply.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that a company is being formed to import Russian timber and will he see that none of it is used for present purposes?

The purport of the reply which I am sending to my hon. and gallant. Friend is that there is no statutory power for me to impose such limitations as those which he suggests.

Cannot my right hon. Friend set up a committee to consider the Russian complex from which some Members of the House are suffering?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the rate of excise duty paid on home-produced sugar and of customs duty on sugar imported from the British Empire and on sugar imported from foreign countries for each year since 1923; and the total amount paid on and the amount of duty remitted on each of the foregoing three groups of sugar for the same period?

I am sending my Noble Friend a statement giving the information she desires.

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind the failure of the sugar-beet subsidy and go slow with these subsidies?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the number of standard barrels of beer brewed in January, 1931, and in January, 1932, and the respective amounts of revenue received in the two years?

The figures are as follow:

	January, 1931.	January, 1932.
Number of standard barrels brewed	1,272,000	979,000
Excise duty charged	£4,932,000	£5,216,000

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of revenue received from Estate Duties in respect of agricultural land during each of the last five financial years?

These payments are not specially recorded but it is estimated that the Estate Duty paid in respect of agricultural land for the years 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929 and 1930 amounted to £3,400,000, £2,500,000, £2,600,000, £2,900,000 and £2,100,000 respectively.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the Government have taken measures to stop the avoidance of paying correct ad valorem duties under the McKenna Act by firms abroad with subsidiaries in this country; and what steps have been taken?

As regards the first part of the question, I can add nothing to the answer which I gave my Noble Friend on the 24th November last. As regards the second part, it would not be in the public interest to give particulars of whatever steps are taken, but the matter is not being lost sight of.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if arrangements can be made by the Commissioners of Customs to record and publish monthly the quantity and value of goods liable to the general ad valorem duty which are admitted duty free into registered shipyards?

It would be premature at this stage to make any promise in the matter, but my hon. Friend's suggestion will be considered after some experience of the working of the provision as to shipyards has been gained.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can make a statement on the procedure to be adopted by the Imports Advisory Committee in relation to representations for the introduction of additional duties on foreign imports which compete unfairly with British manufacturers?

No, Sir, but I imagine that the committee will make its own statement on procedure since this is a matter for determination solely by itself.

Would my right hon. Friend indicate to the House when he thinks that a statement will be made, because it is very important to the industrial community to know what the procedure will be?

I should not think that they will make any statement until they have come to some decision.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of ships cleared for Customs between Friday, 26th February, and 5 p.m. on Monday, 29th February; the number of ships laden with foreign merchandise that arrived in British ports after 5 p.m. on Monday, 29th February, and prior to 5 p.m. on the 2nd March; and the approximate amount of duty paid on the cargoes carried?

To compile the information desired by the hon. Member would necessarily involve a great deal of time and expense, and I do not feel justified, especially in view of the abnormally heavy work falling on the Department at the present time, in calling upon the Customs to undertake its preparation.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is his intention to make any further representations to the French Government with a view to increasing the quota for British coal in order that some advantage may accrue from the removal of the 15 per cent. Surtax?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne) by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade on 22nd February, to which I have at present nothing to add.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not agree that the most effective representations for the coal trade would be an intimation that no additional duties would be charged on goods imported from other countries?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the system of import certificates provided for by Article 11 (1) of the German Customs tariff law, as detailed in the Board of Trade Journal for 15th October, 1925, is still in existence; if not, whether any other system of giving bounties on exports is in existence in Germany; and, if so, what is the system and to what commodities does it apply?

The duty free import certificate system is still in existence, but is operative at present only us regards pigs, pork, tinned hams and some barley and oat products. A somewhat similar, but temporary, system which was introduced by a law of 28th March, 1931, entitles persons who exported wheat spelt and rye before the end of December last to import corresponding quantities of those cereals at reduced duties up to the end of July, 1932.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether his attention has been drawn to the difficulty experienced by manufacturers in Huddersfield and other parts of the country in securing sterling from foreign customers to whom goods have been sold; and whether the Government proposes to take any steps to assist in relieving this situation?

I am fully aware of the difficulties experienced by manufacturers in this country in securing sterling payments due from customers in certain foreign countries. His Majesty's Representatives abroad are under instructions to report urgently not only particulars of restrictions imposed, but also any tendency to administer the regulations in a manner unfair to British exporters. Representations, either general or in regard to particular aspects of the effects of exchange control, have been made to the Governments of a number of countries, and I shall continue to give the closest attention to the possibility of steps likely to obviate the difficulties at present experienced.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether proposals from British farmers have yet been submitted for the reorganisation of the commercial side of the industry and the proper marking, grading, and marketing of the foodstuffs they produce?

If the hon. Member is referring to schemes under the Agricultural Marketing Act, the answer is in the negative so far as England and Wales are concerned. As regards Scotland, I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the fact that when the par value of tithe was fixed under the Act of 1836 the basis was wheat at 56s. a quarter, and that the Government now proposes to regard 45s. a quarter as a fair price to the wheat-grower, the Government will consider proposals to reduce the amount of tithe payable in a similar proportion to the above?

The sum payable in respect of tithe rentcharge was stabilised at its present value of £105 per cent. by the Tithe Act, 1925, after very careful consideration by Parliament of all relevant facts. In these circumstances the Government is not prepared to consider the re-opening of the matter.

Does not my right hon. Friend acknowledge that conditions have very much changed since that time, that wheat is, as has been stated, at a very much higher price, and that many of the tithe payers are now paying in tithe a larger amount than the rents that their holdings or farms will fetch?

It must not be forgotten that had the Act not been passed in 1925, they would have been paying considerably higher sums, ranging from £147 down to £109 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is proposed to protect the wheat-growing farmer on a yearly short-term tenancy from losing the benefits conferred by subsidy under the Wheat Bill through increases of rent?

The effect of Section 12 of the Agricultural Holdings Act, 1923, is to give a certain measure of protection to a tenant against an arbitrary increase of rent by a landlord, and I do not consider that any special protection will be necessary in the case of a farmer who grows wheat.

Is the right hon. Gentleman not aware that the Act referred to has been wholly ineffective, and does he not think he ought to take step's to deal with the matter?

I have no evidence of that kind.