asked the Minister of Labour if he will state, to the nearest convenient date, the number of those who have had their claims for transitional payments examined by the public assistance committee for Perthshire; how many have been granted full benefit; how many partial benefit; and how many have been entirely disallowed?

Between 12th November, 1931, and 20th February, 1932, the public assistance committee for Perthshire (i.e., excluding the large burgh of Perth which is a separate authority) gave determinations on 716 applications for transitional payments. In 20 cases payment was allowed at the maximum benefit rates and in 560 cases at lower rates, while in 136 cases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of unemployed in the County of Durham whose cases have been investigated by the public assistance committees; the amount of money which has been saved per week; and the cost per week for this additional administration?

As the reply is long and contains a number of figures, I will, if I may, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state how many of the 350,000 who have been turned down by the public assistance committees for any transitional payment whatever may be added to the total of 2,701,173 unemployed persons on 22nd February last?

No, Sir. The total number of cases does not represent separate individuals because it includes a considerable number of cases dealt with on review. Further it is known that about 130,000 of those whose applications for transitional payments were unsuccessful are maintaining registration, and that the majority of the remainder have found employment.

Is it not the fact that a considerable number of the 200,000, who are not signing, might be added to the 2,700,000?

No, Sir. I cannot accept that as a statement of fact.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us any idea of what becomes of these thousands of cases who are refused any unemployment benefit?

There is no doubt at all that a considerable number of them find employment, and that is shown by the figures on the register.

Is that in accordance with the 30,000 jump of last month?

No, the hon. Gentleman is wrong. The figures went down.

asked the Minister of Labour how many applications for transitional benefit have been dealt with at Halifax by the local public assistance committee to the latest available date; and how many claims have been rejected, how many were granted full benefit, and how many were granted half or part benefit?

Between 12th November, 1931, and 20th February, 1932, the Halifax public assistance committee gave determinations on 4,878 applications for transitional payments. In 1,852 cases payment was allowed at the maximum benefit rates, and in 1,676 cases at lower rates, while in 1,350 eases the needs of applicants were held not to justify payments being made. The figures include revisions and renewals of determinations, and the number of separate individuals concerned is not available.

(for Mr. HICKS) asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the total average weekly amount by which unemployment transitional benefit has been reduced in the administrative county of London as a result of the decisions of the district sub-committees of the London County Council public assistance committee; and the total average weekly amount now being paid?

I hope in due course to be able to make an estimate of this saving for the country as a whole, but I doubt very much whether it will be possible to do this for particular areas with any sufficient degree of reliability. The average weekly amount of transitional payments paid at Exchanges in the county of London for the four weeks ended 29th February, 1932, was £35,379.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state how many mine-workers are at present in receipt of transition payments; how many have had their payments reduced; and how many have failed to sustain a claim for any benefits?

I regret that such statistics are not available for separate industries.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state how many persons who have been in receipt of transitional payments and who have appeared before courts of referees for the quarterly review have been disallowed such payments during the months of January and February, 1932?

There are no separate statistics of this kind for cases dealt with on quarterly review, and I can only give the total, including both original applications and review cases. During January and February, 1932, 26,342 applications for transitional payments were disallowed by courts of referees in Great Britain on the ground that the applicants were not normally insurable and/or would not normally seek to obtain a livelihood by means of insurable employment.

asked the Minister of Labour if he has yet received the Report of the Royal Commission on Unemployment Insurance?

No, Sir.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can give the cost to the State per week for unemployment benefit through the closing of the Pimlico clothing factory?

No, Sir. The weekly amount of unemployment benefit now being paid to former employés of this factory is rather more than £50: but. I cannot say what the effect may have been on employment elsewhere.

asked the Minister of Labour whether be is aware that it has been the practice with certain foreign firms who have established factories in this country to attempt to evade the law in regard to the employment of aliens by employing foreign persons for a period of two months or such maximum period as is permissible, then sending them back to their own country and replacing them by other aliens in continuous relays, thereby keeping British workpeople unemployed in this country; and whether, in view of the large and increasing number of foreign firms opening up factories in this country, he will take such steps as are necessary to see that all foreign workpeople are excluded except in those cases where experts are acquired temporarily for special processes in order to tram British employés for the work?

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the fact that during the past year the number of people entering this country from overseas was greater than the number who left it for abroad, he will consider the advisability of instituting more rigorous conditions for those who come to this country to follow employment?

Permits for foreigners to enter this country to take up employment are not issued unless my Department is satisfied that no person already resident in this country is available for the work in question. I have no evidence of attempts to evade the law by the introduction of foreigners for short periods, nor do I see how such attempts could be successful without actual breach of the law; but I should be glad to have particulars of any instances which my hon. Friend has in mind. The number of permits issued in 1931 was approximately the same as in 1930, and could not have affected appreciably the balance of migration.

asked the Minister of Labour how many miners were unemployed in Great Britain on 1st March in the years 1930, 1931, and 1932?

The number of insured persons in the coal mining classification recorded as unemployed in Great Britain was 142,276 at 24th February, 1930; 240,300 at 23rd February, 1931; and 294,690 at 22nd February, 1932.

Can the right hon. Gentleman state what the Government are doing to stop this increase of unemployment in the coal industry?

I have nothing, on that point, to add to what I said in my speech. How far it is due to the Act passed by the Government of which the hon. Gentleman was a member, I do not know.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether these figures include those unemployed in connection with the tin mines?

I do not think so. If the hon. and gallant Gentleman puts down a question, I will answer definitely, but I think that tin mines are in a separate classification.

Does not the right hon. Gentleman consider that the Act which the present Government passed has had far more to do with the increase in unemployment among miners than the Act of the previous Government?

No, Sir. On the contrary, that Act gives us powers with regard to export trade which enables us to take adequate action.

Has the right hon. Gentleman read the speech made by Mr. Lee, the Secretary of the Mining Association, yesterday, in which he definitely stated that the last Act is responsible?

No, Sir. I have not read that speech, but I shall certainly do so.

asked the Minister of Labour how many mineworkers were wholly unemployed and temporarily stopped on the last date for which figures were available?

The numbers of insured persons in the coal mining classification recorded as unemployed in Great Britain at 22nd February, 1932, were: 201,842 wholly unemployed and 92,848 temporarily stopped.

Can the hon. Gentleman give us any idea as to whether that is an increase or a decrease as compared with the last two months of last year?

I rather think it is an increase.

asked the Minister of Labour how many men and women have been removed from benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Acts by the courts of referees since 24th August last up to the latest date?

Between 11th August, 1931, and 29th February, 1932, 165,172 claims by men and 266,664 by women were disallowed by courts of referees in Great Britain. These figures relate to claims and not to separate individuals.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many of these may be added to the 2,700,000?

Certainly not without notice.

But he agrees that a great number of them could be added?

I made no such admission.

asked the Minister of Labour how many joiners and general woodworkers are to-day registered as unemployed in this country?

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

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons

(for Mr. McGOVERN) asked the Minister of Labour the numbers of boys and girls under 18 years of age in the Glasgow area registered for employment at the Employment Exchanges?

At 22nd February, 1932, there were 4,275 boys and 3,118 girls under 18 years of age on the registers of Employment Exchanges in the Glasgow area.

(for Mr. McGOVERN) asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures of unemployed men and women in the Shettleston parilamentary area; the figures for the whole of Glasgow; and the numbers in both cases for the same period during 1931?

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

At 22nd February, 1932, there were 1,255 persons on the registers of the Tilbury Employment Exchange, including 1,230 persons whose claims to insurance benefit or applications for transitional payments had been admitted.

asked the Minister of Labour whether the Government has under consideration the restoration of the cut in unemployment benefit; and when it is proposed to make the change?

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

asked the Home Secretary what methods are employed by the Commissioner of Police to secure the observation in Central London of the 30-mile-an-hour speed limit by Green Line and other similar heavy passenger coaches; and how many prosecutions have been instituted since 1st November, 1931, against drivers and/or proprietors of this type of vehicle for exceeding the speed limit in the Bayswater Road, the Edgware Road, the Embankment, and Whitehall?

The usual methods of obtaining evidence of the speed of motor vehicles—measuring the speed of a following vehicle or timing the vehicle over a measured distance—are followed in the case of heavy passenger coaches in London. Between 1st November last and 29th February three summonses were applied for against drivers of such coaches on the Embankment, and two written cautions were issued in relation to excessive speeds on the Embankment and in Edgware Road respectively.

Is it not notorious that these coaches persistently and daily exceed the speed limit on these routes, and is the right hon. Gentleman satisfied that the number of prosecutions is sufficient to provide an example to the drivers and proprietors of these vehicles?

I understand that the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police is giving his special attention to this matter.

asked dm Home Secretary if he can make any statement as to the modification of the attitude of the Metropolitan Police on the subject of prosecuting motorists for minor offences; what was the number of such offences in the last month; and whether this policy will free any considerable number of policemen, and, if so, how many, from the discharge of their ordinary duties?

Revised Orders as to the procedure in traffic cases were issued by the Commissioner of Police on the 2nd instant and take effect from to-day. They provide for a greater measure of decentralisation in handling the reports in certain classes of cases, and extend the categories of offences which may be dealt with by caution. The steps now being taken are a development of the procedure introduced in 1928, and involve no innovation in principle. There will, of course, be no change in the practice with regard to cases of dangerous driving. The number of traffic offences, excluding those relating to dangerous or careless driving, or being under the influence of drink or drugs, reported in January last, the latest month for which figures are available, was 7,062. The Orders should certainly result in a considerable saving of the time of the police and of the magistrates and of members of the public as well, but it is not possible to estimate how many police are likely to be freed for other duties.

If policemen are to be released from these duties, can they be appointed to special cross-roads, where children come back from schools to their homes, and where at present they are not able to cope with the traffic?

I will convey suggestion to the Commissioner.

the alleged offenders under these that Will new regulations still have the option of refusing to accept the warning notice and of asking for a prosecution?

Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will give me notice of that question.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether the senior section of the Out-wood and Kearsley Council School, situated at Farnworth, near Bolton, has been visited and inspected by His Majesty's inspectors during the last four years; and, if so, at what date?

The mixed department of this school was visited by His Majesty's inspectors in September and October, 1929, in the summer of 1930, in January, 1931, and in January, 1932.

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that, according to my information, inspectors visited the school, but no inspection took place, and may I have a copy of the inspector's report?

No formal report was made in those cases.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether in the interests of the dairying industry, he will consider the advisability of co-operating with the Minister of Agriculture with a view to evolving a scheme for the compulsory daily supply of milk to all children in the country of school age?

The hon. and gallant Member is no doubt aware of the great increase which has taken place in recent years in the numbers of school children receiving a daily supply of milk, both under schemes for which local education authorities take responsibility and under those conducted under the auspices of the National Milk Publicity Council. My right hon. Friends the President of the Board of Education and the Minister of Agriculture are both anxious to see a further extension of these arrangements and are co-operating with the National Milk Publicity Council to that end; but they have no power to exercise any compulsion in this matter either on local education authorities or on the parents.

Does not the hon. Gentleman think that, seeing the increased health of those children who have been given milk, it would be a better policy for the Government to give a subsidy for milk instead of for wheat?

asked the Minister of Health the number of schemes sanctioned by him to local authorities, under the Housing Act of 1930, for the clearance of unhealthy areas; and how many persons will be re-housed when such schemes are completed?

Up to the 29th February last I had received resolutions declaring 394 areas in England and Wales, the clearance of which involves the displacement and re-housing of approximately 64,000 persons, to be clearance areas under the Housing Act, 1930. These resolutions do not require my sanction.

asked the Minister of Health the number of insanitary dwellings in each of the following boroughs: Preston, Wigan, Leigh, Bolton, and Warrington, stating the number of insanitary houses which have been demolished during the years 1928, 1929, 1930, and 1931, respectively?

I have no material on which to base a reply to the first part of this question. I am sending the hon. Member a, statement of the figures for which he asks in the second part.

asked the Minister of Health what is the total shortage of houses in the following boroughs: Preston, Wigan, Leigh, Bolton, and Warrington, respectively; whether any housing schemes undertaken by these boroughs have been postponed or cancelled; and if so, what was the capital value of such proposed schemes in each borough?

I regret that I am not in possession of all the information for which the hon. Member asks. I am, however, sending him a note of the particulars available which bear upon his question, and comprise a number of figures in tabular form.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will take steps to appoint a committee to inquire into the question of the sterilisation of the mentally defective?

As was stated in reply to a similar question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Keighley (Captain Watt) on the 15th February, of which I will send my hon. Friend a copy, I propose in the first instance to arrange for a preliminary investigation of the scientific issues involved in this matter.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that many rural parishes are in need of public water supplies; and will he consider taking steps as early as possible to make special grants to rural district councils to enable them to remedy the conditions under which many of the inhabitants obtain their daily supplies?

I am aware of the inadequacy of the water supply in some rural parishes. Conditions generally have improved in recent years, loans amounting to £2,000,000 in respect of rural schemes having been sanctioned by my Department during the last three years. As regards the second part of the question, I cannot hold out any hope of special assistance being available from the Exchequer, but I may point out that it is open to county councils to contribute to the cost of schemes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total extra cost of the civil and defence services during the ensuing financial year due to there being 53 weekly pay days in the year?

The total extra cost is estimated at about £865,000; £381,000 of which is on account of defence services and the remainder on account of civil services. This figure relates to the directly paid staff of the civil and defence services, including the Post Office and Revenue Departments, and does not include any estimate, which it would be difficult to frame, of the extra cost on grant-aided services.

On a point of Order. I understand that Tuesdays and Thursdays are allotted to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and may I ask whether it is not ordinary courtesy on the part of the Government that either the Chancellor or the Financial Secretary to the Treasury should be present to answer questions?

No point of Order arises. It is a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will arrange that national savings certificates on reaching maturity shall automatically be transferred in the name of the holder to a Post Office savings bank account at 2½ per cent. interest.?

No, Sir. Savings certificates issued before the 1st April, 1922, which are not converted under any of the offers contained in the prospectus of the 29th December, 1931, may be retained by their holders until the 31st March, 1940, and will bear interest after the tenth year from the date of purchase at the rate of ld. per certificate for each completed month, a rate substantially more favourable to the holder than that allowed on a Post Office savings bank account.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will state the amount of loss incurred in repaying the credits recently to France and America; and to which capital account will the amounts be charged?

If the hon. Member means how much more sterling was required to repay the credits than the sterling they produced when they were borrowed, the answer is about £17,500,000. This difference is represented by an increase in the internal sterling debt of the country.

Will the right hon. Gentleman deal with the latter part of the question?

The answer does deal with the latter part.

Does the right hon. Gentleman not favour the Treasury improving the value of the pound and reducing the fiduciary note issue, so as to avoid this loss of sterling?

That is another question, and perhaps the hon. Member will put it down.

Does this answer mean that provision will have to be made in this year's Budget to make up this deficit?

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual amount of the charge upon public funds in respect of interest upon external loans left uncovered by the remission of debts due by foreign Governments in respect of the late War?

The money lent to the Allies during the War was borrowed at an average rate of interest of slightly over 5 per cent. The total amount of the War Debts covered by Funding Agreements is £1,246 millions on which interest at 5 per cent. amounts to £62½ millions. The total annuities payable under the agreements amount to £17½ millions, and on this basis (which leaves out of account any provision for repayment of the money borrowed) the uncovered charge upon public funds is £45 millions a year.

Are we to understand that the amount paid by the taxpayers in respect of these agreements is £45,000,000 a year?

I think I must ask my hon. Friend to take the answer which I have given.

With great respect, this is an important point. Is the House to understand that the charge on the British taxpayer arising out of the remission of War debts is £45,000,000 a year?

It can be put in that way.

Is it not the case that in arriving at this figure account is taken of the amount due in respect of reparations?

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the revenue obtained from the duties imposed under the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act and the Horticultural Products (Emergency Duties) Act for the months of January and February, respectively?

The approximate amount of revenue received from the duties imposed under (1) the Abnormal Importations (Customs Duties) Act, 1931, and (2) the Horticultural Products (Emergency Customs Duties) Act, 1931, during the months of January and February, 1932, was as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been called to the fact that the customs officials in Manchester are making cotton waste dutiable; and, in view of the fact that cotton waste is on the Free List, will he give immediate instructions?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I understand, however, that two small consignments of goods described by the importer as unmanufactured cotton waste—which is the only description of cotton waste exempted from the general ad valorem duty—have been temporarily detained by the local customs officials at Manchester, as they were not satisfied that the goods were exempt from duty. A decision in regard to these will be given as soon as possible. Meanwhile delivery of the goods can be obtained on depositing a sum sufficient to cover any duty which may be found to be chargeable.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that there is some discrepancy between the trade description of unmanufactured cotton waste, and the description given in the Import Duties Act; and will this matter be looked into immediately?

I am aware of that, and it is being looked into.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state how the foreign orders for British cotton textiles at the White City section of the British Industries Fair compared with the figures for last year?

It has never been possible to obtain definite figures of the amount of foreign orders placed at the White City or Olympia. I am satisfied, however, from the inquiries I have made, that the orders placed by overseas buyers with exhibitors in the textile section are greatly in excess of those placed at the 1931 Fair, and may even represent an increase of as much as 100 per cent.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the number of foreign trade buyers who attended the textiles, White City, section of the British Industries Fair; and whether this constituted an increase or a decrease on last year's figures?

3,839 overseas buyers attended the textile section of the British Industries Fair at the White City this year, as compared with 1,503 in 1931, an increase of more than two and a half times.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department from what countries, not previously importing British cotton textiles in large quantities, any substantial orders were received at the textiles, White City, section of the British Industries Fair?

I am informed that a substantial volume of business was transacted in cotton textile goods at the British Industries Fair with the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries. These are countries which in previous years have not occupied a very high position in the list of buyers of British cotton textiles.

Does not the answer prove the success which has already attended the Protectionist policy adopted by the Government?

Does the hon. Gentleman think that Scandinavia and Holland are going to keep their high place in the purchase of British coal?

I think it is very likely that they will do so.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department whether he is aware that the exhibitors at the British Industries Fair include firms which are mainly American owned and American controlled; and whether he will define the terms British industry and British firm for the purposes of the Buy British campaign, the British Industries Fair and the Ottawa Conference?

So far as concerns the British Industries Fair, all goods to be eligible for display must have been manufactured or produced mainly within the British Empire, and, provided the Department of Overseas Trade is satisfied that this condition is complied with, the question of foreign ownership or control does not arise. There is no special definition applicable to a campaign such as the "Buy British," which, though officially launched, can only be regarded as a patriotic appeal in the widest sense. As regards the Ottawa Conference, it must obviously be left to the Conference itself to frame any definition of the kind in question.

Is my hon. Friend aware that at the British Industries Fair there were exhibits by firms which are largely American in origin, and in future industries fairs would he be prepared to provide a new definition of the term "British"?

I shall be glad to go into any question which my hon. Friend raises. The Department of Overseas Trade has been very careful in choosing the test of British Empire origin which they apply.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state the rates of duty charged upon lead and zinc and manufactures of lead and zinc entering the United States of America; and whether any of these duties are preferential in respect of the products of any country?

As the particulars are somewhat long I will send them to my hon. Friend. I may say, however, that according to my information the duties on these products on entering into the United States are the same for all countries other than the insular possessions of the United States.

asked the President of the Board of Trade, if he has any information in regard to the decision of the French Government that all coal imported into France from Great Britain must be carried by French ships?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given yesterday in reply to a similar question by the hon. Member for Chester-le-Street (Mr. Lawson).

Will the hon. Gentleman ask the Minister for Mines if this has his approval as being consistent with the navigation laws of Oliver Cromwell?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that bi-lateral arrangements have been made or are in contemplation between France and Hungary and/or between France and other countries where exchange restrictions are in force to secure priority of payment for French commercial debts by means of a clearing-house system or by other methods; and whether these arrangements will be considered to be discrimination against this country within the meaning of the Import Duties Act on the part of either or botch of the parties to the arrangement?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, if it should appear that any such arrangements involve discrimination against this country, representations will be made in the appropriate quarters.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will introduce legislation to restrict the scope of the hire-purchase system?

My right hon. Friend cannot promise to introduce legislation on this matter but if my hon. Friend will be good enough to send in a statement showing why he thinks legislation on this subject is necessary and what remedy he proposes, he will consider it.

Is my hon. Friend not aware of the tremendous amount of vexatious litigation caused to poor people who are trapped by unscrupulous trades-people?

I shall be glad if my hon. Friend will adopt the suggestion made in my original answer.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the inconvenience caused to importers of goods from mandated territories which are ultimately to benefit by preference under the Import Duties Act on account of the fact that the necessary Order in Council bringing these territories under the Act has not yet been issued; and when it is intended to take action in the matter?

No, Sir. My right hon. Friend is not aware of any inconvenience such as my hon. and gallant Friend refers to in the first part of his question. The necessary steps are being taken to issue the requisite Order in Council under Section 5 (2) of the Import Duties Act as soon as possible.

Is there no hold up of goods from mandated territories?

That is implied in the first part of my answer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the aggregate amount of loan money to beet-sugar factories still outstanding under the Trade Facilities Act; and whether he will consider the advisability of taking steps to provide for the repayment of this amount out of the profits made by the beet-sugar industry before the conclusion of the subsidy period?

Out of £2,215,000 guaranteed to beet-sugar companies under these Acts, roughly £900,000 is due to be repaid to the lenders by instalments ending in 1938; and roughly £400,000 is due to the Exchequer in respect of payments made under the Treasury guarantees. Payment of the former amount cannot be accelerated and recoupment of the latter will be required in the normal course as and when the companies are in a position to discharge their debt.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the average dividend paid by these factories amounts to 14.7 per cent.?

I do not think that point is really relevant. The question is the dividend paid by the particular companies to which the money has been lent.

Will the right hon. Gentleman take note of what is happening in regard to the beet-sugar subsidy, and does he not think we shall get into far greater difficulties with the wheat subsidy?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can state approximately to what extent the acreage now devoted to sugar-beet has taken the place of acreage respectively devoted to other crops previous to the passing of the British Beet Sugar Subsidy Act?

I regret that the information at my disposal does not enable me to estimate even approximately the extent to which sugar has supplanted other individual crops.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what is the average quantity of home-grown beet-sugar produced per acre of beet during the whole of the subsidy period to date; and how this amount compares with the yield of sugar per acre grown from cane in Jamaica, Trinidad, Natal, Queensland, and Java, respectively?