asked the President of the Board of Trade if the discussions which are taking place between His Majesty's Ambassador and the Italian Government on the question of the landing duty imposed on coal imported into that country by sea have yet been concluded; and whether he has any statement to make to the House?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. I will communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend as soon as a reply from the Italian Government is received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade bow many shipyards have closed down during the past three years, and in what parts of the country?

I am informed that 12 shipyards, mainly on the Clyde and the North-East Coast involving 71 berths and an annual capacity of approximately 500,000 tons have been closed in connection with the scheme for reducing surplus capacity in the industry. A number of other yards are closed for the time being owing to the lack of orders, and I am informed that at the end of December, excluding His Majesty's Dockyards, work was proceeding on only 14 per cent. of the reduced number of shipbuilding berths still available in Great Britain and Ireland.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will take into consideration, when framing his Budget, the advisability of reducing the tax on British beer and substituting for this decrease a tax on foreign tea?

My hon. Friend will not expect me to anticipate my Budget statement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement as to whether it is still advisable in the national interest for those who wish to travel abroad for their health to refrain from doing so in order to support the position of sterling?

Until our situation is more fully consolidated, it must remain preferable in the national interest that money spent on holiday travel should be spent in this country rather than abroad. The question how far reasons of health should outweigh this consideration must be left to the discretion of individuals, but the fact that, as I understand, a good deal has been done to improve the accommodation and amenities of British health resorts and watering places will, no doubt, be taken into account.

asked the Minister of Health if he will give a list of casual wards in which there are no bathing facilities such as are recognised by the Ministry; and whether he has any recent report as to the conditions obtaining at St. Ives, Huntingdonshire?

At the present stage, my right hon. Friend does not think it would be helpful to publish a list of the authorities whom he is finding it necessary to press to make further improvements in this matter. He is aware of the position at the St. Ives' wards. Proposals submitted to him by the Huntingdon County Council should enable these wards to be closed at an early date.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether the gyro compasses used in the courses of instruction in the compass department are all British made; and, if not, will he give instructions that only British-made gyro compasses be used in future?

The three gyro compasses used in the courses of instruction were made in the United States of America. They were installed during the War, and the need for replacing them has not arisen. Compasses of this type used in the Fleet are manufactured in the United Kingdom.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of officers of the Navy, Army and Air Force and civilian officials who are receiving instruction in the broadest aspect of imperial strategy at the Imperial Defence College and for whose training £6,980 is provided in the Navy Estimates?

Twenty-four nominees of the home, Dominion and Indian Governments are undergoing the current course at the Imperial Defence College.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the intentions of his Department in respect of the suggested increase of its firing area round Lulworth Cove; whether he is aware of the local hostility to the proposal; and for what reasons these operations are to be carried on along a coast which is a health resort and a centre of fishing?

There is no intention to increase the firing area at Lulworth, and the second and third parts of the question, therefore, do not arise.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that there is no enclosed public telephone at Mount Hawke, and that the nearest enclosed instruments are at St. Agnes post office and at Porthtowan kiosk, both places being two and a-half miles distant; and whether he will consider providing a public kiosk at Mount Hawke?

A call office kiosk will be established at Mount Hawke if a suitable site is obtainable.

asked the President of the Board of Education the names of the 29 authorities which it is estimated will receive the additional grants paid to necessitous areas?

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the statement on page 15 of the Memorandum on the Board of Education Estimates, to the effect that in the coming financial year the 29 authorities which qualified, in 1929–30, for the additional grants to necessitous areas will receive the same amounts as in that year. The list of these 29 authorities is given below, but, as explained in the Memorandum, these are not the only authorities which will receive additional grants in the coming year.England: