asked the Home Secretary if a record is kept of how many of the taximeter cabs licensed by the Metropolitan authorities for public use are run on chassis made more than nine years ago; and what steps are taken to reduce the number of taximeter cabs with out-of-date chassis or bodies at present licensed for hire in the Metropolitan area?

Fitness, not age, of chassis and body is the determining factor when taximeter cabs are submitted annually for re-licensing. No cab is licensed as fit for public use unless it comes up to the conditions of fitness laid down by the Commissioner of Police. No record is kept of the age of the chassis.

asked the Home Secretary the number of occasions during the year 1931 on which it was found necessary to move motor cars parked in officially recognised parking places in the Metropolitan area on account of fire, or other grave emergency, in the absence of their owners?

Only one such case is recorded during 1931. Apart, however, from occasions of emergency, it is frequently necessary for one or more cars to be moved to enable a driver to take his vehicle away from a parking place.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the Post Office will adopt the policy of establishing exchanges in the essentially poor and rural districts, even at a slight loss, so as to stimulate trade and to encourage subscribers?

Rural telephone exchanges are established at normal tariff rates wherever a minimum of eight new subscribers is forthcoming and the cost of connection with the main system is not excessive. These exchanges are provided and maintained at a substantial annual loss. If the hon. and gallant Member has any particular case in mind, I shall be happy to inquire into it.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, at the present time, there are any men employed on grant-aided schemes who have been transferred from depressed areas; and, if so, where these schemes are being carried out?

On 26th February, 1932, the latest date for which figures are available, 6,306 men transferred from the depressed areas were employed on one or other of between 300 and 400 grant-aided schemes. The majority of these schemes were in the South of England.

asked the Attorney-General if his attention has been drawn to the number of cases in the Probate and Divorce Division, there being 1,042, an increase of 319; and whether he will consider the possibility of legislation transferring to judges of the county courts power to deal with divorce causes in the provinces?

I am informed that the increase in the number of cases awaiting trial in the Probate and Divorce Division is only a temporary one due to the unfortunate illness of some of His Majesty's Judges during the Hilary Term, and that legislation of the kind suggested is not considered to be advisable.

asked the President of the Board of Education what were the total amounts expended in England and Wales on education by the Government and local authorities for the financial years 1912–13 and 1930–31, respectively?

The total amounts expended from public funds in England and Wales on education within the purview of the Board of Education for the financial years 1912–13 and 1930–31 were £30,950,000 and £83,892,000 respectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many gallons of whisky were exported in 1930 and 1931, respectively?

I am unable to state the quantity of whisky, as such, exported from this country, as particulars of these exports are not separately recorded in the trade returns of the United Kingdom but included under the general heading of home-made spirits. The amount of home-made spirits exported during 1930 and 1931 is shown on page 74 of the issue for December last of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom."

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Swiss Government are imposing a quota on British imports into Switzerland; on what principle it is based; whether it is based on the total imports of each class of goods or of each importer or on the total imports from this country; and what steps he is taking to secure the most-favoured-nation treatment for British goods?

The Swiss Government are imposing restrictions upon the importation of certain classes of goods from all countries. The method adopted does not appear to be uniform in all cases, but in the case of motor cycles, which is the only predominantly United Kingdom trade so far affected, I understand that equal quotas may be imported from the main supplying countries at the old rate of duty, excess imports being charged a much higher rate. The quota is also distributed among importers in accordance with their past trade. His Majesty's Minister has already approached the Swiss Government in the matter, and a further communication is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware of any plans to erect new beet-sugar factories in the near future; and, if so, whether he will consider seeking powers to enable him to provide that such factories shall not contain machinery other than is necessary for carrying the process through to the raw-sugar stage only?

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he has any information as to the extent to which European beet-sugar-producing countries have recently reduced their crops in order to meet the situation which has arisen out of the excessive production of such sugar; and whether any similar reduction is contemplated in this country?

I understand that the production of beet sugar in Europe in 1931–32 is estimated to be 27 per cent. below the total production in the previous year, while in the European countries that are parties to the International Agreement for the restriction of sugar production and export, the total production of beet-sugar in 1931–32 is estimated to be 35 per cent. below the total production in 1930–31. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is his intention to introduce in the near future any scheme for the compulsory grading and marking of meat, in accordance with the recommendation of the inter-Departmental Committee on this subject?

The report of the second inter-Departmental Committee on the Grading and Marking of Beef has only recently been submitted. The recommendations will receive the careful consideration of the Ministers concerned, but it is not possible at present to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the names of the persons comprising the London and Bradford advisory committees on the National Mark beef scheme, referred to on page 51 of the second inter-Departmental report?

The members of the London and Bradford trade advisory committees on the National Mark beef scheme are as follow:London Committee: Mr. G. H. Collinge, O.B.E., Mr. H. Eastwood, Mr. J. Edwards, Mr. J. Hobson, Mr. G. J. Jackson, Mr. W. Martin, Mr. G. D. Pool, and Mr. P. Taylor.Bradford Committee: Mr. J. Bushby, Mr. C. Cariss, Mr. F. Fox, Mr. H. Rhodes, and Mr. E. Wilkinson.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consider the desirability of making a Regulation requiring shippers of horses from this country to Continental ports to make a statutory declaration as to the purpose for which such horses are shipped?

Horses shipped from this country to the Continent would not necessarily be used or disposed of on arrival there by the persons who shipped them. A statutory declaration would in these circumstances be no guarantee that the purpose for which a horse was used after arrival on the Continent was that stated in the delaration, and I do not see, therefore, that any real purpose would be served by the adoption of the suggestion made by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether any proposals have been submitted for the erection of non-parlour or other houses for rural workers in the parish of Cobham, Surrey; and whether he is aware of the inadequacy of housing accommodation in the village for the lower-paid workers?

The reply to both parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Health what action a is proposed to take to ensure the passing of the Town and Country Planning Bill this Session?

I hope that no special action will be required to ensure the passing of the Bill this Session.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is being taken to protect the revenue against loss owing to the practice of mingling foreign wines or the British wine known as "Red Lizzie" with new whisky despite the regulation that whisky must be three years old before vending to the public?

The matter is receiving careful consideration, but I am not in a position to make any statement at present.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Treasury of exempting from Entertainments Duty all seats at cinemas and theatres of which the price does not exceed sixpence?

I am afraid that the information desired by the hon. Member cannot be given, as no figures are available showing the amounts of Entertainments Duty paid in respect of particular classes of entertainment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the operation of the Import Duties Act, he will take steps to synchronise the hours of labour worked by Customs officials with those worked by dock, warehouse, and ship labourers?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 10th March to a similar question by the hon. Member for South Bristol (Mr. Lindsay).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the posts of the 650 civil servants transferred from other branches of the Civil Service to the Customs and Excise and Revenue Departments during the past six months are redundant, or whether action is to be taken in filling the posts from ex-service men on the lists of the Joint Substitution Board?

Many of the posts in question will not need to be continued. In so far, however, as replacements may become necessary, recourse will be had to the prescribed normal methods of appointment, including the appointment of suitable candidates from the clearing register maintained by the joint Substitution Board.