asked the Home Secretary the number of children under 14 who were killed on the public highways by motor vehicles during 1931?

I regret that the collected returns do not classify under age categories the types of vehicle concerned in road fatalities, and such general figures as exist are limited to the Metropolitan Police District and the City of London. I am sorry, therefore, that the information asked for in the question is not available.

asked the Home Secretary how many persons have been charged with manslaughter in connection with deaths due to motor accidents during the past year; of that number how many were convicted and how many acquitted; and whether in future issues of the Annual Return of Criminal Statistics he will include a subdivision giving that information?

Not all the particulars asked for have hitherto been collected, but I will see whether some means can be devised of collecting this information and of publishing it either in the Criminal Statistics or in the Returns, issued from time to time, of Motoring Offences.

asked (1) the Minister of Health whether he will issue instructions to the medical officers of health throughout the country to distinguish in their reports between deaths from streets accidents and all other deaths from violence and accident;(2) the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will arrange for future reports issued by the Registrar-General to distinguish between the deaths from street accidents and other deaths by violence?

Statistics are annually published in the Registrar-General's Statistical Review (Part I, Table 22) classifying accidental deaths under a great variety of heads distinguishing every form of accident which appears to be included in the Noble Lord's description of street accidents. If, however, he will refer to that table and inform me in what respect it fails to meet the objects which he has in mind, I shall be happy to consider his suggestions. I will also consider whether it would be feasible to issue any advice to medical officers of health in this matter.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his Department has experimented with the various forms of wood-block road surfacing and with what result; and whether he is aware of the new systems of water-tight and non-slipping surfaces?

The various systems of wood-block paving are well known to highway engineers, and I can safely assure the hon. Member that it is not necessary for my Department to undertake experimental work concerning them.

asked the Minister of Transport if, in view of the interruption of traffic and the danger to the workmen engaged, he will either issue instructions thereon or make representation to local authorities that all small repairs to the roadways or tramways be carried out at night?

I have no power to issue instructions to local authorities with regard to the time when they should carry out small repairs to the highways. I have, however, suggested to the authorities within the London Traffic Area that in the case of through routes carrying heavy traffic they should carry out such work at night or during week-ends.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will take steps to prevent the practice of empty taximeter cabs moving slowly along the streets of London looking for fares?

Regulations prohibiting taximeter cabs from loitering are already in force in certain congested streets in the central area of London. A proposal to extend these regulations to other streets in London led to protests from the taxi-cab trade. I am anxious to give every consideration to the views of taxi-cab owners and drivers, and have asked the London Traffic Advisory Committee to review their recommendations in the light of these representations.

asked the Minister of Transport if he can make a statement as to the working of the compulsory third-party insurance provisions of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, for the first completed year; and if he will include in this statement the total number of claims made by pedestrians in respect of accidents caused by motor vehicles, the number of those claims that have been wholly or partially met, and the number of pedestrians' claims that have been the subject of litigation?

Few difficulties have been experienced in bringing into operation the provisions of Part II of the Road Traffic Act, 1930. This has been largely due to the assistance and co-operation of representatives of the insurance companies and of the underwriters themselves. The figures asked for in the second and third part of the question are not in my possession.

asked the Home Secretary if, having regard to the increase in indecent assaults on young persons, especially on children under 12 years of age, the number of cases in which defendants are acquitted because the unsworn evidence of the child cannot be accepted without corroboration, and the difficulties of obtaining corroboration since these offences are usually committed when the child is alone, he will consider taking steps to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee on Sexual Offences against Young Persons that, whenever it is justifiable, the evidence of a. child who appears able to tell a connected story will be taken on oath and that those conducting prosecutions should bear in mind that the absence of corroboration in the case of a child whose evidence has been given on oath is not a bar to a conviction?

It is obviously desirable that, wherever justifiable. the evidence of a child who can tell a connected story should be taken on oath, and I am advised that in view of the judgment of the Court of Criminal Appeal in R. V. Crocker (17 C.A.R. 4546), the absence of corroboration is not a bar in law to a conviction except where corroboration is required by Statute. The recommendations if the committee on these points, which are really suggestions as to the presentation and reception of evidence, were with other recommendations of the committee commended to the careful consideration of all concerned in the Circular which was issued from the Home Office on 17th September, 1926. The recommendations in question are for the courts and others to consider, rather than for the Home Secretary to give effect to; but no doubt the publicity given to the matter by this question and answer will attract the attention again of those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies which Colonies will be assisted in 1932 from the £700,000 allocated to the Colonial Development Fund (Grant in Aid); and what work is contemplated involving expenditure in Britain?

I propose shortly to lay before the House the Third Interim Report of the Colonial Development Advisory Committee covering the period from 1st April, 1931, to 31st March, 1932. This, read in conjunction with the First and Second Interim Reports (Cmd. 3540 and Cmd. 3876), will contain particulars of all the schemes towards which assistance has been recommended by the committee since its inception, and of the amount which it is expected to spend in the United Kingdom on each scheme. In so far as the sum of £700,000 included in the Estimates for 1932–33 is not already allocated to Colonial Governments, it is impossible to forecast what further recommendations may be made by the committee during the year.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air if he is aware that the erection of a line of pylons carrying high-tension cables is proposed between Manston aerodrome and Birchington; and if he is satisfied that their presence will not constitute a danger to day and night training flights from Manston aerodrome?

The proposal to which my hon. and gallant Friend refers is being carefully examined in the Air Ministry from the point of view of flying safety.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air whether he will consider granting to the civil education officers of the Royal Air Force a status and terms of engagement similar to those granted to officers of the Army Educational Corps and the Naval Instructors' Branch of the Navy?

The organisation of the Royal Air Force Educational Service on a civilian basis has proved itself to be entirely suited to the requirements of the Royal Air Force, and my Noble Friend is not prepared to adopt my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty when it is expected that salving operations on submarine M. 2 will be completed?

It is impossible to forecast the date on which the salving of M. 2 will be completed, as so much depends on the weather conditions.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty how many ships there are in the Navy of over 10,000 tons; and whether it is proposed to construct additional ships of over 10,000 tons?

Excluding "Iron Duke" (gunnery training ship), "Centurion" (fleet target ship) and certain oilers, there are 25 ships in the Navy of over 10,000 tons. The programme for the current year includes a destroyer depot ship, whose design is not yet finally ap- proved, but it is anticipated that her standard displacement will not exceed 10,000 tons.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether there are any sets of lockers available in His Majesty's dockyard, Portsmouth, which could be fitted in the blocks in the Royal Naval Barracks, Portsmouth, for the use of junior naval ratings?

Various types of lockers are being returned from His Majesty's Ships being paid for disposal, and consideration is already being given to the supply of any of these which may be found suitable for use of naval ratings in shore establishments generally.

asked the Minister of Health, if, in view of the unsatisfactory administration of the means test in Newcastle, he will cause an inquiry to be held into the administration of the test in that area?

I am not aware that the administration of the need test in Newcastle is unsatisfactory, but I understand that certain complaints which have been made locally are receiving the consideration of the local authority.

asked the Minister of Health the nature of the instructions issued by his Department to the public

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office how many applications have been made assistance committee of Newcastle-upon-Tyne with respect to the new scale of payments recently adopted by the committee; and the reason for issuing such instructions?

I have not issued any instructions, but I have asked the town council to reconsider certain proposals for the alteration of their practice in the administration of the Poor Laws. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of my letter and of the circular to which it refers.

asked the Minister of Health if he is aware that on many separate occasions during the last two years the roads of Angmering, in West Sussex, have been dug up for the purpose of putting down pipes in connection with surface drainage, domestic drainage, water supply, or other public services; whether public money has been granted for these developments; what is the total estimated cost; and what proportion is being borne by the various local authorities or by the Exchequer?

During the last two years the East Preston Rural District Council, as the responsible sanitary authority, have undertaken combined schemes of water supply and of sewerage and sewage disposal for Angmering and two neighbouring parishes, but I am not aware that roads have been interfered with unduly. The following table indicates the total estimated cost of these schemes for which loans have been sanctioned and how the estimated cost is to be borne:to his Department within the last 12 months for Army co-operation in the production of British films; and what reply was given in each case?

Apart from pictures for news reels or for advertising purposes, four applications have been received, of which one was not pursued by the company, two were refused and one is under consideration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture how many visits to individual farms were made by inspectors during the first three months of 1931 and the first three months of 1932 in connection with the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act, 1924, and how many evasions were discovered in each period; and what were the total wages involved in each period where evasions were proved?

The number of visits paid to individual farms in connection with the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) Act in the first three months of 1931 was 1,035, on 549 of which evasion was discovered. The number of workers involved in the evasions was 1,008 and the total arrears of wages £3,367. In the first three months of 1932, 655 farms were visited, but, as many of these cases have not yet been completed, I am unable at present to give further particulars relating to this period.

asked the Postmaster-General whether, in view of the regularity which has marked the air-mail services to India and Africa since their inception, he can state what steps are being taken to bring this fact to the notice of the public in order that the amount of such mails and the revenue therefrom shall be expanded as rapidly as possible?

Full particulars of the air mail services to India and Africa, including the saving of time offered, are given in the Air Mail leaflets issued twice yearly, which are distributed free of charge to a large number of firms and individuals, and are also available at any post office. Various particulars of the services also appear in the Post Office Daily List, and in the mailing lists of the principal newspapers in London and the provinces.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the nominal total amount of the loans supervised by the League of Nations which have been raised in London for the benefit of Bulgaria?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement circulated in reply to his question of 13th April.