asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the dangerous nature of the bridge crossing the railway at Clock Face, St. Helens; and whether he will take steps with a view to securing the greater safety at that point of pedestrian and wheeled traffic?

I have not been told that the bridge is dangerous. It was one of seven bridges which, in April, 1930, the corporation proposed to widen if Road Fund grants were available. The conditions under which grants could then be given were explained to the Corporation but no applications were subsequently received.

asked the Minister of, Transport if he is yet able to say what early action will be taken to assist finan- cially the widening of Queen's Road, Miles Platting, Manchester, at the dangerous narrow part, the railway arches?

No funds are available at present for a grant towards the completion of the widening of Queen's Road by re-building the railway bridge and I am unable to say when I should be in a position to offer a grant for the purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the recent successful completion of the scheme for freeing Gainsborough Bridge from tolls, under which the purchasing local authority continue to take tolls for four years to recoup part of the cost, he can state what encouragement he is giving to other local authorities with toll bridges in their areas to adopt similar schemes at an early date?

I will send my hon. and gallant Friend copies of circulars which were issued to all highway authorities in 1931, setting out the procedure relating to the freeing of bridges from tolls, but would remind him that the present financial stringency has materially affected the prospects of any substantial grants being made for this purpose.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his Department has any comprehensive information as to what road haulage services are operating in Great Britain?

I have no comprehensive information of the nature indicated, nor have I any powers to obtain it.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation at an early date to regulate road freight-transport in a manner similar to that in which road passenger-transport is regulated under the Road Traffic Act, 1930?

My hon. Friend would, I am sure, agree that it would be premature for me to make any statement on the subject until I have received the findings of the Conference on Rail and Road Transport and have had an opportunity of obtaining the views of the other interests concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can make any statement as to the answer made by the Powers concerned to the United States Note proposing that the debt payments suspended under the Hoover moratorium should be repaid in annual instalments?

2: The reply of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to the Note in question will, I hope, be sent off shortly. I cannot answer for the other Powers concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether an undertaking has been given by the Governments of those countries whose currencies have recently depreciated in relation to the Swiss franc that their League contributions will not be affected in consequence; and which nations, if any, have expressed their intention of reducing their contributions in consequence?

I have no information on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been called to the announcement that people of British birth who went out to the Argentine and then came back to their own country with a pension, are now being called upon to return to the Argentine or lose their pension; and whether he will make representations to the Argentine Government to reconsider this policy?

It is understood that negotiations are in progress between certain of the interests concerned and the Argentine authorities, and that they are meeting with a sympathetic reception. I fully realise the importance of this matter, and I am in communication with His Majesty's Ambassador on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government will take steps to introduce the long-delayed measure providing for the privileges of civil marriage on the island of Malta, which is the only country of Europe in which such privileges are withheld?

As the House is aware, Parliamentary Government is about to be restored in Malta. The subject of the local marriage laws will be within the control of the Maltese Legislature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is proposed to accept the recommendation of the Malta Royal Commission that the Constitution should be restored; and, if so, whether Article 56 of the Constitution, which provides that all persons in Malta shall have full liberty of conscience and free exercise of their respective modes of religious worship, and that no person shall be subjected to any disability or excluded from holding any office by reason of his religious profession, will be respected?

As I stated in the House on the 2nd March, His Majesty's Government have decided to accept the recommendation of the Malta Royal Commission that the Constitution of the Island should be restored. I see no ground for supposing that Section 56 of the Malta Constitution Letters Patent will not be respected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will state the reason why the Malayan Government has abandoned the proposed preferential duty of 5 per cent. on tobacco manufactured in Great Britain; whether the preference now given by Malaya is really a preference or merely an exemption from increased duties; and whether any other Colonies have given or announced their intention to give increased preferences to the Mother Country?

The Federated Malay States Government has not withdrawn the preference on manufactured tobacco which it granted on 14th March; but I understand that a special regulation defining the conditions of eligibility for that preference has been repealed with effect from 16th April. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer to my reply to the hon. and gallant Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald) on 13th of April, of which I am sending my hon. Friend a. copy.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if the firms who buy the obsolete ships of the Navy for dismantling and breaking up are in all cases on the Government list of contractors; and will he give the names of the firms concerned?

Invitations to tender for breaking up obsolete warships are issued to any British firms who can satisfy the Admiralty that they are competent to carry out any contract entrusted to them. It is not the practice of the Admiralty to publish their names.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will state the cost of acquiring the Forton Barracks at Gosport; and whether it would be more economical to close down

Particulars of the imports of sisal hemp, as such, into the United Kingdom are not separately recorded in the trade returns of this country, but the following statement shows the total weight of hemp and of hemp tow or codilla imported into the United Kingdom and registered during the undermentioned periods as consigned from Java and Mexico, respectively. These statistics are compiled for calendar months only, and the figures for April,, 1932, are not yet available.these barracks and distribute to other barracks the details which are now accommodated there?

Forton Barracks were acquired from the War Department in 1848 in exchange for land and buildings elsewhere. After vacation by the Royal Marines it was converted into a boys' training establishment in 1927 at an expenditure of works of £96,000. Possible economies in the use of Admiralty buildings are always kept in mind, but so far it has not been considered advisable to dispense with this establishment.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the net amount of profits under Schedule D of all limited brewery companies for the past year?

The estimates of brewing profits published from time to time are based upon the profits as assessed to Income Tax. The profits of the year 1931-32 will form the basis of assessment for the year 1932–33 and accordingly no estimate of the profits for 1931–32 can be furnished until the assessments for 1932–33 have been made and tabulated. The assessments for 1932–33 are, of course, not due to be made for some six months or so. The estimated profits of brewing concerns for the year 1929–30 were given in the reply to a question on the 17th February, 1931, a copy of which I am sending the hon. Member.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what were the profits in brewing for the last year; and what were the corresponding figures for 1913–14?

I am sending the hon. Member copies of previous replies which give estimates of the profits from the year 1913–14 to the year 1929–30. I am not yet in a position to furnish any estimate of the profits of last year. Estimates are founded on the profits as assessed to Income Tax and the profits of the year 1931–32 being the basis of assessment for the year 1932–33 will not come under assessment until next autumn.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the depression in the silk industry in Sherborne, Dorset, owing to the import duty levied on its raw material which cannot be produced in the United Kingdom or in the Empire; and whether he will take steps to remedy this state of affairs?

I have received representations in regard to the position of the silk industry at Sherborne. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which was given yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Remer), of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can state for what reason horses were included in the Free List of the Import Duties Act; and whether, in view of the fact that the cost of living would not be affected by their exclusion therefrom, he intends to make any representations to the Tariff Advisory Committee in the matter?

Horses are included in the Free List mainly in view of the fact that in terms of value the great bulk of the imports consists of thoroughbred horses and mares imported for breeding and racing purposes. The answer to the last part of the question is in the negative.