Written Answers
India (Officers' Leave)
asked the Secretary of State for India what officers of the Army and Civil Service in India are entitled to six months' leave, and at what intervals is the leave given?
I would refer the hon. Member to pages 416-7 of the India Office List, a copy of which will be found in the Library, which contain a summary of the Leave Rules for the Indian Army, and to pages 318-327 which contain the Leave Sections of the Fundamental Rules, in particular to paragraph 75 and paragraph 81 (b) of the latter.
Coal Industry (Hydrogenation)
asked the Secretary for Mines the quantity of fuel oils now produced in this country by the liquefaction of coal and the tonnage of coal used for this purpose?
I have been asked to reply. By liquefaction of coal, I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the hydro-genation of coal. If so, there is at present no commercial production of oil from coal by this process in this country.
Education, Scotland
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of local education authorities in Scotland which oblige head and assistant mistresses in public elementary schools to resign on the occasion of marriage; the number which do not; the number which provide free books and stationery to pupils; and the number which provide school meals?
I regret that I have no information that would enable me to answer the first and the second parts of the question. As to the remaining parts, the latest information available shows that of the 35 education authorities, 19 supply school books to all primary pupils and 14 to all secondary pupils; 20 authorities provide school meals.
Bankruptcies, Cardiff And Swansea Districts
asked the President of the Board of Trade the total number of bankruptcies which have occurred in South Wales and Monmouthshire since the end of 1925 and the aggregate of deficiencies revealed in examination?
The total number of bankruptcies from January, 1926, to December, 1931, in the areas of the Cardiff and Swansea bankruptcy districts, which practically cover South Wales and Monmouthshire, was 1,360. The deficiencies are not aggregated.
Housing
Statistics
asked the Minister of Health the number of non-parlour houses and flats erected under the various Housing Acts in each of the 12 months ended 31st March, 1932.
Information in the exact form desired by the hon. Member is not available, but the following statement shows, for England and Wales, the number of State-assisted non-parlour houses and flats in contracts let by, or in direct labour schemes of, local authorities, or in respect of which certificates were issued, during each of the under-mentioned months.Month ending—
| 30th April, 1931 | … | 4,442 |
| 31st May, 1931 | … | 8,279 |
| 30th June, 1931 | … | 7,154 |
| 31st July, 1931 | … | 7,299 |
| 31st August, 1931 | … | 7,308 |
| 30th September, 1931 | … | 3,978 |
| 31st October, 1931 | … | 4,217 |
| 30th November, 1931 | … | 3,426 |
| 31st December, 1931 | … | 3,770 |
| 31st January, 1932 | … | 2,844 |
| 29th February, 1932 | … | 4,924 |
| 31st March, 1932 | … | 2,643 |
Rents, Liverpool
asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the hardship placed upon many of the tenants in the new housing areas in Liverpool in being called upon to pay rents beyond their means; and if he will introduce legislation to deal with the question of the reduction of rents of houses under the Housing Acts for tenants of municipally-owned houses at the earliest opportunity?
I have received certain representations on this subject. I am afraid that I cannot undertake to consider the introduction of further housing legislation at the present time.
Tuberculosis
asked the Minister of Health in what municipal hospitals in the home counties operations are performed by the medical officers of health for the termination of pregnancy in cases of tuberculosis?
I have no information on the subject to which my hon. Friend refers.
Northern Ireland Fund
asked the Home Secretary if the Irish Land Purchase Reserve Fund, from which loans were obtained for the erection of labourers' cottages in Northern Ireland, is still available for that purpose; if not, to what purpose is that fund now applied; and what is the position of the fund at the present time?
The reserve fund set up under the Purchase of Land (Ireland) Act, 1891, ceased to exist (by virtue of Section 28 of the Irish Land Act, 1909) when it became exhausted in 1910. My hon. and gallant Friend is no doubt aware that there also existed a Labourers' Cottages Fund, established under the Labourers (Ireland) Act, 1906. In 1922, however, this latter fund was apportioned between the Governments of the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland, and any inquiries as to the present position of the Northern Ireland Fund should therefore be addressed to the Government of Northern Ireland.
Fortified Wines
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many gallons of proof spirit are used in this country in fortify- ing foreign and British wines, respectively; and how many gallons of each class of such wines paid Wine Duty during the financial year ended 31st March last?
The information asked for is as follows:1. Spirits used in fortifying wines during the year ended 31st March, 1932:
| Proof gallons. | ||||
| Imported wines | … | … | … | 63,000 |
| British wines | … | … | … | 1,000 |
2. Quantities of wine (fortified and not fortified) delivered on payment of duty during the year ended 31st March, 1932:
| Gallons. | |
| Non-Empire wine not exceeding 25 degrees | 3,753,000 |
| Non-Empire wine exceeding 25 degrees | 5,757,000 |
| Empire wine not exceeding 27 degrees | 601,000 |
| Empire wine exceeding 27 degrees | 2,657,000 |
| British wine | *2,715,000 |
* This figure is provisional. | |