asked the Minister of Labour if he will state what steps are being taken, in view of the coming holiday season, to enable girls who are sent by Employment Exchanges for work at the seaside resorts to get into touch, in case of need, with persons at those resorts capable of giving them advice and inquiring into their circumstances and complaints?

In accordance with established practice, each of these girls is given the names and addresses of members of social organisations or of members of the women's sub-committee of the local employment committee who are available for consultation and help outside Exchange hours. The hon. Member will find some further particulars in an article published in the April issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette, page 127.

Will my right hon. Friend cause further inquiries to be made as to the conditions in North Wales, as there were many complaints concerning girls sent there last year?

If my hon. Friend will give me particulars of any complaints I will look into them.

asked the Minister of Labour whether officials at Employment Exchanges are authorised to make arrangements with employers exclusively to employ men sent by the Exchange, refusing men applying direct; and whether Exchange officials are permitted to refuse a green card to men seeking jobs?

It is open to employers to arrange to engage their labour exclusively through the Employment Exchange, and a number of employers find it convenient and advantageous to make such an arrangement. The "green card" is an introduction from the Exchange to the prospective employer, and signifies that the person named on it has been selected by the Exchange for submission for a particular vacancy. My hon. and gallant Friend will see, therefore, that the card cannot be given to anyone who has not been so selected.

On what principle do they select men?

On the principle of suitability for the job.

How does the exchange know about suitability? Surely the foreman on the job knows best what type of man he wants. When a man applies direct why is he refused the job?

As I stated, some employers arrange to engage all their labour through the exchanges. An exchange, therefore, knows approximately what type of man is suitable for that employment. Of course, there is nothing at all which prevents a man from applying on his own account, if he thinks he can get a job. The system is devised really to help the man.

How about men engaged on relief work? Is the matter left in the hands of the exchange officials, who send the likeliest men for the job according to the time that they have been unemployed?

Where all labour is engaged through the exchange, the exchange does its best to select suitable men for the job.

Is it not the case that it was the original purpose of the employment exchange to find work for the unemployed?

That certainly was one of the purposes for which employment exchanges were instituted.

Do the exchanges encourage or discourage men from applying for work on their own account, and do they refuse a green card to men who have sought work on their own account?

The exchange will always encourage men to find jobs in any way they can.

Will my right hon. Friend look into the facts if I send them to him? I have the case of a man who was nine months out of a job. He applied direct to a firm and was refused the job, and was told to go to the exchange.

I wall gladly look into any case of that kind.

Is it not the fact that if a man gets employment he does not want a green card at all? If he goes to a foreman and gets a job, there is no need for a green card?

asked the Minister of Labour what reply he proposes to make to the request from the Dundee Town Council to receive a deputation on the subject of the grant in respect of a drainage scheme which is badly needed and would provide work for unemployed persons?

Arrangements have been made for the deputation to be received to-morrow on my behalf.

If there are representations how will the right hon. Gentleman receive them, sympathetically or otherwise?

I cannot answer until I have heard them. It depends on what they have to say.

asked the Minister of Labour if he is aware that the steel department of the Crewe works of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company is to be closed; and what steps he proposes to take with reference to those employed who may be affected?

So far as I am aware no decision with regard to future operation of these works has been announced by the railway company.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons thrown out of employment in each of the workshops closed during 1932 by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company; the towns in which the unemployed are situated; if he has received reports as to whether dismissals are imminent in any other part of the country in this connection and, if so, where; and the number likely to be thrown out of work?

I am not in possession of this information.

In view of the very large number of persons thrown out of work by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway Company, is it not possible for the Minister to say where they are located?

No, Sir. I should not be justified in asking the railway company what districts are included. It is not a matter within my province.

Does not the first part of my original question fall within the province of the Minister?

I do not think so. It is a matter on which I have no information and for which my Department has no responsibility.

In view of that very unsatisfactory reply, I beg to give notice that I shall take the first opportunity of raising the matter on the Adjournment.

Is not one of the reasons why the railway companies are in difficulties the political interference of this House?

asked the Minister of Labour the industries affected by increased unemployment during last month and the figures for each industry?

Statistics for 23rd May in respect of all the insured industries are not yet available. A complete analysis will be published in the issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette for the current month on 18th instant.

Can the right hon. Gentleman give us an indication as to which were the chief industries affected?

A limited number of industries were mentioned in the announcement made at the time. The last unemployment figures were issued but of course, it was only a limited num- ber and represented only a rough calculation. The actual figures will appear in the next issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette.

Will the right hon. Gentlemen inform the House when this boom in industry is coming along?

We should all like to know that.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state the number of male heads of households in Glasgow who have been deprived of benefit under the means test?

I regret that statistics giving the information desired are not available.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) if he will give the percentage increase in the average rate of wages of labourers in the non-trading services of the local authorities in the large towns in England and Wales as at May, 1932, as compared with a similar approximate date in 1914, or if the figures are not available in 1915; and the percentage increase in the cost of living at the nearest comparable dates;

(2) the percentage increase in the average rate of wages of labourers in the electricity supply industry in May, 1932, as compared with 1914, or 1915 if the figures are not available for 1914; and the percentage increase in the cost of living at the nearest comparable dates?

asked the Minister of Labour the divisions in which the increase of unemployment has occurred during last month and the increased numbers for these divisions?

As the reply includes a number of figures I will, if I may, circulate a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

asked the Minister of Labour (1) the percentage increase in the average rate of wages of labourers in the building industry in May, 1932, as compared with 1914, or 1915 if the figures are not available for 1914; and the percentage increase in the cost of living at the nearest comparable dates;

(2) the percentage increase in the average rate of wages of labourers on the railways in May, 1932, as compared with 1914, or 1915 if the figures for 1914 are not available; and the percentage increase in the cost of living at the nearest comparable dates?

As the reply includes a statistical table, I will circulate it, with the permission of my hon. Friends, in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Before this question is answered, Mr. Speaker, I want to point out that it has been altered. It included the word "cinema" originally. The ex-Member for Pontefract in April of last year put down a similar question and the word "cinema" was then taken out.

Particulars are regularly collected as to rates of wages, hours of labour, and working conditions in the principal industries, both in London and in the provinces, so far as determined by collective agreements, and a considerable amount of information on these subjects, derived from these agreements and from other sources, is published in the monthly issues of the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" and in other publications issued from time to time by the Ministry of Labour. In addition, special inquiries were made in 1924 and 1928 into the average earnings of workpeople in most of the principal industries, the results of which were published in the "Ministry of Labour Gazette" and a similar inquiry, relating to 1931, is at present in progress.

That is quite true, but what I wanted was particulars of the hours and conditions of employés working in cinemas, having regard to the Bill that is now under consideration?

I am very sorry, but I am not responsible.

With the word "cinema" taken out, the question has no sense. Information was wanted as to a particular matter.

Is there any possible explanation why the word "cinema" was struck out? We have had a general answer and not a reply to a particular question. On previous occasions, I have put similar questions, and they have been passed.

I have sent for the original manuscript of this question to see whether the word "cinema" was in it or not.

Earlier in the afternoon, the hon. Member for the Plaistow Division of West Ham (Mr. Thorne) made a complaint that the word "cinema" had been cut out of his Question, No. 9. I have sent for the manuscript of his question, and I find that the word "cinema" did not occur in that manuscript.

If that is so, I can only apologise.

asked the Minister of Labour if he can state the number of aliens admitted into this country since 1st January, 1932, who have been granted permission to work in any new factories established by foreign firms?

The latest available figures were given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade in his reply to a question asked by the hon. Member for West Swansea (Mr. L. Jones) on 2nd June.

Is it not a fact that the figures given recently by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade related to the total number of persons employed in factories established by foreign firms? What I want from the right hon. Gentleman are the figures in respect of aliens who have come to this country to work in those factories. Can he supply them?

I think that the very long answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary covers that point, but, if it does not, I will try to get the information and either send it to the hon. Member or he can put down another question.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his inspectors have yet visited all the factories and workshops established by foreign firms in this country during recent months, with a view to seeing that the statutory obligations in relation to safety and any other conditions relating to employment are being carried out?

Yes, Sir, all such factories and workshops of which the Factory Department are aware have been visited by the inspectors, in many cases more than once. The district inspectors report that generally speaking the statutory obligations were observed and the occupiers were anxious to comply with the law. There have, however, been irregularities in some cases and in every such case steps have been or are being taken to secure compliance.

Is the right hon. Gentleman pleased with the Government policy which has produced these new factories?

That does not strictly arise out of this question. I only wish that the number employed bore some relation to the number of British people unemployed.

asked the Home Secretary the latest regulations of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police with reference to the issue of police reports upon road accidents?

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, with my approval, has issued a fresh Order to his force dealing with the revised procedure to be followed in answering applications from interested parties for information in connection with road accident cases. This has been issued following consideration of the whole question in consultation with representative Chief Officers of Police with the object of securing greater uniformity of procedure. I am sending my hon. Friend, and will place in the Library, copies of the memorandum now issued by the Commissioner's Office to applicants for particulars of a road accident.

Is it a fact that these new regulations impose a premium of £ 1 — 10s. for a report, and 10s. for an interview—to be paid before the proposed litigant can approach the police officer; and, in suitable cases, will the right hon. Gentlemen recommend remission of these charges to poor people.

No, Sir; I do not think the hon. Member is correct. He will see the particulars in this memo- randum. In all cases it is the practice and will continue to be the practice to waive the fee, or reduce the fee if any hardship is likely to be incurred by a poor applicant.

Is that observation included in the representations of the Commissioner?

The Commissioner is well aware of the fact, and it is the present practice. It is not inserted in the memorandum because that would be an invitation to every one to apply for the remission of the fees.

Therefore, this information is kept secret, and the unfortunate person has to find the police officer and make these payments before he can get justice.

Can the right hon. Gentlemen take similar steps to secure that reports will be furnished by the police in country districts also as there is great difficulty, at present, in cases of accidents, in securing police reports?

Yes, Sir; this action has been taken in consultation with the chief officers of the police throughout the country.

Are they acting?

I believe so.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that cases have occurred in which magistrates have sentenced young boys who were first offenders to be birched; and whether he is prepared to take steps to prevent this in future?

I am aware that under Section 10 of the Summary Jurisdiction Act, 1879, a Court of Summary Jurisdiction is empowered in the case of an indictable offence tried summarily to order a child under 14 to be whipped by a police officer whether for a first or subsequent offence. In the Children and Young Persons Bill now before Parliament it is proposed to repeal this provision.

asked the President of the Board of Education if he can give the latest figure of the amount of the economies effected by his Department, disregarding those resulting from the Economy Act, 1931, since he took office?

It is not yet possible to say what will be the full financial effect of the economies carried out by the local education authorities and the Board of Education in recent months. In the day to day administration of the Board a close scrutiny is made of every proposal for new expenditure and the economies resulting from this process, while not capable of accurate assessment, are very considerable; but, apart from these and from the savings resulting from the Economy Act, 1931, the Board's Estimates for the current year provide for a reduction under other heads of £258,377 as compared with the previous year. The position is fully set out in paragraph 4 of the Memorandum on the Board's Estimates.

Will the hon. Gentleman reduce the medical staff from 21 to 11, which was its strength before the War, in view of the fact that there are fewer children on the register?

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman will give me notice of that question.

Can the hon. Gentleman explain why this reduction is such a very small percentage?

I did not quite catch the hon. Member's question.

Does the hon. Gentleman consider that a reduction of £250,000 in £50,000,000 is worth talking about?

The hon. Gentleman must realise that these economies are going on from day to day and it is not possible to state what the full amount will be in a year, but he may be interested to know that, from October, 1931, to May, 1932, the Board sanctioned, for all purposes, £7,250,000 less capital expenditure than in the corresponding months of the previous year, and that, in itself, involves an approximate annual saving in loan charges of about £435,000, to rates and taxes, in eight months.

Hay I now repeat the question which the hon. Gentleman did not hear?

I am afraid the hon. Gentleman is too late.

asked the President of the Board of Education the average annual aggregate cost to the Exchequer and local authorities of each secondary school scholar in England and Wales in 1914 and similarly in 1931?

Information is not available in respect of the actual years stated in the question; but for the years 1912–13 and 1930–31 the expenditure met from public funds per child in secondary schools maintained by local education authorities was £9 4s. and £22 respectively.

Can the hon. Gentleman say what is being done to cause this increase?

It mainly arises from the increase in the salaries paid to the teachers between those years.

When the hon. Gentleman publishes, as I understand he is going to publish, the figures of the economies effected in his Department, will he specifically deal with this matter and state for each item the cause of the increase?

The matter of these fees for secondary schools is being very carefully gone into at the present time, and, as I have said just now, the difference between these figures—£9 4s. in 1912–13 and £22 in 1930–31—is mainly due to the increase in the salaries paid to teachers between those dates.

Were not the teachers disgracefully underpaid before the War?

Will the hon. Gentleman explain what he means by "mainly" and, if I put down another question, will he give us a detailed analysis to show what has caused the increased cost of each item?

asked tie President of the Board of Education the average number of days per annum during which teachers in elementary schools receiving grants from public funds are engaged upon their duties in the schools?

Teachers in public elementary schools are engaged upon their duties for an average of about 208 days per annum.

Is it not a fact that teachers in elementary and secondary schools have a great deal of work to do in connection with their position outside school hours?

asked the Minister of Health when the Committee on Prevention of Damage by Thames Floods, appointed on 17th April, 1931, will present its report; and the cost of this committee to date?

The work of this committee has been suspended as a measure of economy, but I am considering with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries the question of its resumption. The cost of the committee to date is £55 10s.

asked the Minister of Health when the Food Committee, appointed 14th May, 1931, will present its report; and the cost of this committee to date?

The work of this committee was suspended last autumn as a measure of economy. The cost of the committee to date is £46 5s. 4d.

asked the Minister of Health if, for the information of Members and to enable county and county borough authorities to practise reciprocity of treatment to adult blind persons who move from one place to another, he will give a statement showing up to 1st April, 1932, the number of county and county borough councils in England and Wales which have implemented their powers under the Local Government Act, 1929, Section 5, and have made a declaration under this Section regarding the Blind Persons Act, 1920; and showing what cash assistance additional to the statutory grant is paid to each adult blind person in such county or county borough areas as have made such declaration, and showing the county and county borough councils where additional assistance to necessitous adult blind persons is debited to public assistance and is shown in the returns of the relieving officers?

Up to the 1st April, 1932, 11 county councils and 37 county borough councils had made declarations under Section 5 of the Local Government Act, 1929, with regard to the domiciliary assistance of blind persons. The information available docs not enable me to answer the second and third parts of the question, and I do not think that the labour of obtaining and collating special returns from the local authorities would be justified. I do not clearly understand the reference to a statutory grant, but a considerable number of local authorities, in addition to those mentioned in the first part of the question, have undertaken to bring the income of unemployable blind persons up to a specified amount. The expenditure for this purpose is not debited to public assistance.

asked the Minister of Health if he will consider the introduction of legislation to require the gravity of beer to be indicated on each cask sold and supplied and upon every invoice in relation thereto?

It seems to me that this is a matter for negotiation between the brewers and the retailers, and I cannot undertake to introduce legislation on the subject.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this is the only commodity which is free from any statutory representation, and, in view of the high taxation now existing in the case of beer, will he see his way to undertake legislation to ensure that the buyer gets at least what he pays for and what is purported to be sold?

The hon. Member will agree that it is most unwise to impose limitations upon trade unless they are necessary in the general interest. I am not convinced that such a restriction is necessary at the present time.

Is it not a fact that for several years this was enforced by law and worked very satisfactorily, to the advantage of the consumer?

asked the Minister of Health the number of houses built in 1930 and 1931, respectively, that received State subsidy, and the number for which no subsidy or State assistance was given?

The number of houses built with State assistance in England and Wales in 1930 was 52,295, and in 1931 was 64,728. These figures do not include houses erected in replacement of houses demolished under improvement and reconstruction schemes confirmed prior to the passing of the Housing Act, 1930. The number of houses built without State assistance having a rateable value not exceeding £78 (or £105 in the Metropolitan area) was in the year ended 31st March, 1931, 128,728, and in the year ended 31st March, 1932, 130,903.

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the urgency of legislation with regard to rent restriction, he will reconsider the desirability of prolonging the Session with a view to passing an agreed Bill on the subject?

I am afraid I cannot add anything to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council on the 2nd June with regard to the Business to be considered before the Summer Recess.

The Lord President of the Council said that the House would adjourn owing to Cabinet Ministers having to go to Ottawa, because the conference would deal with Empire and international affairs. I have put to the Prime Minister something that will only affect national affairs, that is, Britain itself, and surely the Minister of Health can pilot the Bill through—

asked the Minister of Health the sums paid to the local authorities in the administrative county of Durham under the Local Government Act, 1929, for the years 1930 and 1931, respectively?

The sums paid on account of Exchequer grants under Sections 89 and 91 of the Local Government Act, 1929, to the local authorities in the administrative county of Durham, amounted in the financial years 1930–31 and 1931–32 to £1,678,004 and £1,561,131, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of world exchange restrictions interfering with international trade, the Government will declare without delay their future monetary policy; and will he, at the Ottawa Conference, support the establishment of an Empire monetary policy based on eligible bills and gold and silver, and afterwards invite the countries who have gone off the Gold Standard system and linked their currencies to the pound sterling to join the Empire monetary group, so that an international conference may be called to agree upon an international monetary system?

In reply to the first part of the question, I am unable to add to my previous statements on the subject; and as regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Mabane) on the 2nd June.

Will the right hon. Gentleman and the Government appreciate the gravity of the national and international financial position; and may I ask that in the interests of industry and the unemployed they will formulate a monetary policy?

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether the House may be assured that in respect to both the Ottawa and the Lausanne Conferences the Government have a policy?

Yes.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the approximate national liability in respect of War Savings Certificates as at 31st May last; and what is the approximate rate of interest being paid on national savings certificates?

The approximate amount of principal of savings certificates outstanding on the 31st May was £376,000,000. The amount of interest accrued but not yet paid cannot readily be calculated for an intermediate date in the year, but the figure for the 31st March last will in due course be published in the Finance Accounts. The rate of interest varies according to the period for which the certificate is held before being cashed; on the current series of certificates it is £4 2s. 9d. per cent. tax free if held for 10 years, but substantially less if encashment takes place before the 10 years' maturity.

Is it not a fact that the Government make a profit out of these certificates?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give an estimate of the amount of revenue which would be obtainable from a 10 per cent. duty on all pit wood at present not coming under the existing scheme of Import Duties?

I am afraid I can only refer my Noble Friend to the answer which was given by my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the same question on the 26th May.

How far would this proposal help the mining industry?

Would it not be much better to put a duty on pit wood, because they would then use steel, which would be much safer for the miners?

It would increase the cost.

It would diminish the cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any part or all of the £10,000,000 gold recently bought by the Bank has been bought for the Exchange Equalisation Account and with his authority?

No, Sir. It was purchased for the Issue Department.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman, in the first place, whether we are to understand that it will not be transferred as a debit to the Exchange Equalisation Account when that account is set up, and, secondly, whether any loss on this gold transaction will be debited to the British taxpayer or to the Bank?

The answer to the first question is "No." With regard to the second question, there is no loss.

That is the case at present, but there may be, if America goes off gold. May I ask one more question? Is the right hon. Gentleman responsible for these purchases, or is the Director of the Bank of England responsible?

As I stated, it is a question for the Issue Department, and, therefore, the responsibility is not mine, but lies on the Bank.

And the loss?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the loss which the Treasury has incurred as a result of the recent purchases of gold made by the Bank of England?

No loss has been incurred.

Are not the Treasury bound to indemnify the Bank of England for the loss which they must make owing to their buying at a premium at the present time?

Am I not entitled to an answer?

The reply was that there was no loss.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount which has been saved to the Treasury in the current financial year by the abolition of the grant towards the provision of allotments for the unemployed?

I have been asked to reply. The net expenditure in connection with the Government scheme for the provision of seeds, fertilisers, and implements for unemployed persons in England and Wales and in Scotland cultivating allotments for the cropping season of 1931 has been approximately £26,000, and assuming that the scheme had been continued this year on the same lines and to the same extent, it would have been necessary to have provided that sum in the Estimates this year. The decision that it was not possible on grounds of economy to continue the scheme this year, therefore, resulted in a saving of this amount.

Is not this economy doing more harm than good, and would it not be better to spend this money on providing allotments than on subsidising grand opera?

That is a matter of opinion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the the total national revenue during the 10 years 1922–31 was obtained from capital taxation in the form of Death Duties; and what percentage of the national expenditure was applied to the redemption of debt?

With my hon. Friend's permission, I will circulate the figures in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Is it possible that there can be more than two figures in that reply?

It is not only possible, but it is so.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether his attention has been called to a recent failure in the City of London in which the liabilities amounted to £34,864, including a claim on behalf of the Inland Revenue for unpaid Income and Super Tax, etc., amounting to £29,324, and the assets £59; will he say how long this Inland Revenue claim has been outstanding; and will he also give the total number of other unpaid demands on account of Income, Super, and Excess Profits Duty exceeding £1,000 which have been unpaid for more than three years and the total amount involved?

I am of course precluded from discussing the details of particular cases, but I may say as regards the case referred to in the question that I have satisfied myself that the Inland Revenue have taken every practicable step to recover the tax which was finally found to be due. I cannot undertake to furnish the information asked for in the second part of the question. An unjustifiable expenditure of time and labour would be involved in the preparation of such a return, which, in any event, would give a wholly misleading account of the progress of collection of these taxes.

Does it not appear from this case and other cases that a very long rope is given to some of these people, whereas other persons with much smaller means are dealt with far more severely? What is the reason for the leniency shown in cases where such large sums can be piled up?

Owing to the size and pressing weight of taxation, the State is practically a sleeping partner in a great number of concerns, and like other sleeping partners, it finds that its assets do not always meet the sums expected.

Is it not time they woke up?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of interest on our debt to the United States of America; whether it is the same as the rate of interest on that part of the debt postponed under the Hoover plan; and, if not, will he explain the reason for the difference?

The rate of interest payable under the agreement for the settlement of the British War Debt to the United States Government is 3 per cent. up to the 15th December, 1932, inclusive, and thereafter 3½ per cent. The rate of interest payable on the amount suspended under President Hoover's plan was fixed by the United States Congress at 4 per cent. I am not aware of the reason which led to the adoption of this particular rate of interest, but it is not unusual for the rate of interest upon postponed payments to be somewhat higher than that on payments normally made on the due dates.

Could the Chancellor of the Exchequer explain why he thought it desirable that the British Government should agree to a rate of interest higher in respect of the postponed debt than the rate of interest which was considered desirable in respect of the main debt, which was fixed by the Lord President of the Council?

I have already stated that it is not unusual for an arrangement of that kind to be made, and there are other arrangements of the kind in regard to our own debts.

Is it not a fact that in an earlier reply the right hon. Gentleman said that it was agreed to without any objection at all by the Government?

I did not say that it was agreed to. It is not a question of agreement. We were not asked to agree. We had no choice.

In view of the impracticability of paying these debts—

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the amount included in Britain's War Debt to the United States of America represented by guarantees given by us for material supplied direct to France on French account?

The British War debt to the United States Government contains no specific item of the kind referred to in the question. The position is that if we had not had to meet any calls for assistance from our allies, it would have been unnecessary for us to ask assistance from the United States Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any official knowledge of the intentions of France and Italy to sign the agreements relating to debts to the United States of America postponed under the Hoover plan; and, if so, will he give details?

I can add nothing to the reply given to my hon. Friend on 31st May last to the effect that all the other Governments concerned have agreed in principle to sign such agreements.

Does the hon. Gentleman expect to be in possession of more direct information within a reasonable time?

We have received no formal note, but we have no doubt whatever that the two countries referred to in the question do, in fact, propose to sign.

Have any inquiries been made?

There is no cause for any inquiry. We are quite satisfied.

asked the Prime Minister if he can now state what action the Government have taken or intend to take to give effect to the recommendations of the Macmillan Report; and whether the new world economic conference comes under this category?

The principal recommendations in the Macmillan Committee's Report were not proposals for Government action, but suggestions as to the way in which the various monetary authorities of the world should act together with a view to maintaining the stability of international prices. The situation has changed in many respects since the committee reported, but the objective of His Majesty's Government in the recent conversations concerning a conference conform to the principles of international collaboration advocated by the committee.

The right hon. Gentleman said "concerning a conference"; does he mean the world conference?

That is so.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the normal lunch time of civil servants, including those on a seven-hour day and those working an eight-hour day, from the lowest to the highest grades; whether these lunch periods are agreed to in practice; and whether any exceptions to the official period for lunch are made and, if so, under what circumstances?

For the general administrative and clerical classes, and analogous departmental classes, the normal luncheon interval, irrespective of grade or length of working day, is three-quarters of an hour, with discretion to Heads of Departments to allow up to an hour in special cases of difficulty. For other classes varying rules, within the limits I have just mentioned, apply. The answer to the second part of the question is in the affirmative and to the third that this is a matter for Departmental discretion.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total amount of money paid in salaries, including bonus, to the Civil Services in April, 1914, and April, 1932, respectively; and to what extent the difference is due to an increase in the cost of living?

In April, 1914, the total salaries and wages bill (including overtime and allowances) of the non-industrial and industrial staffs of the Civil Service was at the rate of approximately £36¾ millions per annum.

That for April, 1932, was at the rate of approximately £84½ millions per annum.

The increase in cost may be attributed to the additional staff required for the extra duties placed on the Civil Service since 1914, to compensation in respect of the increase in the cost of living, and to improvements in the basic remuneration of individual classes of civil servants under Awards of the Industrial Court, etc. I regret, however, that I am not in a position to make any accurate evaluation of these separate factors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what proportion of the expenditure of the Ministry of Agriculture was allocated to salaries and travelling expenses of officials in 1931 and 1921, respectively?

Salaries and travelling expenses of officials, excluding industrial staff and officers paid by fees, accounted for 19.2 per cent. of the Ministry's expenditure in 1921 and for 20.9 per cent. in 1931. In 1921, the Ministry's expenditure included substantial sums in respect of war-time services and abnormally large sums in respect of foot-and-mouth disease, of which the. cost of officials formed a relatively small proportion.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can state what is the agenda for the Conference at Lausanne?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to the hon. and gallant Member for North-East Bethnal Green (Major Nathan) on the 30th May last.

Are we to understand from that reply that, although the Conference is to meet next week, no agenda has been drawn up?

Quite the opposite. My hon. Friend stated the terms of reference upon which the Conference would meet.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the dates fixed under the Horticultural Products (Emergency Customs Duties) Act, 1931, for the import of plums, strawberries, gooseberries, turnips, and cauliflowers are unsuited to Scottish conditions; and whether he will now take steps to alter the dates to meet the Scottish growers' needs?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave on 1st March to a similar question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Midlothian and Peebles Southern (Captain Ramsay) of which I am sending him a copy.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that, unless steps are taken in this matter immediately, it will be too late altogether for this year?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his Department has investigated the experiments at Jealott's Hill, Berkshire, aimed at freeing crops of weeds by spraying; what is the view of his Department on the result of these experiments; and whether, in case it is satisfied, it intends to assist in popularising their use?

I presume my Noble Friend refers to the experiment in the destruction of charlock in spring oats by spraying with dilute sulphuric acid. My Department is in touch with this experiment; but I am advised that it is desirable to await further results before announcing any opinion upon this method in comparison with others.

asked the Minister of Agriculture for what reason only five representatives of farming in England and Wales out of a total of twelve have been appointed to the advisory committee dealing with agricultural matters to be raised at the Ottawa Conference, in view of the fact that the proportion of Great Britain's agricultural output produced by England and Wales is approximately 80 per cent.?

My object in setting up the committee referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend was to provide the agricultural adviser for Ottawa, who is chairman of the committee, with a means of ascertaining the views of agriculturists from all parts of the United Kingdom on questions likely to arise at the Ottawa Conference. For that reason I took steps to ensure that the committee was as widely representative as possible, and I do not feel that the considerations referred to by my hon. and gallant Friend really arise.

Would it not be possible to include among the representatives a direct nominee of the dairy farming interests in the country as recommended by the British Dairy Farmers' Association?

I do not think that I can add to the personnel now, but there is no reason why the views of that body should not be heard by the committee, and I hope that that will be the case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether steps are being taken by his Department to evolve an Empire monetary policy for submission to the Ottawa Conference; if so, when work was commenced; what staff is engaged upon it; and whether the nature of the policy will be made public before the conference?

Questions of monetary policy as affecting the various parts of the Empire have constantly been before the Treasury, particularly in recent months, as part of their normal duties. His Majesty's Government will welcome a discussion of these important questions at the Ottawa Conference, but I do not consider that it would be desirable for me to give expression to any detailed views in advance of such discussion.