asked the President of the Board of Trade the value of foreign cinematograph films annually imported into Great Britain; and on what basis is the c.i.f. value ascertained?

The following table shows the total declared value (c.i.f.) of the imports of cinematograph films into the United Kingdom during the years 1929, 1930 and 1931.and exporters in respect of exports to Russia from 1st June, 1929, to 3rd October, 1931, was approximately £10,893,000. The maximum liability assumed by the Department under these contracts was £6,906,000. The corresponding figures in respect of exports to all other countries are £7,998,000 and £5,018,000 respectively. I regret that I am unable to give the present outstanding liability on these contracts. A considerable proportion of this liability has now run off but for reasons which I have given on previous occasions I do not think it is desirable to give figures in regard to the Department's outstanding liability in particular markets.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) the rates of Customs duties and any additional tax, such as dumping duties, exchange-balancing duties, primage tax or sales tax, levied on the classes of goods mentioned in the United Kingdom-Australian Agreement, Schedule F, Parts II and III, imported from the United Kingdom into the Commonwealth of Australia, as at 1st June, 1924, and 1st October, 1931;(2) the rates of Customs duties, and any additional tax such as dumping duties, exchange-balancing duties, primage tax, or sales tax, levied on the classes of goods mentioned in the United Kingdom-Canadian Agreement, Schedule E, imported from the United Kingdom into the Dominion of Canada, as at 1st June, 1925, and 1st November, 1931?

The preparation of this voluminous material asked for would involve an expenditure of time and labour, which would not be justifiable in present circumstances.

asked the Minister of Health how many slum clearance schemes have been approved since the passage of the last Housing Act; what is the approximate number of individuals and houses involved and what number of further schemes are under immediate consideration?

My right hon. Friend has received resolutions declaring 541 areas in England and Wales to be clearance areas under the Housing Act, 1330. The clearance of these will involve the demolition of approximately 16,165 houses and the displacement. of about 78,150 persons. My right hon. Friend is unable to say what further areas are now receiving the consideration of the local authorities.

asked the Minister of Health the nature of his reply to the representations made to him by local authorities on the question of housing rents?

My right hon. Friend has been unable to identify the representations referred to in the question. He had the advantage of discussing with the hon. Member and other gentlemen in December last the general question of the rents charged by local authorities in mining areas and nothing has happened in the meantime to modify the view then expressed that the present difficulties can best be dealt with at the present time by considering the arrears position.

asked the Minister of Health the total value of loans sanctioned and raised by local authorities in England and Wales, exclusive of housing purposes and loans for providing temporarily for current expenses, since November, 1931, with the detailed amount per month; and how this compares with the figures for such loans in the previous corresponding period?

I regret that without an undue amount of labour I cannot give exactly the figures for which my hon. Friend asks. I hope, however, that the following will serve his purpose:Loans sanctioned by Ministry of Health, excluding loans for housing and loans for providing temporarily for current expenses:

1932.	£
April	1,930,518
May	1,819,706
June	2,196,355
July	1,498,163
August	1,688,873
September	1,295,325
	£10,428,940
Six months October, 1931, to March, 1932	15,068,097
Total for 12 months ended 30th September, 1932	£25,497,037
	£
Year ended 31st March, 1930	36,358,352
Year ended 31st March, 1931	47,365,434
Year ended 31st March, 1932	34,375,486

The loans sanctioned in the last 12 months, that is, since the present Government came into office, include amounts in respect of which sanctions had already been promised or the Ministry were already committed.

asked the Minister of Labour the figures for each Employment Exchange in Durham, including ale boroughs, of men registering as unemployed on 1st October, 1931, and for the same day in 1932?

The following table gives the information desired to the nearest date.

Numbers of Men on the Registers of Employment Exchanges in the County of Durham.
Employment Exchange	28th Sept.,1931	26 Sept.,1932
Bishop Auckland	5,481	6,771
Blaydon	3,397	4,181
Consett	2,471	2,630
Darlington	5,373	6,477
Durham	4,786	5,303
Gateshead	10,785	11,920
Hartlepool	2,884	2,866
Hebburn	3,576	3,575
Jarrow	5,707	5,823
Pallion	6,336	7,896
South Shields	12,663	13,561
Southwick-on-Wear	2,272	2,970
Stanley	6,041	5,002
Stockton-on-Tees and Thornaby.	11,335	12,812
Sunderland	12,971	14,098
West Hartlepool	8,290	8,368
Dunston on-Tyne.	1,429	2,124
Felling-on-Tyne	3,016	3,285
Seaham Harbour	2,230	4,376
Barnard Castle	209	242
Birtley	1,180	1,549
Chester-le-Street	3,034	3,592
Chopwell	1,018	1,158
Cockfield	898	1,204
Crook	4,030	4,958
East Boldon	784	908
Gainford	106	114
Haswell	1,151	1,492
Horden	451	605
Houghton-le-Spring	2,906	4,002
Lanebester	1,619	1,512
Middleton in-Teesdale	81	171
Shildon	2,264	2,629
Sedgefield	103	211
Spennymoor	4,577	4,295
Stanhope	442	569
Washington Station	1,674	1,753
Wingate	3,206	3,655
Wolsingbam	169	305
	140,945	158,962

asked the Minister of Labour whether, on the grounds of economy, he has considered the desirability of remunerating the chairmen of courts of referees and committees on the basis of an inclusive salary instead of a fee per sitting of such courts; and, if so, what is his decision on the matter?

My right hon. Friend is satisfied that, owing to the variations in volume of work not only as between one court and another, but also in the same court at different times, the present system is the more economical. I may add that the fees of all chairmen were reduced last year as one of the economy measures.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Electricity Commissioners have had any complaints as to the high cost of electricity in Stroud (Gloucestershire)?

The Electricity Commissioners inform me that they have no record of any such complaints having been received since the early part of 1928.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentages of direct and indirect taxation as realised in 1931–32 and as estimated in 1932–33?

The figures are as follow:—

	Indirect Taxes.	Direct Taxes.
	Per cent	Per cent
1931–32	34.12	65.88
1932–33 (as estimated)	39.06	60.94

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation giving owners, against whose dogs destruction orders have been made by petty sessional courts, the right to appeal against such orders to quarter sessions?

I regret that I am not able to introduce any such legislation.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider the desirability of introducing legislation to make badger hunting illegal?

I have no evidence before me to show that legislation for this purpose is desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, if he will make available to Members of this House the Report of the Lytton Committee of Inquiry in the most accessible form?

One copy of the Report has been placed in the Library and further copies will be placed there as soon as they are available. If hon. Members require copies for their own use they may be bought through any bookseller from Messrs. Allen and Unwin, who are the English agents for League of Nations publications.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what treaties, agreements and conventions, approved by the recent Assembly of the League of Nations, it is proposed to sign and ratify on behalf of this country.

No treaties, agreements or conventions were approved by the Assembly of the League of Nations during its recent Session.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the circumstances in which it has been decided to grant official recognition to the State of Salvador, and whether any representations have been received from the United States of America on the subject?

His Majesty's Government have entered into official relations with the present Government of Salvador because it has given evidence of stability, and in order that there might be more effective representation of British commercial and financial interests in that country. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will state the present position with regard to the dispute between this country and Finland in connection with shipping arising out of the War?

Yes, Sir. The discussions referred to in the reply to my hon. Friend's question on this subject on 5th July last have resulted in the signature of an agreement with the Finnish Government to submit to the arbitration of Dr. Algot Bagge, a Judge of the Supreme Court of Sweden, the preliminary question whether the Finnish shipowners did or did not exhaust the means of recourse placed at their disposal by British law. A White Paper containing the text of the agreement, with its two annexes, is being laid before Parliament to-day and copies are available to hon. Members.