asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will publish a statement giving particulars of the arms and munitions and naval and military stores, not including sporting arms and munitions, in respect of which he has issued licences to export to Japan and China during November, 1932?

The following statement gives the desired information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that his recent decision that the time is not opportune for a change in the regulations on the embargo on new capital issues has caused disappointment; and whether he will consider giving a declaration of the Government's reasons for, and intentions as to, continuing an embargo which closes the market to concerns of the highest repute desirous of reducing their burden of tax charges?

The answer which my right hon. Friend gave to the right hon. and gallant Gentleman the Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Colonel Wedgwood) on 6th December must not be understood to mean an indefinite prolongation of the present restriction on optional conversions. My right hon. Friend desires to remove the restriction as soon as possible, but he cannot undertake at present to name any date for the removal.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what inquiries are made by officers of his Department as to whether full declarations of value are made by importers of Italian marble tombstones, in view of complaints made by the trade in this country?

Suitable steps are taken to ensure that the full value is declared for all imported goods liable to ad valorem duty. If my hon. Friend will inform me of any specific instances in which he has reason to think that the value has been under-declared, the facts will be looked into.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that there are a large number of established ex-service civil servants who, by reason of their war service, have suffered prejudice in the matter of promotion.; and whether he will ensure for the purposes of promotion the claims of these officers shall receive preference over those of candidates applying in open competition?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that Owing to the temporary character of the restrictions on the importation of meat the curers and others cannot offer better prices to British producers; and whether, in order to promote confidence in the industry and allow of the development of reorganisation schemes, he can now give an assurance of a continuation of the restriction of imports?

I am fully aware of the importance of maintaining the recent improvement in the conditions of the meat market and, as I have informed the House, the Government have been giving close attention to the position that would arise if the present arrangements for the voluntary regulation of meat imports were allowed to lapse. The Government have accordingly decided that, in the general interests, negotiations shall be undertaken with a view to the continuance of these arrangements so far as may prove to be necessary. Discussions will begin forthwith, and I feel assured that the Government can count on the same ready co-operation as on the previous occasion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what has been the result up to date of the efforts recently made by the Ministry with a view to dealing with the musk rat nuisance in the Shrewsbury district?

The survey of the infested area has already been completed and its present limits defined. Thirty trappers are now engaged, and considerable progress is being made in the control of the situation. The total number of musk rats recorded as being caught in the area since May last is 1,550.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the fact that both Christmas and New Year's Eves fall upon Saturday nights this year, he will take steps to grant local authorities power to permit dancing and other forms of entertainment?

I have no power to take any action in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary the number of alien Jews granted entry into Great Britain and naturalisation, respectively, during the period from December, 1931, to October, 1932?

Aliens seeking admission to this country or applying for naturalisation are not asked to state whether they are or are not members of the Jewish race.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the influx of destitute persons from the Irish Free State into the Borough of Paddington; whether he is aware that there is evidence that the Free State authorities have assisted such migration; and whether he will take steps to prevent further such burdens falling upon the ratepayers of Paddington?

I have been asked to reply. I have no information as to the cases referred to in the first part of the question but, if my hon. Friend will supply me with particulars of any such cases, they will be immediately considered.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the growing practice of the police expressing their opinion as to applications for extension of licensing hours on public holidays; and whether he will issue a circular to all police authorities to the effect that such applications should be decided with regard to public convenience rather than to police preference?

It is, I believe, a matter of general and long-established practice that the opinion and experience of the police should be at the disposal of the Justices when applications for extension of the permitted hours are under consideration, and it seems clearly desirable that this practice should continue. I have no information which would justify me in issuing any such circular as suggested in the second part of the question.

asked the Home Secretary whether any instructions have been issued by him to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police with regard to granting special extension of hours in licensed houses on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day; and, if not, whether he will issue such instructions in view of the fact that such extensions are to be granted in respect of licensed houses on the immediate outskirts of the Metropolitan area?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the second part, it is incumbent on the Commissioner to consider each application separately and on its merits, in accordance with the principle laid down in a judgment of the High Court, and I am advised it would not be proper for me to issue Any such instructions as my hon. Friend suggests.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that a number of recent road accidents, resulting in fatalities and injuries to motorists as well as damage to property, have been found by the competent inquiring authority to be due to the skidding of motor vehicles on slippery roads; that in certain of these cases the slippery condition of the roads has been due to the attrition of the surface; that many hundreds of miles of roads that would normally have been sprayed with tar or some other bituminous compound and dressed with hard stone chippings last summer were not so treated; and what steps he proposes to take to call the attention of road authorities to this matter?

The Ministry of Transport issued a Circular in March, 1929, concerning methods of surface treatment, and a substantial decrease in the number of accidents attributable to slippery road surfaces was noticed. I have no information indicating an increase in the number of such accidents. On grounds of economy there may have been some reduction in the mileage of roads surface-dressed during last summer, but I am not aware of any neglect on the part of highway authorities to take precautionary measures against any dangerous condition of their roads.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been drawn to the proposals by the distributing organisations to increase the retail price of petrol by a further 2d. per gallon; whether he is aware that the c.i.f. value of petrol imported into this country only increased by, approximately, 1d. per gallon during the 12 months ended 30th September, 1932, and that during that period the retail price was increased by 3d. per gallon; and whether, having regard to the consequences of any further burden upon motor transport, he will take steps to control the price of petrol?

In regard to the first part of the question, I have seen some suggestions in the Press that petrol prices may be increased, but I am not aware of the authority for such suggestions, and I have not seen any proposals by the distributing organisations. The data given in the second part of the question are substantially in accordance with the facts, but it is not possible to leave out of consideration what happened in the previous 12 months. If a comparison is made of retail prices, excluding duty, in September, 1930, and September, 1932, it will be found there has been a larger drop in retail prices than in c.i.f. values. I should not, therefore, feel justified in proposing to the Government that they should take the action suggested in the last part of the question.

asked the Minister of Health if there are any casual wards in England and Wales that are not heated during the winter months; and whether the inspectors of his Department make a special examination of the heating apparatus in public institutions during their inspections in the months of October to March, inclusive?

The reply to the first part of the hon. Member's question is in the negative. As regards the second part, the adequacy of the heating arrangements is one of the matters dealt with in the ordinary course of the inspection of institutions by my officers.

asked the Minister of Health the number of cases in which standard and transitional benefit, respectively, have been supplemented by allowances from public assistance authorities in any recent period and the like information for a similar period prior to September, 1931?

The most recent figures I possess relate to the week ending 6th February, 1932, when 24,981 insured persons of whom 12,250 were in receipt of standard benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Acts, and 12,731 were in receipt of transitional payments, were also in receipt of out-relief. In February, 1931, the corresponding total number was 12,221, but the returns did not distinguish standard benefit from transitional benefit. These figures relate to England and Wales only.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the delay in the rearrangement of the Kent County districts, so far as it concerns West Wickham, has caused the Bromley Rural District Council to refuse an application made by the majority of frontagers on the Park Langley Estate, West Wickham, for the roads on that estate to be made up; and whether, in view of the fact that a £30,000 work scheme involving no charge on local or national finances is thus put aside, he can state his intentions with regard to the districts involved?

I am not aware that the facts are as stated in the first part of the question, but I will ascertain. I see no reason why the proposals relating to the county districts should stop work of the kind. As regards the second part of the question, a local inquiry has been held by one of my inspectors into the proposals of the Kent County Council, but I have not yet received his report.

asked the Minister of Health if he will furnish the maternal death rate for Stepney for the years 1928 and onwards; and will he indicate if this is above or below the general rate for London?

The following statement gives the numbers of maternal deaths classified to puerperal sepsis and other puerperal causes per 1,000 live births for the years in question for the borough of Stepney and the Administrative County of London:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the grounds on which it is proposed to close the Chester Training College?

The Board of Education, after consultation with the Board of Supervision as representing the interests of the Church of England training colleges as a whole, have come to the conclusion that the required reduction of 10 per cent. in the number of students will be effected with less injury to the colleges by the temporary closure of three colleges, than by the imposition of a uniform 10 per cent. reduction over all the colleges in the group. The Board have received deputations from the three colleges, namely, Chester, Bristol (Fishponds), and Lincoln, which were recommended by the Board of Supervision for closure. As a result of representations then made, the colleges are being afforded a further opportunity of being heard by the Board of Supervision. Before arriving at a final decision, the Board of Education are awaiting the outcome of these interviews which are fixed for to-morrow.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education for what reasons it has been decided by his Department to close the Chester Diocesan Training College at an early date?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers that I have given to-day to the hon. Members for Birkenhead, East (Mr. White) and the University of Wales (Mr. E. Evans), of which. I am sending him copies.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education on what grounds it is proposed to close the Chester Diocesan Training College for men teachers; whether the authorities of the college were consulted before the decision was arrived at; and whether, in view of the reports which the college has always received from inspectors and the fact that the closure will leave the northwestern counties without any similar institution, he will reconsider the decision?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answers that I have given to-day to the hon. Members for Birkenhead, East (Mr. White) and the University of Wales (Mr. E. Evans), of which I am sending him copies.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of Dartmouth-entry officers who transferred to the engineering branch, the number of special-entry engineering officers who entered from public schools, and the number of lower-deck ratings of the engineering branch who were awarded commissions for each year since 1924?

The numbers are as shown in the following table:—

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the ages and ratings of the lower-deck promotions to sub-lieutenant and sub-lieutenant (E) in 1931; and the ages between which cadetentry officers are promoted to these ranks?

Twelve ratings, all able seamen, were promoted to the rank of acting sub-lieutenant, to date 1st December, 1931. On satisfactorily completing their courses, they will be confirmed as sub-lieutenant as from that date. Their ages on promotion ranged between 21 years 2 months and 24 years 11 months, the actual average being 22 years 9 months. Four ratings, all engine room artificers third class, were promoted to acting mate (E)—now acting sub-lieutenant (E)—to date 1st July, 1931. They have been confirmed as sub-lieutenants (E) from that date. Their ages on promotion ranged between 24 years 3 months and 28 years 2 months, the actual average 25 years 10 months. Officers—ex-cadet—are confirmed as sub-lieutenants or sub-lieutenants (E) between the ages of 20 years 5 months and 22 years.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of officers promoted from the lower deck who have been selected for the specialist courses for gunnery, torpedo, navigation, antisubmarine, signal, wireless telegraphy, physical and recreational training, and staff duties since 1926, when the Admiralty Fleet Order was issued stating that these officers were eligible to specialise under the same conditions as cadet-entry officers, and the number of cadet-entry officers who have been selected for these courses during the same period?

The numbers are as follow:

asked the First Commissioner of Works what is the present position with regard to the memorial statue to the late Field Marshal Earl Haig and at what date it is expected that the statue in question will be erected in public?

The sculptor is now at work on the full-size clay figure; under the terms of the contract, the memorial, as I informed my hon. and gallant Friend on 10th March last, should be ready for erection in the summer of 1934.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, out of the bequest of £120,000 made by a Shanghai Jew, Mr. Kadoorie, for agricultural education in Palestine, a school for Arab agricultural training has been established and is already functioning under the auspices of the Palestine Government; how many pupils it has; why the corresponding school for Jews has not yet been completed although the money has been available for eight years; and when he expects the Jewish school to be opened?

The Kadoorie Agricultural School for Arabs was opened in January, 1931, with 40 students. I have no information as to the number of students now under instruction. The construction of the corresponding school for Jews was delayed owing to the difficulty of securing a suitable site and of arranging an adequate water supply. The High Commissioner for Palestine anticipates that this school will be open for instruction in September, 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether British members of the staffs of British Consulates in Greece are paid in drachmae; and what provision has been made to maintain the sterling value of such salaries in view of the depression of the local currency?

Those members of the staff of British Consular posts in Greece who are officers of the established Consular Service are paid in sterling. The rest of the staff, who may or may not be British subjects, and who are recruited locally by the officers in charge of the various posts, are paid in drachmae. Additions have been made to their salaries, but in relation to the internal purchasing power of the drachma and not to its value in sterling.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) if he will inquire into the circumstances under which Lady Margaret Allchin has been detained in French Morocco by British Consular officials or ex-British Consular officials since 1928;(2) whether, in view of the detention of Lady Margaret Allchin in French Morocco by British Consular officials, he will state by what statutory authority jurisdiction over British nationals in that country is vestel in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar?

I am conversant with the facts of this case. Lady Allchin is not, and never has been, detained by any British Consular official. As regards the question of jurisdiction, jurisdiction over British subjects in the French and Spanish zones of Morocco is vested in the Supreme Court of Gibraltar, concurrently with His Majesty's Consular Court for Morocco, by the "Morocco Orders in Council, 1888–1929, Consolidated," made in exercise of the powers conferred by the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1890.