asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India will consider the advisability of utilising a portion of the gold currency reserve for the purchase of silver with a view to the coinage of rupees?

No, Sir. The Government of India have no need of further silver beyond their present holdings.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the Government of India have under consideration the recommendations of the Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Committee; and, if so, when a decision may be expected on the matter?

This Committee reported in 1925. Its recommendations were considered in 1926 and approved with minor modifications in 1927.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware of recent cases in the Punjab where candidates related to judicial officers have been appointed to sub-judgeships over others who had qualified for the appointments by competitive examination; what action has been taken against those concerned; and how it is proposed to prevent such happenings in future?

I have seen a statement in the Press regarding this matter, and am making inquiries of the Government of India.

asked the Secretary of State for India the name of the prison where the Meerut prisoners are confined; and, if they have been distributed to more than one prison, will he give particulars?

All the prisoners except one continue to be confined in the Meerut Jail, pending their decisions on the question of an appeal to the High Court.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether the attention of the Government of India has been drawn to the lack of funds in the several provinces of India for the purpose of implementing legislation for primary education in rural areas and for the depressed classes; and, if so, what steps they propose to take with a view to enabling provincial Governments to carry such legislation into effect?

I have no information on the matter. Education is a subject which is under the control of the Governments in India, and it is for them to decide what steps can be taken to give effect to legislation of the kind referred to.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the number of officers and men of the Royal Engineers trained in the handling of railway locomotives in India in each of the years 1929, 1930, 1931, and 1932?

The information asked for is not available here, but will be obtained from the Government of India if my Noble Friend so desires.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the excess of imports over exports of merchandise in the 11 years, 1922 to 1932, in the trade of the United Kingdom with the Soviet Union, excluding re-exports from this country of goods imported for export?

The total imports into the United Kingdom of merchandise consigned from the Soviet Union during the 11 years, 1922 to 1932, exceeded in value our domestic exports to that country by £185,500,000.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the value of goods imported from the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics in 1932; the value of exports of British produce, and of re-exports of imported merchandise, respectively, consigned from Great Britain to the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics in the same year?

As stated in the issue of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for January last, the total declared value of merchandise imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in the trade with the Soviet Union during 1932 was as follows: Total imports, £19,697,013; domestic exports, £9,274,534; re-exports, £1,221,565.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether His Majesty's Government have decided to give the benefit of the preferential tariff rates applicable to the Dominions to the mandated territory of Palestine?

I would refer to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley (Mr. Joel) on the 1st of this month, of which I will send the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what is the present number of unestablished men in His Majesty's dockyards and naval depots over the age of 45; how many of these men are likely to be retained until they reach the age of 60; and what steps, if any, are to be taken to place such men on the established list during the next few years?

I regret that we have not the statistics available to enable me to give a precise reply to the first part of the question. With regard to the second part, it is the policy of the Admiralty to avoid discharges of unestablished men so far as is practicable and consistent with the amount of work to be done. With regard to the last part of the question, the proportion of established men now borne is considerably in excess of the normal limits, and at the present time one vacancy in six is being filled.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Ambassador in Buenos Aires will make representations to the Argentine Government to safeguard the interests of the railways in Argentina capitalised with British money which are now in competition with Argentine State-organised railways?

His Majesty's Government are ready to consider any specific claim for assistance put before them by the interested party and to make suitable representations whenever they can be usefully made in regard to a particular case.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the Civil. Service is practically closed to persons who have been articled to firms of accountants and who, at the age of 21 or thereabouts, have passed their final examinations to qualify in that profession outside the Civil Service; and whether he can make arrangements to allow such persons to compete in Civil Service examinations for Government posts as accountants and auditors on equal terms with members of the Civil Service staffs?

Vacancies in the Civil Service for which it is con- sidered desirable to require candidates to have obtained professional accountancy qualifications at the time of candidature are ordinarily open to civil servants and outside candidates alike. In other cases candidates are recruited for accounting duties direct from the normal Civil Service open competitive examinations and where necessary subsequently acquire professional qualifications during their service. These competitions are open to all candidates at the prescribed age limits, and I see no reason for extending these limits in favour of persons who article themselves to firms of outside accountants. I would add, for the information of the hon. Member, that persons who have qualified as accountants are eligible to compete for commissions in the Accountant Branch of the Royal Air Force if they are between the ages of 22 and 26 years.

asked the Minister of Transport what the estimated capital expenditure of the electricity grid system is; how much has been expended to date; and if he is satisfied that the work will be carried out within the estimate?

The annual report and accounts of the Central Electricity Board for last year showing the actual expenditure to 31st December are not yet published, but I understand they will shortly be available, and will show the actual expenditure up to that date. As regards the original estimated cost of the grid, including standardisa- tion of frequency, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the eleventh report of the Electricity Commissioners (for the year 1930–31) where the position is set out.

asked the Minister of Health if His Majesty's Government propose to take any steps to prevent syndicates subsidised by local authorities or building societies from importing foreign bricks and cement in connection with the erection of houses so long as British products are available for the purpose?

I am not aware of the existence of any such syndicate as my hon. Friend apparently has in mind.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that a contract has been entered into by the London County Council for the sale of Numbers Farm, King's Langley, Hefts; as this sale is subject to his approval, will he state the cause of the delay in granting or refusing consent: and, as the delay is causing some 40 men to be out of temporary employment and some 10 men to be out of permanent employment, will he expedite his decision upon the question?

My consent to this sale was issued on 28th February.