asked the Minister of Transport if he can make any statement with regard to the progress of the negotiations for the purchase and freeing of the toll bridge at Selby on the main road from Leeds to Hull?

I have no official knowledge of any negotiations between the highway authorities concerned and the bridge owners for the purchase and freeing of the Selby Toll Bridge, but I understand that a committee, representing local interests, are investigating the possibilities of the purchase without a grant from the Road Fund, seeing that the highway authorities have been informed of my inability to offer financial assistance towards the acquisition of the bridge.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, as the money expended upon road maintenance and improvement is contributed largely by users and providers of road transport, he will set up an advisory committee representative of such interests with a view to ensuring that no expenditure on roads shall be incurred other than is regarded as justifiable for the economic operation of road transport?

The Roads Advisory Committee, established under the provisions of the Ministry of Transport Act, 1919, comprises representatives of the highway authorities, of the users of horse and mechanical road traffic, and of labour and matters connected with expenditure from the Road Fund are considered by the committee as occasion requires.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any amendment has been made to Section 13 (1) of the Mining Ordinance in Kenya whereby native reserves are excluded from prospecting save with the written consent of the Native Land Trust Board; whether the opening of any part of native reserves to prospecting is subject to the approval of the Secretary of State and requires notification in the Government Gazette; and whether, and at what date, the Kakamega's area was so declared and with what limits; and whether those limits have been since enlarged?

Sub-section 13 (i) of the Mining Ordinance of 1931 has been amended by the addition of the following:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what was the number of Indians in the service of the Kenya and Uganda Railway in the years 1921 and 1932, respectively?

The information desired for 1921 is not on record in the Colonial Office, but inquiry will be made from the High Commissioner for Transport, Kenya and Uganda, if the hon. Member so desires. On 31st December, 1931, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of Asiatics employed by the Kenya-Uganda Railways and Harbours Administration was 2,208. The number of Europeans was 596 and of Africans, including labourers, 15,803.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, having regard to the importance of a settlement of British claims against Russia, he will arrange that this matter shall be added to the agenda of the forthcoming Monetary and Economic Conference?

No, Sir. In the circumstances in which the Conference is being convened, it would, in my opinion, not be practicable to adopt my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the amount of wheat on which subsidy has been paid to farmers by the Wheat Commission; and the amount which has failed to receive subsidy on the ground that it was not of millable quality?

I am informed by the Wheat Commission that the valid wheat certificates on which advances on account of deficiency payments under the Wheat Act, 1932, were made in December last covered approximately 8,571,000 cwts. of millable wheat. These advances were in respect of certificates received by the commission up to 30th November last. Further certificates covering approxi- mately 5,673,000 cwts. have been received by the commission between 1st December, 1932, and 28th February, 1933, and advances in respect of these certificates will be made on or about 25th March. I understand that actual applications for certificates in respect of 7,140 cwts. of wheat have been refused by authorised merchants on the ground that the wheat. was not of millable quality. The commission have, of course, no information as to wheat which was not submitted for certification.