asked the Home Secretary whether he will consider introducing legislation on the lines of the Performing Animals (Regulation) Amendment Bill which passed, in all its stages, in another place in March, 1930?

I can hold out no hope of legislation on this subject at the present time.

asked the Home Secretary what is the approximate additional cost when a prison officer is compelled to retire on pension otherwise than through ill health at the age of 55 instead of 60 and reaching his maximum rate of pay, taking into account the superannuation allowances of the retired officer and the pay and allowances of a newly-appointed officer in his place; the number of prison officers who have been retired compulsorily during the five years ending 31st December last; and the total additional cost?

The number of officers of all ranks who during the five years ended 31st December last retired between the ages of 55 and 60 was 322; the number of officers of the lowest rank included in that number is 162. It is impossible, without examination of the individual record in each case, to say how many of these officers retired on medical grounds, how many exercised their option under the Superannuation (Prison Officers) Act to retire before reaching the age of 60, and how many were given notice to retire by the Prison Commissioners before reaching the age of 60. The considerations involved in assessing the average cost involved in an individual case of retirement and the total cost over the five-year period are so complex that it would be impossible without an inordinate amount of work to arrive at a figure which would approximate to accuracy.

asked the Home Secretary if he proposes to introduce legislation to carry out the recommendations of the Persistent Offenders Committee?

This matter is under consideration, but I am not in a position to make any statement on the subject at the present time.

asked the Home Secretary when the Government propose to ratify the Convention for Limiting the Manufacture and Regulating the Distribution of Narcotic Drugs, 1931?

It is the intention of His Majesty's Government to ratify the Convention before the date contemplated in the Convention, namely, 13th April, 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the outstanding amount due to the Irish Free State from the Road Fund; and if he will state the reasons why it has not been paid?

The position in relation to the Irish Free State claim to a share of the Road Fund was dealt with at the conference between representatives of the United Kingdom and of the Irish Free State in October last when the previous arrangement to submit the matter to arbitration was confirmed. There has since been no change in the position.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether consideration has been given to the advisability of granting assistance from national funds to small farmers in the Don Valley area whose crops have been destroyed in three successive seasons on account of floods; and what is the present position of this matter?

I sympathise very deeply with the farmers and others who have suffered as the result of the floods in the Don Valley and elsewhere, but I regret that I am unable to hold out any hope of financial assistance from the State towards meeting any losses that they have sustained.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education on what date was the approval of the Board given for the erection of new schools on the road between Curley Crooks and Boldon colliery, county Durham; what was the approved cost, the contract price, the name of the contractor, the date upon which the work was commenced, the amount expended to date, and when is it estimated the schools will be completed and occupied; what is the accommodation of the new schools; from what areas are the children to be drawn; what is the elementary school population in the areas; what schools at present exist and their accommodation; and what schools, if any, are to be closed when the new schools are completed and occupied?

Plans for the erection of a new school for 520 children on the site named were approved on 18th August, 1929. Owing to the growth of the local population and in order to facilitate a reorganisation which would group in the new school the senior children from the provided elementary schools in the area, fresh plans for a school of 720 children were approved in June, 1931. The authority were, however, asked to reconsider the proposal in view of the financial crisis in September, 1931, and revised plans for a school to accommodate 640 children were approved on lath November, 1931. The estimated cost of the school as originally planned was £17,000, and the lowest tender, under a direct labour scheme, was £15,981. The cost of the revised lay-out, finally approved in November, 1931, was £29,430, based upon the schedule rates of the original direct labour scheme tender. The work was commenced in January, 1931; a sum of £26,416 has been expended up to date, and it is anticipated that the school will be completed and occupied by the end of April, 1933. The accommo- dation of the school is 640, 320 senior boys and 320 senior girls, drawn from Whiteleas, East Boldon, Boldon Colliery and Boldon. The elementary school

—			Accommodation.
			Mixed.	Boys.	Girls.	Infants.
Boldon Colliery Council	…	…	—	550	500	332
East Boldou Council	…	…	228	—	—	126
Boldon Whiteleas Council	…	…	204	—	—	48
Boldon Church of England	…	…	160	—	—	40

The boys' department of the Boldon Colliery school is on the Board's black list. As the new school is intended primarily to meet the growth of population and avoid overcrowding, it is not anticipated that any of these schools are to be closed when the new school is completed and occupied, but the opportunity will be taken to reassess the accommodation in accordance with modern standards, and the provision of the new school will enable the senior children to be concentrated in sufficient numbers to have suitable alternative courses of instruction for the last three years of their school life and adequate provision for practical instruction in the case of both boys and girls.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which local authorities have now adopted schemes on the lines recommended by the Consultative Council with regard to ensuring that State-aided houses are reserved as far as possible for the working classes?

So far as I am aware, no local authority has yet adopted a scheme of the nature referred to. A circular endorsing the recommendations of the Consultative Council was issued by the Department of Health for Scotland on 3rd February to all local authorities, who were asked to inform the Department of the action which they proposed to take. No intimation of specific action has yet been received, and the local authorities are being reminded on the matter.

asked the Prime Minister if he can now make any further statement as to the British representatives at the World Economic Conference and, in addition, who are the experts who will be attached to these representatives, indicating the trades they will represent?

I am not yet in a position to make any statement on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the appointment of a Minister to the Vatican, he will say if all the matters of recent controversy have been settled to the satisfaction of His Majesty's Government; and, if so, on what lines?

I am happy to say that there are no longer any subjects of controversy at issue between His Majesty's Government and the Holy See. It is hoped that the appointment of a Minister will facilitate the early settlement of any questions which may still require treatment.