asked the Minister of Health what number of people were receiving relief from the public assistance committee in the county of Cumberland in 1931 and 1932, respectively, and what was the total amount so paid in each year?

The average numbers of persons, including dependents, in receipt of out-relief in the year ending 31st March, 1931, were 4,968, and in the year ending 31st March, 1932, were 6,603. The cost of out-relief afforded in the administrative county of Cumberland in those two years respectively was £72,221 and £89,787.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give the figures showing how much of the £10,500,000 of United Kingdom exports to Argentina in 1932 represented purchases by Argentine railways operated with British capital; and will he arange to obtain in future from the British agents of those railways the necessary information on the Customs declarations when those railways are shipping to the Argentine goods and productions of the United Kingdom?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the suggestion in the second part would, I fear, be impracticable. I understand that the British railways operating in Argentina obtain by far the greatest part of their requirements of imported goods in the United Kingdom, and that there is no doubt that in ordinary times their purchases represent a substantial proportion of the United Kingdom exports to Argentina.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the growing practice of withholding the names of certain London West End shops when prosecuting at the police courts for alleged thefts on their premises; and whether he will take steps to ensure that in future the name both of the accused and of the prosecutor is withheld or published in every case?

I am not aware of any such practice; on the contrary, inquiry in the police divisions where such cases mainly occur has failed to trace any instance in which the name of the shop has not been disclosed in court. It may be that the name is sometimes omitted in Press reports of the proceedings, but that is not a matter over which I have any control.

asked the Postmaster-General if be has considered the request for a telephone service to Kielder, Northumberland, and if he will accede to it?

In view of the very heavy costs which would be involved in providing the necessary circuit, I regret that I am unable to authorise a telephone call office at Kielder.

asked the Home Secretary what was the approximate number of hours per day done on duty by the officer at Lowdham Grange Borstal Institution who in promotion was preferred to 47 others senior to him in service; and if the normal eight-hour day applies to the officers at Lowdham Grange?

The answer to the first part of the question is 96 hours per fortnight: the answer to the second part is in the affirmative.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the amount of money expended by the public assistance committees in the counties of Dumbarton, Renfrew, and Lanark, including the City of Glasgow, and the burghs of Airdrie, Coatbridge, Hamilton, Motherwell and Wishaw, and Rutherglen for each year since 1929–30, giving the amount

asked the Minister of Labour the amount of money expended on unemployment benefit in the counties of Dumbarton, Renfrew, and Lanark, in-

The following statement shows the amount expended on able-bodied relief by public assistance committees in the counties of Dunbar-ton, Renfrew and Lanark during each of the years ended 15th May, 1930, 1931 and 1932:cluding the city of Glasgow, in the years 1931 and 1932, giving the amount spent in each county separately?

The following table gives the information desired: