asked the Minister of Pensions if his attention has been drawn to the case of Mr. F. Hill, of 77, Hamilton Road, Golders Green, who is in receipt of a pension of 70 per cent. in respect of pulmonary tuberculosis and is at present undergoing treatment; whether he is aware that the doctor has been informed that the liability of the Ministry will not extend to more than two attendances per week, whether made at the surgery or the patient's house; and will he state the reason for limiting the discretion of the doctor in attending a man seriously ill?

It is not the case that the Ministry limited the discretion of the doctor attending Mr. Hill. At the outset, the Ministry undertook to defray the cost of two attendances a week, and asked the doctor to report immediately if, in his opinion, more frequent attendances were necessary. No representations to this effect have been received, but on the contrary, it has since been reported that Mr. Hill was returning to his employment subject to medical supervision. The Ministry will continue to bear the cost of this supervision for so long as may be necessary.

asked the Minister of Health if he will expedite the inquiries into the claim of Mrs. E. Searle, 61, Cullum Street, Stratford, for an old age pension claim, No. 21,471,172?

Mrs. Searle claimed a widow's pension at the age of 55 in respect of the employment of her husband, who died in February, 1913. It was ascertained, however, that the late Mr. Searle had not been engaged in employment of an insurable nature for five or six years before he died, and the claim accordingly failed because the statutory conditions for the award of a pension were not satisfied. A notice of rejection was sent to Mrs. Searle on 9th May last.

asked the Minister of Health if he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal of an old age pension to Mr. W. E. Atkins, of 72, Great Eastern Road, Stratford?

Mr. Atkins' claim for a contributory old age pension failed because he was not an insured person when he attained the age of 65.

asked the Minister of Health the reasons why a pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act has been refused to Mr. J. Williams, No. 28,375,803?

Mr. Williams' claim for a contributory old age pension was rejected because he was not an insured person when he attained the age of 65.

asked the Minister of Health if he will investigate the circumstances attending the refusal of a pension to Mrs. A. Morfett, of 59, Waddington Street, Stratford?

As stated in the letter written on my behalf to the hon. Member on 23rd January, in reply to his letter of 14th January, Mrs. Morfett's claim for a widow's pension was refused because her husband was not an insured person when he died in August, 1926.

asked the Minister of Health the circumstances under which Mrs. C. Lewis, No. 29,375,452, has been refused a pension under the Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Act?

Mrs. Lewis's application for a contributory old age pension was rejected because she was not herself an insured person. As, according to Mrs. Lewis's statement on her application form, her husband will not attain the age of 65 until 27th November, 1934, she cannot become entitled to an old age pension in right of his insurance until that date.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will issue a circular from his Department to local authorities encouraging the formation of advisory regional water committees in order to provide all our towns and villages with a pure water supply and to provide work for the unemployed?

A number of regional water committees have already been formed and the Central Advisory Water Committee is now considering where others should be formed. With the supplies of water already available for populated areas, it is not likely that many large new schemes will be required in the immediate future. My right hon. Friend is proposing to issue a circular on rural supplies, which present the greatest difficulty.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that a scheme for the River Dysynni, Merioneth, has been prepared by the catchment area, authority and sanctioned by the late Government, with a promise of grant; what progress has been made with the scheme; and whether the Government is now prepared to contribute to the cost?

I am not aware of the scheme referred to in the first part of the question. A scheme was, however, submitted by the Dysynni Valley Drainage Board under the 1926 programme of State-aided land drainage improvement schemes and was approved for grant by the Ministry in March, 1927: this scheme is now nearing completion and the Government has made a grant of 50 per cent towards the cost so far incurred.

asked the Home Secretary the principal headings, and respective amounts, under which the Government grants in respect of police in England and Wales are estimated to show an increase of£157,000 in the year ending 31st March, 1934, over the current year?

The estimate for 1932 was£320,000 below normal owing to a non-recurrent reduction in the amount of grant payable in that year, due to a change in the method of calculating the payments of grant; apart from this adjustment, the estimate for 1933 would have shown a decrease of£163,110 on 1932 in consequence of various measures of economy, including the effect of the second instalment of the reduction in police pay.

asked the Postmaster-General whether the principle of giving preferential postage rates within the British Empire has been extended to cover air-mail postage rates; whether the same percentage advantage over postal rates to foreign countries is given as by ordinary mail; and, if not, whether he intends in due course to adjust the rates on air-mail letters within the Empire to ensure that such full preference shall be given?

So far as that portion of the rates which does not relate to air transport is concerned, the answer is in the affirmative. The answer to the second and third parts of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, in view of the representations which have been made by local authorities against the use of Brooklands, Selby, as an Unemployment Exchange, he can now give the assurance that alternative accommodation will be found?

I have been in communication with my hon. and gallant Friend on the subject. As my hon. and gallant Friend knows, I should be very glad if I could give the assurance asked for in the question. No suitable alternative is at present in view, and I' should welcome the assistance of the council in the search for accommodation, which is urgently needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Ceylon State Council or the Board of Ministers were given any opportunity of considering the report of the salaries commission before receiving his decision with regard to the salaries and conditions of service of officers already serving in the Colony; and, if not, on what grounds his decision was based?

The terim report of the Salaries and Cadres Commission was published in Ceylon in July last, while my despatch on the subject was dated the 14th November. The Board of Ministers had, therefore, ample opportunity for considering the report before my views on it were formed. The report contained proposals fundamentally affecting the conditions of service of officers already serving in the island; and having regard to the special responsibility in regard to such matters which is placed on me by the constitution of Ceylon, I thought it desirable that the Board of Ministers and the State Council should be informed without delay of the general principles from which I was not prepared to deviate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the grounds for his refusal to accede to the request made by Indians resident in Fiji for a common electoral roll; and what further steps does he propose to take in the matter?

I understand that the movement for a common electoral roll in Fiji has been supported in the Legislative Council by the Indian Members alone, and that there is no general desire in the Colony for such an amendment of the Constitution. I see no grounds, as at present advised, for further action on my part.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the introduction of Income Tax into East Africa is intended as a permanent or temporary measure; and whether its introduction is recommended as part of Imperial policy?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. and gallant Member for Berwick (Captain Todd) on the 22nd March in which I stated the reasons for the introduction of Income Tax and the policy which would be followed if and when taxation can be reduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the view of the British Government with regard to the holding of mandates by Powers which have left the League of Nations; and whether this problem in any form has been discussed by the great. Powers?

The question raised by my hon. and gallant Friend is under examination, but I am not in a position to make any statement. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will give facilities for a Debate upon the recent arrest of British nationals in. Russia?

Since a statement is to be made in the course of this week I do not consider that a Debate at this juncture would serve any useful, purpose.