asked the Minister of Agriculture what reports he has received of the pollution of the River Severn by oil; and the number of complaints he has received in the last 12 months of pollution of the rivers in this country, giving the names in each case?

Only one report of a specific case of pollution by oil in the River Severn has been received in recent years. As regards the second part of the question, complaints have been received in respect of 21 rivers shown in the following table:LIST OF RIVERS in respect of which complaints regarding pollution have been received by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries during the last 12 months:

asked the Home Secretary if he is aware that workers contracting an industrial disease cannot claim workmen's compensation without a certificate from the medical representative of the Home Office; that such certificate costs the worker 5s.; and whether he will remove this disability and place victims of industrial disease on the same footing as other insured workers who obtain medical treatment under the Health Insurance Acts?

The Act provides in such cases that the workman must, unless the employer dispenses with it, obtain a certificate from the certifying factory surgeon. This system, which has been in force ever since the Act of 1906, is designed to prevent disputes between employer and workman by providing for certification by an independent doctor with special knowledge of industrial disease, and this would not, I think, be achieved if certification by the workman's own medical adviser were substituted. I would further point out with reference to the obligation on the workman to pay the fee, that whereas under the Health Insurance Acts weekly contributions are paid by the workers, under the Workmen's Compensation Act the whole of the compensation is found by the employer.

asked the Minister of Health the number of cottages for aged persons erected by local authorities in England and Wales with State assistance under Section 46 of the Housing Act, 1930, at the latest available date?

At 28th February, 1933, the number was 1,944.

asked the Minister of Health the grounds upon which he has recently sanctioned a loan for the purchase of land as an open, space in the South Mimms Rural District Council's area; whether he is aware that this district is all open fields; and whether, in view of the local opposition to this expenditure, he will cancel or delay the expenditure, having regard to the Government's instructions regarding economy in public expenditure?

The loan was sanctioned after public local inquiry because the Department were satisfied that there was need for a public open space, that the land was suitable, that the price was reasonable, that if the land were not purchased now it would pass into the hands of the builder and it was, therefore, true economy to purchase now. There is much undeveloped land in the district, but only a small fraction of an acre was owned by the council as public open space, and the area served by the open space is rapidly developing.

asked the Minister of Health the amount of the general Exchequer grants paid to the local authority of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in respect of the year 1932–33, and the amount payable in respect of the next annual period; and the rate in the pound to which such amounts are equivalent?

The amounts, as provisionally calculated, of the Exchequer grants under the Local Government Act, 1929, payable to the council of the county borough of Newcastle-upon-Tyne in re-

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of complaints received last year of the infraction of the fair-wages resolution of the House of Commons and the number of inspections of wages books made by officials of his Department?

Seven complaints were received during 1932. In five cases the complaint was not substantiated on inquiry, and the other two cases were settled without the necessity of inspecting the contractors' wages books.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what is the latest information in the possession of the Government as to Mr. F. L. Pears, of Stephendale Terrace, Newcastle, who was recently seized by Chinese pirates on the B.S. "Nanchang"; and whether the Government are taking any measures to secure his release?

According to the latest report received from His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Newchwang, Mr. F. L. Pears arrived in Newchwang on the morning of 3rd April with a letter from the chief of the brigands who attacked the s.s. "Nanchang" demanding as ransom a considerable sum of money and a large quantity of arms and ammunition. The captives have not, it is stated, been bound or ill-treated, and have been kept in a junk in the Panshan area since their capture. The local authorities, who have been prosecuting the search with all the means in their power, have been informed of Mr. Pears' release and requested to take no independent action without first consulting His Majesty's Vice-Consul at Newchwang, who is in constant touch with all developments and will take all possible measures to secure the release of the captives.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number, gross tonnage, and aggregate value of new mercantile vessels; the number, displacement, tonnage, and value of warships exported from the United Kingdom for each of the 10 years 1923–1932; and the number, gross tonnage, and aggregate value of British-owned ships exported either for trading or scrapping in each of the same years.

The desired information in respect of the exports of complete ships and boats (new) and of war vessels is given in Volume I of the "Annual Statement of the Trade of the United Kingdom," the issues for 1926 and 1931 containing the particulars for each of the years 1923 to 1926 and 1927 to 1931, respectively. For 1932, the particulars are given in the issue of the "Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation of the United Kingdom" for December last. As reported to the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen, the number and gross tonnage of vessels removed from the register of the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Channel Islands during the 10 years 1923 to 1932, on sale to foreign subjects, were as follow: