asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any licences have been granted for the importation of Russian chickens into this country; if so, the number of such licences granted and the value of the chickens covered thereby; and whether he has any information as to the approximate number of Russian chickens in cold storage in this country when the embargo on Russian imports first came into force?

One licence has been issued for the importation of Russian poultry, but the proportion of the value represented by chickens is not known. The ground for the issue of the licence was that the goods had been substantially paid for before the Proclamation. As regards the last part of the question, the information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the imports of lettuce from Holland in volume and value for the month of May and up to any convenient date in June in each of the years 1931, 1932, and 1933?

Statistics of the imports of lettuce are not available. According to the Dutch official trade returns, however, exports of salads from the Netherlands to the United Kingdom in May, 1931, 1932, and 1933 were 5,024 tons, 4,052 tons, and 4,285 tons, respectively. Exports in June, 1931 and 1932, amounted to 1,312 tons and 1,404 tons, respectively; no figures are available in respect of any part of June, 1933.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been called to the price of French flour, which is being shipped to this country at 12s. 6d. per sack, c.i.f., whereas the price of flour in France is at the rate of 43s. 6d. per sack of the same weight; and what steps he proposes to take to prevent competition of this character in our markets?

I am aware of the disparity between the price of French flour imported into this country and the price of flour in France. The Import Duties Advisory Committee have under consideration an application for an increased duty on imported foreign flour.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is now in a position to reply to the appeals submitted through the Great Indian Pensinsular Railway agent to the Indian Railway Board on 28th February, by Messrs. O. D. Robson and W. H. Reeks, in regard to the terms on which their appointments to permanent posts in the Great Indian Peninsular Railway were terminated; whether he is aware that the Gazette of India notification, dated 16th March, 1929, that their posts were regarded as temporary, was never brought to their notice until the question of retirement was raised; and that these officers would not have given up posts carrying superannuation rights in this country if they had known that the posts offered them in India were to be regarded as temporary?

I have not received the appeals of these officers, and have no information regarding the termination of their services. I am making inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if there has been any resumption of discussions, formal or informal, with the Irish Free State on the question of the annuities; and whether he can make any statement on the matter?

No, Sir.

asked the Home Secretary if, in view of the fact that a record turnover was effected by the totalisator at Ascot, he will have regard to the latest report of the Racecourse Betting Control Board when considering measures to implement the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Lotteries and Betting to prohibit off-the-course transactions with totalisators?

Yes, Sir. Every relevant consideration will be taken into account by His Majesty's Government when studying the report of the Royal Commission on Lotteries and Betting.