asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of lieutenant-commanders in the zone for promotion to commander on 30th June next; the number of promotions to be made; the number of lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) in the zone; and the number of the latter in fully-commissioned ships of the seagoing fleet?

The number of lieutenant-commanders in the zone for promotion to commander on 30th June next is 411, including ex-mates. The number of promotions to be made is 25. The number of lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) in the zone is 34, including three who are not qualified by sea service for promotion. The number of lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) in the zone who are in fully commissioned ships of the seagoing fleet is 21.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the ages of the lieutenant-commanders (ex-cadet) and the lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) promoted to commander, and of the lieutenant-commanders (E) (ex-cadet) and engineer lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate) promoted to commander (E) and engineer-commander on 31st December, 1932?

The ages of the lieutenant-commanders (ex cadet) promoted to commander on 31st December, 1932, varied from 32 years and 5½ months to 36 years and 2 months. The age of the lieutenant-commander (ex-mate) promoted to commander was 43 years. The ages of the lieutenant-commanders (E) (ex-cadet) promoted to commander (E) varied from 32 years and 5 months to 34 years and 1 month. The ages of the engineer-lieutenant-commanders (ex-mate (E)) promoted to engineer-commander varied from 41 years and 4 months to 43 years and 11 months.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of officers, ex-cadet and ex-mate, now undergoing the long specialist courses for gunnery, torpedo, navigation, signals, wireless telegraphy, anti-submarine, physical and recreational training, and staff duties?

The numbers of officers, ex-cadet and ex-mate, now undergoing the long specialist courses, are as follow:—

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education if his Department has considered representations submitted to him asking for a public inquiry into the draft proposals for varying the trust deeds of the Pinner schools; and what conclusion has been reached?

Revised proposals for the amendment, in one particular, of the trusts of the Royal Commercial Travellers' Schools at Pinner have been published, and the period for submission of representations on the subject of these proposals to the Board of Education will expire at the beginning of July. My Noble Friend will then take all the representations into consideration, but in the meantime, and pending the receipt of full information as to the proceedings at the General Court of Governors and Subscribers just about to be held, he must postpone any decision as to the course which he will adopt.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the frequent opposition of chief constables to the action of licensing magistrates in extending the hours of all licensed houses and clubs on all special occasions in their area and the desirability of ensuring that such matters shall be decided on public grounds only, he will consider the desirability of issuing advice to benches that henceforward the views of the police on such matters are only to be taken into consideration if actually called for?

I would refer the honourable and gallant Member to my answer to a Question by him on the same subject on the 21st December last. The hearing of objections to applications for special orders of exemption is entirely a matter for the discretion of the Justices, and it would not be right to me to intervene in the manner suggested.