asked the first Lord of the Admiralty the number of women cleaners who are employed at Admiralty out-stations who receive sick pay and who do not receive sick pay, respectively?

At the beginning of April last, there were 86 women cleaners, excluding domestics, employed in such establishments, of whom 58 were part-time employés. None of these are eligible for sick-leave with pay; they are, however, insurable under the National Health Insurance Acts.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he is aware that established men in His Majesty's naval dockyards are not qualified to receive unemployment benefit on leaving Admiralty service, although their pensions may not be sufficient for their support and that of their families; and whether he will cause inquiries to be made into the matter with a view to such men being admitted to unemployment benefit?

The Unemployment Insurance Acts do not require established civil servants to be insured, and there appears to be no adequate reason for making an exception in favour of this particular category. The hon. Member will recognise that a pension for life is more valuable than a temporary benefit, even though the weekly amount of the latter may in some cases be somewhat larger.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the number of women cleaners who are employed at Air Ministry out-stations who receive sick pay and who do not receive sick pay, respectively?

All women cleaners at Air Ministry out-station establishments are employed on an industrial basis and are therefore ineligible for sick-pay privileges. They are, of course, eligible for the ordinary sickness benefits under the National Health Insurance Acts.

asked the Parliaments ary Secretary to the Admiralty why payment by results has recently been curtailed on construction work in His Majesty's dockyards; and what is the aggregate saving which it is expected to obtain at the expense of the employés concerned through this change during the current financial year?

Payment by results has in recent years been restricted for the sole purpose of avoiding hardship to the employés by spreading the amount of available work over a larger number of men, instead of discharging surplus numbers. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty what proportion of the Admiralty employés in dockyards and similar establishments are able to obtain sick pay when absent from work on account of ill-health; and whether he will consider the desirability of extending to such employés equal treatment with other civil servants in this connection?

The proportion of Admiralty industrial employés who are entitled to sick pay is about 1 per cent., the remainder being eligible for sick benefits under the National Health Insurance Acts to the same extent as workpeople in corresponding outside occupations. It is not proposed to vary this arrangement.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been called to the action of the police at Reigate in exhibiting two overturned motor cars and a dummy corpse as a warning to motorists; and whether, in view of the possibility that such action may make many new drivers nervous and thereby cause more accidents than it will prevent, he will take steps to discourage such action in future?

I have been asked to reply. I have obtained a report from the Chief Constable of Reigate, who informs me that the exhibition in question was organised by the local branch of the National "Safety First" Association, of which the Chief Constable is honorary secretary. The exhibition formed part of an extensive programme of safety first displays held in connection with a safety first week at Reigate from the 5th to the 10th June. The exhibition consisted of one or two old motor cars placed at certain sites off the main road on which posters and other matter advertising the safety first week were fixed. A similar exhibition was given last year and the Chief Constable states that no reports were received that anyone was alarmed or shocked by the display. This year a firm of Press photographers, without authority and before the representation was complete, used the opportunity to take and publish a photograph of a person lying near the scene and posed as if injured as the result of the accident. This was no part of the exhibition organised by the association and I join with my hon. Friend in deprecating the action taken.

asked the Home Secretary whether the memorandum issued by his Department in 1929, stating that the motorist has a right to continue crossing on the amber light is still effective; and, if not, what modification of such memorandum has been issued?

I have been asked to answer this question. The memorandum to which my hon. Friend refers makes it clear that a driver should stop short of the intersection when the amber light is shown, unless he finds himself unable to do so with safety; in the latter case he should go on and get clear of the intersection. There has been no modification of the memorandum since its issue.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many Government committees and commissions are still sitting; when they were appointed; what are the objects of their inquiries;

Excluding Standing and Statutory Committees, etc., there are 23 Committees and Commissions which are still sitting, particulars of the dates of their appointment and the objects of their inquiries being as follows:—

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons on the register of the Rochester and Gravesend Employment Exchanges at the latest convenient date?

At 22nd May, 1933, there were 5,718 unemployed persons registered at the Chatham Employment Exchange, and 3,012 at the Gravesend Employment Exchange. These figures include persons registered at the local juvenile employment bureaux.

asked the Minister of Labour the respective total numbers of ex-service and non-service instructors employed in the various training centres of his Department?

Out of 201 instructors employed in Ministry of Labour training centres, 136 are ex-service men.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he will give particulars of the flag adopted by the League of Nations Commission for the administration of the territory of Leticia at the present time?

I have no official information as to the flag which this commission has adopted. According to Press reports, however, which I see no reason to doubt, the flag is a white rectangle, inscribed in dark blue "League of Nations Commission, Leticia."

asked the President of the Board of Trade what was the average wholesale price at which Swedish kraft paper was sold in this country in January, February and March of this year?

Information as to the prices at which Swedish kraft paper is sold in this country is not available from published sources, but I am making further inquiries and will communicate with my hon. Friend in due course.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the quantity of boneless meat imported into this country between December, 1931, and April, 1932, inclusive. and December, 1932, and April, 1933, inclusive?

The imports of frozen boned beef (including cheeks and skirts) into the United Kingdom in the period December, 1931, to April, 1932, amounted to 143,304 cwts., and in the period December, 1932, to April, 1933, to 195,610 cwts.