asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he Can now make a statement on the policy of His Majesty's Government with regard to oats?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture to the question by the hon. and gallant Member for Peebles and Southern Midlothian (Captain Ramsay).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in view of the representations made to the Glasgow Corporation by a representative council of Glasgow women, of which a copy has been sent to him, protesting at the delay in replacing the 40,000 one-apartment houses in the city and pressing for speedy completion of suitable houses for working-class needs at rents from 5s. to 7s. per week, he is taking any action to compel the corporation to make full use of the Housing Act, 1930?

I have not received the representations referred to. The number of one-apartment houses in Glasgow according to the Census returns is 37,230. The average number of persons per house is 3.1 and it cannot, therefore, be assumed that all of these houses are overcrowded as there must be some with a less number of occupants than the average. Further, I am not able to say how many of these houses are unfit for human habitation. With regard to the provision of houses at rents from 5s. to 7s., the Housing (Financial Provisions)(Scotland) Act, 1933, gives a special subsidy for the rehousing of low-paid wage-earners in ocercrowded conditions in houses with a maximum rental of 6s. 6d. and the Department of Health for Scotland has written to the corporation urging them to make immediate use of this subsidy, houses under which must be completed by 30th June, 1935.

asked the Secretary of state for Scotland the names of the towns in Scotland which, in response to the official inquiry, have notified the Department of Health that they have no slums?

After the passing of the Housing (Scotland) Act in 1930, the town councils of the following burghs in Scotland indicated that no new houses were required to replace unfit houses that should be demolished or closed, namely, Aberchirder, Aberfeldy, Abernethy, Ballater, Banchory, Blairgowrie, Bridge of Allan, Burghead, Coupar Angus, Cove, Cullen, Dornoch, Elie, Fortrose, Inveraray, Invergordon, Kinross, Ladybank, Lauder, Lockerbie, Millport, Monifieth, Newport, and Portknockie. I may add that local authorities are required under the Act to submit further statements as to housing requirements in their areas at the end of 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the returns from the Scottish local authorities regarding the proposed five years' plan for new housing schemes?

Local authorities have been asked to submit the return not later than the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the recent estimate made by architects that a minimum of 100,000 houses is required to replace existing slums and overcrowded houses in Glasgow; and whether he will take the necessary action to influence the city council to bring forward the building schemes necessary to provide the necessary houses?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. As regard the second part, the Department of Health have already addressed special letters to Glasgow Corporation urging them to make the utmost possible provision for the erection of houses to replace uninhabitable houses and to abate overcrowding.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is taking any action to compel local authorities to proceed with schemes for the replacement of slums and the accommodation of people who are at present housed in overcrowded dwellings?

Following upon the passing of the Housing (Financial Provisions) (Scotland) Act, 1933, the Department of Health, by circular dated 30th May, 1933, urged local authorities to press on with the provision of re-housing accommodation for persons living in uninhabitable houses. The Department are following this up by special letters to all local authorities of areas in which, according to the available information, there appears to be need for the provision of further houses to replace unfit houses, and to relieve overcrowding.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland which county councils in Scotland have schemes for the supply of milk to school children; how many school children benefit; and what contributions are paid by the parents under each scheme?

Two education authorities in Scotland—Selkirk and West Lothian—have adopted schemes for the supply of milk to school children under the provisions of the Education (Scotland) Act, 1930. The scheme in Selkirk provides one pint of certified milk per day for, approximately, 48 children, the cost being borne by the education authority. The West Lothian scheme, which provided milk for about 150 children at the cost of the authority, has now been discontinued. Schemes for the provision of milk apart from the 1930 Act are in operation in Edinburgh and Aberdeen. In Edinburgh one-third of a pint of Grade A (T.T.) milk per day is supplied to, approximately, 6,000 school children. Except in the case of 350 children the cost of ld. per day is borne by the parents. In Aberdeen, approximately, one-third of a pint of pasteurised or of Grade A (T.T.) milk per day is supplied to, approximately, 8,000 school children. The cost to the parents is ld. per day. No cost to the local authority is incurred.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of insured persons employed on totalisators on greyhound tracks in Scotland?

I regret I have no statistics on this point.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to an order of the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis whereby the age for compulsory retirement of certain officers of substantive rank is to be reduced; how many of such officers will be thereby affected; what is the average term of their service; when such order will become operative; and whether, and upon what grounds, any exceptions will be made upon the application of any such officer?

I have already stated that five superintendents and eight chief inspectors are being required to retire in the general interests of the efficiency of the force. Their retirement will take effect in six months' time, and their average service will then be 32 years 9 months. Each case is examined on its merits, but it is not possible for me to make any general statement of the grounds on which exceptions will be made.

asked the Home Secretary whether the provisions of Section 2 of the Metropolitan Police Act, governing the age for compulsory retirement in the case of senior officers of the Metropolitan Police, have been put into operation; and, if so, whether he will state the terms of any order he has so made?

No action has yet been taken under this Section.

asked the Home Secretary the percentage of each rank of the Metropolitan Police Force of officers who have completed 26 years' approved service and therefore are entitled to retire on pension; whether, in considering whether an officer should be called upon to retire, age or service or both are taken into consideration; and, if so, whether he will state the minimum age and service of cases in which such consideration is given?

The percentages of the members of the various ranks having 26 years' service and so entitled to full pension are: superintendents 84.4 per cent., chief inspectors 44.4 per cent., sub-divisional inspectors 14.4 per cent., inspectors 2.8 per cent., sergeants.6 per cent., constables.14 per cent. No officer can be required to retire under Section 1 (2) of the Police Pensions Act, 1921, until he is entitled to a pension of two-thirds of his pay: this depends on his length of service, but the governing consideration is the efficiency of the force as a whole. The cases of all superintendents and chief inspectors who have reached the ages of 50 and 47 respectively, are at their maximum rate of pay and entitled to maximum pension, are being considered from this angle in connection with the reorganisation of the force now proceeding.

asked the Home Secretary the age, previous police experience, or other qualifications of Mr. Nott Bower who was recently appointed Chief Constable, Metropolitan Police, and the pay and pension conditions attaching to the appointment; whether consideration was given to members of the British constabulary before the appointment was made; and whether, in the making of future appointments, he will cause particulars of appointments to be advertised in the police Press as is done in connection with appointments in county and borough constabularies?

Mr. Nott Bower is 41. He has had nearly 22 years of experience in the Indian Police and secured the highest recommendations for his work. His pay as a chief constable is £800 rising to £1,000 a year, and his pension would depend on the length of service and the rank he reaches before retirement. Consideration was given to a large number of possible candidates, including some in the British constabulary, before the appointment was made: and I do not think it is necessary to advertise appointments of this kind in the public Press.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is able now to state the result of the inquiry into the circumstances in which the branch board of the Police Federation, Stoke-on-Trent, resigned; and whether he has received a report from the inspector of constabulary concerning the certificate of efficiency in respect of this force?

I have had inquiry made into this matter, and am informed that four constables resigned from the branch board following disciplinary proceedings arising out of charges improperly made against a chief inspector in a, resolution submitted by the board to the watch committee, for which the constables concerned apologised to the chief inspector. Another election was held on 16th June, and the board is now functioning normally. His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary inspected the force on 19th June, but no complaint was then made to him by the men. I have no reason to think that he will not report the force as efficient in due course.

asked the Home Secretary whether tutorial appointments to the Police College will be open to persons other than members of the British constabulary; whether before such appointments are made it will be necessary for his approval to be sought; and whether the training of short-term service candidates will be on the same lines and with candidates who join for pensionable service?

Appointments at the Police College will be open to persons outside the police force, but no such appointment will be made without my approval. Candidates for appointment as short-term constables will be trained at the training school on the same lines and together with those to be appointed on a long-term engagement.

asked the Minister of Health the total amounts expended upon in- and out-door public assistance in England and Wales in the years 1924, 1929, and 1931, respectively?

The following statement gives the desired information:—

asked the Minister of Health the number of people in receipt of in- and out-door public assistance in the years 1924, 1929 and 1931, respectively, for England and Wales?

The average numbers of persons (men, women and children) in receipt of institutional poor relief in England and Wales (excluding rate-aided patients in mental hospitals and casuals) during the years ended 31st March, 1924, 1929 and 1931 were 216,832, 222,187 and 210,909, respectively. The average numbers of persons in receipt of out-door relief (excluding persons in receipt of domiciliary medical relief only) during the same years were 1,069,016, 888,018 and 758,624.

asked the Minister of Health the number of men and women, respectively, in receipt of in- and out-door public assistance in England and Wales for the years ended 1924, 1929 and 1931, respectively?

The following statement shows the numbers of men and women in receipt of institutional and outdoor poor relief in England and Wales in the undermentioned years (excluding rate-aided patients in mental hospitals, casuals and persons in receipt of domiciliary medical relief only.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the total amount paid in grants through his Department to local authorities and other educational bodies in England and Wales for the years 1924, 1929, and 1931?

The grants made by the Board of Education to local education authorities and other educational bodies in England and Wales, in each of the financial years, 1924, 1929, and 1931, are as follow:

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether, in view of the increasing unemployment among secondary school teachers due to economy measures, he will relax the regulations which prevent graduate teachers with long experience in secondary schools from passing into elementary teaching until they have first acquired additional qualifications?

My Noble Friend is not aware that there is increasing unemployment among secondary school teachers due to economy measures. Since 1926 it has been open to a graduate without training, who has an approved teaching diploma awarded by a university, to obtain recognition as a certificated teacher under the Code after completing four years' approved teaching service. Such service may be in a secondary school.

asked the Minister of Transport if be will publish a detailed statement of the staff employed by the contractors in connection with the new road from Glasgow to Edinburgh and of the salaries paid to each; the dates when the various contracts were completed, irrespective of the period of maintenance; and how many of these contracts have been settled up with the contractors and the number still to be settled?

I have no information regarding the staff employed by the contractors in connection with the new road from Glasgow to Edinburgh. The local authorities concerned with the construction of this road entered into 58 contracts, of which 57 are completed, irrespective of the period of maintenance. Settlements have been reached in connection with 53 of the contracts and I am advised that in two of the remaining five cases negotiations are well advanced.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the contractors for the Glasgow-Edinburgh road have been able to use the office accommodation erected for the road free of rent and taxes to the detriment of other engineers in private practice; and whether he will arrange for an inquiry to be made by an independent civil engineer of standing into the whole matter of the construction of this road?

As the offices provided by the highway authorities responsible for the construction of the Glasgow-Edinburgh road for the convenience of their staff are not available for the contractors engaged on the road, it would appear that the hon. Member's question is based on a misapprehension. I am not aware of any reason for an inquiry into the matter of the construction of this road.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give the figures of the aggregate grants paid to the local authorities of England and Wales from the Road Fund for the years 1924, 1929, and 1931, respectively?

In the financial years in question the net payments under grants from the Road Fund to local authorities in England and Wales in respect of highways and bridges were as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give the House any further information concerning the British officers carried off by Chinese pirates?

An attack was made on 15th July on the creek where the bandits were supposed to be hiding; but they had already moved elsewhere. They were later reported to be in a district north of Panshan together with the three captives. The last letter received from the captives indicates that they were being kept on the move in conditions of discomfort and closely guarded. The next move to be made is, I understand, now under consideration by the responsible authorities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to prevent facilities being given to the Chinese Government to raise a new loan in London until the holders of the Chinese 5 per cent. reorganisation loan, yellow bonds, which were issued for value and purchased in the London Stock Exchange, have been able to obtain payment of their coupons due in the last TO years?

I would refer to the answer which I gave on 10th July to my hon. Friends the Members for the Macclesfield Division (Mr. Remer) and Newcastle-on-Tyne (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle).

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of reserves and cadets, respectively, included in the 13,160 members of the railway battalions of the Indian auxiliary force in 1920 and in the 13,004 members of these battalions in 1932; and how many of the cadets enrolled in 1932 are of an age at which they could be called up?

There are no reliable figures for 1920 in this respect. The figures for 1932 are 5,179 reserves and 63 cadets. I am afraid that information is not available with regard to the last part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for India if the Government of India have received any intimation from the Ceylon Government with regard to the proposals before the Board of Indian Immigrant Labour for the stoppage of repatriation of Indian immigrant labourers as from an early date; and what action they propose to take in the matter?

I have no information, but will inquire.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he will advise the Government of India to consider the advisability of holding an inquiry into the position of Indians repatriated from the Union of South Africa; and whether the Government of India has reached any decision on the question of refunding the bonus and other assistance received by repatriates from the Union Government with a view to their returning to South Africa?

The Government of India receive periodical reports from officers appointed to assist repatriated Indians in settling in the country. So far as I am aware, they have not decided to act in the way suggested in the latter part of the question.

asked the Secretary of State for India if the Government of India have received representations from Labour organisations with regard to the registration and recognition of unions of industrial labour employed by the Government; and, if so, what action they propose to take in the matter?

No such representations have been reported to me by the Government of India.

asked the Minister of Labour whether any decision has been arrived at with regard to the request that he should consider a scheme whereby local authorities undertaking such works as housing, drainage, water supply, road improvement, and other works of public utility who engage unemployed men from Employment Exchanges in connection with such works shall receive the unemployment benefit which these men would have been receiving had they not been so employed, such employment benefit being credited by the local authority towards the cost of any such works; and if not, when may a decision be expected?

I am afraid I cannot add anything to the reply given to the hon. Member for Deritend (Mr. Smedley Crooke) on 13th March last on this matter.

asked the Minister of Labour why the proportion of sugar-beet workers in Shropshire who have been disallowed transitional benefit is much larger than in the case of sugar-beet workers in other parts of the country?

The decision in each case is entirely within the province of the statutory authorities, and depends on the individual circumstances. I understand that those authorities, upon a review of claims by sugar-beet workers, found in some cases that the claimants were not in fact seasonal workers within the meaning of the Regulation, in other cases that the claimants had been employed during the off-season to a substantial extent and so were not affected by the Regulation, and in yet other cases (including a number in Shropshire) that the claimants were seasonal workers who were disqualified under the terms of the Regulation for benefit or transitional payments during the off-season.

asked the Minister of Labour the total amounts paid by and through the Unemployment Grants Committee to the local authorities of England and Wales for the years 1924, 1929 and 1931, respectively?

The amounts paid in the financial years 1924–25, 1929–30 and 1931–32 to local authorities of England and Wales in respect of schemes recommended by the Unemployment Grants Committee were £1,589,370, £2,426,897 and £3,238,334, respectively.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state separately the number of men and women registered as unemployed in the West Ham area for the years ended 1924, 1929 and 1931, respectively?

The following table gives the information desired:Average number of men and women, aged 18 years and upwards, on the registers of the Stratford and Canning Town Employment Exchanges:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that an ad valorem duty of 25 per cent. was imposed on a consignment of lemon juice, shipped by the Steamship "Princess Marie Louise" and imported by Messrs. White, Tomkins and Courage, Limited, and landed in London on 7th June, and that other consignments of the same juice of identical quality have only been subjected to an ad valorem duty of 10 per cent.; and whether he will take steps to ensure equality of treatment in this matter?

I am advised that duty at the rate of 25 per cent. ad valorem was properly charged on the particular consignment to which the first part of the question refers. If my hon. Friend will furnish me with particulars of the consignments of identical quality said to have been charged with duty at the late of only 10 per cent. ad valorem, I will have inquiries made.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that the Suez Canal dues per net ton of shipping are about 40 per cent. higher than those of the Panama Canal; whether he is aware that this difference is a handicap to the trade of Great Britain with Australia, Singapore, and Japan as compared with that of the United States of America; and will he inquire into the matter?

I am aware that there is, at the present time, a considerable difference between the incidence of the Suez Canal and Panama Canal dues respectively on shipping. As regards the second and third parts of the question, I can only refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave the hon. Member for Kirkdale (Mr. Rankin) on 23rd March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is now in a position to say what has been the result of his investigations into the effect of the withdrawal of the light-horse-breeding subsidy; and whether it will be possible for him to collaborate with the War Office at some future date in evolving a scheme for the encouragement of this industry?

As regards the first part of the question, it is too early to state the effect of the withdrawal of grants for light-horse breeding. As regards the second part of the question, the possibility of collaborating with the War Office is under consideration; but I am not at present in a position to make any statement on the subject.

asked the Minister of Agriculture for each county in Wales the percentage of farmers who are owner-occupiers?

Information as to the number of agricultural holdings owned by the occupiers has not been collected since 1927. In that year the particulars for each county in Wales were as follow: