asked the Minister of Labour the latest figures showing the number of unemployed persons registered in each Employment Exchange area in the county of London and comparable figures for the same period last year?

:The following statement gives the particulars asked for:mation on the present financial position of these two schemes.

asked the Minister of Labour the present amount of the debt of the Unemployment Insurance Fund; and how this compares with the maximum point of the debt?

The outstanding advances from the Treasury to the Unemployment Fund are at present £113,330,000; the highest amount of these advances was £115,000,000.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of persons insured against unemployment at the beginning of the insurance year which commenced on 1st July, 1933; and how many insured persons were in employment on that date and on the corresponding date in 1932

It is estimated that, at the beginning of July, 1933, there were 12,620,000 persons insured under the Unemployment Insurance Acts in Great Britain. The estimated number of insured persons in employment at the end of June, 1933, was 9,744,000 compared with 9,331,000 at the end of June, 1932.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of insured persons, classified in trade groups, unemployed in the building industry in Great Britain on the latest convenient date and comparable figures for 1932?

The following statement gives the particulars asked for:

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he has any announcement to make regarding the present position of British shipping; if he is aware that there are over 60,00 British seamen out of employment; and whether the Government will consider a policy whereby this country's imports are restricted to British tonnage, reservation of all trade between British home ports for British ships, arrangements with the Dominions to reserve all trade between Empire ports to Empire vessels, and re- taliation for any restrictions imposed upon British ships by foreign countries?

I am aware of the facts mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend. The present state of our shipping industry, which is giving the Government much concern, is due in the main to the great reduction of seaborne trade consequent on the economic crisis; and the Government are making every effort by means of trade agreements and otherwise, to alleviate this position. A subsidiary cause of the shipping depression has been the grant of subsidies to their shipping by certain of the principal maritime countries, which have increased the glut of tonnage. A full statement of the Government's views was made to the World Monetary and Economic Conference. I am at all times prepared to consider any steps necessary to remove restrictions imposed upon British ships by foreign countries, but while the other suggestions made are matters for careful consideration in consultation with the industry, I am not at present satisfied that they would be of advantage to British shipping as a whole.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the promise given by the British Iron and Steel Company, Limited, that, provided the Government will give an assurance as to the continuity of the duties on imported steel, the company is prepared to expend a sum of £2,000,000 on reconstructing the Cardiff-Dowlais Steelworks, which would result in the employment of 1,500 steelworkers at the end of a two years' scheme of reconstruction and the production of 300,000 tons of billets and sheet bars per annum, and create more employment for miners, railwaymen, dock workers, and limestone quarries; and if the Government will give such an assurance as in the case of imported oil?

My attention has been called to the proposed scheme of reconstruction of tlhe Cardiff-Dowlais Steelworks, but I have not observed that the scheme has been stated to be dependent upon such a promise from the Government as that suggested by my hon. and gallant Friend. I need hardly say that the Government will watch the development of this scheme with sympa- thetic interest. The policy of the Government with regard to the iron and steel industry was set out in the letter of 6th April from the Chancellor of the Exchequer which is included in the correspondence between the National Committee for the Iron and Steel Industry and the Import Duties Advisory Committee published in May last, and I cannot at the moment add anything to what is stated therein.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that it is not possible for magistrates to impose a penalty higher than £100 in the case of a foreign ship which has broken the Board of Trade regulations; and whether he will so amend the Merchant Shipping Act as to provide for higher penalties, or such other means as will prevent a repetition of the practice of making a profit out of the infringement of the Board of Trade regulations in respect of grain cargoes?

The maximum penalty under the Merchant Shipping Acts for failure to take the necessary precautions in loading any ship with a grain cargo is £300 or, if dealt with summarily, £100. I have no reason to think that a higher penalty would reduce the number of offences, and the action now being taken will, I think, in due course secure the observance of the law.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that British shipbuilders have recently been compelled to decline to accept an order to build a ship for an Argentine company owing to the fact that that company was debarred by the Argentine Government from making payment in sterling; and what steps he proposes to take so that it may be possible for British shipbuilders to accept such orders in future, having regard to the fact that in the first six months of this year the imports into this country from the Argentine were nearly three and a-half times as great as the exports of British goods to the Argentine?

I understand that the stipulation that payment for the ships in question should be made in pesos was imposed, not by the Argentine Govern- ment, but by the prospective purchasers of the ships, who are Argentine subsidiaries of a foreign concern. With regard to the second part of the question, I can only say that by the trade agreement recently concluded practically all the sterling arising in this country from sales of Argentine produce is made available for the payment of sums due from Argentina to this country. No other country is in so favourable a position to obtain payment for goods sent to Argentina.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether His Majesty's Government will be prepared to take steps to eliminate the most-favoured-nation clause from all commercial treaties where Japan enjoys most-favoured-nation treatment?

My hon Friend is of course aware that the Government decided, after very careful consideration of the whole problem of Japanese competition, that an attempt should be made in the first place to deal with the problem by mutual agreement between the textile industries of the two countries. As was explained in answer to questions on Tuesday last, discussions have already taken place in India, and negotiations are about to be opened in this country in pursuance of this policy. Until their result is known, it would clearly be premature to make any statement as to what the Government would or would not do in the event of their failure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what further progress he has made with the various Colonies concerned to increase the preference to trade from this country now affected by Japanese competition?

As my hon. Friend is aware. His Majesty's Government hope that the question of Japanese competition both in the Empire and elsewhere will he dealt with by direct agreement between the British and Japanese industrialists, The progress of the negotiations for such an agreement was reported by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade on 7th November. Pending the outcome of these discussions, and in order not to prejudice their prospects, it has been thought preferable not to proceed with tariff increases in the Colonies which would bear specially on Japanese imports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies why he prevented the Jamaican Government from putting into effect Section 29 of the 1925 Tariff Law; and if, in view of the wish of the Jamaican Government to assist British trade by the imposition of a, depreciated currency duty on Japanese goods, he will now reverse his decision.

The Jamaica Legislative Council passed in April last a resolution expressing general willingness to take action in the mutual interests of United Kingdom and Jamaica trade; but the Council rejected a proposal to take action against Japanese imports under Section 29 of the Jamaica Tariff Law of 1925 (dealing with imports from countries having a depreciated currency), which the local Government regarded as unworkable. Since then individual members of the Council have advocated the imposition of discriminatory duties against Japan on the ground of currency depreciation. No actual proposals for any such action have been submitted by the Governor; but, after consultation with the President of the Board of Trade, I informed the Governor that such action could not be taken because it would not be in accordance with the most-favoured-nation provision of the existing treaty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what amount of boneless meat and offals has been landed in Scotland within the last 12 months; how does this compare with the preceding 12 months; and, in view of the injury done to the interests of stock producers And consumers alike by this form of meat importation, will he take steps to secure an immediate restriction of these imports?

I regret that the information asked for in the first two parts of the question is not available without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour. Imports of boned beef from foreign countries into the United Kingdom are subject to the substantial reductions laid down in the Ottawa Agreements, and an arrangement has been made with importers of meat from South America that imports of offals should be kept in normal relation to other meat imports.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that imports of Russian timber continue to injure the interests of timber-growers in Scotland; and whether, in view of the action of the Canadian Government in invoking Article 21 of the Ottawa Agreement, he will take steps to ensure that Scottish timber-growers shall receive no less protection in this respect than Canadian growers?

I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that the interests of the home producers of timber are not being overlooked in regard to the matter to which he refers.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, having regard to the increasing number of fatal and other serious accidents resulting from motor traffic on the roads of the country, he proposes to introduce at an early date legislation for the more effective control of all road traffic?

asked the Minister of Transport whether any regulations have yet been made with a view to penalising careless pedestrians and cyclists whose conduct is likely to cause an accident?

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the increasing number of street accidents due to motor vehicles, he intends to introduce legislation for the reimposition of a speed limit in towns and villages?

I am about to issue for general information a preliminary analysis of the accidents which have occurred in the first six months of this year, and I propose to take this information into immediate consideration and to examine what further steps are possible to reduce the present rate of death and injury upon our roads. In doing so I will take into consideration the suggestions of the hon. Members and also those which have reached me from many other quarters. I am not at present prepared to say in what direction, if any, it will be desirable to amend the law or existing regulations as they affect any particular class of traffic, whether vehicular or pedestrian.

asked the Minister of Transport, if, in view of the continuing high total of road accidents, he will consider issuing a regulation requiring all motor vehicles to carry first-aid outfits?

Public service vehicles which operate as express or contract carriages are required, under the existing regulations, to carry first-aid outfits. I am not satisfied there is sufficient justification for placing a. similar obligation on the owners of all motor vehicles.

asked the Home Secretary the number of members of the Metropolitan Police Force who have been killed and the number injured in street accidents during the last 12 months or for such other comparable period for which figures are available?

During the first 10 months of 1933, one member of the force was killed and 374 received injury in street accidents whilst on duty. Of those injured, 179 had to be placed on the sick list.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he intends to give guidance to the walking public as to their duty in relation to the coloured-light signals; and whether he is satisfied that the coloured-light signals guarantee the safety of persons crossing the road at the recognised place where such signals are installed?

No device of this kind can guarantee the safety of traffic of any class, but I think that experience has shown that light signals reduce the danger of accident both to vehicular and to pedestrian traffic. It is the duty of drivers of vehicles to obey the indications given by the signals, but pedestrians should be guided by the movements of the traffic, and not solely by the indications given by the signals. I think this is generally realised, but I will consider dealing with the matter in the Highway Code when the code comes to be revised.

asked the Minister of Transport if he is now prepared to introduce amending legislation to make the law of compulsory third-party insurance more effective?

I am watching the position closely, in the light of the experience gained of the working of the provisions relating to compulsory third-party insurance contained in the Act of 1930, but I am not yet in a position to say what amending legislation, if any, may prove necessary.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the total estimated cost of the repairs now proceeding to the Crinan Canal, the amount spent to date, and the probable date of the completion of the work?

The special works for the improvement of the Crinan Canal which were begun in 1930, comprising a new reservoir, new sea locks at Ardrishaig and Crinan, the provision of fenders in the Crinan Beach and new workshops at Ardrishaig, were estimated to cost £76,000. Up to 30th September, the latest date in respect of which figures are available, the expenditure was approximately £75,700. The works are now practically completed, the new locks having been brought into use last month.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware that the Commander-in-Chief in India has expressed the view that economy measures in the Army have now been carried so far that efficiency is imperilled; if he has given consideration to these views; and if he has given any instructions to the Government of India on the matter?

The economy measures in the Army have been effected with the concurrence and under the directions of the Commander-in-Chief, and I am not aware that he has expressed any view implying that they have now been carried so far as to imperil the discharge of his responsibilities. The last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware that there is a growing feeling of dissatisfaction among the Viceroy-commissioned officers of the Indian Army at the decision to abolish their commissions under the new organisation for Indianised units; and if he will reconsider this question, in consultation with the military authorities in India, in the light of the recommendations of the Indian Sandhurst Committee that they should be eligible for the King's commission?

The policy is to replace Viceroy's commissioned officers gradually by Indian commissioned officers as these are posted to Indianised units from the Indian Military Academy. There is no question of withdrawing or abolishing commissions already held. The effect will thus be to curtail in some degree the prospects hitherto held out to members of the Indian rank and file of obtaining Viceroy's commissions. On the other hand, they now have new prospects of attaining warrant rank in the Indianised units, and, what is still more important, of being selected for admission to the Indian Military Academy, where half the vacancies are reserved for Indian Army cadets, who are thereupon trained for the King's commission.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether, now that

I regret that nothing can be found in the recent pronouncements of Mr. Gandhi that would bear out the statement made in the first part of the question. The policy of the Government regarding the release of Civil Disobedience prisoners has been frequently stated, and I see no reason to modify it. The Ordinances have, of course, been replaced by Central 'and Provincial Acts.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he will state in detail the shortages in the strength of the different Scottish regiments at the present time?

The following statement shows the figures for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks:

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if he is aware of the case of Lieutenant D. E. Horwood, Royal Field Artillery, who, having been rejected for active service in September, 1914, as being unfit, underwent an operation at his own expense to become fit for active service, and in September, 1923, applied to the War Office for a refund of the expense, but was refused on the ground that refund could not be paid from Army funds; and whether he will give this matter consideration and reimburse this officer the cost incurred in making himself fit for service?

Lieutenant Horwood was informed at the time when he was medically rejected for Army service that the cost of the proposed operation could not be borne by Army funds. I regret that I am unable to make an exception in this case to the established principle that no expense is incurred by Army funds in order to enable a person to be passed medically fit for Army service.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether in the course of the last 12 months any foreign oats were purchased for the Army; and, if so, what quantity and the price per cwt. paid?

No foreign oats were purchased for supply to the Army at home during the period mentioned.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can make a statement to the House of the present position of the deliberations of the Central Council of Coalowners regarding amendments to the Coal Mines Act, 1930, Part I; whether he is satisfied with proposals that have been submitted to him; and when proposals will be submitted to this House?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave yesterday to my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Smithers).

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that a scheme for the erection of pit-head baths at Cardowan Colliery, Lanarkshire, cannot be proceeded with because of the attitude adopted by the ground landlord; will he state the nature of the conditions upon which the landlord is insisting; whether they differ from those obtaining at other collieries in Lanarkshire where baths have been erected; and what action he proposes to take in the matter?

The ground landlords have agreed to lease the site selected for the pit-head baths at Cardowan Colliery, but have sought to impose upon the trustees of the baths certain obligations which, in the opinion of the Miners' Welfare Committee, are undesirable in the interests of the trustees. The negotiations with the landlords, which are being conducted by law writers acting on behalf of the trustees, are still in progress, and it would clearly be undesirable for me to give particulars of the points in dispute. Meanwhile the Miners' Welfare Committee are not prepared to proceed with the building.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether any steps have been taken to assist or promote the establishment of appropriate works in Scotland intended to extract oil from coal?

:The Government's further proposals designed to encourage the extraction of oil from cola were announced by the Prime Minister on 17th July, and are applicable to Scotland as to other parts of Great Britain and to all processes for the production of motor spirit indigenous fuel. There have been a number of proposals for the carrying out of oil from coal schemes in Scotland, and if my hon. And gallant Friend has any particular process in mind, I shall be glad to send him such information as I have available

asked the First Commissioner of Works the nature of the contemplated alterations in the lay-out of the Victoria Tower Gardens; and whether he can now see his way to relax the rule requiring owners of dogs to keep them on leash when in the gardens?

With the object of providing an increased stretch of grass, I have recently decided upon the removal of the flower beds, except the long bed nearest the Houses of Parliament. The lawn nearest Lambeth Bridge will be available for children all the year round, and the centre lawn during the Summer holidays. The removal of the flower beds will make it unnecessary any longer to insist upon dogs being kept on leash in the gardens.

asked the First Commissioner of Works what gifts have been made to the Royal Parks during the past year?

A list of gifts to the Royal Parks since June, 1932, is appended. As I stated last year, I am always prepared to receive gifts of bulbs, plants and shrubs from nurserymen and others for exhibition in the parks.

asked the First Commissioner of 'Works whether he is in a position to give the House any information as to his proposals for the erection of a new refreshment pavilion in Kensington Gardens?

I am arranging for a drawing of the new building to be exhibited in the Tea Room. I hope that it will be possible to commence the work at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the sum proposed to be allocated by the Victorian Government for the relief of British migrants settled in that State and the number of migrants covered by the proposal; if he is aware that the suggested terms of settlement by the Victorian Government are not acceptable to the migrants; if he is satisfied that the terms are adequate to meet the needs of the migrants; and if he has communicated to the Victorian Government his concurrence with the suggested terms of settlement

The proposals adopted by the Commonwealth and Victoria Governments cover the cases of 271 United Kingdom migrants. They include provision for effective settlement on the land where that is possible, and where that is not possible, or where the migrant does not desire to remain on the land, for remission of debts due to the Crown and cash compensation to an amount not exceeding £500 a family. It is estimated that the total sum involved will be about £400,000. I realise that the proposals are not acceptable to certain of the migrants, but my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, after the most careful consideration, reached the. conclusion that the arrangements proposed constituted, in all the circumstances, a reasonable adjustment of a very difficult matter. My right hon. Friend is pressing for an early settlement of the matter and the necessary legislation is now under discussion in the Victorian legislature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the report of the Morris Carter Land Commission in Kenya has been received; and when it will be available for Members?

The report has been received, and is now being printed in Nairobi. The Acting-Governor informs me that the printing is unlikely to be finished before February next, although he is making every effort to expedite it. It is a voluminous document, including a number of maps which have to be specially reproduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps he proposes to take to prevent the illicit immigration of Jews into Palestine?

There are two classes of unauthorised immigrants into Palestine: (1) persons who cross the frontier without permission: (2) persons who are admitted as travellers for a period not exceeding 12 months in all and who remain in the country illegally after their authorisation has expired. The numbers of the first class are compara- tively small, and are being reduced by measures which the Palestine Government is taking on the frontier and in conjunction with the French authorities in Syria. As regards the second class, the numbers of which have been ascertained to be considerable, the High Commissioner has recently decided, with my approval, to adopt the following preventive measures;(1)additional staff will be employed for the purpose of obtaining exact statistics of the number of persons entering the country as travellers and remaining illegally:(2)a trained officer will be detailed to organise the surveillance of the movements of travellers whom there is reason to believe intend to remain, and the detection of the presence of persons who have entered without visas:(3)special steps will be taken to warn recipients of travellers' and transit visas for Palestine that they are not permitted to settle in the country or to seek or to take up employment there:(4)British Consular and Passport Control Officers in certain countries will be instructed to require from all except first-class travellers a deposit of £60, or a guarantee from a reputable bank or other institution:(5)in future, visas will be granted only in exceptional cases to persons who hold only Nansen passports or equivalent documents.I should add that, in calculating the half-yearly labour immigration schedules, which are based on the economic absorptive capacity of the country, the High Commissioner has made it clear that, in taking his decision, he has regard to the factor of unauthorised immigration. It will be readily realised that it is in the interest of everyone that unauthorised immigration should be reduced to a minimum. The number of immigrants who can be admitted must be governed by the absorptive capacity of the country; and of that the High Commissioner must be the judge. But it is obviously desirable that the number of immigrants who can be admitted should consist of persons who are introduced through the authorised channel after the normal process of selection. I am confident that the High Commissioner will receive general support in carrying out this policy.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that some of the local education authorities in South Wales grant the school children a holiday on Labour Day, 1st May, and do not grant them one on Empire Day, 24th May; and if he will consider issuing a circular to local authorities suggesting that Empire Day shall be a national holiday for all the school children. in Wales?

My Noble Friend has no information in regard to the first part of the Question. With regard to the second part, the closure of schools on particular days is a matter which is within the discretion of the local education and school authorities, and my Noble Friend doubts if his intervention would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the extent to which the policy outlined in Circular 1421 has now been put into practice; and what will be the approximate amount of new money which will be realised annually from the new secondary school fees?

The arrangements of all local education authorities under Circular 1421 have been approved. On the basis of the estimates submitted by the authorities it appears that the ultimate annual saving to public funds resulting from the adoption of the new arrangements will be of the order of £400,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been called to the report of the medical officer of health for the county of Stirling in which it is stated that 1,836 houses had been scheduled, of which 442 were considered unfit for habitation; can he state the condition of the remaining 1,394 houses that have been scheduled; and whether, as in the opinion of the housing committee the housing shortage cannot be met by private enterprise without a subsidy, he will state what action he proposes to take to deal with the replacement of the total number of houses scheduled?

The report referred to shows that 442 houses are at present unfit for habitation. Of these it is anticipated that some may be reconditioned, and to accommodate families that will be displaced from the other houses, the local authority propose to proceed in the immediate future with the erection of additional houses up to a limit of 350. I am informed that the balance of 1,394 of the total of 1,836 houses mentioned in the report has already been dealt with, either by reconditioning or by the local authority providing new houses. The last part of the question, therefore, does not arise.

asked the Minister of Health if the Corporation of Manchester have submitted any slum clearance or re-housing schemes in response to his invitation to submit such schemes by 1st September?

The answer to my hon. Friend is in the affirmative.

asked the Minister of Health whether, in view of the report from the special committee appointed by the Monmouthshire County Council to investigate the allegation made at a meeting of the Monmouthshire Education Committee that members of that county council have received bribes, he is now prepared to order an inquiry into the matter?

I have received the report in question, and am considering the various issues raised by it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that hardship is being experienced by British investors owing to the default of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro to its obligations; that no arrangements for cash payments have been made although several years have elapsed; and whether he will make representations to the Government of Brazil with a view to securing a settlement of this problem?

The position is, I understand, still broadly as stated in the answer which I gave to my hon. Friend on 5th April, and I fear that no useful purpose would yet be served by the action suggested by my hon. Friend. I can, however, assure him that His Majesty's Government will continue to watch the position with close attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the continued refusal of the Rio de Janeiro authorities to allow the Cantareira Company to cover the cost of providing the electric tramways and the ferry services performed at the expense of British investors; and will he now make representations to the Brazilian Government, and their financial agents in Europe, with a view to securing some return for the British capital invested in these enerprises?

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that British investors in the two Leopoldina companies and in their subsidiary, the Cantareira company, have been subjected to a grievance at the hands of the Brazilian authorities since 1911; that the Brazilian authorities investigated that grievance over a long period without agreeing to remedy it; whether the investigations have yet come to an end and, if so, with what result; and, if the case has not been met satisfactorily, will he request His Majesty's Minister in Rio de Janeiro to take suitable steps to protect British subjects against further losses?

As was stated on 11th July, my right hon. Friend does not consider that representations to the Brazilian Government would serve any useful purpose, pending the result of the investigation of the books of the Cantareira company, which must necessarily involve some delay. My right hon. Friend is, however, calling upon His Majesty's Ambassador at Rio de Janeiro to report what progress the Commission has made with this investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, whether he can now say if the claims against the Spanish Government on account of those British subjects who have suffered losses from disturbances in Spain will be settled at an early date?

Frequent representations have been made to the Spanish Government by His Majesty's Ambassador at Madrid, and no opportunity has been lost of reminding the Spanish Government that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom consider these claims to be legitimate and well-founded, and that they have no intention of abandoning them. I regret, however, to state that, so far, these representations have not been met with a satisfactory reply. My hon. and gallant Friend may rest assured that His Majesty's Government will not fail to continue to press these claims on the attention of the Spanish Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action he is taking as a result of the representations he has received regarding the revision of the railway pension law in Argentina whereby many British subjects will lose their pensions if they cease to become domiciled in Argentina?

His Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires at Buenos Aires drew the attention of the Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs on 22nd August to a decree, which was about to be submitted to Congress, amending the Argentine Railway Pensions Act in such a way as to render it impossible in practice for British pensioners to reside in the United Kingdom. The decree was subsequently passed by the Argentine Chamber of Deputies on 7th September, and His Majesty's Ambassador thereupon, at the request of the local managers of the British-owned railway companies, addressed an official note to the Argentine Government on 13th September pointing out the injustice imposed on the British pensioners affected, and requesting that the relevant, provisions of the new decree should be modified. I am informed that the decree was not passed by the Argentine Senate, which rose at the end of September. In the meantime, I can assure my hon. and gallant Friend that this matter will not, however, be lost sight of.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware that the International Committee of Bankers on Mexico which was set up to conserve the interests of holders of Mexican bonds which are in default has no longer a mandate to act for bondholders; and whether, in view of the difficulty which bondholders in this country experience in knowing what action they should take, he can make any statement for their information?

As regards the first part of this question, I would refer to the reply given to my hon. Friend, the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. West Russell) on 23rd March, 1932. It will be recalled that an agreement had been reached in December, 1931, between the International Committee of Bankers and the Mexican Government by which it was provided that a final settlement should be reached by the end of 1933 and that, as an earnest of their intentions, the Mexican Government would deposit the sum of 5,000,000 United States dollars gold before 1st July, 1933. As the committee announced in July last, the Mexican Government have failed to make this deposit and the Agreement of December, 1931, consequently falls to the ground. I am informed that the Committee are nevertheless continuing their endeavours to reach a settlement with the Mexican Government and, if an agreement is reached, bondholders will be requested by the Committee to indicate their approval of the terms of such an agreement in the. usual manner by depositing their bonds. If they do not choose to accept these terms, they will be free to negotiate individually with the Mexican Government.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, having regard to the fact that the London quarantine station is essential to the exportation of pedigree livestock to our Dominions and Colonies, and in view of the small expenditure involved, he will take immediate steps to secure its continuance?

I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the reply I gave to-day to questions on the subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr Everard), and my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Newbury (Brigadier-General Brown).

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is satisfied with the precautions that are being taken to prevent the attack of the Colorado beetle from invading this country; and, if not, will he consider extending the Order to further safeguard the potato and other crops grown at home?

I think the precautions which are being taken to prevent the establishment of the Colorado beetle here should be satisfactory; but if my hon. Friend has any specific suggestions to make for further measures, I shall be very happy to consider them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that prices of milk have been fixed for some villages in Durham county at 6d. per quart and in neighbouring villages at 7d. per quart; and can he give any reason for the difference?

Retail prices are fixed by general agreement among local milk retailers for the district concerned, and may be expected to vary as between localities having different producing and distributing facilities. The hon. Member will realise that I have no special information as regards these differences, or the differences in retail prices to which he refers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the present amount paid by the Wheat Commissioners per sack of flour to wheat-growing farmers; and the total amount paid since the Order was made up to the nearest available date?

So far, deficiency payments under the Wheat Act, 1932, have been paid by the Wheat Commission only in respect of wheat sold by registered growers during the cereal year ended 31st July, 1933. The net amount paid was 4s. 5¼d. per cwt., or practically £1 per quarter, in respect of all millable wheat certified as sold in that year, representing a total of £4,510,946 for the year. The net amount of quota payments made to the Commission by millers and importers of flour during the first accounting period ending on 31st July, 1933, was £4,774,207, and averaged 2s.7⅛d. per sack of 280 lbs. of flour. I understand that the Wheat Commission intend to make a first advance of 3s. per cwt. (13s. 6d. per quarter) to wheat growers on 25th November on account of deficiency payments for 1933–34.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will make a statement on the operation of the Agricultural Marketing Act in respect of bacon and milk?

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I are required by the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, to lay before Parliament each year a report on the operation of all schemes for the time being in force under the Act and on schemes which have been submitted but are not in force at the date of the report. A summary of the operation of the bacon and milk marketing schemes will be included in the first report which, it is hoped, will be laid next month.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what action is intended to be taken by the Milk Marketing Board in order that permitted Increases in the retail price of liquid milk will not so reduce consumption as further to intensify the glut already existing in milk production?

It is in the interests of milk producers as a whole that the aggregate returns from the sale of milk for liquid consumption and for manufacture should be as large as possible, and I am confident that the Board will make best use of their powers to ensure that the price position does not lead to reduced consumption in the liquid milk market.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has yet taken any decision in regard to the Regent's Park College; and what is the present state of the negotiations in respect to this building?

The future disposition of this property is being considered by the Commissioners of Crown Lands in consultation with the Treasury and His Majesty's Office of Works.