asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the mileage rate for cars granted to inspectors and other administrative officials under the Board of Education?

The mileage allowances to inspectors and other officers of the Board of Education using their private motor vehicles are governed by regulations issued by His Majesty's Treasury on 13th May, 1933, and applicable to the Civil Service generally. A copy of these regulations is being sent to my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour how many temporary men employed at Kew served in the War and, having rendered satisfactory service to the Ministry in the recent emergency, are

As a consequence of a recent reduction of staff at this office, it has been necessary to place about 50 men upon weekly instead of monthly engagements, but this is merely a precautionary measure, and does not indicate that these men are in any immediate danger of dismissal, so far as can at present be foreseen. I can assure my hon. Friend that every effort is made to avoid unnecessary discharges, and to find other employment for those discharged.

asked the Minister of Labour the percentages of disallowances of claims for transitional payments for 1932 and the latest figures for 1933 for Lancashire, Glamorgan and Durham?

The following table gives the information desired:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the amount of Customs revenue obtained during the past financial year on oranges imported into this country from Palestine?

I regret that the information asked for by the hon. Member is not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the amount of Customs revenue obtained during the past financial year on goods imported into this country from British Dominions, Colonies and mandated territories, specifying the amount in each case?

I regret that the information asked for is not readily available in the form desired, but I would refer my hon. Friend to Table 8 of the 24th Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise (Cmd. 4455), which shows in some detail the amount of Customs duty collected at preferential rates on Empire goods during the financial year 1932-33.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the losses caused to investors by dishonest and incompetent company promoters and directors since the War, he will introduce legislation to make such practices less easy and their punishment more severe?

A number of suggestions aimed at the greater protection of the public and at the prevention of abuses, have already been noted for investigation when the time is ripe for the amendment of the Companies Act, 1929.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total value of Japanese imports into this country in 1932 and the latest date in 1933; and the total value of Japanese imports into China for the same years?

The declared value of the total exports of merchandise from Japan to Great Britain and China during the undermentioned periods was as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade the tonnage of Swedish ingots, billets, bars, and coils of wire, made of acid steel, imported into this country during the month of October during the last three years, and also during the first 10 months of 1931, 1932, and 1933?

I regret that the desired information is not available, as imports of the goods in question are not distinguished in the trade returns from those of goods made of other descriptions of steel.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of subscribers to the telephone, and the revenue collected from them, for the years 1912 and 1932, or the figures for the latest year available?

The figures are as follow: 1912-3 (end of financial year), 499,090 subscribers (730,763 telephones), total revenue for year £5,846,986; 1932-3 (end of financial year), 1,278,625 subscribers (2,137,100 telephones), total revenue for year £24,440,000 (subject to audit).

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the number of officers of the Army, including the Indian Army, who have attended the Imperial Defence College since its inception; how many are still serving; and to what extent their services have been utilised on completion of the course?

Since the inception of the Imperial Defence College in 1927, 35 officers of the British Army and 12 officers of the Indian Army have attended courses there. 44 of these 47 officers are still serving. Of the 44 still serving, 39 are at present holding staff or extraregimental appointments, and five are commanding battalions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what would be the cost to the State of restoring the marriage allowance to men in the Territorial Army under 26?

Marriage allowance has never been issued to soldiers, Regular or Territorial, under the age of 26. The annual cost of extending the allowance to the number of married men under 26 who are now in the Territorial Army is estimated at £7,000, but the eventual cost of such a concession would probably be much larger.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware of the continuous decline in the imports into India from the United Kingdom; whether the boycott of British goods by the Bombay Corporation is still in existence; and whether any recent representations have been made to secure the removal of the boycott?

The value of the imports into India from the United Kingdom was nearly £3,000,000 greater in the year ending March, 1933, than in the previous year. It is true that in the six months ending September last there was a decline in comparison with the corresponding period of the previous year.

asked the Secretary of State for India what steps have been taken to give effect to the various recommendations of the Royal Commission on Agriculture in India?

Statements showing the progress made in giving effect to the recommendations of the Royal Commission up to the end of 1931 are being sent to my Noble Friend. A further report for the years 1932 and 1933 will, it is hoped, be received by the end of 1934.

asked the Secretary of State for India the number of serving men, men in the reserves, and cadets, respectively, in the Indian auxiliary railway battalions in 1931, 1932 and 1933?

The numbers are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been received by the Scottish Agricultural Credit Corporation during the present year; what was the aggregate amount of these applications; and whether he is aware that the present application forms and the fees to be paid are of such a nature as to discourage many farmers from making any application?

Since the commencement of its operations on 26th August up to the close of business on 9th December, the corporation has received 95 applications for loans amounting in the aggregate to £326,240. I have no reason to believe that the suggestion made in the last paragraph of the question is well founded. No representations on the subject have been made to me, and I am informed that none has been made to the corporation.

asked the Home Secretary if he is now able to give an assurance that, in the Measure which he is shortly to introduce dealing with lotteries and betting, he will include provisions enabling adequate funds to be available at an early date for the assistance of horse-breeding in this country from the proceeds of betting or lotteries on the same lines as arranged by numerous foreign countries, and in order to put into actual practice the intentions of the Racecourse Betting Act, 1928, in this respect?

I regret I am not in a position to add anything to the reply which I gave to a question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Captain P. Macdonald) on 23rd November.