asked the Minister of Labour to what extent his Department is co-operating with the activities of the British Executive Employment Society, of 133, Oxford Street, London?

Arrangements have been made with this society to enable them to submit candidates for vacancies notified to the exchanges for which no suitable applicants are on the exchange registers. These arrangements have been made on the understanding that no fees are charged by the society to any persons placed by them in these vacancies.

asked the Minister of Labour, in view of the apprehension that exists, if any provision of the Unemployment Bill will adversely affect the position of an unemployed man who undertakes the regular cultivation of an allotment?

No. Sir. No unemployed man need hesitate, because of any provisions in the Unemployment Bill, to undertake regular cultivation of an allotment.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of men, women and juveniles registered at the Employment Exchanges in the West Ham area for the same comparable date in the last 10 years?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs if he is aware of the conclusion of an agreement whereby the South African Government has agreed to subsidise an Italian shipping line at £150,000 a year for a period of five years, trading between the Mediter-raneant ports and South Africa; and, in view of this violation of the Ottawa Agreement, if the Government intend to protest against this discrimination against our shipping?

As has been explained in reply to questions by the hon. Member for Kirkdale (Mr. Rankin), His Majesty's Government in. the United Kingdom are in communication with His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa on this subject. There is, however, nothing in the Trade Agreement concluded at Ottawa between the United Kingdom and the Union of South Africa which touches upon this question.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will consider naming warships after those towns of the country which are identified with their production; and, in particular, whether the name of the city of Sheffield will be assigned to one of them?

I shall be glad to bear my hon. Friend's sugges-

Figures for November of each of the years 1930 to 1933 were given in reply to a simliar question by the hon. Member on 14th December. The following table gives corresponding figures for the years 1924 to 1929.tion in mind when a suitable opportunity presents itself.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of surviving pre-War Navy pensioners and the total amount payable at present in respect of their pensions?

I regret that this information is not readily available; and to obtain it would entail a great deal of clerical labour, which would not be justified.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if there is an early prospect of using retractable undercarriages for civil mail-carrying aeroplanes to enable higher speeds to be obtained such as are now in regular use in America; and if he will see that further assistance is afforded to accelerate this development?

The retractable under-carriage is embodied in the design of certain experimental aircraft now under construction for my Department. The experience gained with these should be of direct value to civil aircraft operating companies.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air if he is aware that the Court of Verderers of the New Forest does not permit aeroplanes to land or take off within the boundaries of the New Forest; if there is any other rural area in England of so large an extent barred to aeroplanes; and if he is prepared to make representations on this subject to the Court of Verderers?

Whilst my Department has no information as to the actual restrictions which my hon. and gallant Friend mentions, I can appreciate that there might well be objections to the regular landing and taking off of aircraft in the New Forest. I do not know of any other area of the same size where similar restrictions are in force.

asked the Secretary of State for India how many men and women, respectively, have been imprisoned or placed under detention for political offences in India during the years 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933?

The only statistics in my possession relate to persons imprisoned or detained in connection with the civil disobedience movements. These figures are as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will give, by counties, a list of the common lands and manorial wastes to which the public have been given since 31st July, 1931, right of access for air and exercise under the Law of Property Act, 1925, stating in each case the parish in which the common or manorial waste is situated, the acreage of the land, and the name of the person executing the deed?

I am sending my hon. and learned Friend a statement giving the particulars for which he asks.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what is the character of the meals other than milk meals on which the Board pay grant; and what is the average cost separately?

The Board of Education recognise for grant, in addition to milk meals, expenditure on ordinary meals, which are usually dinners, but in some cases breakfasts or teas, and expenditure on cod liver oil, dried milk, and certain concentrated foods. The average cost of all types of meals in 1931-32 was 2.36d., of which 1.66d. represented cost of food only. Separate figures for each of the various types of meals are not available.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the number of children in England and Wales receiving milk meals daily; what quantity is given; and what number of children are provided with meals other than milk, giving separate figures for England and Wales?

Daily figures are not available, but the following table shows the number of individual children who received meals of various types during the month of October, 1933, under arrangements made by local education authorities.