asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if his attention has been called to the representations recently made by the Stockholm Association of Shipowners to the Swedish Government alleging the necessity for a revision of the existing charts of the Baltic Sea; and if he is satisfied that the Admiralty charts of that sea still maintain their high standard of accuracy?

I have no knowledge of representations having been recently made to the Swedish Government as to the accuracy of the existing Swedish charts. I am satisfied with the high standard of accuracy of the Admiralty charts and plans of the Baltic area, of which there are more than 100.

Can the right hon. Gentleman tell me when soundings or survey work were last carried out by the Admiralty in the Baltic?

Of course, the Admiralty cannot survey in foreign territorial waters. We have to rely on the countries concerned for information as regards their surveys.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of warships on order or building on the Clyde, on the Tyne, and at Barrow; and the estimated value of the work in each area, respectively?

The Tyne is building, or has been allocated, the hulls and machinery of six ships and the machinery of three; the Clyde has the hulls and machinery of 20 ships and the machinery of three; Barrow has the hulls and machinery of six and the hulls of two. The value of the orders placed on the Tyne is £2,500,000; the corresponding figures for the Clyde and Barrow are £5,600,000 and £2,600,000 respectively.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that unemployment is highest on the Tyne, and will he bear that fact in mind in placing further contracts?

Does not the right hon. Gentleman think it is dangerous to have these ships built by private enterprise, and should they not be built in national dockyards?

Are the contracts for these ships open to competition or are they allocated?

My answer to the hon. Member for Jarrow (Mr. Pearson) and the hon. Member for Plaistow (Mr. Thorne) is that we have to be almost entirely guided by prices and have to take the lowest tender. In answer to the Noble Lady, most certainly not; we are largely dependent on private firms.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the very pressing need on the Tyneside, and will he take steps to ensure that the Tyne receives an even more generous allocation of such orders as may be available?

I fully sympathise with the hon. Member, and I wish we had more ships to go round all the yards. I have to accept the lowest tender, and I have to be guided in that way.

Is it not the case that, comparatively speaking, the Clyde has 10 shipyards for every one in Newcastle and Barrow?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he can state to what extent the present cruiser construction programme is affected by the London Naval Treaty?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the programme for 1934. The total replacement tonnage which can be laid down in 1934, 1935 and 1936 is limited to the outstanding tonnage over-age on the 31st December, 1936, together with the tonnage becoming over-age in 1937, 1938 and 1939. The gun calibre is limited to 6.1 inch.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the approximate number of tourists who visited Palestine during the months of December, 1932 and 1933, and January, 1933 and 1934, respectively?

I am replying on behalf of my right hon. Friend. The immigration returns do not distinguish between tourists and other travellers. The number of travellers who entered Palestine in December, 1932, was 3,667, in January, 1933, 3,248, and in December, 1933, 3,960. The return for January, 1934, is not yet available.

Is the hon. Member satisfied that there are no unnecessary restrictions placed on tourists to prevent them going to Palestine?

Quite satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Englishmen have been refused entry into Palestine and for what reasons; and what is the number of British who have been refused visas?

This information is not available in any of the returns which are furnished by the Palestine Government.

If I bring to the hon. Gentleman's notice a case in which it was refused, will he take up the question?

Certainly I will.

Will the hon. Gentleman also take up the question of why British subjects in Palestine are not allowed to vote?

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further information regarding the provision that travellers to Palestine must pay a deposit against their ultimate departure from the territory?

The written reply to the previous question by my hon. Friend, which was put down for the 21st of December, was recorded in the OFFICIAL REPORT for the 29th of January. That reply was framed in the light of the information available at the time. Since then it is learnt that the Government of Palestine have decided that the provision regarding a deposit shall be applied in the case of visitors to Palestine, travelling otherwise than by first class, from all countries.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that no unnecessary regulations prevail which will stop people who want to visit Palestine from going there?

The object of the regulation, as the hon. Member knows, is to prevent illicit immigration, and it was decided upon in order to achieve that object.

Is the hon. Gentleman satisfied that it will not result in depriving people of the right to go to Palestine?

I am satisfied that that is being as much achieved as is consistent with the main object of the regulation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has given consideration to the reply of the Suva Municipal Council to the communication which he addressed to them on 30th August last; whether it is his intention to insist that a majority of the municipal council shall consist of official nominees and that the chairman shall be an official nominee; and whether he can give the House an indication of the reason for this policy?

My right hon. Friend has not been in communication with the municipal council of Suva. Proposals for reconstituting the municipal council of Suva were laid by the Governor of Fiji before the Fiji Legislative Council in October last. They will not be debated until the next meeting of the Legislative Council, which is to be held in March. This procedure was adopted with the object of providing members of the council with an opportunity for discussing the proposals with their constituents. Pending the debate in the Legislative Council my right hon. Friend is not prepared to make any statement on the subject.

Do I understand from that that no letter was sent on 30th August, and, if so, is the hon. Gentleman aware that I have in my hand a copy of a report from the municipal council of Suva in which they refer to it?

My right hon. Friend has made no communication. Possibly there has been a misunderstanding, and it may refer to a communication from the Colonial Secretary in Fiji about which we have no information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how often the Governor of Ceylon has vetoed legislation passed by the State Council?

No Bills passed by the State Council since its constitution have been vetoed by the Governor. A Bill with the object of granting relief to judgment debtors, which was only passed by a majority of one in the State Council, was reserved by the Governor for the signification of His Majesty's pleasure, and assent to it was refused.

asked the Minister of Transport in how many instances during the past 12 months he has refused to assist road improvement schemes on the ground that the instructions contained in the Road Traffic Act of 1930 as to the provision of adequate footpaths and margins for the safety of pedestrians and riders have not been complied with; and whether he can give an assurance that the provision of such facilities is borne in mind in connection with all applications for road grants?

(Mr. Oliver Stanley): Where practical and desirable, footpaths or margins, or both, have been provided in all road widening schemes assisted by grants from the Road Fund during the last 12 months, and the provision of these facilities is always borne in mind. In only one case has it been necesary to refuse a grant oh this account.

Is it not the case that some of the existing footpaths are becoming grass grown owing to disuse?

asked the Minister of Transport if he is aware that the decision of the Ministry to transfer certain roads from the Urban District Council of Scunthorpe to the Lindsey County Council has resulted in putting a burden on other urban districts which are more heavily rated than Scunthorpe; if he will indicate what his policy is as regards the transfer of roads from urban districts to the county council; and if he will take into account in future applications the incidence of rates in county areas?

The main consideration is that laid down in Section 37 of the Local Government Act, 1929, itself, which is

"that the road is a road situate in a part of the urban district which is of a rural character."

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will consider providing extra lamps on the roadways in Hyde Park, especially on the North and West, in view of the great amount of traffic there?

The class of vehicles which can use these roadways is limited, and there is a 20 mile speed limit in the Royal Parks. I am afraid that, in these circumstances, and having regard to the financial considerations which it involves, I cannot see my way to entertain my hon. and gallant Friend's proposal.

When the financial situation is easier in the right hon. Gentleman's Department will he consider putting up some more lamps?

If we cannot have more lamps, may we have larger lamps, affording greater illumination than now exists?

I am afraid I have settled my Estimates for the coming year with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and I have not the funds. In considering next year's Estimates, I will look into the matter.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will consider opening the road north of the Serpentine to motor traffic, in view of the negligible amount of use it is now put to?

I regret that I cannot agree to allow motor traffic on this road, which is now the only quiet road in Hyde Park for pedestrians and invalids, and runs past the band stand.

asked the Postmaster-General whether horse or motor drivers of mail vans are insured, or whether the Government are financially responsible for accidents where the drivers are involved?

The drivers of mail vans owned by the Post Office are not insured. In the event of an accident in which the driver of such a van is involved, it is the practice of the Department to accept the same degree of liability in respect of a claim for civil damages as is imposed on a private employer?

Have the Department any insurance scheme of their own from which compensation is paid?

No, the Government do not insure their property or their servants. The object of private third-party insurance is, of course, to secure the existence, so to speak, of a definite person who can and must meet damages assessed against him. In the case of Government property or servants, no such insurance is necessary, because the risks are spread over the whole of the taxpaying community.

Is it the case that where there is an accident involving one of your servants compensation is paid out of the Exchequer or the receipts of the Post Office?

Out of State funds.

Is it the case that the Post Office denied liability for an accident to the wife of a former Member for the constituency which I now represent?

The reason why we did not acknowledge liability in that case was that, according to the evidence before us, we did not think that the responsibility for what happened was on our driver. I need not say that in a case like that the aggrieved person can of course proceed against the driver in the courts, and we accept service on behalf of the driver and, if the case is given against him, also pay up.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of Government Departments which adopt third-party insurance in respect of the motor transport they directly or indirectly employ; and, if any Department does not employ such third-party insurance, whether he can state the method adopted when dealing with claims against the Department concerned in respect of any accident?

Motor vehicles, if directly employed in the public service of the Crown, are not insured by Government Departments against third-party risks. In such cases it is the practice for the Government Department concerned to assume the same degree of liability in respect of claims to civil damages as is imposed upon a private employer.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is intended to make the dipping of headlights at night compulsory?

Ordinarily a driver should dip or dim his head-lights when approaching another vehicle at night, but in an emergency such a course may sometimes cause rather than prevent danger. For this, among other reasons, I have up to the present decided against any Regulation which would make the dipping or dimming of head-lights compulsory.

Is the Minister aware that many accidents are caused by the failure to dim headlights; and in view of that fact, will he not reconsider his decision?

I have already informed my hon. Friend that I do not consider that, in all cases, greater danger is caused by not dimming headlights. In some cases I think that the dipping or dimming of headlights may he a greater danger.

Is the Minister not aware that there is no danger of accident if headlights are dipped, provided that the left-hand headlight is kept on while the other is switched off?

That is a matter of opinion.

asked the Minister of Transport whether it is compulsory at all recognised parking-places in London to keep side and tail lights burning while a car is left after lighting-up time?

Vehicles standing on authorised car parks are required to keep side and tail lights burning after lighting-up time, except on 21 car parks in Central London. The Commissioner of Police has intimated that cars may stand without lights during the hours of darkness, except in foggy weather, in these places, as they are considered to be adequately lighted.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider making an arrangement whereby the revised edition of the Highway Code, now in course of preparation, will be issued free from the condition by which Crown copyright is reserved, so that persons responsible for the production of newspapers, periodicals, journals, and books may be encouraged to assist in making the provisions of the Code known to all road users by reproducing copious extracts from it in their publications or by republishing it in a popular form?

The copyright of all Government publications is vested in His Majesty's Stationery Office. Permission is, however, readily given for the reproduction of the provisions of the Highway Code.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the railway company is contemplating operating a notice that no vehicle exceeding five tons shall cross Connaught Road bridge, South-West Ham; and whether, in view of the consequent congestion of traffic to and from the docks, and the possibility of a breakdown in the supply of London's food, and seeing that if the proposed restrictions are operated it will not be possible for the West Ham Fire Brigade to answer a call to the other side of the Connaught bridge, he will authorise a scheme of work strengthening this bridge, so that it will carry all presently workable vehicles and thereby ensure London's safety and food?

My information does not agree with that of the hon. Member. I am informed that the bridge in question belongs not to the railway company but to the Port of London Authority, and that they propose to prohibit the use of it by vehicles with an axle load exceeding five and three-quarters tons, which represents a total weight considerably above the five tons mentioned by the hon. Member. I am further informed that the restriction proposed would not prevent the West Ham Fire Brigade vehicles from crossing the bridge. I am, however, communicating with the Port Authority in the matter, and will acquaint the hon. Member with the result.

Will the Minister consider the postponement of the making of an Order under Section 30 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, until the highway authorities have had an opportunity of presenting considered schemes for the reconstruction of bridges, as otherwise serious public inconvenience will be caused?

The hon. Member will know that the Section has not yet been brought into operation.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the approximate cost to the State per year for the feeding, clothing and training of a yeomanry trooper, corporal and sergeant?

The approximate annual cost of a yeomanry trooper is £28 10s., of a corporal £30 and of a sergeant £32. My Noble Friend will find on page 69 of the current Army Estimates a table showing the estimated annual cost of certain units of the Territorial Army.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the rôle for which the Army is organised and equipped at the present time?

This is not a subject which can appropriately be expounded within the ambit of an answer to a question.

Will the hon. Gentleman undertake to expound it when he introduces the Army Estimates?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Minister of Health if his attention has been drawn to the serious shortage of housing accommodation in certain Midland towns; and what steps he proposes to take in the public interest to increase the production of houses?

My right hon. Friend has received resolutions to the effect suggested from certain towns in the Midlands and elsewhere. It is open to and is, indeed, the duty of the local authorities to submit to him any proposals for providing further houses which may be required and are not being provided by private enterprise.

In view of the appalling shortage of houses and the fact that none have been built, cannot my hon. Friend formulate a policy which will do credit to the Government?

I do not accept the statement that none have been built, because the building at present and next year will constitute a record.

Is it a fact, as stated, that in the view of the Ministry there are already sufficient houses to let at a rent of 10s. and under?

asked the President of the Board of Trade the total value of the exports of arms and ammunition and warships, exclusive of those for the use of His Majesty's United Kingdom forces serving overseas during the last 10 years, distinguishing those sent to Empire countries from those sent to foreign countries?

During the 10 years 1923 to 1932 the total declared value of the domestic exports from the United Kingdom of arms, ammunition and military and naval stores (except sporting arms and ammunition) and of new war vessels consigned to British countries was £22,939,000, and to foreign countries £21,573,000. Similar particulars for the year 1933 are not readily available. The value of Imperial Government owned stores exported for Imperial Government use abroad is excluded from these figures, but they include the value of exports of explosives for industrial use.

Will the hon. Gentleman tell us what is meant by the word "domestic" in that connection?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is now in a position to make a statement with regard to the negotiations for a trade agreement between Great Britain and the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics?

Yes, Sir. The negotiations have now been completed, and it is hoped that the agreement will be signed on Friday.

When will the terms of the agreement be laid before the House?

A White Paper will be available for hon. Members as soon as possible after signature. I cannot say when; I should think on Monday, at latest.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the Government candidate at Lowestoft has declared that herring are an item of trade in the agreement, and will information as to those provisions be conveyed to the House?

It is impossible for me to disclose the character of the agreement, but it provides improved opportunities for all trades that are interested in the Russian market.

Is there provision for the trade in herring, in the agreement?

Have the Government taken any steps to protect the rights of British creditors?

Is there any likelihood of the 8,000 barrels of cured herring at Great Yarmouth being sold to the Soviet Government?

I cannot add to my previous answers—

rose.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department if he can state what number of barrels of herring have been taken from British exporters by the Union of Socialist Soviet Republics in each year from 1922 to 1933?

As the reply is somewhat detailed I will, with my hon. and gallant Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Will the reply be in barrels or hundredweights?

Hundredweights.

Will the hon. and gallant Gentleman say how many hundredweights make a barrel?

If the hon. and gallant Member will put a question down, I will endeavour to give him the further information that he requires.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will state the balance of migration between the United Kingdom and the Dominions for the 12 months up to 30th September, 1933, or up to 31st December, 1933, if the figures are available?

During the 12 months ended 31st December, 1933, the number of British immigrants into the United Kingdom from other parts of the British Empire outside Europe exceeded the number of British emigrants to those countries by 23,882.

asked the Minister of Health whether the Government are prepared to make a grant towards the purchase, in the public interest, of the site of the Foundling Hospital?

My right hon. Friend regrets that he is not in a position to make any promise of a Government grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that oxyacetylene apparatus is used in effecting repairs to ships while in wet dock; and whether, having regard to the danger of men being gassed when these processes are used in confined spaces, he will consider the desirability of making applicable to such cases the regulations which are now in force for such repairs when carried out in dry dock?

The extension of the regulations to ship repairing in wet docks generally would require legislation, but I have no reason to think that ship repairing firms do not take similar precautions when using oxy-acetylene apparatus, whether the ships are in a wet or a dry dock. The Shipbuilding Employers' Federation are circularising their members as to the special dangers revealed by a recent fatality at Millwall and as to the precautions necessary. If, however, the hon. Member has any particular case in mind in which adequate precautions do not appear to have been taken and will send me particulars, I will have inquiries made.

asked the Home Secretary if his attention has been drawn to the serious losses of valuable homing pigeons by the depredations of the peregrine falcon and other birds of prey; and if he proposes that the protection now accorded to such birds be withdrawn?

Representations on this subject have been made to the Home Office. The power of the Secretary of State to make local Orders under the Wild Birds Protection Acts withdrawing or otherwise varying the protection accorded to the peregrine falcon by those Acts, is exercisable only on application made to my right hon. Friend by the council of a county or county borough. The question is therefore one for consideration in the first instance by the appropriate local authority.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in publishing the revenue from Customs, as apart from Revenue duties, he will consider publishing in greater detail the revenue from the different articles on which the duties are imposed so that it may be possible to see how the aggregate sum is made up?

Full information is always given in the financial statement which accompanies the Budget speech. Detailed information could not be given earlier without great practical inconvenience.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider amending Section 24 of the Industrial and Provident Societies Act, 1893, in order to replace the revenue now lost to the Exchequer by the progressive absorption by the co-operative societies of retail trade and industrial production which is or has been carried on by limited companies or private individuals whose profits are subject to Income Tax?

The Section to which my hon. Friend refers has been repealed, and no question of amending it can arise.

Is it not, in fact, still the law of the land, although the hon. Gentleman says that it has been repealed, and is not that the reason why the co-operative societies are not charged Income Tax on their full revenue?

No, Sir. The Section no longer has any effect. It provided for the exception of industrial and provident societies from Income Tax under Schedules C and D, and, of course, that no longer applies.

Can the Financial Secretary give any reason for this vicious propaganda against the co-operative societies?

Are not these Gentlemen rather giving the game away too openly?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the percentage increase in the trading profits of retail co-operative societies in England and Scotland, respectively, in 1933 compared with 1918?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statistical summaries, showing the capital, sales, surplus, etc., of co-operative societies in Great Britain, published in Part 3 of the Annual Reports of the Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies. Separate figures for England and Scotland are not published.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any estimate has been formed of the amount lost to the national revenue during the past year by the absorption of private trading concerns by co-operative societies?

The answer is in the negative.

Is it not a fact that records must be kept of the net profits or tax paid by private traders; and, if and when such traders' businesses have been purchased and carried on with the same trading results by co-operative societies, could not the smaller tax paid by the latter he subtracted from the sums paid by the former to provide the answer to my question?

I should be only too glad to give my hon. Friend all the information that he desires, but to answer his question we should require to know the number of private traders absorbed by co-operative societies, whether they would have continued in existence if they had not been absorbed, what profits they would have made if they had not been absorbed, and what would have been the tax on the income from the capital sums paid by co-operative societies for the purpose of taking over private traders. I am sure my hon. Friend will see that, without details on all these points, I could not possibly answer his question.

Although there may be such details as the Financial Secretary has pointed out, which are difficult to compute, is it not very necessary that the Treasury should make the best estimate that they can, in view of the fact that the co-operative societies' policy is to eliminate all private traders, and that, if that policy is achieved, the Treasury will have to find sources of revenue to replace the consequent loss in that direction?

Naturally, we should desire to see justice done, but our primary function is to make sure that we receive all the tax that is due to us. I can assure my hon. Friend that we are most vigilant in that regard.

If any individual has the maximum amount of money, namely £200, invested in a co-operative society, has he not to show that information on his Income Tax return?

All profits have to be shown.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the receipts from the Beer Duty during the present financial year to the latest available date; and the corresponding total for the same period last year?

The net amounts of revenue derived from the Beer Duty during the 10 months ended 31st January, in each of the years 1932–33 and 1933–34, were:

Does not that prove that people do not really want more beer, no matter what the Government think?

May I, on behalf of my hon. Friend the Member for Limehouse (Mr. Attlee), ask the Prime Minister whether he has any information to give to the House as to the order in which public business will be taken to-morrow?

In order to meet the convenience of Members, it is proposed to alter the order in which the business will be considered to-morrow. It will now be as follows:

• Additional Import Duties Order No. 1, 1934, which relates to oats.
• Import Duties (Foreign Discrimination) Order, 1934.
• Cattle (Import Regulation) Order, 1933.
• Additional Import Duties Order No. 23, 1933.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he is aware, that as far as the Opposition are concerned, we would have preferred that the second Order should have been taken first. In view, however, of the fact that the alteration is more convenient to Members in other parts of the House, we do not press our objection. But may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in addition to the assurance which he has given, and for which we thank him, he can assure us that the first business will be brought to a termination at an early stage, at least about 6.30, so that we can go on to the very important Foreign Discrimination Order which is second on the list?

The House knows that I cannot assure hon. Members how long a Debate will take, but I have made the announcement that I have in the hope that the House will do its best to co-operate in the arrangement.