asked the Minister of Transport whether proposals have been submitted by any highway authority for the provision of separate tracks on public highways for pedal cyclists?

Only one such proposal has been submitted by a highway authority, namely, one in connection with the extension of Princess Road, Manchester.

asked the Minister of Transport the names of the towns which have obtained the speed limit; the nature of the speed limit in each case; and the towns which have applied for such a speed limit?

The information asked for is as follows:

• Applications granted:
  • Southampton County Borough Council—speed limit 15 miles per hour on roads in the Southampton Docks.
  • Isle of Ely County Council—speed limit 10 miles per hour for heavy vehicles on a short stretch of road in Wisbech.
  • Oxford County Borough Council—speed limit 30 miles per hour.
  • Worcester County Council—speed limit 4 miles per hour on a short stretch of road through the Abbey Gateway, Malvern.
• Applications received but not granted:
  • Isle of Ely County Council in respect of a road in Ely.
  • West Riding County Council in respect of a road in Addingham.
  • Berkshire County Council in respect of roads in Bray and Braywick.
  • Dundee Town Council in respect of one road.
  • Tottenham Borough Council in respect of one road.
• Applications received and under consideration:
  • Monmouth and Herefordshire County Councils jointly in respect of a road at Wyaston Leys.
  • Devon County Council in respect of a section of the Seaton-Beer Road.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amounts of debt remitted by Britain to various foreign and Colonial Governments since 1919?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for South Nottingham (Mr. Knight) on 4th March, 1932. On the basis there adopted, the amount of debt remitted, if the Agreements for funding the Allied War Debts to this country had been fully carried out, would have been £912,000,000, apart from the Russian War Debt which is in default, and from reparations due by the ex-enemy Governments. As regards the position resulting from the Lausanne Conference, I would refer to the table printed on page 13 of the Financial Statement 1933–34 (House of Commons Paper No. 96).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the Privy Council has recently been able to allocate the sum of £5,000 to the Film Institute from the proceeds of Sunday cinematograph entertainments, he will consider the desirability of reducing or abolishing the Entertainments Duty on the living theatre, which does not enjoy similar privileges of Sunday opening, in order to enable contributions to become available for an equivalent institute designed to benefit British drama and music?

As my right hon. Friend has stated in reply to previous questions on the subject of the Entertainments Duty, all relevant considerations will be taken into account in framing the Budget.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the values of British goods as compared with foreign goods imported into Gibraltar and Malta in the last 12 months; and whether there are any tariffs and, if so, of what nature which give any preference to British imports?

The values of British goods and goods of foreign origin imported into Malta during 1932, which is the last year for which statistics are available, were £1,168,995 and £2,122,707 respectively. There is a general Customs tariff in Malta, but no preferential treatment is at present accorded to British goods. In Gibraltar no trade statistics (except such as are necessary for revenue purposes) are compiled, and there is no general tariff. Import duties are levied only on wines, spirits, malt liquors, tobacco, perfumed spirits and motor spirits, and preferential treatment is accorded to British goods in all cases except that of motor spirit.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of fat cattle imported from the Irish Free State during the month of January this year and the numbers imported in the same month in 1933 and 1932; and if he is satisfied that the restrictions officially announced have been fully put into force and are working properly?

Exports of Irish Free State fat cattle to the United Kingdom as recorded in the official Irish Free State returns amounted in January, 1933, to 17,106 and in January, 1932, to 26,213. The number of Irish Free State fat cattle sent to the United Kingdom in January, 1934, was 7,195. So far as I am aware, the regulation is being carried out satisfactorily and effectively.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what progress has been made in the negotiations designed to ensure that the Dutch Government, in return for the importation of a larger quantity of Java sugar, will guarantee to England an import quota of the dearer kinds of cotton into the Dutch East Indies; and whether any reports on this matter have yet reached his Department?

It has been informally suggested that an arrangement for the purchase of an increased quantity of Java sugar by the United Kingdom would be to the mutual advantage of both countries, in view of the interest of the United Kingdom in the Netherlands East Indies as a market for cotton goods. This suggestion is being explored.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how much money has been derived in the last 12 months from the sale of foreshore rights?

The amount derived from the sale of foreshore rights under the management of the Board of Trade in the 12 months ended 31st December, 1933, was £3,124. The amount derived from annual rents, etc., in respect of foreshore under the management of the Board of Trade during the same period was £14,287 7s. 6d.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any regulations exist that prevent unvaccinated persons from this country entering Palestine with a view to residing in that country?

Section 12 (c) of the Palestine Immigration Regulations of 1933 provides that permission to enter Palestine shall not be granted to any person who, failing to produce evidence of having been successfully vaccinated against small-pox within a period of seven years prior to the date of his arrival, refuses to be vaccinated.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the respective allowances paid in lieu of official quarters to Scottish prison warders who live out of Government quarters; whether the removal allowances as granted to prison officers in England and Wales are withheld from the Scottish officers; if the latter officers are paid on similar rates to the officers in England and Wales; and, in view of the fact that the warders across the border, are civil servants, why is this discrimination made?

The rent allowances payable to prison warders in Scotland who are not provided with official quarters range from 6s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. a week. The rules governing the grant of removal expenses to prison officers on transfer differ in England and Scotland, and those applying to the Scottish service are designed to meet the special conditions obtaining therein. I understand that the main difference is that officers in the Scottish service do not receive a flat rate grant—usually of £5—which is allowed in respect of certain miscellaneous expenses. The answer to the third part of the question is in the affirmative. I shall be prepared to look again into the question of the flat-rate grant on removal and any other points in which it may be represented that there is discrimination.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the minimum and maximum rates of basic pay of a Scottish prison warder before and after the application of the Stanhope Report of 1923; the minimum and maximum basic rates of pay of a prison warder doing duty at the lunatic department, Perth, before and after the application of the said report; what increase of basic pay does a prison warder receive over and above his original basic pay on being posted to the lunatic department; by how much a prison warder's basic rate of pay is reduced on joining the Perth lunatic department;

—				Members of British Commonwealth.			U.S.A.			Japan.
				1914.	1918.	1934.	1914.	1918.	1934.	1914.	1918.	1934.
Capital Ships	…	…	…	69	59	15	33	39	15	16	23	9
Cruisers	…	…	…	108	109	51	38	34	21	37	28	31*
Destroyers	…	…	…	216	433	152	51	110	251	50	73	101
Torpedo Boats	…	…	…	106	94	—	18	17	—	31	24	—
Submarines	…	…	…	74	137	52	31	77	82	13	16	59

—			France.			Italy.
			1914.	1918.	1934.	1914.	1918.	1934
Capital Ships	…	…	26	20	9	14	14	4
Cruisers	…	…	34	29	15	26	17	24
Destroyers	…	…	88	91	73†	33	53	94
Torpedo Boats	…	…	143	121	3	91	16	4
Submarines	…	…	54	63	94	19	78	43
* There are also nine old cruisers classed as Coast Defence or Special Service vessels.
† Includes 24 Large Flotilla Leaders.

and whether, in view of the discontent prevailing amongst members of the Scottish Prison Officers' Representative Board on the official interpretation of paragraph 18 of the said report, he will consider referring the matter to arbitration before the appropriate court?

The minimum and maximum rates of basic pay of prison warders in Scotland (including those in the criminal lunatic department at Perth) before the application of the report of the Stanhope Committee were 29s. and 43s. a week respectively, and as a result of that report the maximum was increased to 45s. a week. These rates carry Civil Service bonus and certain allowances in addition. Under the report of the Stanhope Committee, the special allowance payable to warders serving in the criminal lunatic department was increased to 3s. a week, and warders serving in the prisons on 27th July, 1923, were allowed, in lieu of certain miscellaneous payments, a basic increase of 1s. a week, but these allowances are not payable concurrently to the same officer. Consequently a warder on transfer to the criminal lunatic

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the total number of capital ships, cruisers, destroyers and submarines owned by Great Britain, America, Japan, France and Italy in 1914, 1918 and 1934?

The total numbers of vessels are as follow:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the extent to which foreign labour is employed, both in Gibraltar and Malta, either on Government work or on work for which the Government pays; and whether he is satisfied that such work cannot be done by citizens of the British Empire?

Material for a reply to the first part of the question is not available, but inquiry will be made of the Colonies concerned.