asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that any revival of our foreign trade must depend largely on long or short credits given by us abroad, he will supply a list of those countries which have, since 1st January, 1930, met punctually all their contractual obligations to British creditors on external loans?

Following is a list of those foreign countries which have, according to the information in my possession, since 1st January, 1930, met punctually all their contractual obligations to British creditors on Governmental loans issued in the London market.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to announce the terms of the Government's land drainage scheme for next year?

Provision of assistance from public funds amounting to £16,150 is included for drainage services in the Estimates of the Department of Agriculture for Scotland for the next financial year.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury if he is aware that foreign poultry is shipped into British passage ships at Liverpool and Southampton ex-bond for consumption outside the three-mile limit; and if he will consider taking measures to put an end to this practice?

I am aware that foreign poultry, in common with other dutiable stores, is allowed to be shipped duty free for use on the voyage in the case of vessels proceeding from this country to foreign parts. The general practice in this respect is authorised by law and is of very long standing. I see no reason to take any discriminatory action as regards foreign poultry as suggested.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men, women, boys and girls, respectively, who have been placed in employment by the various Employment Exchanges in the county of Lanark during each of the years 1931, 1932 and 1933, and the number in each of the years that renewed registration on account of having been employed temporarily.

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 1st March, 1934, column 1243, Vol. 286] supplied the following information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider imposing a duty upon co-operative societies similar in character, or equivalent in yield, to the Stamp Duty of one-half of 1 per cent. upon their authorised capital paid by limited liability companies upon incorporation?

I am afraid that the only reply which I can give my hon. Friend is, that in this, as in all other fiscal matters, my right hon. Friend cannot anticipate his Budget statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that the staff at His Majesty's Statistical Office, Endell Street, were refused permission to leave their premises in order to observe the Two Minutes' Silence on Armistice Day: and will he ensure that proper facilities are granted to them for this purpose in future?

It has been the practice for many years past in the Statistical Office of the Customs and Excise to grant facilities to members of the staff desiring to attend a particular service or ceremony outside the office in connection with the Two Minutes' Silence on Armistice Day, and it was only in certain cases last year, where no reason at all for desiring to go outside the office was given, that requests for leave of absence had to be refused.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can give an estimate of the approximate sum of money which was lost to this country in the last four years owing to the refusal of licences for export of munitions of all kinds to foreign countries?

I regret that I am unable to give such an estimate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that the Pig Marketing Board have inserted a condition in their contracts for the purchase of pigs from farmers that the transport of all pigs included in the contract for any distance over five miles from the curer's premises shall be performed by a railway company or their agents; and under what authority the Pig Marketing Board are enabled to impose such a condition on farmers, requiring them to use a specified form of transport?

The terms of the contracts in relation to the transport of pigs have been prescribed by the Pigs Marketing Board in exercise of their powers under paragraph 39 of the Pigs Marketing Scheme, 1933, which empowers the board to prescribe, after consultation with the Bacon Marketing Board, all the terms on which and the form in which contracts for the sale of pigs by registered producers to curers shall be made. In prescribing the term of the contract relating to the transport of pigs the board have followed the recommendation of the Reorganisation Commission for Pigs and Pig Products.