asked the Home Secretary when he hopes to be in a position to make a statement as to the Government's policy with regard to the registration of dealers in gold and silver articles?

As I stated recently, my Department is in communication with chief officers of police on the subject, but I cannot say at present when I may be in a position to formulate any proposals.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether his attention has been called to the anxiety and risk caused to British shipowners by the fact that, in the event of a collision between British and Russian ships, the Russian vessel enjoys immunity against arrest in a British port by reason of state ownership; and whether any steps have been taken or are in contemplation with a view to securing the interests of British shipping in such circumstances?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. The second part does not, therefore, arise.

Is it not an intolerable position that the vessels of one particular country should enjoy privileges which are not enjoyed by the corresponding vessels of other countries and not enjoyed by British vessels in Russian ports?

So far as I know the question has not arisen.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now state when the Bill will be introduced to deal with the standardisation of the measurement for the sale of ballast, sand, building and other road-making materials?

The proposals put forward by the committee of the British Standards Institution on behalf of the trade interests concerned have given rise to certain difficulties in view of the existing provisions of the Weights and Measures Acts. The Board of Trade are at present engaged in drafting provisions on the subject, but I regret that I cannot say as yet when it may be possible to introduce legislation on the subject.

asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) if his attention has been drawn to the relative importance of ham as against bacon in the Scottish provision trade; and will he give these commodities separate consideration in the course of the application of his power to restrict imports; and

(2) if he is aware of the developing shortage of supplies facing ham curers and the cooked-meat section of the provision trade in Scotland, making probable an increase in unemployment and in prices; and what steps he proposes to take to allow adequate supplies of fresh, frozen, or cured hams to reach these traders pending home pig producers being able to meet the demand?

I am aware of the importance of ham in the Scottish provision trade, and careful consideration has been given to the matter. As regards supplies of frozen pork for curing in this country, arrangements are being made to assign to the United States of America a special allocation for this purpose based upon past trade. An allocation for the same purpose has already been made to Argentina.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether in the arrangement to which he has referred, recognition has been given to the fact that during the War the apportionment was 8 per cent. ham and 15 per cent. bacon, and will the arrangement that is made meet all the requirements of the Scottish provision trade as represented by chambers of commerce to his Department?

I am afraid that I cannot answer without notice the detailed question which has been put to me.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he can now make a statement as to the progress of the negotiations between the Lancashire and Japanese textile interests yesterday?

As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, following a meeting with the Japanese delegation yesterday morning, the United Kingdom delegation stated in a Press communiqué that they had found it impossible to reach a basis for discussion and that nothing remained for them but to report this result to His Majesty's Government, at whose instance the meetings had taken place. The delegation reported accordingly yesterday afternoon. It will be remembered that these negotiations were arranged as a result of discussions between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Japan. That being so, it becomes necessary now for the two Governments to review the situation that arises as a result of the breakdown. I have accordingly arranged to see the Japanese Ambassador forthwith. It would be premature to make any further statement at the present time.

Is it not a fact that these negotiations have been carried on for about 11 months and have the Government made up their mind as to their policy in dealing with matters connected with these negotiations, which have never, as a matter of fact, really began at all? [Interruption.] In view of the unsatisfactory reply, I beg to give notice that I will raise this matter upon the Adjournment at the earliest possible date.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Food Council or the Consumers' Committee has reported any instances of profiteering in the retail price of bacon or meat; and whether proceedings were taken against any profiteer during the last 12 months?

The answer to both parts of the question is in the negative. There is no power to take proceedings of the kind indicated by my hon. and learned Friend.

Is the increase in the retail price of bacon in any way due to the operation of the quota system against Denmark?

I am afraid I could not answer that question without notice.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he will institute an inquiry into the possibility of giving encouragement to the industry of manufacturing paper from Norfolk reeds?

The possibility of the use of Norfolk reeds for paper making has recently been considered by the Imperial Institute in conjunction with representatives of the Norfolk reed growers, the technical section of the Paper Makers' Association, the Rural Industries Bureau, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. I understand that the technical difficulties have not yet been overcome.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the facts disclosed in recent cases concerning the canvassing methods adopted by certain vendors of vacuum cleaners and other merchandise, he will state what further steps it is intended to take to put an end to those practices?

My attention has not been drawn to the cases referred to by my hon. Friend. If he will furnish particulars, I shall be prepared to give the matter consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the values of cotton blankets, quilts, counterpanes, and other bed coverings of cotton imported into this country in the year 1933 and the corresponding imports in the year 1932?

The total declared value of cotton quilts, counterpanes and other bed coverings, including cotton blankets, imported into the United Kingdom, was £42,875 in 1933, and £77,462 in 1932.

asked the Home Secretary the estimated cost for police protection and control in respect of the unemployed marchers?

A large number of police were employed in connection with the visit of the hunger marchers to London, and they were obtained mainly by depleting beats and suspending other normal police duties. The actual expenditure incurred in London consisted of overtime pay, refreshment allowances, and travelling, the estimated cost of which was about £2,000.

In view of this very heavy expenditure to the taxpayer, can nothing be done to prevent the unemployed being exploited in this manner?

asked the Attorney-General whether his attention has been drawn to a statement in the "Daily Express" of the 14th March, giving the names of Mr. Herbert Morrison and Mr. Alexander as having voted for dole cuts in the late Labour Cabinet, and proposing to give the names of the other 10 who voted for a similar policy; and if he proposes to institute proceedings under the Official Secrets Acts against this paper?

Surely, this is a question which the Attorney-General should be present to answer?

Notice was given last night.

Surely there is something very badly wrong if the Attorney-General cannot be here?

With your permission, Sir, seeing that the Solicitor-General is now present, might we ask for an answer to the question of my hon. Friend the Member for Shettleston (Mr. McGovern)?

I have only just come into the House, and have no knowledge of the question, and, therefore, cannot possibly answer it. I can only convey to the House and to the hon. Member who asked the question, knowing nothing of the circumstances, the apology which I am sure my right hon. and learned Friend would be anxious should be expressed. He is in court. That is the whole explanation of how the trouble has arisen. That is all I can say.

I accept that. The question was sent in at a late hour last night, and may have been overlooked. I will put it down for Monday.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is prepared to take steps to meet the representations of the Ogmore and Garw Urban District Council for a reduction in the weekly rental of council houses?

The representations of the urban district council with regard to the rents of 1919 Act houses have been fully considered, and I am satisfied that, having regard to the Statutory Rules governing these rents for the purpose of determining the amount of Exchequer subsidy, there is no ground for a reduction in the present rental income.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of the houses owned by this council are vacant because of the high rentals, and does he not appreciate that something ought to be done?

I need not assure the hon. Member that all the circumstances of the case received consideration.

asked the Minister of Health when the inquiry into the Collyhurst slum-clearance area in Manchester will take place?

The town council have not yet submitted to me any order in connection with the Collyhurst clearance area, and until that has been done the date of the inquiry cannot be fixed.

May I ask what is the limit of time within which they must submit the scheme?

I am afraid I must ask my hon. Friend for notice in order to verify the date.

asked the Minister of Health if he has now been able to set up the further committees for regional areas, in order completely to cover the whole country; and, if not, when he will be in a position to announce this piece of organisation of water supply?

Measures have been taken for the appointment at an early date of two additional regional committees covering large areas. The subcommittee of the Advisory Committee on Water is actively engaged in considering what further regions are suitable for the formation of committees.

Will these committees have any statutory authority at all, or merely act in an advisory capacity?

These committees are set up in accordance with statutory provisions.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the reasons for the different wording of birth certificates at the beginning of the century and now; why some or all of the earlier birth certificates contained the name of the person whom they concerned whereas the later birth certificates merely give a number and the sex of the person whose birth is registered; and whether, in view of the fact that a birth certificate is essential to most people, including the unemployed, and payment has to be made for it, he will consider reverting to the earlier form of certificate which gave all the information of identity required?

There has never been any change in the wording of birth certificates in England and Wales, which, as certified copies of an entry in the birth register, have always contained the full particulars as registered in accordance with the law. If my hon. Friend has in mind the "certificate of registry," the form of which was revised some four years ago, this is an entirely different document, issued purely as an acknowledgment that the statutory duty of registering a birth has been discharged. For unemployment insurance and numerous other purposes arising out of social legislation birth certificates containing full particulars are obtainable at the special cheap rate of sixpence.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the increase or decrease in the Civil Estimates for 1934, as compared with those for 1931, omitting from the former the provision for transitional benefit which in 1931 was being defrayed out of borrowed money?

I am sending my hon. Friend an extract from the Budget speech of last April in which I explained the difficulties of taking any Estimates for 1931 as a basis for comparison with subsequent years. The main difficulty of course is that the original Civil Estimates for 1931 proved unsound and had to be revised within a few months. I would also remind my hon. Friend that the sums amounting to £39,610,000 which were borrowed on account of unemployment in 1931 were not in respect of transitional benefit but of insurance benefit. If these sums are added to the original Civil Estimates for 1931 which included £30,000,000 for transitional payments the total is £357,421,992. The total for 1934, which includes £45,830,000 in respect of transitional payments, is £335,603,157. But no useful comparison of these two figures can be made for the reason which I have already given.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will furnish an estimate of the aggregate savings of the inhabitants of the United Kingdom in national savings certificates, in all savings banks, building societies, approved societies under national health insurance, provident societies, the funds of industrial insurance companies, and all other similar registered forms of thrift in relation to which statistics are published by Government Departments?

As the answer contains a great number of figures I will, with my hon. Friend's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Can the right hon. Gentleman state from memory the amount of profit which the Government made out of the people's money invested in the Post Office Savings Bank?

No, Sir.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether any account is kept of assessments found to be excessive on legal grounds after the signing of the statutory certificates; and, if so, what was the sum involved in the last year?

The only information available on the subject which I understand that my hon. Friend has in mind is that furnished by the Comptroller and Auditor-General in his Report on the Appropriation Accounts of the Revenue Department. My hon. Friend will find certain figures for the year to end of October, 1932, in paragraph 6 of the Comptroller and Auditor-General's Report for the year 1932 which was recently published as a White Paper.

Can my hon. Friend give more details in the OFFICIAL REPORT of this large sum of £8,736,000?

I do not quite follow what my hon. Friend means by details. The figure to which he has referred is in the publication mentioned as the total figure.

Can my hon. Friend give some further information about this large figure?

I will endeavour to give my hon. Friend any information which he particularises that he desires.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is now satisfied that a sufficient number of suitable pigs required for the bacon scheme will be forthcoming; and whether he is making any additional announcement on the subject?

I have not yet been furnished with final figures of the pigs contracted to be delivered to curers during the current period, but I hope to be in a position to announce the figures in a few days.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that, owing to the operation of the pig marketing scheme, many pig curers have been obliged to put their men on short time owing to the inability of the board to supply pigs; and if he will consider raising the restriction on foreign imports of pigs in order to increase employment among and supply bacon to people of this country?

As regards the first part of the question, I do not think I can usefully add to what I said in the reply I gave to a similar question by the hon. Member on 8th March. I am satisfied that the confirmation of the contracts submitted for registration is being dealt with expeditiously by the Pigs Marketing Board. As regards the last part of the question, I think the hon. Member must be under some misapprehension. The importation of pigs into this country from foreign countries has been prohibited for many years under the Diseases of Animals Acts in view of the danger of introduction of foot-and-mouth disease. I could not entertain any proposal for the removal of these restrictions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of his recent announcement with regard to the disposal of the surplus milk supply, he will make the same concession of cheap milk to hospitals as he proposes to do in the case of schools?

As indicated in the statement which I made on the 22nd February, it will be for the Milk Marketing Boards to frame proposals for expenditure from the milk publicity fund. The approved programme is required to contain, inter alia, provision for the supply of milk to schools at reduced rates, so that it will be open to the boards to consider other suggestions such as that put forward by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the difficulty of the members of the Woden Allotment Association, Wolverhampton, in obtaining allotments; and whether he will take steps to assist the Corporation of Wolverhampton to make provision as required on as permanent a basis as possible?

I am inquiring into the circumstances mentioned by the hon. Member and will inform him of the result as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that eggs were selling for 8d. a dozen in Devonshire last week; and whether he proposes to take any immediate action to secure a remunerative price to producers?

I am aware of the low prices at present ruling in the egg market. As my hon. and gallant Friend will be aware, the question whether the existing Customs duties on foreign eggs should be supplemented by a measure of supply regulation has been the subject of careful consideration by the Market Supply Committee. In the light of the Committee's recommendation and having regard to all the circumstances, the Government do not propose to embark on any long-term plan for dealing with the supply situation at this stage, particularly as a Reorganisation Commission has that question before it. In view, however, of the rapid expansion of the home industry, the situation would be gravely prejudiced if the recent marked increases in imports were to continue. In order, therefore, to hold the situation for the time being, the Governments of the exporting countries concerned are being asked in the general interest to make every effort to ensure that their exports to this market during the period beginning to-day and ending on 14th September next, do not exceed the figures of the corresponding period last year. The Government have every hope of securing a favourable response.

Does that apply to the Dominions?

Oh, no, simply to foreign countries.

Is any request being made to the Dominions to make a corresponding decrease?

I am afraid that is a separate point, of which I should require notice.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a very large number of eggs come from Australia?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the present low price of eggs and the large importation of eggs from foreign countries, he will take immediate steps to prevent foreign eggs being sold as new laid?

I would remind my hon. and gallant Friend that since all foreign eggs are either marked with the word "foreign" or with a direct indication of the country of origin on the shell, consumers are enabled to form their own opinion as to the value of the description "New Laid" as applied to such eggs. In any case I think that there is little doubt that the question can reasonably be left to the consideration of the Reorganisation Commission for Eggs and Poultry.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when the commission will deal with it?

I cannot say. It will be a matter of at least a couple of months, I should think.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that, in spite of the restrictions imposed, there has been practically no increase in the wholesale price of beef; and whether he proposes to take any further action in the immediate future to secure a remunerative price to producers?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. With regard to the immediate future, the rate of reduction in imports of foreign frozen meat in the coming quarter will be increased to 35 per cent., and I hope to arrange a rather larger reduction in imports of foreign chilled beef than in the same quarter of 1933. The question of the number of fat cattle to be admitted from the Irish Free State is under consideration. As my hon. and gallant Friend will be aware, the present low level of prices is partly due to a heavy rate of marketing from home sources. The situation will be re-examined in the light of the report of the Fatstock Commission, which I expect shortly to receive.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, in view of the heavy supplies of home-grown potatoes at low prices and of the efforts now being made by the newly-constituted Potato Marketing Board to find a satisfactory market for these supplies, the Government will drastically reduce the imports of early potatoes, especially from Spain?

I am not at present in a position to add to my reply of 1st March to the hon. and gallant Member for Barkston Ash (Colonel Ropner), of which I am sending my right hon. and gallant Friend a copy.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that growers are seriously alarmed about the situation?

Yes, Sir, but, as my right hon. and gallant Friend knows, in the first three months the imports of early potatoes are not very large.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that early potatoes are produced in Spain at least two months earlier than they can be in this country?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can state the consumption of milk and milk products in terms of liquid milk in 1933 and 1929 respectively; and what percentage was produced in the United Kingdom in each year respectively?

I am circulating in the OFFICIAL REPORT a statement giving the desired information.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air whether he is in a position to make a statement as to the present intention with regard to the removal of the airport from Croydon and its establishment in the West of London outside the fog area; and what estimate has been formed of the probable cost?

There is no such intention. The aerodrome at Croydon was retained and developed as the Government-owned Airport of London after an exhaustive examination of alternative sites, and no new circumstances have arisen which would necessitate a change.

Would it be possible for my right hon. Friend to see that a denial is given in the paper which published the report?

They will see my answer.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Air if he is now in a position to make a statement with regard to the desirability of providing a British commercial air-service to China; and whether, in view of the anxiety of the Manchester chamber of commerce, and other British trade organisations, that such facilities should be available at the earliest possible date, he will ensure that there shall be no delay on account of the need for assistance, financially or otherwise?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to add to the reply which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend so recently as 8th February last.

Can my right hon. Friend say when he hopes to be in a position to make a statement?

The whole matter is under active consideration, and parts two and three of the question will be specially borne in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport when he will be in a position to introduce legislation to reduce road accidents?

My hon. Friend hopes to introduce a Bill on this subject before Easter.

Is the hon. and gallant Gentleman aware that the public are looking to the Minister of Transport to act quickly in this matter and will he take action as soon as possible?

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the financial strain upon voluntary hospitals caused by treating persons injured by motor accidents on the highways, he will introduce a short Bill compelling insurance companies which cover third-party risks to pay adequate remuneration to the hospitals for their services in these cases?

The Road and Rail Traffic Act, which has just come into operation, amended the provisions of the Road Traffic Act of 1930 in regard to payments to hospitals and it would, I think, be premature to consider further amending legislation now.

asked the Postmaster-General what reply he has made to the copy of a letter from nine pensioners complaining about the shortage of cash at the Post Office at Lemreway, Lewis, whereby they were kept four or five days before they received payments; and will he say when he proposes to remedy this state of affairs?

As I only received the copy of the letter in question yesterday, I am not yet in a position to reply; but I am having inquiry made into the complaint and will let my hon. Friend know the result as soon as possible.

asked the Postmaster-General whether all motor vehicles now owned or controlled by his Department are of British manufacture?

All motor vehicles owned by the Post Office are of British manufacture, though 153 out 8,676 contain a small percentage of foreign components. All the principal mail contractors use vans of British manufacture. Precise particulars of the vehicles employed on the numerous minor contract mail services in the provinces are not available, but so far as I am aware such vehicles are mostly of British origin.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he will consider extending the arrangements which he has just announced for an evening delivery of letters in certain towns adjoining the London postal area to all towns throughout the country with a population exceeding 100,000?

I have considered this question, but no not propose at present to extend the late delivery to towns throughout the country.