asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are his proposals as to the promotion of S-class clerks to the clerical class in the Department of Health for Scotland; and will be consent to receive a deputation from the London headquarters of the representatives of the men concerned upon the matter;

The authorised establishment of clerical officers in the Department since 1932 has been 230. The number of established officers actually serving is 192, and in addition 18 S-class clerks and one temporary clerk perform routine work appropriate to junior members of the clerical grade. Looking to the fluctuations that have occurred in the volume of certain blocks of work of a temporary nature in the Department, it has so far been considered desirable to maintain a reasonable margin between the authorised and actual establishments in order to avoid redundancy. An increase in the number of established clerical officers is, however, contemplated in connection with developments in the Housing Division of the Department and the claims of S-class clerks for promotion will receive consideration along with the claims of other eligible officers. In these circumstances, I do not think that a meeting such as is suggested is necessary meantime.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office the reason for employing girl writing assistants in the Scottish Command Headquarters to the exclusion of ex-service men?

No girl writing assistants are employed at the Scottish Command Headquarters.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he will explain the necessity for retaining a Scottish Command of 38 staff officers, in view of the small number of troops stationed in Scotland?

The retention of the existing staff in the Scottish Command is necessary to deal efficiently with training and administration. In addition to Regular troops, two Territorial Army divisions are administered and trained in this Command.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs how many nations have accepted the recommendation of the League of Nations in favour of the abolition of forced labour; which nations have accepted; and which have not yet answered?

I have been asked to reply. I assume that the hon. Member refers to the Convention concerning Forced or Compulsory Labour adopted by the International Labour Conference in 1930 and to the recommendation on the subject adopted by the same conference. The Convention was ratified by His Majesty's Government in 1931, and, according to my latest information, the following countries have also ratified it: Australia, Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Irish Free State, Japan, Liberia, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden and Yugoslavia. The recommendation, has been accepted by His Majesty's Government, but I have no information as to its acceptance by other countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the total number of persons who accompanied the Lord Privy Seal to Geneva on 10th April, on behalf of the British Government, including Foreign Office, naval, military, and air advisers, and their attendant secretaries and typists?

The Lord Privy Seal was accompanied by the Secretary and Assistant-Secretary of the Delegation, a Press Officer, four Service Advisers, and a secretarial, typing and messenger staff of 12 persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he can now state the names of the countries which have signed and ratified the convention relating to the international status of refugees; and whether it is now in operation?

According to the latest information received, the convention relating to the international status of refugees has been signed by Belgium, Egypt, France, Bulgaria and Norway, each signature having been given with numerous reservations. None of these countries has ratified the convention, which is consequently not in operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the importance of North China to British trade and the existence of British undertakings in that area, he has any information as to the extent to which further economic penetration of the district is being planned by the Japanese Government?

My hon. and gallant Friend the Secretary of the Department of Overseas Trade receives at intervals reports upon the economic condition of North China as upon other parts of that country. I would, in particular, draw my hon. and gallant Friend's attention to the annex on trading conditions in Manchuria appended to the "Report on Trade and Economic Conditions in China" published by His Majesty's Stationery Office in December last.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will lay upon the Table of the House the text of the Note recently received from the Chinese Government referring to the Treaty of Tientsin of 1858 and the commercial treaty of 1902, together with any relevant information relating thereto?

The substance of the Note mentioned was given in the reply made to my hon. Friend on 19th March, and the publication of the full text, which would require the assent of the Chinese Government, would add nothing to the information already given. I would not therefore propose to lay the text upon the Table of the House. The nature of the reply to be returned to the Chinese Government is now under consideration in consultation with the Departments of His Majesty's Government concerned, and until this consultation is completed it is not possible for me to make any statement regarding its terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement as to the extent to which political relations are now to be involved in the Anglo-Japanese commercial negotiations; and whether he will give an assurance that the House will be informed at the earliest date before we enter into further political commitments of any sort in the Far East?

There is no intention to introduce political questions into any discussions on commercial matters, and no question of further political commitments arises.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if the Army Council consider British lady nurses of the Queen Alexandra's Military Nursing Service for India ineligible for appointment to the post of chief principal matron, at Army headquarters, India; and if appointments to the post are to be confined, for the future, to British lady nurses of the Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service?

Members of both the British and the Indian Nursing Services are eligible for the post in question, and the appointment is made on the merits of the candidates from either Service on each occasion.

asked the Minister of Labour whether anything can be done to assist the British Executive Employment Society, of 133, Oxford Street, which is attempting to find work for men of good technical and administrative experience?

As stated in reply to the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Smithers) on 20th December, 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.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of persons on the means test in Lancashire at the latest date on which figures are available; the number in receipt of full payments; the number in receipt of part

asked the Home Secretary if he will issue a return of the number of convictions for drunkenness in the Metropolitan Police area for each month during the years 1932 and 1933?

asked the Home Secretary the numbers and names of the benches of magistrates to which he has sent a letter asking for suggestions as to amendments to the road laws for the prevention of road accidents; whether all the replies have now been received; and whether the recommendations will be dealt with in the Road Traffic Bill already introduced or in separate legislation?

The circular in question was addressed to 62 chairmen of county quarter sessions and to 255 mayors of boroughs having separate Commissions of the Peace: in a number of cases a

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th April, 1934, col. 460, Vol. 288], supplied the following statement:

The following statement shows the number of convictions in the Metropolitan Police district for drunkenness—whether alone or at the same time as convictions for other more serious offences—in each month of the years 1932 and 1933:reply is not yet to hand. The circular asked for the collective views of the justices on two points, namely, first as to the advisability of amending the law so as to allow a court to suspend the licence of a driver on conviction of careless driving, or of exceeding a speed limit, even if there have been no previous convictions, and secondly, as to any difficulties which magistrates might have felt in exercising the power of suspension where it already exists. Apart from answers on these specific points, the replies have included various suggestions designed to promote safety on the roads. These are being considered, and some of them are covered by the Bill now before Parliament.

asked the Home Secretary (1) whether, in view of the difficulty and expense experienced by prisoners committed for trial by magisterial courts in Kent in connection with the preparation of their defence by their legal representatives because such prisoners while on remand are kept in London prisons, he will arrange that for the future they shall be remanded to the Kent county prison at Maidstone;(2) whether, in view of the importance that the representatives of the Kent branch of the Prisoners Aid Society who visit prisoners while serving their sentences should subsequently remain in touch with them, he will consider the desirability of arranging that short-term Kentish prisoners shall serve their sentences at the Kent county prison, Maid-stone, instead of at London prisons as at present?

The considerations to which the hon. Member refers were fully reviewed when the present arrangements in regard to Maidstone Prison were made. They would be applicable to many other local prisons, but in this matter it is necessary to have regard to wider considerations of policy, and I regret that I cannot hold out any hope that it will be possible to arrange for the classes of Kent prisoners referred to to be located in Maidstone Prison.

asked the Home Secretary the present condition of the health of ex-prison officer G. H. Lewis, who had his skull injured in the Dartmoor riots and who is now confined in a mental home?

I regret to say that the report which I have obtained does not indicate any improvement in ex-officer Lewis's condition.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether his attention has been called to the fact that the coast erosion at Blundellsands is becoming more acute after each gale; and whether any assistance can be given by the Government to prevent its continuance;(2) whether, in view of the difficulties in making progress with legislation to deal with the problem of coast erosion in this country and the need for protective schemes on various parts of the coast, he will consider the desirability of arranging for substantial Government grants to be available for all necessary and agreed schemes for this purpose?

I have been asked to reply. A number of coast erosion problems are closely allied with problems of land drainage, and therefore come within the purview of catchment area authorities constituted under the Land Drainage Act, 1930. So far as this is the case, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture is prepared, within the limited resources at his disposal, to consider for a Government grant, any scheme of an urgent character submitted by a catchment board. With regard to the specific case raised by my hon. and gallant Friend, Blundellsands is situated within the River Alt catchment area and the coast erosion in this district is attributed to the course of the river being almost at the foot of the sandhills. Various schemes have been considered for many years past for the improvement of the Alt outfall, but the cost has been prohibitive. The catchment board now have a further scheme under consideration in connection with which it is understood that they contemplate applying for a Government grant under Section 55 of the Land Drainage Act, 1930. Due consideration will be given to the board's application as soon as details of the scheme are available.