asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware of the proposal to use the Sea of Galilee as a reservoir in connection with the electrical works now in course of construction on the banks of the Jordan a few miles south of the lake, and that this will involve the reducing of the level of the lake by nine feet or more at certain periods and the raising of its level by a similar amount at other periods; and whether he will make immediate representations to the Palestine Government in order to stop the desecration of a lake which has such sacred associations for all Christians?

The concession which was granted to the Palestine Electric Corporation in 1926 permits the company to employ and use Lake Tiberias as a reservoir for the storage of water and provides that it shall be lawful for the company to dam up the water in Lake Tiberias to a maximum level and to draw off the water to a minimum level as may be agreed upon between the High Commissioner and the company. I have no information as to the effect on the level of the lake of the works which are now in course of construction, but I will make inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies for what reason financial assistance is given to the Arab religious courts in Palestine but not to the rabbinical courts or to the other religious courts of communities in that mandated territory; and whether, in view of the fact that all communities contribute to the revenue of Palestine, he is satisfied that the present arrangements are equitable?

At the time of the British occupation of Pales- tine the Moslem religious courts were part of the judicial system of the country, and have continued to be maintained as such; expenditure being debited and revenue being credited to public funds. The rabbinical courts and the religious courts of the Christian communities, though recognised, were not maintained by the State in Turkish times and this position has been maintained under the British administration. Correspondence is in progress with the High Commissioner for Palestine regarding a request from the General Council of the Jewish community for the grant of a subsidy towards the cost of the rabbinical courts and I shall give this matter full consideration when the High Commissioner's final recommendations on the subject are received.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the negotiations now proceeding for a Spanish-French commercial treaty, and that in these negotiations the French Government are endeavouring to secure a quota of 20 per cent. of the total imports of motor cycles into Spain, a figure largely in excess of their present imports; and whether, in view of the present high import duty of 2.70 gold pesetas per kilo now in force, he will take immediate steps to safeguard the position of British manufacturers of motor cycles'?

I am aware of the position as described by the hon. Member; steps are being taken with a view to safeguarding the export of United Kingdom motor cycles to Spain.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of men under 21 and over 21, respectively, under instruction at training centres, official and unofficial, and at instructional centres at the latest date for which records have been compiled; the average cost per head and the number of such centres; and the number of vacancies now existing?

The figures for training centres and instructional centres at

Type of Centre.	Number of Centres.	Number of men in training.			Unfilled Capacity of Centres. (Places).
		Under 21.	Over 21.	Total.
Training Centre	8	1,080	1,005	2,085	1,105
Instructional Centre	12*	652	1,446	2,098	322†
* Three more centres have now been opened providing 600 additional places. Two additional centres and 15 tented camps are proposed, providing 2,750 additional places.
† Figures affected by incidence of Easter holidays.

The estimated cost per man per week at training centres in the current financial year is 30s. 8d. exclusive of travelling expenses, capital charges and the amount of any insurance benefit or transitional payments to which the trainee is entitled. The corresponding cost at instructional centres is 11s. 6d.The Department also has arrangements with two outside bodies for the provision of training for unemployed men. In one case 12 men are being trained as cooks on a fee-per-head basis, the overall cost to the Department being about 34s. per head per week, exclusive of insurance benefit or transitional payments; in the other case four centres run by the Hedingham Training and Employment Scheme (Boy Scouts' Association}, accommodating about 96 men are assisted by a contribution at the rate of 25s. per head per week for running expenses, plus 90 per cent. of the approved capital expenditure.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the limited supplies of oil fuel in the British Empire and the dependence of the Royal Navy upon oil fuel, he was consulted before an American company was permitted to acquire and operate an oil concession in the British territory of the Bahrein Islands?

Bahrein is not British territory. The Sheikh of Bahrein is an independent ruler in special treaty relationships with His Majesty's Government which preclude the grant of an oil concession save with their

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can now state what was the result of his inquiry into the differences in practice at the several dockyards in the manner of giving credit for acting service in a higher grade to certain hired industrial employes when they are subsequently confirmed in the higher situation?

The matter-is still under consideration, and I shall communicate the result to my hon. Friend as soon as a decision has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the continued infractions of the minorities treaties by the Polish Government when dealing with the Ukrainian minority; whether any petitions have been received by the League of Nations from Ukrainians during the past six months; and whether His Majesty's Government will take any action under the provisions of the treaty between the British Empire, other countries, and Poland, which was signed at Versailles on 28th June, 1919, and came into force on 10th January, 1920, and the various resolutions which have subsequently been adopted by the Council of the League of Nations concerning the treatment of minorities?

No petitions in connection with the Ukrainian minority in Poland have been circulated by the League during the last six months, but one such petition was circulated in September, 1933, and is being treated in accordance with the usual League procedure.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government have been informed of the details of the new Reform of the Constitution Bill, introduced by the Polish Government, which deprives many Ukrainians of their constitutional rights and prevent any Ukrainian from sitting in the Senate; 'and whether, seeing that this action is contrary to the conditions laid down by the decision of the conference of Ambassadors of 15th March, 1923, by which Poland was only allowed to remain in occupation of Eastern Galicia provided that an autonomous regime was set up, he will state whether His Majesty's Government intend to take any steps in this matter?

I am aware that a Bill for the Reform of the Constitution has been introduced by the Polish Government, but its terms are still under discussion in the Polish Parliament, and the second part of the question therefore does not 'arise. The hon. Member should not assume, however, that I admit the accuracy of the statements contained in his question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the financial yield of the extra 6s. tax which was imposed on British sparkling wines in last year's Budget; and what was the extra cost imposed on the Department responsible in collecting it?

The yield of the additional 6s. duty was approximately £12,700 up to 31st March last; no appreciable additional cost of collection was involved.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury how many copies of the evidence given before the Departmental Committees on Industrial Assurance of 1920 and 1933, respectively, have been issued to Members of Parliament, distributed free in other ways, and sold to the public; and at what price?

The evidence given before the Departmental Committee on Industrial Assurance in 1920 was published in one volume at 3s.; 225 copies were issued to Members of Parliament, 195 copies were distributed free in other ways, and 770 copies were sold to the public. The 1933 evidence was issued in 18 parts. On the average five copies were taken by Members of Parliament, 55 copies were taken by Government Departments, etc., and 604 copies were sold. The price per part varied from 9d. to 5s.