asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the external trade of Great Britain was done with Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Newfoundland, India, and Ireland in the years 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933, or the latest completed year?

The following statement shows the trade of the United Kingdom with each of the undermentioned British countries expressed as a proportion of the aggregate trade of the United Kingdom during each of the years 1929 to 1933.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what percentage of the external trade of Great Britain was done with Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Newfoundland, India, and Ireland in the years 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933, or the latest completed year?

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether negotiations have been opened with Persia for the purpose of preparing a trade agreement; and, if so, if he will state the progress made in such negotiations?

The answer is in the negative.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Import Duties Advisory Board have now made a recommendation to the Government

The following statement shows the trade of the United Kingdom with each of the undermentioned British countries expressed as a proportion of the aggregate trade of the United Kingdom during each of the years 1929 to 1933.regarding the continuation of the import duties at present levied on iron and steel; and, if so, what action the Government propose to take?

A report from the Import Duties Advisory Committee on the iron and steel duties has now been received and is being considered by the Government.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will state the number of foreign workers entering and obtaining work in this country during 1933, and the number who had been in work and left the country during the same period?

The exact particulars asked for are not available, but I would refer my hon. Friend to the Home Office statistics as to the total number of foreigners entering and leaving this country. During 1933 permission to take employment in this country was given to 9,939 foreigners, in most cases for a period of under 12 months.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he will state the number of His Majesty's ships and establishments in which the canteens are run on the tenant system; whether any of the tenants are not British subjects; and whether it is intended to supplant all tenants in favour of the Navy, Army and Air Force Institute?

The number of His Majesty's ships and naval establishments in which the canteens are conducted on the tenant system is 26, i.e., one on the New Zealand Station and 25 on the China Station. The tenancies are held respectively by a New Zealand firm and by Chinese firms established in Hong Kong. There is no intention at present to replace these tenant canteens with canteens conducted by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty if he can state the number of men employed in Chatham, Portsmouth and Devonport dockyards, respectively, on 31st March, 1933; the number of men discharged or invalided since that date; and the number employed in these yards at the latest available date?

The numbers of workpeople employed in all departments in the three dockyards named on the 31st March, 1933, and the 7th April, 1934 (the latest date for which figures are available) were :—

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the fact that nine men in Portsmouth Dockyard have recently been de-graded from welders to burners and had their pay reduced from 47s. per week to 39s. per week, and two men who had been receiving 44s. per week as burners and who had recently been raised to the rate of 47s. per week after qualifying as welders have had their pay similarly reduced to 39s. per week; and whether he can state what steps were taken to discuss this change with any associations representing Admiralty industrial employés before it was made?

The men concerned were all previously employed as welders. Owing to a falling off in acetylene welding work they were offered and accepted acetylene burning work at the appropriate wages. The procedure followed was in accordance with the dockyard regulations and there was no occasion for consulting any association of Admiralty employés beforehand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture what steps he has taken to expedite the Report of the re-organisation commission on the egg industry; and if he can state when the report can he expected?

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the reply given on 26th April to a question on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Gillingham (Sir R. Gower), to which my right hon. Friend has nothing to add.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether, as a result of the restriction of the import of eggs from certain countries to the United Kingdom, there are any indications yet that other countries which do not normally export eggs to Great Britain are now commencing to do so; and, if so, whether he can state what the policy of his Department is with regard to limiting such importations?

There are indications that increased quantities of eggs may be exported from Turkey, whose supplies to the United Kingdom in recent years have been negligible. Steps have been taken to bring to the notice of the Turkish Government the proposals recently made for the limitation of imports during the six months to 14th September next and to invite their co-operation.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he can state the increase in wheat acreage which has taken place in each of the counties in England and Scotland since the wheat quota was imposed; and whether he can give the deficiency payments which have been made in each of these countries?

The Wheat Act, 1932, no doubt had some effect in increasing the acreage planted to wheat for the 1932 crop as compared with the 1931 crop, and a still greater effect in the following year. Details of acreages by counties form a lengthy tables of figures, which I am sending to my hon. Friend. Figures for countries are as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he will state, in view of the fact that the ascertained bacon requirements of the country according to the Lane-Fox Commission were placed at 10,670,000 cwts. a year, to what extent these requirements have been or appear likely to be fulfilled for the second contract period from 1st March to 31st December, 1934?

The arrangements made for the current contract period provide for total supplies of bacon and hams in the United Kingdom at the annual rate recommended by the Lane-Fox Commission, and my right hon. Friend has every reason to believe that those arrangements will be observed in practice.