asked the Secretary of State for India what proportion of the first-class mail from India to Great Britain is now sent by air?

The proportion is estimated by the Government of India at 16 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the success of the South African air-mail service for the past two years, he will take steps to secure that the advantages of these air-mail services may be enjoyed by all classes of the community and not confined to that small section which can afford the present high air-mail surcharge rates?

If my hon. Friend refers to air-mail services within and from the Union of South Africa, the matter is one for His Majesty's Government in the Union. If, on the other hand, he refers to air-mail services from this country, he should address his question to my right hon Friend the Postmaster-General.

asked the Secretary to the Overseas Trade Department the approximate total number of visitors to the enlarged 1934 Levant Fair in Palestine; and whether there is any information as to the value of orders obtained there for British goods?

According to a preliminary report received by the Federation of British Industries, over 250,000 persons visited the 1934 Levant Fair in Palestine during the first three weeks. With regard to the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 10th May to the hon. Member for Whitechapel and St. George's (Mr. Janner), to which I have as yet nothing to add.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the commercial treaty with Holland will be signed at an early date?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Colchester (Mr. Lewis) on 29th May.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if he possesses any recent statistics showing the percentage of exclusively foreign trade carried by British ships, the percentage of inter-imperial trade, and the percentage of Empire-foreign trade; and, if so, what these percentages are and from what sources these statistics are derived?

In the case of the United Kingdom and most other countries, the statistics which yield the best estimate of the trade done by ships of different flags are the statistics of the net tonnage of vessels which entered and cleared with cargoes at the ports of a given country in the trade with other countries. From a careful analysis of these figures, in relation to the foreign trade of the countries concerned, it is possible to arrive at a rough estimate of the value of the goods carried by the ships of a given flag. From an estimate which I recently had made on these lines for the year 1931, it would appear that in that year British ships carried about 14 per cent. by value of the trade exclusively between foreign countries, over 90 per cent. of the inter-Imperial trade and about 50 per cent. of the Empire-foreign trade.

asked the Financial Secretary of the Treasury how many tariff applications came before the Import Duties Advisory Committee in the last year; how many decisions were reached; and how many outstanding applications are still to be considered?

As has previously been explained, it is not practicable to answer precisely questions in this form. It is, however, the general practice of the Committee, if and when a case has reached a certain stage, to advertise it. The number of cases concerning modifications of duties which have reached this stage during the past 12 months is 90, of which 56 have already been the subject of definite decisions by the Committee, leaving 34 outstanding.

asked the Minister of Health the number of appeals made to him from the orders of local authorities under the Housing Act, 1925, the Housing Act, 1930, Section 46, and the Town and Country Planning Act, 1932, respectively; and also in each instance the numbers of such appeals which have been successful, partially successful, and unsuccessful, repectively?

I presume that my hon. Friend is referring to the number of cases where, in connection with slum schemes, owners of property have objected to demolition or to acquisition by the local authority at site value only, and to my decisions on those cases after the holding of a public local inquiry, and if that is so, no statistics of the kind he requires are available; nor do I think that the value of such statistics would be commensurate with the labour which would be entailed in obtaining them. The number of appeals made under the Town and Country Planning Act, 1932, and previous Acts and falling to be dealt with under the Act of 1932, up to the end of last month, was 592. Of these 40 were successful, 19 partially successful and 133 unsuccessful. In addition, agreement was reached between the parties to the appeal in 61 cases, and in 154 cases the appeal was not proceeded with.

asked the Minister of Labour if he will make a statement as to the regulations now being enforced by the Ministry of Health in respect to the deduction of 8s. from the transitional benefit of any one occupant of a house where paying guests are taken during the summer; and whether he is satisfied that this policy does not unduly penalise those who have considerable difficulties in making both ends meet at seaside resorts?

I assume that the hon. and gallant Member has in mind the effect on transitional payments of the provision of the Unemployment Insurance Acts under which dependants benefit is not payable in respect of a wife or female person who is engaged in any occupation ordinarily carried on for profit. The position is that the amount of transitional payments is limited by the rate of benefit, including dependants benefit, to which the applicant would otherwise be entitled. If he would not be qualified for dependants benefit, it is not within the power of the local authority to assess transitional payments at a figure higher than the rate of ordinary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs particulars of the contributions in kind made by various States, members of the League of Nations, towards the decoration and furnishing of the new League buildings?

So far as His Majesty's Government are aware, no contributions in kind towards the decoration and furnishing of the new League building have yet been made by States members of the League; nor has any announcement yet been made by the League as to any offers of such contributions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether guardsmen discharged to pension on the Army Reserve forfeit their reserve pay on taking up temporary employment abroad?

This matter is governed by the Royal Warrant for the Pay, etc., of the Army, and I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the relevant Articels.