asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that the present policy of certain provincial Governments in India in cheapening the price of country liquor in the coal area and in increasing the number of grog shops, contrary to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Labour, is having a bad effect on the moral, physical, and economic conditions of the mine workers; and whether he will consider taking steps to secure the abolition of the putstill system and a reduction in the number of grog shops?

As the hon. Member is aware, the control of the internal liquor traffic rests with the provincial Governments. The action taken by those Governments on the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Labour up to the end of 1933 is described in the progress reports that have been placed in the Library. I will ask the Government of India to include in the 1934 report more detailed information on the action taken on the recommendations on the matters referred to in the hon. Member's question.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware of the very serious view taken by Indian Labour, both workers and employers, in regard to the considerable increase in the consumption of intoxicating liquor; and has he been informed of the resolution passed by the Mine Workers Association at Gwalior protesting against the cheapening of the price?

This is a very important question. We all realise that. It is also a complicated question, as, I think, the hon. Member will see when I give him further information on the subject. The effect of high prices has been to encourage illicit distilling, and, if there is a lowering of prices, it is with the object of discouraging illicit distilling.

Has not the lowering of prices led to an enormous increase in consumption?

No, Sir. That is not the case.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is in a position now to state what steps have been taken by the Provincial Governments in India to ensure that there is no repetition of the incident last December at Lahore, when a man was executed before a letter ordering the postponement of the execution had been opened?

Instructions have been issued by the Provincial Governments that communications relating to prisoners under sentence of death shall be plainly marked to indicate their nature and urgency; and certain officers have been designated as responsible for seeing that orders for postponement of executions are issued promptly, and that acknowledgments are received immediately from jail superintendents to all such communications.

Is my right hon. Friend now satisfied that all possible precautions are being taken?

Yes, Sir, I think that is the case. Anyhow, I shall watch the position very carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he approves the decision taken by the Government of India in 1932 to revive, as soon as financial conditions have sufficiently improved, the Central Advisory Board of Education, as the most useful and economical means of enabling the Government of India and Provincial Governments to formulate a comprehensive policy of educational development?

Yes, certainly.

How does my right hon. Friend reconcile his approval of the decision of the Government of India to set up a central board to advise provincial education departments, with his advocacy of a federation under which education will be exclusively a provincial subject, and the Federal Government will therefore have no power whatever to advise or assist the Provincial Governments in this matter?

That has nothing whatever to do with the question. This officer has been appointed for the purpose of co-ordinating provincial administration. There is no conflict between provincial autonomy and co-ordination at the centre.

I am not sure that my right hon. Friend is referring to the right question. The question which I put had no reference to any appointment of an officer, but to the Central Advisory Board of Education, the purpose of which is to advise the provincial departments in respect of education.

Is it not the case that education is at present a transferred subject, and, therefore, that the Government of India already has no power of control over local authorities?

Certainly that is the case, and the object of this organisation is, as I say, co-ordination and not administration.

asked the Secretary of State for India if the recent appointment by the Government of India of an experienced marketing inspector from this country as central marketing officer in India for agricultural produce was made with his approval?

The appointment was not one for which my approval was required.

Again, may I ask whether the appointment of this officer by the Government of India is consistent with what we are told of their advocacy of Federal Government, which will have no power to advise or assist the Provincial Governments in regard to agriculture which is to be an exclusively provincial subject?

I would refer the Noble Lady to the answer which I have just given.

If the Federal Government, under the White Paper proposals, will have no power of spending public money in regard to agriculture, how can it possibly continue the appointment of this central marketing officer, to say nothing of the central agricultural stations which, at present, it maintains?

Agriculture, like education, is a transferred subject. In each case there is great value in co-ordination, but not in administration, from the centre.

May I ask how any co-ordination can be carried out without expenditure of public money which the Federal Government will have no power to expend?

Order.

asked the Secretary of State for India if he is aware that the resident in Mysore has stated to a meeting of representatives of the Bangalore municipality and trade organisations that partial retrocession of the station Had been decided on by the Government of India; and has this statement been made with his approval?

I have seen a Press report to this effect, but I do not think that anything that was said can have been intended to convey that any final decision had been taken. I understand that the question is still under discussion.

Are we, therefore to understand that this question awaits the decision of Parliament, as stated by my right hon. Friend in reply to my question on 19th March?

Yes, Sir. I have nothing to add to the answer which I then gave.

asked the Secretary of State for India the reason for the action of the Government of India in withholding the annual grant of Rs.7,000 due in payment of the salary of the health officer of Hyderabad?

I have no information corresponding to the hon. Member's statement, but, if he can give me further particulars, I will look into the matter and let him have a reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) by whom, and from what source, pilots are at present allocated to ocean-going vessels in Shanghai; and whether he can give the House information as to the proposals of the Chinese Government to change the present system;

(2) whether he is aware that the status of the Shanghai Licensed Pilots Association is derived from the provisions of the treaty of 1858 and subsequent agreements;

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of Germany's indebtedness in respect of the Dawes and Young Loans and its distribution as between the several subscribing countries?

I am arranging for the circulation in the OFFICIAL REPORT of a statement of the bonds of the various issues of these two loans outstanding, as shown in the Fourth Annual Report of the Bank for International Settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1) whether his attention has been drawn to the appointment of a new pilotage board at Shanghai without consultation with or approval of the Consular body; and what steps he is taking to secure the safe pilotage of British ships in Chinese territorial waters;

(2) whether his attention has been called to the proposal of the Chinese Government to take over the pilot organisation at all Chinese ports and to operate them under provisional pilotage regulations; whether the status of the Shanghai Licensed Pilots Association will be affected by the new scheme; and whether there is an adequate supply of experienced Chinese pilots in Shanghai?

I have been fully informed by His Majesty's Minister in China of the new arrangements for pilotage proposed by the Chinese Government. The rights possessed by foreigners in connection with the engagement of pilots in Chinese waters derive from the Treaty of Tientsin of 1858 and from other treaties between China and foreign countries. These rights were codified in the general pilotage regulations of 1868, which were drawn up by the Inspector-General of Customs and accepted by Great Britain and the interested Powers. These regulations provided for mixed boards to make appointments of pilots in the various ports. At Shanghai all the pilots so appointed belong to a pilot boat company. The Chinese Government recently drew up a provisional pilotage regulation intended to supersede them, and His Majesty's Minister has accordingly made representations to the Chinese Government pointing out that the matter is one of interest to foreign Powers as well as to the Chinese Government, and that in their present form the new provisional regulations are not satisfactory. It is understood that this view is shared by other interested Governments.

The Chinese Government have indicated that a revised version of the regulations will be communicated to the interested Governments in due course, and in view of this and of the fact that the question is still under discussion between His Majesty's Minister and the Chinese Ministry for Foreign Affairs, I cannot at present say more; but I can assure my hon. Friends that His Majesty's Government are fully alive to the interests of British shipping and of the British pilots who may be affected.

Can my right hon. Friend say what other rights are now being invaded; and shall we have a return in reference to this question?

The questions put by my hon. Friend were in reference to the pilotage service, and I think I have given a full answer.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether British shipping firms can still obtain the services of armed guards to protect their vessels in Far Eastern waters against pirates; whether the services of such guards have to be paid for; and whether the Government will consider reverting to the original system under which these guards were automatically supplied to vessels without charge?

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether his attention has been called to the recent case of piracy on board the British steamer "Shuntien" on the China coast; and whether the Government are now prepared to place armed guards on British passenger vessels engaged in the China coastal trade?

The case of the "Shuntien" was what is commonly known as one of internal piracy, in which pirates disguised as passengers attack the crew during the voyage. To meet such cases, an armed force under the control of the Hong Kong police is maintained at Hong Kong at the cost of the shipping companies and is available for supplying armed guards to merchant ships as necessary. This arrangement, coupled with the adoption of a system of grilles on board, has been in operation since 1930 and has worked satisfactorily. Hitherto, it has been confined to ships trading to southern Chinese waters and has not as yet been extended to ships trading to Northern China, since they have not up to now been subject to this form of attack, but I see no reason why this or some similar arrangement should not be adopted in their case also. Before 1930, as a temporary arrangement pending the introduction of police guards, naval or military guards were supplied. The re-introduction of such guards as a regular arrangement is not considered to be necessary, but the local naval and military authorities are fully alive to the possibility that the provision of such guards may be necessary in special emergencies, and I understand that a military guard has in fact been supplied to a passenger steamer which left Shanghai for northern ports on the 19th June.

In view of the depressed state of our shipping, and the very low profits, if any, which are available, will not the First Lord consider reverting to the practice which was followed prior to 1930, and let British ships which are subject to piracy in Eastern waters have the advantage of an armed guard, without the cost of it having to be met by the shipowners?

If we have automaticaly to supply naval or military guards to these ships it would impose a great strain on our personnel in that area. We only introduced that protection pending the setting up of the police guard. I am quite willing to meet every case that it is in my power to meet, but I cannot promise the hon. Baronet that we can automatically supply armed guards from the naval or military forces.

Does not the service rendered by His Majesty's Ship "Eagle" show the immense value of aerial bombing for police purposes?

It was a very fine example of co-operation between the sea and the air.

Will the right hon. Gentleman consider appointing the hon. Member for Bridgeton (Mr. Maxton) to organise a crew of passengers disguised as pirates?

asked the Minister of Agriculture what progress has been made by the foot-and-mouth disease research committee during the last two years; and what, broadly speaking, the results of its investigations have been, more particularly in the direction of preventive treatment by inoculation?

It is difficult to summarise the work of the committee during the last two years within the limits of the reply to a Parliamentary question; and, with the consent of my hon. and gallant Friend, I will send him a memorandum on the subject. I may mention that the Fifth Progress Report of the committee is in course of preparation, and is expected to be available in the autumn.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Research Committee, since its appointment 10 years ago, have considered the connection between the quality of the food of cattle and the incidence of this disease; whether the committee are dealing with the question of the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease by a combination of high quality food and improved hygiene; and, if not, whether he will suggest that they should consider the possibilities of this method of eliminating the disease?

The research committee have considered the possibilities mentioned by my hon. and gallant Friend and have advised that there is no evidence to show that diet or hygiene, or a combination of both, have any influence on the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. Clinical observations and experimental work carried out by the committee have in fact shown that animals in very good condition may contract the disease in a more severe form than animals in poor condition.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware that foreign countries will not accept goods packed with straw rope made in England for fear of foot-and-mouth disease, whereas we import the foreign article, both in the raw state and as packing, from countries in which there is much foot-and-mouth disease; and whether he will consider the prohibition of the importation of this article?

My information is that all countries, except the Irish Free State and Jersey, accept goods from Great Britain packed in straw either free from restrictions or subject to an official certificate of disinfection or of freedom of foot-and-mouth disease of the district of origin of the straw. The Orders of the Ministry entirely prohibit the importation into Great Britain from countries where foot-and-mouth disease exists of hay and straw for use as fodder or litter for animals. They also require imported straw used for packing merchandise to be destroyed after use. From the conclusions reached by the Departmental Committee on Foot-and-Mouth Disease in 1925 and subsequent experience, there does not appear to be justification for further prohibition of the importation of this material.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in May, 1934, the retained imports of beef and veal amounted to 1,108,000 cwt. as compared with 1,043,000 cwt. in May, 1933, and 964,000 cwt. in May, 1932, when the restriction of beef imports had not commenced, and that of this total supplies from foreign countries totalled approximately 871,000 cwt. in May, 1934, 855,000 cwt. in May, 1933, and 899,000 cwt. in May, 1932; and whether he can now announce when he proposes to introduce an effective scheme for the reduction of the imports of foreign beef, so as to protect the British livestock industry from foreign competition?

I am aware of the figures quoted in the first part of the question, which refer, however, to gross imports. With regard to the second part, the meat situation is receiving active attention, but I am not in a position to make a statement.

Can my right hon. Friend indicate when this statement is likely to be made?

No, I am afraid I cannot.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if the Government has liberty under recent agreements to impose a tariff on imported meat; and, if so, will legislation be proposed for the imposition of such duties as will enable the home meat producers to secure a reasonable remuneration for their labour and to pay a fair wage to the agricultural workers?

Under our existing commitments no new or additional duties can be imposed on imported meat without the consent of the Dominions with whom agreements were made at Ottawa and of Argentina. As regards the latter part of the question, the position of the home meat industry is receiving careful consideration by the Departments concerned, but it is not possible at present to make any statement.

When will the Government resume liberty to deal with this subject?

Is the hon. Gentleman aware that the farmers are tired of consideration and that they want action?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the imports of foreign chilled and frozen pork increased from 47,000 cwt. during the first five months of 1932 to 66,000 cwt. in the same period of 1933, and to 210,000 cwt. in the same period of 1934; and, as the Import Duties Advisory Committee are debarred from dealing with this commodity, will he announce his policy for dealing with this foreign competition in our pig industry?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part, the whole position as to supplies of meat, including pork, is being reviewed by the Government in the light of the recommendations of the Reorganisation Commission for Fat Stock, and I am not at present in a position to make any statement.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that our meat producers are losing money every day, and that immediate action is necessary, and will he do something very rapidly?

Surely very drastic action with regard to the pig industry has been taken and is in force now.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say from what foreign country or Dominion these increased imports of pork are coming?

Not without notice.

Will the right hon. Gentleman accept the conclusion, from all these questions, that in agriculture things have continued to get worse and worse while this Government has been in office?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any further information to give the House regarding the proposed Small Holdings Association for England and Wales?

The question of the formation of the proposed Small Holdings Association for England and Wales has been under active consideration with representatives and members of the National Council of Social Service and the Society of Friends, and with other persons interested in this subject. I am not yet in a position to make a definite announcement, but I have every hope that it will be possible for the proposed association to be constituted shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether it is the intention of the Government to continue the wheat quota after 1935?

The Wheat Act, 1932, provides that not later than 1st March, 1935, the Minister shall appoint a committee to review the standard price. If that committee makes a recommendation that the standard price shall be altered, the Minister may by the procedure of a Provisional Order revise the price with effect from 1st August, 1935. There was, however, no expressed intention of Parliament when the Wheat Act was passed, nor is there any intention on the part of the Government, to limit the operation of that Act to the period ending 1935.

Do I understand that it is the intention of the Government to continue the principle, if not the exact form, of the Wheat Act after 1935; if so, is my right hon. Friend aware that there is a completely erroneous impression circulating among the farming community that this Act will come to an end next year, and will he take immediate steps to correct this false impression?

My answer to the hon. Gentleman's question shows that there is no intention on the part of the Government to limit the operation of the Act, which is the point that my hon. Friend has in mind.

Will my right hon. Friend consider extending the acreage allowed to qualify for the deficiency payment?

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he proposes to implement by legislation the recommendations of the Milk Reorganisation Commission and establish producers and distributors boards, with three independent members, to fix the sale price of milk?

As my hon. Friend will be aware, it is incumbent on the Milk Marketing Board, under the provisions of the Milk Marketing Scheme, to consult such persons as they think best qualified to express the views of purchasers of milk by wholesale before prescribing the terms of contracts for the sale of milk by registered producers. Section 13 of the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1933, confers statutory authority on the board, by agreement with the purchasers' representatives, to bring independent persons into such consultations. I am not satisfied that these powers, if fully exercised, are insufficient, and as at present advised, therefore, I am not prepared to raise the wide issues which would be involved in a decision to introduce legislation to carry out the recommendations of the Milk Reorganisation Commission regarding a Central Dairymen's Board and a joint Milk Council.

Is my right hon. Friend aware of the intense dissatisfaction against the award of the three independent persons appointed?

I am aware that there was dissatisfaction with the award of the three independent persons, but I am not aware that any other award by any other three independent persons would be any more acceptable.

Will my right hon. Friend give us a trial?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the present appointed persons cannot possibly be asked to act again after their period of office ends, and can he say what he proposes to put in their place?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will take some temporary immediate action to help the egg and poultry industry pending the issue of the report of the Reorganisation Commission?

There is nothing that I can usefully add to the reply I gave on 11th June, to a question on this subject by my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Sir T. Rosbotham), of which I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy.

Is the Minister taking into account the very serious position of the poultry industry in this country, the number of people employed in it, and the fact that it is particularly ex-service men who have taken up poultry raising; and when can we have a statement as to the policy of the Government in respect to this industry?

There was a statement giving our policy, and that was the statement to which I referred, and one should not forget that prices are rather better just now than they were at this time last year.

Has my right hon. Friend power to make further restrictions on the imports of eggs?

Oh yes. There is power under the Act of 1933, further to reduce the imports of foreign eggs into this country, and the Reorganisation Commission is sitting.

Is there anything in the Statute law to prohibit agricultural Members from constantly begging?

I would remind the hon. Gentleman of the questions that are often put on behalf of the miners by hon. Members opposite.

(by private notice) asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he can state how soon the committee, which he appointed in April to consider the Hops Amending Scheme, is likely to Report?

The committee has now successfully concluded its deliberations and the Brewers' Society and the Hops Marketing Board have agreed, inter alia, that a permanent joint committee of brewers and hop growers, together with impartial members, should be constituted to secure closer collaboration between the two bodies in regard to the marketing of home-grown hops. I hope, before the House is asked to consider the amendment to the Hops Scheme now on the Order Paper, to lay a White Paper containing a summary of the committee's recommendations. I should like to take this opportunity of thanking Sir John Chancellor and his colleagues for their very valuable work on this committee.

While thanking my right hon. Friend, may I ask if he can give the House an assurance that, in view of the great importance of the issues involved, not only a summary but the text of the report will be in the hands of Members for a reasonable period—say at least a week—before the House is asked to pass this extremely important scheme, and possibly to set up a precedent?

I do not think I could undertake to put the text of the report in the hands of Members. This was a report to me and not to the House. I will give as full a summary as possible, and I feel sure it will contain all the information which my hon. Friend desires. In regard to the time at which the hops scheme will come before the House, that is rather a matter for the Leader of the House.

As the suggested amendment to the hops scheme is likely to stand as a precedent for all agriculteural marketing schemes, does not the right hon. Gentleman think that Members should have full possession of the committee's report at least a week in advance of the day when they are called upon to discuss the proposition?

The time-table is obviously a matter for the Leader of the House.

Will the amending hops scheme come to this House before it goes to another place, and will the maximum time possible be given to hon. Members to study the report?

I am afraid I must not dogmatise about the course of business in another place.

If the right hon. Gentleman, on further consideration, does not intend to publish the full text of the report, may I ask if he will give a definite assurance to the House that there are no outstanding matters of principle or objection which have been raised in the course of inquiry by the brewers or others; and can we at least be certain, if we are only to have a summary, that all the objections of principle are now satisfactorily disposed of?

When the summary of the recommendations is laid, my hon. Friend will be able to see, and in the course of the Debate on the hops scheme he can press for further information on any point on which he thinks the report is not sufficiently clear.

Is there any minority report, and, if so, will it be made available to Members?

Oh, no, Sir. This is a unanimous agreement.

Surely there is no reason why we should not have the whole of the recommendations, even if we are only to have a summary of the remainder of the report?

When I speak of a summary of the committee's recommendations, I mean a summary of the results of the committee's deliberations. If anything has been omitted, the proper time to raise that will be when the scheme is being discussed.

How are we to know whether the summary is complete?

Surely hon. Members will have to trust to my good faith. I hope it is not impossible to ask them to do that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the imports of electrical goods and apparatus have increased from £136,773 in May, 1932, to £152,144 in May, 1933, and to £304,873 in May, 1934; and how long he expects it will be before action is taken to check these rapidly increasing imports?

I am aware of the increased imports to which my hon. Friend draws attention. Any question of an increased duty on goods which are subject to duty under the Import Duties Act is a matter for the Import Duties Advisory Committee in the first instance.

asked the President of the Board of Trade what answer he has received from the shipping industry in respect of his proposal to scrap old tramp tonnage and to build new tonnage to replace a part of the scrapped tonnage?

My right hon. Friend hopes very shortly to make a statement on the Government's policy in regard to British shipping, and I prefer not to anticipate that statement.

Could the hon. Gentleman in the meantime indicate what response the shipping industry has given to the proposals to scrap and build?

That is another matter. It is hoped that the right hon. Gentleman the President of the Board of Trade will be able to make a comprehensive statement on shipping policy. It is only a matter of days. He is working in accordance with programme, and "very shortly" means what it says.

I have not asked what the proposals are. I have merely asked in my supplementary question what is contained in the original question.

The answer will be found in the statement when made.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is aware that the Scottish Milk Marketing Board has issued a circular to employés, stating they are to work a 66-hour week on the average; and if, in view of the general demand for a reduction in working hours to a maximum of 48 hours per week, he will bring this matter to the notice of the board with a view to having the circular withdrawn in favour of the recognition of a 48-hour week?

On the information before me I do not think that the effect of the circular is correctly stated in the first part of the question. I am drawing the board's attention to the hon. Member's question but I may remind him that I have no authority to interfere with the administrative arrangements in connection with the operation of a Marketing Scheme.

If I place in the Minister's hands conclusive proof that they have been asked to work 66 hours, will he use the influence which he undoubtedly has to see that this circular is not put into operation in the milk industry in Scotland?

If the hon. Member will supply me with that information, I will pass it on to the proper authorities, but I must remind him again that I have no power to interfere in the administrative arrangements of this scheme.