asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the total expenditure incurred for public social services under the following Acts of Parliament for the year ending 31st March, for Great Britain, giving each item of expenditure separately: Unemployment Insurance Acts, Insurance Benefit, etc., Transitional Benefit, National Insurance (Health) Acts, Widows', Orphans', and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts, Old Age Pensions Acts, and Acts relating to the relief of the poor; and the total number of persons directly benefiting from each of the public social services?

The whole of the information asked for is given in the Return of Public Social Services, which is presented to Parliament annually. The latest issue of the Return (Command Paper 4460/1933) contains the figures relating to the year ended 31st March, 1933. The next issue of the Return, containing the figures for the year ended 31st March, 1934, will be presented, in the ordinary course, as early as possible in the autumn.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount brought in during the years 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933 by the licences on dogs in England, Scotland, and Wales, respectively; and what was the number of dogs licensed in each of such years?

The following are the figures of the Dog Licence Duty for the fiscal years ended 31st March, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934 for England and Wales and for Scotland respectively. Separate figures for England and Wales are not available.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what amounts of arrears of Surtax remain for the financial years 1931–32 and 1932–33, respectively?

It is estimated that at 30th April last the Surtax then in assessment and unpaid for the years 1931–32 and 1932–33 which will ultimately prove to be collectible amounted to £1,250,000 and £4,500,000, respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that motor manufacturers in the United States of America send their cars to this country via Canada, and in the endeavour to fulfil the conditions of 50 per cent. content under the Ottawa Agreement they include for that purpose the cost of the car which is only assembled in Canada, managerial salaries, overhead charges, rates and taxes, advertising, commission on sales, and railway freightage; and, in view of these facts, will he take the matter up with the Canadian Government?

I am making certain inquiries, on the conclusion of which I will communicate with the hon. Member.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number of shipping rings which exist in this country at the present time regulating the fares for passenger traffic between Great Britain and the different parts of the world; and whether, in dealing with the position of the shipping industry, he will consider whether the prices charged by understandings among such rings are in the public interest or calculated to stimulate ocean travel?

For most routes on which British passenger lines are employed there are, I am informed, certain understandings as to the fares to be charged by different passenger companies. My right hon. Friend does not think that any action by the Government is called for in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether any organisation is now functioning with the object of specialising in the production or distribution of films suitable for overseas territories in which there are mixed populations; and, if so, what films have been approved and distributed by such organisation?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the replies given by me on 18th April and 8th June, 1932, and 31st May, 1933, for information in regard to the British United Film Producers Company, Limited, and the committee appointed to advise the company in the selection of films for the Colonies. I am sending my hon. Friend copies of these replies. I understand that the company has recently been reorganised. I am unable to give a list of the films which it has distributed.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has now made inquiries into the conditions of employment and wages paid by the French firm owning the Old and New Mills at Mossley, Lancashire; and, if so, whether he has yet considered laying down proper conditions of employment for our own workpeople employed by foreign firms operating in this country?

The inquiry into this matter has not yet been completed, but if the hon. Member will repeat his question next week, I hope to be in a position to answer it.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that in the case of an employer who has collected from his employés contributions to unemployment insurance by making deductions from wages each week and, having failed to stamp the insurance cards, becomes bankrupt, the employés are refused unemployment pay on the ground that the contributions have not been paid for the specified period; and whether he will consider the desirability of making provision that in such cases the workmen shall not be deprived of unemployment pay?

Cases of the kind described in the question are dealt with in accordance with decisions by the Umpire. If the insured contributor by duly presenting his unemployment book to his employer has made every reasonable effort to secure that contributions in respect of him were paid and if deductions at the appropriate rate have been made from his wages, then, for benefit purposes, the contributions may be regarded as having been paid on the dates on which they were due, and the contributor is not held responsible for the default of his employer.

asked the Minister of Health what was the outstanding loan debt for capital purposes of all local authorities in England and Wales on the last available date, differentiating between the amounts borrowed in respect of trading undertakings and non-trading services, respectively?

The net outstanding loan debt (that is, the gross debt, less the amount standing to the credit of sinking funds for the repayment of debt) of all local authorities in England and Wales on 31st March, 1932 (the latest date for which particulars are available), amounted to £444,738,574 in respect of trading services and £820,957,208 in repect of non-trading services, making a total of £1,265,695,782. The amount of £820,957,208 includes £487,006,064 in respect of loans for housing and small dwellings acquisition.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether, in the case of those towns which under their by-laws have extended the school age from 14 to 15 years, there has been any question of the payment of maintenance to the parents concerned; and, if so, of what nature?

None of the three urban local education authorities which have adopted a by-law requiring attendance at school up to the age of 15 awards maintenance allowances for the children concerned.