asked the Secretary for Mines the total number of ponies and horses employed below ground at the end of June, 1934; and the percentage rate in the reduction of the number of horses used underground for each year since 1924.

Particulars in respect of horses employed below ground at 30th June, 1934, are not yet available. For the years 1924 to 1933 they are as follow:—

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of mechanical conveyors driven by electrical power, and the number driven by compressed air, at or near the coal face during the three years ended 1933, respectively; whether compressed-air power for these conveyors is now less efficient than electrical power; and whether he is satisfied as regards the safety of the types that are driven by electrical power.

The numbers are as follow:-

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of mechanical conveyors and loaders in use at or near the coal face in mines at the end of December, 1933; the percentage of the total output of coal carried in 1933 by these conveyors; and the percentage of the outputs of each of the 25 districts given in his annual report that is transported by conveyors at the coal face as well as the percentage that is carried by other mechanical means within the same area?

The particulars in respect of the year ended 31st December, 1933, are as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether authority is given to officers commanding-in-chief, or to any other military officers, non-commissioned officers, or soldiers, to use military stores, equipment, horses, waggons, cars, petrol, or 'any other military material whatsoever, for purposes connected with such demonstrations as tattoos or pageants, such purposes being in excess of the normal requirements of military service; and, if not, whether he will give an assurance that the use of military stores, &c., for the purposes indicated will be forbidden?

Authority has been given, within limits and under definite conditions for military horses, stores, etc., to be used in connection with military tattoos and pageants. The fundamental condition of such use is that no expense shall fall on Army funds and that the stores, etc., other than consumable stores which are charged for, shall be insured against the risk of damage or loss.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what rules, if any, are laid down by the War Office regarding the holding by the Army of public demonstrations which are said to have no military purpose, for example, tattoos and pageants; why children are admitted free to such demonstrations when it is claimed that their purpose is to raise funds for soldiers'. welfare; and what part, if any, of the funds voted by Parliament for the Army is devoted to the expenses of such demonstrations.

Rules have been in force since 1929 governing the holding of military tattoos and pageants, to ensure that the numbers required to take part and the periods of rehearsal do not interfere with training programmes, and that the items either exemplify skill at arms, drill, and musical efficiency, or portray incidents connected with British military history prior to the Great War. I understand that children are only admitted free to the daylight full-dress rehearsal, which is held, not with a view to raising funds, but to perfect the tattoo before actual presentation. It is a funda- mental condition of the holding of such displays that no expense shall fall on public funds.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what percentage of men who start vocational training succeed in passing the final tests; what percentage of these enter straight into civil employment; and what percentage of these fail to give satisfaction and lose their position within a few months?

With regard to the first part of the question, exact figures are not available, but very few men who complete the course fail to pass the final tests. With regard to the second part, for the year ended 30th June, 1934, 74 per cent. of the men obtained employment before leaving the centres and a further 13 per cent. found employment after leaving the centres. With regard to the last part, it is not possible to maintain touch with every man who leaves the centres, but very few complaints are received, and employers frequently express their satisfaction with men who have been trained at the centres and ask for additional men.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of unemployed on transitional benefit in Lancashire in June, 1931, and at the latest date on which figures are available?

At 22nd June, 1931, there were 104,963 persons with claims admitted for transitional benefit on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Lancashire; at 25th June, 1934, there were 133,472 persons with applications authorised for transitional payments in the same area. In view of the changes in the conditions for the receipt of insurance benefit, which came into operation in November, 1931, the figures for the two dates are not strictly comparable.

asked the Minister of Labour whether those members of the crew of the "Endeavour" who struck for higher wages on the eve of the departure of the yacht to compete for the America's cup, and were discharged, will, under the circumstances of their discharge, be treated as eligible for unemployment benefit?

Any claims to benefit made by these men have been, or will be, dealt with by the insurance officers in the first instance. I have particulars so far of only two such claims, both of which have been referred by the insurance officer to the Court of Referees for decision.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the number and aggregate value of holdings in each of the counties of Wales which have been purchased under the terms of Section 5 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926.

The following table gives the desired information as to the number of holdings sold by councils in pursuance of their powers under Section 5 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act, 1926. I regret that I have no information as to the value of the holdings.

asked the Minister of Agriculture to what extent the Essex Agricultural Committee or the East Anglian Institute of Agriculture is financially assisted from Government funds; what is the number of students and staff; and what is the extent of the activities.

The Ministry pays grant at the rate of 60 per cent. of the approved net expenditure incurred by the Essex County Council on agricultural education. During the financial year 1932–33, the last year for which definite figures are available, the Ministry's grant amounted to £8,565. The staff employed by the authority numbers 27, and the number of students admitted to the Institute during the session 1933–34 was 95. The activities of the staff cover all branches of agriculture, and include courses at the Institute as well as extramural work in the county. The former consist of degree, diploma and certificate courses in agriculture and horticulture, as well as diploma and certificate courses in dairying and poultry keeping. The authority maintain a poultry station and a horticultural station for practical work. The extra-mural work consists of the conduct of organised courses at various centres in all these subjects, as well as visits of advice to, and the conduct of experiments and demonstrations on, many farms in all parts of the county. The number of students attending the organised courses during the session 1933–34 was 302. In addition, the staff has been responsible for the formation and conduct of young farmers' clubs, 14 in number, with a membership of 197.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total numbers of the temporary staff engaged under the milk marketing scheme, giving their trades, grades, and rates of pay, separately; and the weekly working hours and what overtime is at present necessary?

Appointments made by agricultural marketing boards are the concern of the boards themselves, and I regret I have not the information in question.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the number and value of complete clocks and watches, respectively, shown to have been manufactured in this country during the year covered by the latest census of production; and the numbers and values of complete clocks and complete watches, and parts of clocks and watches, respectively, imported into this country during the past five years, respectively?

As regards the number and value of complete clocks and watches manufactured in this country, I would refer my hon. Friend to pages 487 and 488 of the Final Report on the Fourth Census of Production (1930), Part II. Detailed particulars of the imports of these goods during the four years 4929 to 1932 will be found in Volume II of the Annual Statement of Trade for 1932, while the preliminary figures for 1933 are contained in the issue for December, 1933, of the Accounts relating to Trade and Navigation.