asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that the imports of barley during the first 10 months of the present year are 12 per cent. higher than the corresponding period of 1933 and 65 per cent. higher than the same period of 1932; and what steps he proposes to take to assist the British production of this cereal?

I am aware of the increase in the imports of barley referred to by my hon. Friend. With regard to the second part of the question, I understand that the National Farmers' Union have announced their intention of making application to the Import Duties Advisory Committee for an additional duty on imported foreign malting marley.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the imports of eggs in great hundreds from Denmark in each of the last eight months, giving the equivalent value m sterling in each case?

The following statement gives the information desired by my hon. Friend:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will request that in any report submitted by the Bacon Marketing Board special allusion is made to the progress which has been made with regard to producing in this country a greater proportion of tank-cured bacon, in view of the public demand for this type and our present dependence upon foreign supplies?

I will gladly suggest to the Bacon Marketing Board that they should refer in their next annual report to the subject of the demand for and supply of tank-cured bacon.

asked the Home Secretary (1) how many extra police have been drafted into the Taff Merthyr colliery district; and is he satisfied that necessary steps are being taken to prevent the intimidation and terrorisation of men who wish to follow their occupation;(2) whether his attention has been called to recent breaches of Section 3, paragraphs (1) and (2), of the Trades Disputes Act, 1927, in the vicinity of the Taff Merthyr colliery, Trelewis and district; is he aware that mass picketing has been taking place at the railway stations and on roads leading to this colliery; and will he call for a report from the chief constable on the matter?

I have obtained a full report from the chief constable of Glamorgan, and have communicated to him the information furnished to me by my hon. Friend. I am informed that the chief constable found it necessary to draft a number of extra police into the Taff Merthyr colliery district and that a number of proceedings were taken for breaches of the law. I am satisfied that all necessary and proper steps have been taken by the chief constable for dealing with the situation.

asked the Home Secretary whether, in view of the powers vested in him, he will consider, so far as the Metropolitan police district is concerned, the issue of an Order in Council extending the hours of opening of licensed premises for three days on the occasion of the coming Royal wedding?

I am not aware of any powers under which the action suggested by my hon. Friend could be taken.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his attention has been drawn to certain judicial awards and decisions, as a result of which it appears that foreign goods may be supplied to a representative in this country of the foreign producer at a valuation substantially below the open market price to all and sundry purchasers in the United Kingdom, and that this fictitious price then has to be accepted as the valuation under Section 15 of the Import Duties Act, 1932; and whether, in these circumstances, he proposes to take steps to amend Section 15 of the Import Duties Act so as to provide that duty should be payable on the open market price of imported goods?

My right hon. Friend's attention has been called to the decisions referred to by my hon. Friend, and the matter is receiving his consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that German flour is being sold in Great Britain at about 10s. 6d. per sack of 280 lb., while the price in Germany at which the similar sack is being sold is the equivalent of about 58s.; whether he can state the cause of this difference in price; and what steps he has taken, or proposes to take, to deal with this dumping?

On a recent date German flour was quoted in this country at a price which, with the quota payment, amounted to 18s. 6d. to 20s. per sack of 280 lb., the equivalents of the prices quoted on the same date in Germany being between 54s. and 57s. The circumstances in which the internal price in Germany so largely exceeds the price in a relatively free market can hardly be explained fully in an answer to a Parliamentary question. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which was given to a question asked by the hon. Member for South Croydon (Mr. H. Williams) on 27th March last, to which I have nothing to add.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has any information to show how the price of Danish bacon in the principal European countries compares with that for similar grades in this country; and, if not, whether he will arrange to obtain representative figures with regard to this matter?

Danish bacon is not normally sold in commercial quantities in any other European country, and accordingly no prices are quoted.

asked the Postmaster-General whether his attention has been called to the recent case at the Tower Bridge police court of an individual charged with stealing 17 mail bags and other postal packets on different dates on the Southern Railway since the month of August; and whether he proposes to make better arrangements to ensure that adequate protection is given to mails in transit?

Yes. My hon. and gallant Friend may rest assured that all practicable steps are taken in consultation with the railway companies to safeguard the mails. The total losses on railways amount to less than one bag in a million.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he is aware that the salary scales of the postal inspectorate are the same at outer London as at class la offices, whereas indoor supervising officers, head postmen, and the rank-and-file at outer London offices receive higher pay than those at class la offices; and whether he proposes to remove this anomaly by adjusting the scales of the postal inspectorate?

The scales payable to chief inspectors, inspectors and assistant inspectors in outer London were fixed by the Industrial Court at the same level as those awarded by the court to the corresponding grades at class la offices. The court had before them at the time they came to this decision full information as regards the relevant factors, and I am unable at the present juncture to contemplate any departure from their findings. The matter will, however, be reviewed in connection with a general claim as regards scales of pay of supervising classes which is now under consideration.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether since 1921 there has been a change in the stress laid by the Board on the relative importance of the three considerations, i.e., the interest of secular education, the wishes of the parents as to the education of their children, and the economy of the rates, to which they are required to have regard in granting sanctions to build new non-provided schools?

Owing to the gravity of the financial position, the Board felt obliged during the last three years to attach greater weight to the consideration of economy than would be necessary in normal times.