asked the President of the Board of Trade with which countries trade agreements are now under active discussion and with which countries such agreements are under contemplation; and whether he can make any statement with regard to the policy of the Government as to the need for pressing forward negotiations with as many countries as possible, or whether it is proposed to take no active steps in this matter until there has been further discussion of Imperial trade arrangements?

In reply to the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. and gallant Friend to the answer which was given oil 26th November to the hon. Member for Wallsend (Miss Ward), and I would add that negotiations are under contemplation with Spain and Peru. As regards the second part, it is the policy of His Majesty's Government to negotiate trade agreements whenever favourable opportunities arise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the countries with which he has already entered into treaty agreements for the reciprocal reduction of tariff duties; and also other countries with whom trade agreements are still being considered?

Commercial agreements affecting tariffs have been concluded with Argentina, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden. As regards the second part of the question, I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer which was given on 26th November to the hon. Member for Walls-end (Miss Ward), and I would add that negotiations are under contemplation with Spain and Peru.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the fact that the Council of Foreign Bondholders has failed to arrange that the Chilean Government should meet its contractual obligations to British investors, he will, with a view to protecting their savings and the Income Tax and Death Duty revenues arising there-from, allow a Treasury official to open negotiations with the Chilean Government in collaboration with the Association of Trust Companies?

As stated in the reply given to the hon. Member for North Newcastle-on-Tyne (Sir N. Grattan-Doyle) on 15th November, the practice of His Majesty's Government in regard to defaults on foreign loans generally is not to intervene directly, but to watch the interests of British holders, and in particular to make every effort to secure that settlements are reached by negotiation with the recognised representatives of the bondholders. This practice is being followed in the case of Chile, and I do not consider that it would be desirable to depart from it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the amount of Estate Duty on real property unpaid for each of the eight years ending 31st March, 1934, and the total amount of such duty, if any, outstanding for the years preceding that date?

As my hon. Friend is no doubt aware, Estate Duty on real property is not payable until one year after the date of death and may then, if so desired, be paid in instalments spread over eight years. Cases in which payment is being made in instalments are dealt with individually, and no separate record is made of them for accounting purposes. Without a special investigation it is not, therefore, possible to say how much duty was still outstanding in any year.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered representations from different organisations connected with the administration of National Health Insurance advocating that the National Health Insurance Act, 1924, should be amended so as to bring within its scope all children as soon as they leave school and enter into insurable employment; and whether he is prepared to take any action in the matter?

I would refer the hon. Member to the replies given on 19th April and 17th July last to the hon. Members for Westhoughton (Mr. Rhys Davies) and Carnarvon (Major Owen). The hon. Member can be assured that the matter is not being overlooked.

asked the Minister of Health whether, having regard to the statement made by the chief medical officer to the Ministry in his last annual report that the inspection of meat is generally unsatisfactory and that there are many districts in which inspection is desultory or practically nonexistent, he proposes to take any action so as to ensure that local authorities shall carry out their duties in relation to meat inspection in a satisfactory manner?

My right hon. Friend will keep this matter in mind in connection both with the surveys of public health services of local authorities which are now being carried out, and with the question of the reform of the slaughtering system referred to in the White Paper of July last as part of the Government's livestock policy.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many licences to bore for oil in Great Britain have been applied for since the passing into law of the Petroleum (Production) Act?

A number of inquiries and provisional applications have been received, but until regulations have been issued in accordance with Section 6 of the Act, it is not possible to say how many of these will result in formal applications for licences. It is hoped to lay the Regulations before Parliament immediately after the Christmas Adjournment.

asked the Postmaster-General the number of new telephone subscribers in the town of Sunderland during the seven weeks between 1st October and 17th November; how this number compares with the number of new subscribers during the previous six months; and the comparable figures for the Hartlepools and Portsmouth?

The number of new subscribers in Sunderland between 1st October and 17th November was 62, as compared with 101 during the preceding six months. Comparable figures for the Hartlepools are 33 and 63, and for Portsmouth, 157 and 215.