asked the Postmaster-General whether he is prepared to consider the extension of the privilege of free wireless licences now enjoyed by the blind to persons who have been bedridden for a period of years?

The issue of free wireless licences to the blind is covered by the Wireless Telegraphy (Blind Persons Facilities) Act, 1926; and the concession is expressly confined to the blind. To extend the concession to any other class of the community would require legislation, and would raise many difficult questions.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what action he proposes to take in the matter of the correspondence relating to an arms salesman for the firm of Matheson and Company, Limited, on behalf of the Jardine Engineering Corporation, Limited, the agents for Vickers-Armstrongs, Limited, in China, and stated to be personal letters, in view of King's Regulations, 1928, Section 7, Discipline, paragraph 512, which forbids an officer to write private letters to officials at the War Office on official personal matters, such as promotion, appointment, posting, transfer, etc.

No action is proposed. The Regulation to which the hon. Member refers does not, and does not intend to, forbid an officer from making personal inquiries at the War Office as to whether the name of any officer can be suggested who is suitable for a post outside the Army.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can now make a detailed statement as to the effect on cotton goods of the alterations made in the Australian tariff as a result of the recent Lancashire protest?

I am sending to my hon. and gallant Friend a statement giving the desired information.

asked the Minister of Labour whether, when the Unemployment Assistance Board takes over transitional allowances, he will request the Poor Law authorities to keep a record of the extent to which they have to help the middle-class and those sections of the public who are outside all insurance with the object of instructing the Statutory Committee to evolve, at an early date, schemes for bettering the condition of those sections of the community in question?

I will consult my right hon. Friends the Minister of Health and the Secretary of State for Scotland on my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Secretary of State for India how many fatal accidents and non-fatal accidents occurred in the mines of India for the last year; and how many males and how many females were affected, respectively?

During the year 1933 at mines in British India there were 142 fatal accidents in which 130 men and 23 women lost their lives and 32 people, whose sex is not recorded, were injured. In addition, there were 655 other serious accidents involving injuries to 670 persons, 605 of whom were men and 65 women. Figures for 1934 are not at present available.