asked the President of the Board of Trade (1) whether the trade agreement being negotiated with India includes a preference for British goods;

(2) whether he is satisfied that the trade agreement with the Government of India will allow of the recovery of a large part of the textile trade to India from this country;

(3) whether the trade agreement with the Government of India contains a quota method of allocation of imports with home production?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the text of the agreement, which has been published as Command Paper No. 4779. The agreement provides that the measure of protection afforded to Indian goods shall not be higher than is necessary to equate prices of imported goods to the fair selling prices for similar Indian goods; and that wherever possible, having regard to this policy, lower rates of duty will be imposed on United Kingdom goods. I regard this assurance of equitable treatment of United Kingdom goods of kinds subject to protective duties, linked as it is with the main Ottawa Agreement, as a valuable safeguard for our future trade.

While thanking my right hon. Friend and congratulating him on this agreement, may I ask if he expects that there will be a marked advance in the exports from this country to India arising out of it?

I do not like to prophesy as to what will be the exact effect of the agreement, but I have no doubt that it will be to the good.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can state the present balance of payments between this country and Russia; and whether he is satisfied that the Anglo-Russian trade agreement is being faithfully carried out on both sides?

The information necessary for the exact calculation, in accordance with the Anglo-Russian Agreement, of the balance of payments between the United Kingdom and Russia for the year 1934 is not yet available, but I hope that the final statement will be ready in about a month's time. As regards the second part of the question, I have no reason to doubt that the provisions of the agreement are being observed.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that Russia is selling to this country roughly fifteen times the amount of fish that she is buying from this country, and will he take steps to make representations on the matter?

I shall be quite ready to pay attention to any of these comparisons when the figures are completed.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he can make a statement as to the balance of payments between the United Kingdom and Soviet Russia during the year 1932?

The information necessary for a statement as to the balance of payments between the United Kingdom and Russia for the year 1932 is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the net balance of trade, visible and invisible, for the United Kingdom during the year 1934?

The excess of imports over exports of merchandise during the year 1934 was £285,000,000. An estimate of the invisible items entering into the balance of payments is being prepared and will be published in the Board of Trade Journal, as usual, about the end of next month.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how the volume of retained imports of manufactures other than non-ferrous metals and oils in 1934 compares with that of 1933?

If the effect of price changes is eliminated, the volume of retained imports into the United Kingdom of goods classified in the trade returns as wholly or mainly manufactured, excluding non-ferrous metals and manufactures thereof and refined petroleum, was greater by 13.3 per cent. in 1934 than in 1933.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office, under what auspices the officers' employment bureau has been established; what are its objects; and who are its personnel?

The Employment Bureau for Retired Officers of the Regular Army was established with the approval of the Secretary of State for War, and the Secretary of State for India. Its object is to assist retired officers of the Regular Army, both British Service and Indian Army, to find civil employment; and more particularly to assist those officers both at home and in India who will retire at a compara- tively early age under the various terms which were announced last year. Its personnel consists of a retired officer, who is paid as secretary from non-public funds, and three other retired officers, who are giving their services gratuitously as assistant secretaries.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he can make a statement regarding the proposed new uniforms for the Army?

The report of the committee appointed to investigate the question of dress and equipment is now completed and will shortly be submitted to the Army Council.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is in a position to say what steps have been taken by the colliery owners in the Wigan, West-houghton, and Leigh area to deal with the water problem and the danger to the mines through flooding; and whether any mine has been abandoned during the last 12 months because of the threatened danger of water breaking through?

The owners of mines in the area referred to have each taken independent steps to safeguard their property and their workmen from water dangers. I have consulted them informally and I understand them to be very strongly of the opinion that, in the present circumstances, nothing is to be gained by co-operative action. So far as the safety of the workmen is concerned, the matter is kept under close review by H.M. Inspectors, and I am satisfied that the steps taken to that end are adequate to avoid any immediate danger. During the last 12 months, two seams of one mine have been abandoned because of danger from water, but no mine in the area affected has been wholly abandoned on that account.

Will the Secretary for Mines continue with his attempts to get the coalowners to co-operate in dealing with the water, and point out to them the benefit that would come to both the community and themselves as a result?

I am watching this matter very closely.

I should like to ask the Minister to do all he possibly can with a view to preventing this flooding. There are great accumulations of water which is gradually percolating to other mines which are still working, and if it gets there it will mean more miners unemployed.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the coal agreement which was provisionally agreed between Polish and British coalowners in London has been ratified by the constituent bodies?

The Agreement was ratified in December last both in this country and in Poland.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether the Agreement has led to a rise in the price of export coal in this country?

It is a little early to say that.

asked the Secretary for Mines when he will be in a position to make a statement on the investigation he is making concerning shot-firing in mines; and whether he is considering other methods of getting down coal that will do away with shot-firing?

I am not clear what particular investigation the hon. Member has in mind. The safety of the materials and methods of shot-firing and the development of alternative methods of breaking down coal have been, and continue to be, the subject of a great deal of investigation and research, both at the collieries and elsewhere, by His Majesty's Inspectors, by the Safety in Mines Research Board, by colliery managements and by other experts, and the results of these investigations are published from time to time.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of persons killed and seriously injured in and about coal mines during 1934 and the various causes of the same?

The figures are 1,068 killed and 3,175 seriously injured. As the remainder of the reply involves a statistical statement, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary for Mines the position with regard to the suggested regulation for the compulsory use of gas detectors underground?

I have given formal notice, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Section 86 and the Second Schedule of the Coal Mines Act, 1911, of my proposal to make general regulations as to the provision of firedamp detectors for use by workmen. The notice was published on 16th January last, and the period during which objections may be lodged expires on 7th March. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the draft regulations and covering circular.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has had a further consultation with colliery owners over protective wear, namely, helmets, leather gloves, kneecaps, &c, used by mine workers; and what is their attitude towards providing them free of cost to the workman?

Good progress is being made in the development of protective equipment, particularly with hard hats, of which some 60,000 have recently been supplied. I have had no consultation with the colliery owners collectively regarding protective equipment, but, in view of the importance of the matter, I have recently come to an arrangement with the Safety in Mines Research Board for the appointment of a special technical officer who, for the present, will devote his whole time to this question under the general supervision of the board's chief mining engineer. It is impossible for me to give a general answer to the last part of the question. The matter is one for arrangement between owners and workmen, and as I informed the hon. Member on 17th July last, there is no settled practice.

Is it not true to say that the provision of this protective wear would actually be an economy, as it would save money in the matter of compensation for injuries?

That is a general question, but, as the hon. Member will see from the answer, progress is being made, and there is great good will in the matter.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he proposes to issue an interim report of the inquiry into the Gresford colliery disaster?

When, in September last, the Court of Inquiry into the Gresford Colliery disaster was set up, I expressed publicly my desire to receive as soon as practicable an interim report dealing with the condition of the mine before the explosion and with the exploration and rescue operations which were attempted after the explosion.

The court completed its hearing of the evidence relating to these two parts of the Inquiry on 14th December last and decided to adjourn sine die until further evidence relating to the third part, namely, the actual cause of the disaster, could be obtained by examination of the workings affected by the explosion.

Just before the adjournment, Counsel for the North Wales Miners' Association made the following statement to the court:

The first of these steps, the erection of an air-lock at the top of the Martin shaft, is already in progress, and this work is expected to be completed about the middle of February. The next step will be to take any necessary measures to render it safe for men wearing self-contained breathing apparatus to descend the two shafts to ascertain the conditions at and around the bottom of each of them. Subsequent procedure has been considered but cannot be settled until that has been done.

It is still impossible, therefore, to say when the third stage of the public inquiry can be commenced, and in all the circumstances I think the right course now, in the public interest, is that an interim report should be prepared and I have so informed the Commissioner, Sir Henry Walker. The completion of the interim report will take some time, and the question of its publication can be decided when that time arrives, in the light of the further progress made with the recovery operations at the mine.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is yet in a position to state what steps it is proposed to take to safeguard the pension rights of school teachers who retired during the period the economy cuts operated?

I regret that I am not yet in a position to add anything to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member on the 1st November last.

May I ask whether the delay is due to the teachers' union or the Department?

It is not due to either. Conversations are proceeding, and I cannot say what the outcome will be.

Does not my hon. Friend realise that a large number of teachers are affected and actually suffering at the present time, and that this delay is causing a lot of worry and irritation, because they do not know what their potential income is likely to be on retirement?

I explained to the House that some time ago the Board made an offer to the teachers, and that offer is still under consideration.

Will my hon. Friend make representations to the parties to hurry up their discussions, if possible?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the number of teachers who left training colleges in July last; the number of those that have secured positions as teachers or in other professions; and the number still unemployed?

According to returns received from Training Colleges and University Training Departments, of the 7,459 students who left in July last, 5,875 were reported to have obtained teaching posts by the 31st December last and 1,359 to have not then secured employment as teachers. In the case of the remaining 225 no information is available, but it can be assumed that some of these have in fact obtained employment.

Can the hon. Gentleman tell me what steps are likely to be taken, or whether any steps are likely to be taken, to secure employment for this large number of young teachers who have left college?

The position is something like this: The students all leave the colleges at the same time, but the vacancies do not occur all at once. At the present time, of those who left in the last six months nearly 80 per cent. have obtained employment, and our experience shows that probably most of the remainder will be absorbed in the next six months.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether legislation will be introduced this Session to raise the school-leaving age?

No, Sir. Apart from other considerations, other claims on the time of the House would in any case render the introduction of legislation this Session impracticable.

May we take it that it is definite that the Government have decided not to raise the school-leaving age?

I have made it clear in my answer what is the intention of the Government.

Can the hon. Gentleman tell us why it is that the Government have such a terrible fear of education for working-class children?

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education what is the average number of boys and girls leaving school each year?

The number of pupils who left public elementary schools for employment during the year ended 31st March, 1934, was 533,140. The estimated figures for the year ending 31st March, 1935, and the following two years are 590,000, 560,000, and 530,000, respectively.

Has the Minister any idea of the number of boys and girls who will get employment after they have left school?

It is estimated that from November, 1933, to November, 1934, the number of juveniles aged from 14 to 15, available for employment increased by about 200,000, and it is also estimated that close on 90 per cent. of this additional supply has been absorbed into employment.

asked the Minister of Labour the position with regard to the industrial conferences on the subject of the 40-hour week and other matters; and what progress has been made?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to my hon. Friends the Members for East Leicester (Mr. Lyons) and Wallsend (Miss Ward).

Can my hon. Friend say which of the individual industries are to be tackled first?

Not at this moment.

May I ask that before any recommendations are made on this very important matter the Department will consult with the trades concerned or with the associations representative of the trades?

The object of our consulting the federations is to discuss the matter industry by industry.

Is not the hon. Gentleman aware that this question of the 40-hour week is coming up at Geneva in June, and will he advise the representatives of the British Government there to vote in favour of a universal reduction of hours?

Not until we are satisfied on the facts that a reduction is possible or desirable.

Will my hon. Friend make sure that we do not degrade the standard of labour by reducing the standard of output?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Depart- ment whether the committee set up to inquire into the working of the two-shift system have concluded their deliberations and made their report; and, if so, when it will be published?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part does not therefore at present arise.

asked the Minister of Labour to state the number of young persons that have been transferred from various parts of England and Wales to London during the past 12 months, the number in situations, and the number registered as unemployed?

During the 12 months of 1934, 395 boys and 699 girls were transferred, under the Ministry of Labour Juvenile Transference Scheme, from the depressed areas of England and Wales to London. In the case of the boys, the majority were transferred to industrial employment, and, in the case of the girls, to private domestic employment. Of these all have remained in employment in the Metropolitan Area except 79 boys and 199 girls who returned home. I may add that any transferred juvenile who becomes unemployed, is either sent home or put into another job. Our experience is that most of the girls whose occupation is private domestic employment, are re-absorbed either nearer their home area or else in some other part of the developing areas other than London. It is quite a common thing for girls taking up their first place in London to remain there until they have saved enough money for a ticket home. They then go home for a holiday, but, having more confidence, find other employment for themselves nearer home or else in some other part of the South, not necessarily London.

Have any steps been taken by the Ministry of Labour to keep contact with these young girls, who come up from Wales and elsewhere, and to assure themselves that the conditions under which the girls are asked to work are such as would deserve the commendation of this House?

Oh, yes, I can give the House and the hon. Member every assurance. We keep in touch with all the boys and girls brought up by the Ministry of Labour under our juvenile transference scheme, and we inquire as to the places to which they are going before they are sent.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the numbers of registered clubs where intoxicating liquor is supplied in England and in Wales, respectively, in the years 1921, 1926, 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934?

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

asked the Home Secretary how many persons were charged with manslaughter in respect of fatal accidents, the result of motor traffic on the roads, during the years 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934; and how many of the persons so charged were convicted?

As the answer contains a number of figures, I will, with the hon. Member's permission, circulate it in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Following is the answer:

The number of cases in which a motor traffic fatality resulted in a committal for trial for manslaughter was 46 in 1931, 73 in 1932, 83 in 1933 and 104 in 1934. I cannot say how many convictions resulted in 1931: the number of convictions was 22 in 1932, 29 in 1933 and in 1934 there have so far been 34. In a further nine cases which arose in 1934 the result of the trial is not yet known.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is in a position to make a statement as to the date on which he will bring the speed limit of 30 miles per hour in built-up areas, as provided by the Road Traffic Act, 1934, into operation?

As I have already announced, I propose to bring the speed limit of 30 miles per hour in built-up areas into force on 18th March next.

asked the Minister of Transport whether any persons with less than seven years driving experience have been, or are to be, appointed as driving-test examiners?

Candidates are required to state the number of years they have driven, and the extent of their driving experience will be taken into account by the selection boards, but no qualifying minimum period has been prescribed.

In view of the value of experience and the great number of applicants, will the Minister consider laying down some such minimum as seven years driving experience?

I will certainly bear in mind what my hon. Friend has said.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has any statement to make in respect of the future policy to be pursued in respect of pedestrian crossings?

I am satisfied that pedestrian crossing places make for the safety and convenience of road users and that, with the co-operation of the public, they can be made of increasing value. I have appointed 15th March as the date by which schemes of pedestrian crossing places or statements as to the reasons why they are not considered necessary are to be submitted by local authorities throughout the country. I have also made regulations extending to the whole country the provisions hitherto operative in London with regard to pedestrian and vehicular traffic at the crossings.

Will the Minister consider the suggestion that pedestrians should give a definite indication that they propose to make use of a crossing?

Will he consider also giving the London public some further information as to their rights on these crossings, in view of the confusion that prevails?

In regard to the first question: I have considered that point, but there are certain dangers surrounding the proposal. As regards the second question: I hope that the situation may be progressively improved.

Will the hon. Gentleman consider making it an offence for pedestrians to disobey the red, green and amber lights?

Will the hon. Gentleman state specifically what are the legal rights of pedestrians versus wheeled traffic at uncontrolled crossings, because no one seems to know?

With regard to the question of my hon. Friend the Member for Chislehurst (Sir W. Smithers), of course any regulations that I may be able to make are dependent upon the powers with which Parliament has invested me. I will certainly see how far they go in the direction suggested. I will send the hon. and gallant Member for Ayr Burghs (Lieut.-Colonel Moore) a copy of the regulations, which I think will answer his question, and I should be very much obliged to him for his assistance in making the regulations better known.

Further to the Minister's answer to the supplementary question of the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Sir W. Smithers), surely it would be absurd for pedestrians to be banked up at a perfectly empty crossing, waiting for the lights to allow them to pass?

Is not the Minister aware that in London at least 75 per cent. of motorists utterly ignore the Belisha beacons?

The hon. Member is probably aware that there has been a number of prosecutions, mostly with successful results. I hope that by this and other means motorists and pedestrians will gradually be induced to observe the crossings in the universal interest.

Will the Minister consider the advisability of giving in the report the time of the day or night at which accidents take place?

I am always ready to give any information in my possession

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state the situation with regard to the dispute between Abyssinia and Italy?

This question was placed upon the agenda of the League Council on the 17th January. At a meeting held two days later the council took note of letters addressed to the Secretary-General by the Italian and Ethiopian delegations in Geneva intimating that both parties were disposed to seek a settlement of the dispute by means of direct negotiations in the spirit of the Italo-Ethiopian Treaty of Friendship of 1928, in particular Article 5 thereof, which lays down that questions which cannot be decided by diplomatic means will be submitted to a procedure of conciliation or arbitration. These letters also declared that the two Governments concerned would take all appropriate measures, and issue all necessary instructions, with a view to avoiding any further incidents. In view of these assurances the council adjourned consideration of the appeal made by the Ethiopian Government under paragraph 2, Article 11 of the League Covenant, until its next session.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will state the present position of the dispute between Bolivia and Paraguay?

The Assembly of the League of Nations adopted on the 24th November last, under the terms of Article 15 of the Covenant, a report and recommendations for the settlement of this dispute. This report was unconditionally accepted by the Bolivian Government, but has not yet been accepted by the Paraguayan Government, and in the meantime hostilities are, I regret to say, still continuing.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether the embargo on arms has been raised in respect of Bolivia?

There was a recommendation of the advisory committee to that effect, and it is now being considered by the Government.

In the meantime, has the embargo been tightened up?

We should like to see it tightened up.

asked the Minister of Health the number of persons in receipt of Poor Law relief on the last available date, giving separate figures for men, women and children, and comparable figures for the previous two years?

The total numbers of persons in receipt of poor relief in England and Wales (including dependants but excluding rate-aided patients in mental hospitals, persons in receipt of domiciliary medical relief only and casuals) on Saturday, 5th January, 1935, and on the corresponding days in 1934 and 1933, were 1,471,987, 1,401,224, and 1,376,040, respectively. The weekly returns from which these figures have been obtained do not distinguish the numbers of men, women and children, but approximately 29 per cent. of the total consisted of men, 35 per cent. of women, and 36 per cent. of children.

What is the proportion of the total number of persons on the live registers of the Employment Exchanges, together with dependants of those persons?

In so far as the persons were breadwinners, all but 13,000 would be so registered.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can furnish figures giving the numbers of families living in one-room and two-room tenements in England and Wales, with separate figures for each of the large towns?

The most recent figures available are those of the 1931 Census, which will be found in Table 6 of the recently published Census Report on Housing, and in the corresponding Table (Table 11) in each of the county census reports.

asked the First Commissioner of Works what arrangements are being made to floodlight public buildings, etc., in London in connection with the Silver Jubilee celebrations in May next; and what expenditure of public funds will be involved?

Provisional arrangements have been made to floodlight certain public buildings, including Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace, the Admiralty and Horse Guards arches, the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament, the National Gallery, the London County Hall and Westminster Abbey. Almost the entire cost of floodlighting these buildings, together with St. James's Park, is being generously borne by the electrical and gas industries. I am hopeful that a number of other buildings in public and private ownership may also be floodlit in celebration of the Royal Jubilee.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated net cost in 1936 of granting retiring pensions of £1 to all persons 60 years of age in the present insurable class and their wives from 1st January, 1936, after deducting saving on present pension, unemployment, and sickness benefit schemes, and assuming that half of those eligible at 60 do retire and take advantage of the scheme?

The cost of providing retirement pensions of £1 a week to all insured persons over the age of 60 and also to their wives, whatever their ages might be, on the assumption that 50 per cent. of those eligible took the offer contains too many speculative elements to enable a firm estimate to be made. But making as near an approach to accuracy as can be arrived at, it could hardly add less than £100,000,000 a year to the expenditure of the next few years and this sum would later grow considerably with the increase of the population of advanced age. The question of increasing widows' pensions would also arise, as a widow, possibly with children to maintain, could hardly be paid a smaller sum than the wife of a man who had elected to give up paid employment.

I thank the Chancellor for his answer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of doubling all present old age pensions on condition of retirement from industry, and assuming that 50 per cent. took advantage of the proposal?

The estimated cost of doubling all old age pensions at the present time would be about £61,000,000 a year. I am afraid that the hon. Member must make his own assumption as to the amount which would be saved by attaching the condition of retirement, but I am not disposed to agree with his suggestion that only 50 per cent. of a class consisting wholly of persons over 65 years of age would accept the conditions on which a double pension would be payable.

Does the Chancellor actually mean to say that the wages paid to those people in industry are so low that more than half of them would accept the pension?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the recent Anglo-German agreement about the default on post-War German Municipal Bonds floated in London provided that German Funding Bonds should be issued to British subjects in lieu of cash payments of interest; that British subjects entitled to the German Funding Bonds have not received them, and that the delay prevents such persons selling them in order to use the proceeds as income; and will he take up the matter with the German Government?

I understand that the detailed arrangements in connection with the issue of 4 per cent. Funding Bonds by the German Government, in accordance with the provisions of Article 7 (ii) of the Anglo-German Payments Agreement of 1st November last, are under discussion and that it is hoped that an announcement in regard to the issue of the bonds will be made shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he has considered the financial statement issued by the State Bank of Brazil about 18th December; whether he will, in view of the figures therein stated respecting the borrowings in England by Brazil and upon which she has defaulted three times in the last 30 years, inform the Brazilian authorities that, irrespective of the embargo upon the issue of foreign loans, Brazil will not be permitted to issue another loan in London until she has ceased to over-borrow; and whether he will notify the Brazilian authorities that the British exports created by Brazilian defaulted loans have caused a loss to Britain;

(2) whether his attention has been drawn to the statement respecting exchange issued by the State Bank of Brazil upon Brazil's debts to creditor countries; and whether he will inform the Brazilian authorities that the views expressed towards those British subjects whom Brazil has invited to lend their capital to develop Brazilian resources will render it difficult to raise the embargo to enable financial assistance to be granted to Brazilian borrowers by British investors when London is again available for the flotation of foreign loans?

I fully agree with my hon. Friend that the possibility of Brazil's obtaining in future years further financial assistance in this market for the development of her economic resources must depend on the fair treatment of British interests and the prudent management of her finances. His Majesty's Government will not fail, if occasion arises, to draw the attention of the Brazilian Government to these considerations.

Is the Chancellor aware that while exchange affairs between Brazil and England continue in a state of chaos, it is impossible for any British manufacturer to risk taking an order for the delivery of goods to Brazil because he knows he would not be paid for them?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he can inform the House of the number of tons of oil imported during 1934; the corresponding figures for 1933; the amount received by the Treasury from the tax on oil during the period quoted; and whether he can give any information concerning the extended use of coal in place of oil?

Statistics of the imports of hydrocarbon oils are given at pages 56 and 92–94 in the Monthly Trade Accounts for December, 1934. The yield of the hydrocarbon oil duties was £38,586,000 in 1933 and £41,994,000 in 1934. With regard to the last part of the question, I have at present no information beyond that given in the reply to a question by my hon. Friend on 29th November, but I hope to receive further reports in the course of next month.

( by Private Notice ) asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the procedings at the inquest at Weymouth into the death of Mr. Jeffreys Charles Allen, J.P., and whether he is prepared to introduce legislation to confine coroners' inquests to an inquiry into the cause of death.

I have had under consideration for some time past the ques- tion whether changes in the law or practice regarding coroners' inquests are desirable. The issues involved are complex, and, after consultation with the Lord Chancellor, I have decided to appoint a committee of inquiry into the subject. I hope to be able to announce the membership and precise terms of reference of the Committee at an early date.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for his reply, may I ask him whether, pending the result of the inquiry, he does not think it would be in the public interest to circularise the coroners of the country with a view to securing that the inquiries shall be confined to the simple matter of the cause of death, and not ramble as the recent inquiry did?

I think it would be much better to await the result of the pending inquiry.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury (1) what were the numbers of superintendents of typists and chief superintendents of typists, respectively, employed in each Department on the 1st of April, 1924, and at the same date in each of the succeeding years; and

(2) what was the number of promotions from the rank of superintendent of typists to that of chief superintendent, Department by Department, for each of the years within the period 1st April, 1924, to 31st March, 1934, inclusive?

The number of superintendents of typists and chief superintendents of typists employed in each Department on 1st April, 1924, and 1st April, 1934, will be found in a statement which, in view of its length, I have arranged to be circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT. Similar particulars for the intervening years, and information regarding the numbers of promotions from the grade of superintendent to the grade of chief superintendent cannot be obtained without considerable expense and labour which, I feel, would not be justified.

Following is the statement:

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he has any statement to make as to our commercial relations with the Irish Free State?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Rothwell (Mr. Lunn).