asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs the figures for the imports of pottery into South Africa for the years 1933 and 1934; and what proportions are from the United Kingdom and from Japan?

The following are the figures for which my hon. and gallant Friend asks:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the figures for the imports of pottery into the British East African territories for the years 1933 and 1934; and what proportions are from the United Kingdom and from Japan?

I regret that the figures for 1934 are not yet available. The following are the figures for 1933:

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many country mills have been closed owing to the action of the Millers' Mutual; and what effect the closing of these mills has had on the supply of offals to the farmer?

I am informed by the National Association of British and Irish Millers that, since the scheme for the rationalisation of the flour milling industry under the Millers' Mutual Association came into operation in September, 1929, 21 country millers, representing a total capacity of less than 80 sacks per hour, which were members of that association, have ceased flour milling. It is stated that economic conditions would in any case have caused these millers to cease flour milling and that most of them have continued to mill provender. Since the first accounting period under the Wheat Act, 1932, 43 inland millers have ceased milling flour liable to quota payment, 19 of whom have continued to mill provender, and 40 inland millers have begun to mill such flour. Since the passing of the Wheat Act, 1932, exports of British-milled wheat offals except to the Channel Islands have practically ceased by virtue of an undertaking given by the millers, and the total available supply of wheat offals in the cereal years 1932–33 and 1933–34 was appreciably larger than was recorded in the Census of Production taken in respect of either of the calendar years 1924 or 1930.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in view of the grave position with respect to trade in this country as revealed by recent figures, he is prepared to consider altering and enlarging the personnel of the Import Duties Advisory Committee?

My right hon. Friend sees no necessity for such action as my hon. Friend suggests, and I would refer him to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade yesterday to the hon. Member for the Platting Division (Mr. Chorlton).

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that the magistrates at Chedderton asked the superintendent of police to allow the police officers to attend the juvenile courts in civilian clothes and that he refused; and will he take steps to ensure that in any case where such a wish is expressed by the magistrates the police shall not have the power to refuse?

I have no information on the subject, but I will make inquiry.

asked the Minister of Transport whether invitations were issued to representatives of the cyclists' touring clubs to attend and associate with the advisory body upon traffic problems; and, as cyclists are a considerable body of road users, will he consider consultation with them in respect to any future regulations?

After consultation with the National Cyclists' Union and the Cyclists' Touring Club, my predecessor appointed Mr. W. P. Cook, a vice-president of the Cyclists' Touring Club, to represent the interests of pedal cyclists on the Transport Advisory Council. I have also appointed Mr. Watling, the director of the British Cycle and Motor Cycle Manufacturers' Union, to be a member of the Committee on Road Safety. With regard to the last part of the question, it is my practice to consult organisations representing cyclists with regard to any regulations which specially affect them.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in view of the increasing traffic on the roads, he will cease to make any grants-in-aid of expenditure by highway authorities upon the conversion of margins to mere ornamental lawns as opposed to space available for pedestrians and riders; and whether he will advise highway authorities to use the maximum space available for highways for purposes of utility rather than ornament?

It is the duty of highway authorities properly to maintain margins with due regard to the needs of all classes of road users, and it is not my practice to make grants from the Road Fund to the cost of converting margins to mere ornamental lawns.

asked the Minister of Transport what steps, if any, are being taken by his Department to stop the serious leakage of water from the Crinan Canal at or about No. 14 Lock?

Extensive repairs are shortly to be undertaken in the neighbourhood of Crinan No. 14 Lock, and it is hoped to stop this leakage.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that in many parts of rural England which have been disfigured by the electricity pylons, the local undertakers refuse to supply villages and farms with electricity, and that the Wokingham Rural District Council has repeatedly called the attention of the Thames Valley Electric Company to the necessity for a continuation cable to the Hurst village and neighbourhood without avail; and whether he will take steps to cancel the powers given to all those local electricity undertakers who show no enterprise in developing country districts?

I am informed by the Electricity Commissioners that a supply of electricity was actually made available by the Thames Valley Electric Supply Company, Limited, in the village of Hurst in February, 1932, and in other parts of the parish in the summer of 1933. If my hon. and gallant Friend will inform me of the particular cases in the parish where difficulty is experienced in obtaining a supply, I will make further inquiries. With regard to the latter part of the question, I am always ready to have examination made of any cases where there is ground for thinking that undertakers are failing to make reasonable development, and shall be glad if my hon. and gallant Friend will communicate to me any cases which he has in mind.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the average cost to the consumer per power and light unit of electricity in Great Britain in 1927; and what is the average price to-day?

The latest available average figures are for the year 1932–33. In that year the average cost to the consumer per unit was .77d. as compared with .94d. in 1927–28 for power supplies, and 2.41d. as compared with 3.39d. for lighting and domestic supplies.

asked the Minister of Health the number who are receiving pensions under the 1925 to 1929 contributory Acts and also the number under the non-contributory Act; and, in each case, the number of these recipients who are still employed and the cost to the country of the pensions granted to them?

As regards the first part of the question, the number of persons in receipt of pensions under or by virtue of the Contributory Pensions Acts on 31st December, 1934, was 2,382,543, and the number under the 1908 to 1924 Acts, independently of the Contributory Pensions Acts, was 717,821. The information asked for in the second part of the question is not available.

asked the Minister of Health what the approximate Exchequer contribution to the 1925 to 1929 Pension Acts will be in 1944, assuming, as has been stated, that the whole of the present surpluses will be exhausted by 1943?

I am afraid I must ask my hon. Friend to await the issue of the first report of the Government Actuary on the financial working of the Contributory Pensions Acts, which will contain the information he desires. The report is expected shortly.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can state the allocation of the special grant to distressed areas for the financial year ended 5th April, 1934; and particulars for the year 1933–34 in respect of each such area, showing in a comparative way the average number of registered unemployed, the average number of such unemployed chargeable to the local authorities, the total amount disbursed as outdoor relief for the maintenance of able-bodied unemployed persons and their dependants, the amount of relief afforded to the local authority by the special grant expressed as a rate per £ of valuation, and the amount of said relief expressed as a sum per head of the number of unemployed chargeable to the local authorities?

, pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 31st January, 1935; col. 511, Vol. 297], supplied the following statement:

The returns made to my Department do not distinguish able-bodied persons in receipt of poor relief. The figures available relate to persons ordinarily

engaged in some regular occupation and distinguish unemployed persons registered at Employment Exchanges. The figures in columns 5, 6 and 7 of the following statement include cases in which the primary cause of relief was sickness and not unemployment. The information asked for in the last part of the question cannot be given, as the numbers of unemployed persons in receipt of relief who are not registered at Employment Exchanges are not known.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether his attention has been called to the claim of certain workers in the Government Research Station at St. Helens for an improved scale of wages; and whether he can make any statement on this matter?

A claim has been received from a trade union, and has been discussed with officers of my Department. The matter is still under consideration.

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what is the present stock of rifles held by his Department; whether any supply has recently been made available to the National Rifle Association; if so, what quantity; what was the cost of production; and what is the price charged to this association?

It would not be in the public interest to disclose the stocks of rifles which are held, nor is it consonant with general policy to disclose details of prices paid under contracts. Three hundred rifles have been sold recently to the National Rifle Association; the desire of the War Office being to assist competitors at the National Rifle Association's meetings so far as this can be done without loss to public funds.