asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the discrimination against this country in favour of Belgium under the quota arrangements for the importation of window-glass into Australia, provided for in the new trade agreement between Australia and Belgium; and, as this is not in accord with the Ottawa Agreements, what action he proposes to take to remedy it?

I cannot accept the suggestion that discrimination is being exercised against this country in this matter. The present arrangement will allow of an increase in the United Kingdom share of the total imports of sheet glass into the Commonwealth of Australia as compared with recent years.

asked the Minister of Health whether any decision has yet been made with regard to the claim to an old age pension under the Contributory Pensions Act by Mr. J. Wright, of Ashdown House, South Merstham, Surrey?

It has not yet been possible to reach a final decision in this case. On the information available Mr. Wright is entitled to a pension at a reduced rate, but it is alleged on his behalf that contributions were paid for an earlier period, and if this can be established the rate of pension payable will be increased. Immediate steps are being taken to put in payment a pension at the rate to which he is entitled on the information now available, and any necessary adjustment will be made when the outstanding question is disposed of.

asked the Minister of Health the number of deaf mutes in the United Kingdom according to the latest Census Return?

No inquiry as to this condition has been included in the Census Returns since 1911. My hon. and gallant Friend will, however, find some more recent information on this subject in the report made by the late Dr. Alfred Eichholz and published under the title of "A Study of the Deaf in England and Wales, 1930 to 1932."

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that the houses at Embleton Terrace, Brinkburn, Longframlington, Northumberland, are entirely without proper sanitation; that the water supply is pumped to the houses from a stream which is polluted by houses further up stream and by a sheep-dip about 50 yards up stream; that even this supply of water is frequently interrupted by breakdowns of the pump; that diphtheria has broken out at Embleton Terrace; and whether he will have arrangements made to supply water to Embleton Terrace from the pipe line running from Tosson to supply Tyne-mouth, which passes about half a mile from the houses and is already tapped for farms and other villages?

I am making inquiries, and will let the hon. Member know the result.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will inquire into the circumstances attending the refusal of invaliding pension to A. J. Bull, reference number P.M. 1914/34, who contracted a severe disability while in the service of the Navy and has been discharged with no recognition of his service, and is to-day dependent upon charitable funds?

I have looked into the circumstances of Bull's invaliding and I am satisfied that, in spite of very careful investigation, no evidence can be found to warrant the acceptance of his invaliding disability as attributable to the conditions of the Naval Service. In these circumstances, and as his pensionable service amounted to between seven and eight years, he was only eligible under the regulations for a gratuity of £24 10s. in respect of his invaliding and service, and this was paid in March, 1929. In view of his condition, however, he was awarded, from the funds of Greenwich Hospital, a temporary pension of £9 2s. per annum for one year from September, 1934. When the year expires, his circumstances will again be reviewed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that British subjects are still being subjected to monetary loss by not receiving documents under Article 7 (ii) of the Anglo-German Payments Agreement of November last; and will he now request the German authorities to issue the documents without further delay, or to make a monetary payment to those entitled to the documents as compensation for being prevented from selling the documents owing to non-delivery of their property?

The discussions between the German Government and the financial interests concerned are proceeding, and, as at present advised, I see no reason to intervene.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether regulations are issued to pilots and other members of the Royal Air Force in regard to indulgence in alcoholic drinks; and, if so, how long these regulations have been in force and whether a copy can be placed in the Library of this House?

The general regulations regarding the consumption of alcoholic drinks are contained in paragraphs 1095 and 1697 of King's Regulations and Air Council Instructions for the Royal Air Force, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. These paragraphs have been in force substantially in their present form since the formation of the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost involved in the Bog-side small-holding scheme, Midlothian, including land, buildings, development, etc.; and what is the estimated annual return in the form of rents paid by the holders?

On the assumption that my hon. Friend refers to the small-holdings scheme of Boggs in East Lothian, the answer to the first part of the question is that the estimated cost of the scheme is £33,000, and to the second part that the rents payable by the holders amount to £1,536.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware that prisoners in Scottish prisons can seal the envelopes containing petitions to the Secretary of State, but that the envelopes containing petitions to the Secretary of State from officers must be left open for reading by the Prison Department; and whether the observations on these petitions made by the Department are made known to the writers of such petitions?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The procedure in the case of prison officers is governed by the Prisons (Scotland) Rules which follow the established practice under which petitions by Civil Servants are submitted through their superior officers, whose observations on such petitions are not communicated to the writers unless circumstances render such a course necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the criminal lunatic department of Perth prison is expected to be transferred to Carnwath in the near future; whether a grant has yet been made from Government funds for this new establishment; and whether this proposed transfer is responsible for the appearance and unsanitary conditions prevalent in the old quarters at Perth prison village?

The question of providing a criminal lunatic asylum and a State institution for defectives elsewhere than at Perth prison is receiving my active consideration. Legislation will be required before expenditure can be incurred on a scheme of this nature. The condition of some of the old quarters at Perth is unsatisfactory, but the buildings are not suitable for reconstruction.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the average of the weekly minimum rates of wages and the average weekly working hours of Scottish farm workers in 1925, 1930, and in each succeeding year?

As the right hon. and gallant Baronet is aware, there is no

machinery for the compulsory fixation of minimum rates of wages for farm workers in Scotland. In a few districts standard rates are fixed by voluntary agreement between representatives of farmers and workers for recommendation to those concerned, but generally wages are the subject of individual arrangement. A table is appended showing the average rates of wages, as estimated by the Department of Agriculture for Scotland on the basis of information supplied by their local reporters, for each specified class in the year mentioned in the question. These figures must be taken with reserve. As regards the second part of the question, horsemen generally work nine hours a day "from stable to stable," but in some districts time taken to return from field to stable is excluded. In harvest time the day is 10 hours, and in the winter months a shorter day is worked, averaging about eight hours. Except in the North-East and the Border counties, a half-holiday is given on Saturday, save in the busy seasons. When allowance is made for this, and with the addition of an hour a day for stable work, the average week's work may be taken to be about 57 hours. Cattlemen's hours are less regular, but may be estimated at nine hours a day for seven days a week. In some districts extra pay is given for long days. No hours can be stated for shepherds. There was a certain reduction of hours after the War, estimated at about five hours a week, but no change has taken place since 1925.