asked the Minister of Health (1) how many cases of tonsilitis occurred in nurses at the Birmingham City Infectious Diseases Hospital in each of the 20 years ending with 1934;(2) how many cases were registered at Birmingham as due to tonsilitis for each year for the last 20 years for which the statistics are available?

I am informed by the local authority that no statistics on this subject are available.

asked the Minister of Health whether the annual reports of medical officers of health received by his Department are subjected to departmental criticism?

The annual reports of medical officers of health are examined in my Department, but they are not ordinarily subjected to criticism.

asked the Minister of Health how many cases of small-pox have been notified in England and Wales since the first week in October, 1934?

One.

asked the Minister of Health how many deaths were registered as due to small-pox during the year 1934, and what were the ages of each of such deaths; and whether any other disease in addition to small-pox was mentioned on the death certificate?

The answer to the first part of the question is six, the ages of the persons being seven, eight, 16, 24, 57 and 62 years respectively. As regards the second part, in one case the death certificate mentioned another disease in addition to small-pox, and in another case the death was certified as due to heart failure, acute toxaemia, and varicella, but was finally classified as due to small-pox.

asked the Minister of Health in connection with the fatal cases of diphtheria at Dewsbury in 1931, 1932, 1933 and 1934 in inoculated children, the interval that elapsed between the date of the last inoculation and the development of the attack of diphtheria?

The following is the information furnished by the local authority on this subject:In connection with the fatal cases of diphtheria at Dewsbury in 1931, 1932, 1933

and 1934 in inoculated children, the interval that elapsed between the date of the last inoculation and the development of the attack of diphtheria was as follows:

1931.	(No fatal cases).
1932.	(4 fatal cases).	3	months'	interval.
		3	months'	interval.
		4	months'	interval.
		5	months'	interval.
1933.	(2 fatal cases.)	13	months'	interval.
		15	months'	interval.
1934.	(5 fatal cases.)	20	months'	interval.
		21	months'	interval.
		23	months'	interval.
		25	months'	interval.
		28	months'	interval.

asked the Minister of Health how many immunised children developed diphtheria at Leeds in 1933 and 1934; how many of these cases were shown to be Schick negative, either primarily or after immunisation; and whether any and, if so, how many were shown to be Schick negative at the time of notification or on admission to hospital as diphtheria patients?

The following is the information furnished by the local authority on this subject:

1. Immunised children who contracted diphtheria during the years 1933 and 1934	29
2. Immunised children who gave positive Schick test before being immunised	29
3. Immunised children who gave a negative Schick test after immunisation	20

N.B.—The remaining nine of the group had not a final test as they were admitted to hospital with diphtheria before the test could be applied.

4. Immunised children who gave a negative Schick test on admission to hospital

13

N.B.—Of the remaining 16 cases, nine had no final Schick Test as explained in Note No. 3, and seven were not tested at the time of admission to hospital.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will investigate the case of Leading-Telegraphist Charles Frederick Baker, J./28,301, who was invalided from the Royal Navy, stated to be suffering from disseminated sclerosis, on 3rd October, 1928; whether he is aware that this man has since his discharge worked in handling heavy loads; that he has been certified by more than one doctor to be fit and strong and showing no sign of the disease mentioned; that owing to his discharge papers the Post Office refuse to consider him for employment; and whether he will consider the question of amending the man's discharge papers to enable him to pursue employment for which his training has made him suitable?

The Admiralty are not aware on what employment ex-Leading Telegraphist Baker has been engaged since leaving the Service, but it is the case that in correspondence with the Admiralty he has forwarded medical evidence that there is no longer any sign of the disability for which he was invalided, and has also stated that he has been unable to obtain employment with the Post Office owing to his medical record. Particulars of disability of an invalided man are not recorded on his Service certificate, which is the document given to him on discharge, but on his medical history sheet, which remains in the possession of the Admiralty. As this sheet is the record of his medical history while in the Service, it obviously cannot be amended or continued in order to take account of developments subsequent to his discharge, but its contents are not divulged except with the written consent of the man himself.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether, in view of the fact that the estimated number of established men in His Majesty's dockyards for the forthcoming financial year is only 7,896 as compared with 8,313 in 1934, he will now consider the desirability of restoring the ratio of establishment to one in one?

This question is at present under discussion on the Admiralty Industrial Council as the result of a motion put forward by the trade union side, and I will inform the hon. Member of the result in due course.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the present number of pensioned Admiralty industrial employés; the total approximate annual amount received by them in pensions; and whether he has any information to show in how many cases the pensions of these individuals are less than 10s. per week?

The number of former Admiralty industrial employés now in receipt of pensions (including compensation allowances awarded in respect of abolition of office) is approximately 7,000; and (as the hon. Member was informed on 27th February), the annual value of their pensions is approximately £384,500. The number of pensions of less than 10s. a week is very small, but the precise number could not be ascertained without an undue expenditure of time and labour.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty the number of clerical officers serving under the Admiralty in the Treasury and Departmental Classes who were recruited, respectively, by pre-War and war-time examinations, by post-War examinations, by selection, and by nomination, and the number in each category promoted since 1st January, 1921?

The numbers of clerical officers serving under the Admiralty in the Treasury and Departmental Classes who were recruited respectively:(1) by pre-War and war-time examinations;(2) by post-War examinations;(3) by selection, and(4) by nomination, are as follow:(1) 274; (2) 736; (3) 187; (4) 371.The numbers in each category who have been promoted to higher grades since 1st January, 1921, are:(1) 165; (2) 46; (3)—; (4) 230.