asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will consider the possibility of arranging a census to ascertain the value of the annual trade of the wholesale and retail distributive trades in this country?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the question asked by the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Morgan Jones) on 27th February last.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether countries like Rumania, who are suspending British imports in order to readjust the balance of trade, are none the less meeting the payments of moneys for British goods already received?

My attention was called to statements in the Press on 14th March that Rumania had suspended imports from the United Kingdom and from some other countries because the balance of trade with those countries was adverse to Rumania. I made immediate inquiries, and was informed that the issue of import licences had been suspended for two or three days only while the Rumanian authorities were ascertaining the precise position of the trade balance. Under the Anglo-Rumanian payments agreement of 8th February, Rumania may, so long as the monthly payments for the settlement of outstanding debts continue, restrict the importation of United Kingdom goods into Rumania to 55 per cent. of Rumanian exports to the United Kingdom.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in connection with the Brussels Conference of the International Union for the protection of literary and artistic work to be held in 1936, stops are being taken to secure the opinion of those connected with the hotel industry, as well as those connected with concert work, on the present system of levying performing rights fees on the performances of copyright music?

Steps have been taken in connection with the forthcoming Brussels conference to secure the opinions of associations representing the industries interested in the questions to be discussed. Among those associations is the International Council of Music Users, Limited, who in this respect are understood to express the views of hotel proprietors and other music users in this country.

asked the Minister of Labour whether his attention has been drawn to the fact that three occupational centres for the unemployed in Manchester have been closed owing to the unpreparedness of the Unemployment Assistance Board to take them over or contribute to their support; and whether he is prepared to finance such centres to the same extent as previously done by the public assistance committee so that they may re-open immediately?

I have seen a statement in the Press to this effect. I would point out, however, that the responsibility for the men attending the centres in question still remains with the authority owing to the postponement of the second appointed day. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has already announced that local authorities are to receive grants in respect of the period of postponement to place them as nearly as can be ascertained in the financial position which they would have occupied had there been no postponement. It does not appear, therefore, that the reason for closing the centres could be that suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Labour what is the total estimated cost of maintenance, on all accounts, per trainee per week at each of the instructional and conditioning centres under the Ministry?

pursuant to his reply [OFFICIAL REPORT, 12th March, 1935, Column 192, Vol. 299], supplied the following statement:—There are 14 residential instructional centres at present in existence, and in connection with these, 13 residential instructional camps were set up during the summer months of 1934. The cost of maintenance of the residential instructional centres varies slightly according to the locality, type of training, period of the year, etc.: on the average it is about 23s. per trainee-week. At the residential instructional camps the cost is about 1s. 6d. per trainee-week less. These figures exclude any allowance for capital expenditure or for cost of headquarters administration. While at the centres the men continue to receive unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance allowances to which they are entitled, retain 4s. per week for personal expenses, and pay the balance towards the cost of board and lodging. In cases where the men have dependants, arrangements are made for an appropriate sum to be available for the maintenance of the dependants. In addition to the type of centre referred to above there are two centres at which the total cost is somewhat higher than at the residential centres:—

asked the Minister of Health what is the child population under 15 years of age of Heston and Isleworth; how many children in that district under 15 years of age have, respectively, been preliminary Schick-tested, given three injections of diphtheria immunising mixture and subsequently Schick-tested and found negative; and what is the number of children under 15 years of age at Heston and Isleworth who were immunised each year from 1929?

At the Census of 1931, the population under 15 years of age in the Heston and Isleworth urban district was 17,781. The information supplied to me by the local authority on the other points raised by the hon. Member is as follows. Preliminary Schick-testing has been the routine practice in carrying out immunisation against diphtheria, except in a very few cases, and Schick-testing after immunisation is a routine practice; in the years 1930 to 1934, inclusive, 3,186 children were immunised by three injections; and the numbers of children under 15 years of age who have been immunised each year from 1929 are as follow:

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the long journeys on foot which have frequently to be made by poor persons, and even women, living in rural districts in order to apply for and obtain relief from public assistance committees; and whether, as the length of some of these journeys is between 15 and 20 miles, some travelling allowance could be made to the applicants to avoid the fatigue entailed?

I have received no reports or representations concerning the matter to which my hon. Friend refers, but shall be happy to investigate any specific cases which he may have in mind.

asked the Minister of Health whether it is intended that the restrictions proposed by the Housing Bill now before Parliament shall interfere with the discretion of the occupier of any house as to the use which he makes of the several rooms in his occupation?

No, Sir. The proposals in the Bill are directed to controlling the total number of persons who may occupy a house. They do not extend to any further interference with the discretion to which my hon. Friend refers.

asked the First Commissioner of Works whether he will give a list of the ancient monuments under the control of the Office of Works where active work is being carried on or is contemplated at the present time?

The list is as follows:(