Written Answers
Milk (Producers' Receipts)
asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he has any statistics which indicate how the present average total monthly receipts of all milk producers in this country in respect of milk produced by them compares with the average monthly receipts previous to the inception of the milk marketing scheme?
I regret that this information is not available.
Mexico (Religion)
asked the Postmaster-General whether postal matter and private correspondence accepted by his Department for transmission to Mexico is liable to inspection and may be refused entry if its contents imply propaganda of any religious doctrine?
According to an official document issued by the Mexican Post Office which has just come to hand, postal packets, of which the contents are considered to be in the nature of propaganda on behalf of any religious doctrine, are now prohibited from transmission by post in Mexico; and any such packets originating in other countries which may be observed in the post in Mexico are due to be returned to the country of origin.
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his Department has any information as to the fate of some 10,000 refugees from religious persecution in Mexico; and have they sought refuge in the jungle of British Honduras, and will he make inquiries?
I have no information on this subject. If any such movement of Mexican refugees into British Honduras had taken place, the Governor of the Colony would, I feel sure, have informed me of the fact.
Cancer Research
asked the Minister of Health how many experiments were per- formed in 1932 and 1933 in connection with cancer research?
This information is not available.
British Army
Territorial Drill Halls
asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office what sum of money the War Office received during the financial year 1933–34 as its share of the sub-letting of Territorial drill halls?
| UNITS OF THE BRITISH ARMY AT HOME HAVING A COUNTERPART IN INDIA IN WHICH THE ORGANISATION DIFFERS. | |
| HOME. | INDIA. |
| CAVALRY OF THE LINE. | |
| Regimental Headquarters (4 Tickers machine guns, 2 Lewis guns). | Regimental Headquarters (4 Tickers Berthier machine guns). |
| 3 Sabre Squadrons (each of 3 troops). | 3 Sabre Squadrons (each of 4 troops and 4 Tickers Berthier machine guns). |
| ROYAL ARTILLERY. | |
| Field Brigade: | |
| Brigade Headquarters. | Brigade Headquarters. |
| 3 Batteries—each of four 18-pdr. guns. | 2 Batteries—each of four (or six) 18-pdr. guns. |
| 1 Battery of four 4·5-in. howitzers. | 2 Batteries—each of four (or six) 4.5-in. howitzers. |
| Medium Brigade: | |
| Brigade Headquarters. | Brigade Headquarters. |
| 1 Battery of four 60-pdr. guns. | 1 Battery of four 60-pdr. guns. |
| 3 Batteries—each of four 6-in. howitzers. | 2 Batteries—each of six 6-in. howitzers. |
| Anti-Aircraft Battery: | |
| Battery Headquarters. | Battery Headquarters. |
| 2 sections—each of four 3-in. 20-cwt. guns. | 4 sections—each of two 3-in. 20-cwt. guns. |
| 1 section of four Lewis guns. | |
| (Note.—Lewis gun sections will shortly be withdrawn from A.A. Batteries at Home and be organised to form a separate A.A. Machine Gun Battery in each A.A. Brigade.) | |
| INFANTRY OF THE LINE. | |
| Headquarter Wing (4 anti-tank weapons 2 Lewis guns). | Headquarter Wing. |
| Support Company (1 platoon of 2 mortars 2 platoons—each of 4 machine guns). | Support Company (3 platoons—each of 4 machine guns). |
| 3 Rifle Companies (4 platoons—each of 4 sections with 2 Lewis guns). | 3 Rifle Companies (4 platoons—each of 4 sections with Lewis gun). |
| ROYAL TANK CORPS. | |
| Light Tank Company; | |
| Company Headquarters (3 tanks). | Company Headquarters (4 tanks). |
| 3 Sections—each of 5 tanks. | 3 sections—each of 7 tanks. |
| (These form part of an Army Tank Battalion and a Light Tank Battalion.) | |
| With regard to Armoured Car Units— | |
| At home there is a Cavalry Armoured Car Regiment, but in India there are 5 Armoured Car Companies, Royal Tank Corps. The organisation of these units is as under:— | |
| Cavalry Armoured Car Regiment: | Armoured Car Company: |
| Regimental Headquarters (2 armoured cars). | |
| 3 Squadrons—each of Headquarters and 3 Troops with 12 armoured cars. | Headquarters and 3 Sections with 16 armoured cars. |
Approximately £13,000.
Units (Organisation, Home And India)
asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office to what extent the organisation of the British Army units in India differs from that of the units at home?
I attach a statement showing the differences between the organisation of units of the British Army at home and those which have a counterpart in India.
Reserve (Training)
asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office to what extent the service training has been carried out since the War?
Apart from a day's training of 20,000 reservists in 1925, there has been no general training of the Army Reserve since the War. Members of categories A and B of the Supplementary Reserve train every year within the limits prescribed by their conditions of service.
Portsmouth Dockyard (Pensioned Men)
asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury the number of superannuated established men from Portsmouth Dockyard who were in receipt of pensions in each of the last 15 years; and what was the average amount of such pension?
I have been asked to reply to this question. I regret that the information asked for could only be obtained by an altogether disproportionate amount of clerical work.