asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will consult the

Description.		1932.		1933.		1934.
		Quantity.	Declared Value.	Quantity.	Declared Value.	Quantity.	Declared Value.
Dead Poultry:		Cwts.	£	Cwts.	£	Cwts.	£
Chickens	…	(a) 4,196	(a) 12,840	6,736	26,438	499	1,661
Turkeys	…			548	2,269	80	300
Other	…			476	1,681	13	225
Total	…	4,196	12,840	7,760	30,388	592	2,186
(a) Separate particulars were not recorded prior to 1933.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether he is aware that the local authority in Tewkesbury propose to enlarge the Church of England school and close two of the council schools, so that two-thirds of the schools will come under denominational control; that the scheme will necessitate converting the existing Church of England school into a two-storey building with a playground on the roof; that eventually all the children will have to pass through this school until 11 years of age; and that in 1930 land was purchased for the erection of new council schools, but no further steps have been taken; and whether, in view of the strong local opposition to the proposal, he will have inquiries made into the matter?

No question has yet arisen in this regard on which the Law Officers need be asked to advise.

asked the President of the Board of Trade for particulars of the imports of dead poultry from Germany in each of the years ended 31st December, 1932, 1933, and 1934?

The following table shows the quantity and value of dead poultry imports into the United Kingdom and registered as consigned from Germany during the years 1932, 1933, and 1934.

I am aware that the scheme of reorganisation of the schools in Tewkesbury and district which has been recently proposed by the local education authority and church school managers has aroused opposition. A number of protests against it have been addressed to the Board, and these will receive the Board's most careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is yet in a position to make a further statement on the circumstances attending the death of Mr. T. L. Powys in Kenya?

Yes, Sir. I have received from the Governor a further report on the history of the case, and a transcript of the shorthand notes taken at the trial of the natives who stood accused of Mr. Powys's murder. These documents are being placed in the Library of the House; and I am sure that any hon. Member who cares to peruse them will share my own conclusion that the local Government spared no possible effort to elicit the truth, that the conduct of the prosecution was irreproachable, and that there is no case whatever for instituting further inquiries.

asked the Minister of Transport what is to be done with the large amount of money accumulated in fines from motoring offences; and will he take steps for all this money to go to reduce the National Debt?

The statutes under which penalties for motoring offences are imposed require that a sum equal to the fines imposed in respect of such offences shall be paid into the Road Fund.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider illuminating all his road signs at night to assist drivers to keep within the law?

Highway authorities, who, of course, have responsibility in this matter, are already required to illuminate at night, either positively or by means of reflectors, all traffic signs, disregard of which is an offence.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will consider placing signs at every mile on those parts of the road which are unrestricted as to speed, putting up a U in a circle, 14 inches in diameter in pink, in order to remove doubts from the minds of all drivers?

No, Sir; Section 1 (7) (a) of the Road Traffic Act, 1934, does not suggest that any signs are needed in the ordinary case of the road which is unlit and unrestricted.

asked the Minister of Transport what approximate propor- tion of the mileage of the roads from London to Poole, Bournemouth, Brighton, Eastbourne, Hastings, Folkestone, Margate, and Southend, respectively, has been placed under the 30-miles-per-hour limit; whether he is aware that this limitation will necessarily decrease the number of motorists who are able to reach these seaside resorts from London; and whether he is aware of the protests made with regard to this aspect of the limit by hotel and catering interests?

The percentages of the mileage by road, measured from the centre of London to the destinations referred to by my hon. Friend, which are restricted, are as follow:

		Per cent.
To Poole and Bournemouth	…	24
Brighton	…	47
Eastbourne	…	33
Hastings	…	38
Folkestone	…	35
Margate	…	45
Southend	…	27

On all these journeys there is from 6 to 13 miles required to get through the built-up London area itself. I cannot accept my hon. Friend's suggestion that the observance of the 30-mile speed limit will put any of these destinations out of the London drivers' reach. On the other hand, I hope that it will have the contrary effect by making the roads more pleasant and less dangerous.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can yet state when work on the Haltwhistle section of the Newcastle-Hexham-Carlisle road will commence; and whether, should further delay seem probable, he will authorise entry on to the land at short notice without prejudice to subsequent negotiations with the landlords concerned?

I am informed that the Northumberland County Council expect to obtain possession of all the necessary land within the next few days. If, however, further delay seems probable, they propose to take steps for compulsory acquisition of certain lands.

asked the Minister of Transport whether plans have been approved by the Ministry of Transport for the construction of a by-pass near Mickleham, in Surrey; and, if so, when the work is likely to be started and the probable date of completion?

I understand that the county council are about to submit for my approval plans for the construction of a by-pass near Mickleham, which it is anticipated can be commenced m the next financial year and be completed in about two years.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that, on a large number of omnibus routes, the omnibuses are running at speeds of 40 miles an hour or more, as for instance in Lawrie Park Road, S.E.26, where they frequently run at this speed; and, having regard to the fact that this has been going on for a long time, why have no steps been taken to control these speeds on omnibuses?

Scotland Division.
—	Males.	Females.
Estimated number of insured persons (aged 16–64) at July, 1934*	984,510	367,770
Number of claimants (aged 16–64) for Unemployment Benefit† at 25th February, 1935.	97,239	28,506
Number of applicants (aged 18–64) for Unemployment Allowances at 25th February, 1935.	125,556	11,360
Total number of unemployed persons (aged 14 and over) on the registers at 25th February, 1935.	283,255	63,149
* Particulars of the total numbers of insured persons are available only in respect of July of each year.
† The numbers exclude 4,897 claimants (3,564 males and 1,333 females) whose contribution position under the First Statutory Condition had not been determined at 25th February.

asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have made arrangements under the Maternity and Child Welfare Act, 1918, to provide food, other than milk, to expectant or nursing mothers; and whether this is supplied free in necessitous cases?

According to my latest information, 275 local authorities in England and Wales have made these

The police give constant attention to the speed of heavy passenger vehicles, and 678 cases of excessive speed by omnibuses and coaches were reported during the year 1934 and action was taken either by caution or summonses. With regard to Lawrie Park Road, I am much obliged to my hon. Friend for calling my attention to this, and the Commissioner of Police informs me he has given orders for special attention to be paid to the speed of vehicles on this road.

asked the Minister of Labour, as regards the Scottish division, as at the last convenient date, the number of insured persons, the number of claimants for unemployment benefit, the number of applicants for unemployment assistance, and the total number of unemployed persons on the registers, distinguishing between males and females?

The following table gives the information desired:arrangements, and the food is supplied free or at less than cost price in necessitous cases by 214 of these authorities.

asked the Minister of Health, for the years 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934 and 1935, the number of persons in receipt of public assistance in the county borough of West Ham, showing indoor and outdoor separately?

The following statement gives the desired information, for

—				Number persons chargeable to the West Ham County Borough.
				Persons in receipt of Institutional Poor Belief.	Persons in receipt of Domiciliary Poor Relief.	Rate-aided patients in mental hospitals (not included in previous columns).	Total.
1931	…	…	…	2,318	9,612	1,123	13,053
1932	…	…	…	2,381	12,209	1,111	15,701
1933	…	…	…	2,383	16,971	1,119	20,473
1934	…	…	…	2,407	17,949	1,127	21,483
1935	…	…	…	2,268	17,662	1,139	21,069