asked the Secretary of State for India whether he has yet received from the Government of India their views with regard to the proposed legislation in Kenya by Order in Council affecting the highland area in that Colony; and whether he has conveyed the views of the Government of India to the Colonial Office?

My right hon. Friend has not yet received the considered views of the Government of India in regard to question. but is expecting them shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether British sovereignty, which has been maintained over a portion of Basidu island, in the Persian Gulf, for over a hundred years, has now been formally abandoned; and, if so, what, if any, steps have been taken to safeguard the British cemetery at Basidu, wherein many British seamen of all ranks have been buried during the past century?

The regular use of the station at Basidu on the Persian island of Qishm, by His Majesty's ships has been discontinued since 1911. The local climatic conditions are unhealthy and the place was not British territory. His Majesty's Government recently decided that British interests in the Persian Gulf would best be served by the transfer of the station to Bahrain on the Arab side of the Gulf; and, in accordance with this decision, the station at Basidu is now being evacuated. Arrangements are under discussion with the Persian Government for the proper safeguarding of the British cemetery at Basidu.

Is it not the fact that for more than 100 years the British flag has been flown there and that repeatedly statements have been made that it is British territory; and has that position not been pointed out frequently to the Persian Government?

I think the terms of my original answer show that the place has not been regarded as British territory.

Why should news of the abandonment of a British naval station reach us from Delhi instead of by an announcement from His Majesty's Government to this House especially having regard to the very ancient connection which exists in this case as the right hon Gentleman has already explained?

:I cannot answer that question I did not know that the announcement had reached the hon Gentlemen from Delhi.

:In view of the very unsatisfactory reply of the right hon. Gentleman and the importance of the issue involved, I beg to give notice that I shall raise this question at the earliest opportunity on the Adjournment.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Persian Government have now finally abandoned their claim to sovereignty over the islands of Bahrain?

The Persian claim to the islands of Bahrain, which has frequently been advanced in the past, has not, so far as I am aware, been abandoned; but His Majesty's Government, who have been in close treaty relations with the rulers of Bahrain since 1820, do not regard, and have never regarded that claim as possessing any validity whatever.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he can give any estimate of the number of men to be under arms on 30th April, 1935, in present circumstances in France, Germany, Italy, Czechoslovakia, and Russia, as compared with 1st October, 1934?

It is not possible to give anything like exact estimates for particular dates.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether His Majesty's Government are, in association with other leading European Powers, still endeavouring to promote a system of closer economic co-operation between the succession States; and, if so, what progress has been made?

His Majesty's Government view with sympathy the effort to promote closer economic co-operation between the succession States. So far as I am aware, however, no negotiations are in progress at present.

May I ask whether His Majesty's Government recognise that no political guarantees for Austria's independence would be of much value without a settlement of her economic problems; and whether the right hon. Gentleman can assure the House that that aspect of the question will receive serious consideration at Stresa?

I cannot give any undertaking about Stresa. Of course, the initiative in such matters as the economic relations between the succession States cannot come from us, but I am perfectly ready to subscribe to the proposition that the political and economic aspect have to be borne in mind.

asked the Minister of Pensions whether he is aware that, owing to the restrictions of the royal warrant, the pension allowance that was in issue to Alfred William Hagan, son of the late Gunner Thomas Hagan, No. 35,032, Royal Field Artillery, who died as a result of war service in September, 1923, ceased at the age of 21, although the orphan is a cripple and is consequently unable to contribute in any way to his self-support; and whether, in view of this fact, he will consider amending the royal warrant with the object of ensuring that allowances are continued to totally incapacitated war orphans for so long as such incapacity exists?

The hon. Member is perhaps not fully informed as to the facts of this case. The young man's mother is at present in receipt of alternative pension as a widow at a rate which actually gives her the same income as if she were drawing with her flat rate pension an additional allowance for her son. With regard to the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to a question from the hon. and gallant Members for Northampton(Sir M Manningham-Buller) and Coventry (Captain Strickland) on 27th ultimo, and to other similar answers of which I am sending her a copy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that under the potato marketing scheme the price fixed at which authorised merchants are required to sell to retailers is about 70s. a ton, but that they can buy at 30s. or 40s. per ton from. the registered producer, and that even at that price producers find it difficult to dispose of their produce; and will he advise the Potato Marketing Board to reduce the price at which the authorised merchant must sell in order to increase the demand and so give the registered producer a better chance to dispose of his produce?

With regard to the first part of the question, I am informed by the Potato Marketing Board that they have not fixed the prices at which authorised merchants shall sell to retailers. The second part of the question does not, therefore, arise.

I wonder whether the Marketing Board can take any steps to make that fact clear, because the farmers in my part of the world appear to be under a different impression?

I think the Noble Lady's question and the answer to it will have the effect of disseminating the information desired.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether it is the case that these wholesalers are selling for 70s. a ton and buying at about 30s. to 40s. a ton?

No, Sir.

asked the Postmaster-General (1) whether letters dealing with the Irish sweepstakes which are opened by his Department are returned to the writers or destroyed;

Letters containing remittances are returned to the sender except in cases in which the money is ordered to be forfeited by a, Court in pursuance of Section 30 (3) of the Betting and Lotteries Act, 1934. I regret that I do not see my way to give an undertaking that the charges in respect of any telegram which may be detained will be refunded to the sender. As the Home Secretary and I have frequently explained, it would not be in the public interest to give the information asked for in Question No. 22

If there is no return of the money paid for a telegram which will not be transmitted, is it not obtaining money under false pretences; and, further, how can he say that it is against the public interest to give the figures asked for when the event is already over. Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Grand National was run 10 days ago?

I have no official information about the Grand National

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether these regulations would apply to post-dated cheques?

Is my right hon. Friend aware that £2,825,000 reached Ireland, the greater part of it from this country, for this sweepstake, and does he not see how futile these "Ogpu" regulations are?

Is it no use Members of this House trying to persuade themselves that the Post Office is not entitled to open any letters it thinks proper?

That is clear.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that the delivery of French and other Continental newspapers to British readers has often been delayed recently owing to instructions issued from the Home Office to newsagents that, before distributing any foreign newspapers, they are responsible for the censorship of such papers to ascertain if there is any allusion to a foreign lottery therein and, if so, to black out any paragraph referring to any such lottery; and whether, in view of the inconvenience, expense, and delay thereby caused, these Home Office instructions will be discontinued and newsagents relieved from this task, for which they have no suitable organisation?

No, Sir; and as no such instructions have been issued by the Home Office, the second part of the question does not arise.

Then is there no reason for blacking out and for the delay in the delivery of these papers—does my hon. and gallant Friend say that the Home Office have given no orders in the matter?

That is what I have just said.

Can the hon. and gallant Member say how many "mare's nests" the Home Office has discovered lately?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that some employers in the distributive trades, consequent upon the fact that they cannot now legally employ young persons beyond a restricted number of hours per week, have discharged numbers of young persons covered by the Shops Act, 1934; and whether he will take steps to put a stop to this practice?

I am not aware of such discharges and shall be glad if the hon. Member will give me particulars.

Provided I give the right hon. Gentleman information, will he be good enough to see if he can possibly take some action to prevent this brutal and callous treatment of young persons by employers

I should like to see the information first, before I give any answer to that question.

If my right hon. Friend cannot bring in a Bill dealing with unregulated trades, will he bring in a Bill dealing with the regulated trades?

As my answer was that I have no knowledge of what is contained in the question till I have been given particulars, I cannot answer the Noble Lady's question.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any information relating to the practice of certain employers who take into consideration the statutory pension of 10s. a week when assessing wages of their employés between the ages of 65 and 70; and whether he will make a statement on the matter?

I am not in possession of information as to the extent to which statutory pensions are taken into consideration by individual employers and workpeople in the assessment of rates of wages, and I am not aware of any collective agreements between organisations of employers and workpeople providing for the payment of reduced rates of wages to workpeople in receipt of pensions.

Is it not a fact that several local authorities have done this, particularly those dominated by Tories?

I have information only of cases where it is done by collective agreements between the parties, but, in answer to the hon. Gentleman's question, I know of no case where that has been done.

Is there anything to prevent individual employers or local authorities from doing it?

There is nothing to prevent employers and employed, by agreement, fixing any rates of wages.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a classical case where an arbitrator in a dispute took into account social services in assessing rates of wages?

I am afraid my acquaintance with the classics is limited.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can give any information as to the number of trade unions with pension schemes for their members?

As far as can be ascertained from the latest returns furnished by registered trade unions, 106 of these unions are operating pension schemes for members. Comprehensive information is not available as regards unregistered unions, but it is understood that only a. small proportion of these unions have such schemes in operation.

In view of the many anomalies and difficulties in the way of obtaining information and also in view of the fact that there is going to be a lot more people of old age about during the next 30 years, will my right hon. Friend consider the views of employers and employés' organisations, as he is consulting them on the question of hours, on this question also?

I will bear my hon. Friend's suggestion in mind.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is now in a position to state the object and scope of, as well as the names of the persons who are to conduct, the proposed inquiry into the conditions obtaining in the county borough of Merthyr Tydvil; and whether, in view of the fact that his Department is already in full possession of all the necessary information, he will reverse his decision and immediately apply the appropriate measures to relieve that exceptionally distressed area?

The object and scope of the inquiry is to consider the status of Merthyr Tydvil as a county borough and what other arrangements, if any, should be made for its local government. My right hon. Friend is not yet in a position to announce the names of the commissioners, but hopes to do so shortly. An inquiry on the lines proposed is necessary for investigating satisfactorily the subject to be considered about which my right hon. Friend's Department is not already in possession of all the necessary information.

In view of the number of women and children in South Wales with whom the commission will have to deal, will not the Minister consider putting a woman on the commission?

asked the Minister of Health what steps are being taken to safeguard the country against the dangers of another possible drought?

The average total rainfall for the country as a whole for the six months ended 31st March last, the critical months for the replenishment of water supplies, was above the normal, and urban water undertakers generally are in a good position. Should the necessity arise, powers are available to them to obtain additional water supplies with despatch under the Water Supplies (Exceptional Shortage Orders) Act, 1934, which remains in force until the end of the present year. The primary need in the rural areas is for permanent supplies. Good progress is being made under the Act of last year and the total capital cost of schemes for which State grants have been provisionally allocated is now £3,200,000 for schemes in 1,100 parishes.

asked the Minister of Health (1) whether any and, if so, what county boroughs have been deprived of their charters since the year 1900; and on what grounds in each case?

Since 1900, 19 county boroughs have been created and no county borough has been deprived of its status. In one case there has been an amalgamation of one county borough with another. County boroughs are not constituted by charter. I am sending the hon. Member a statement giving the detailed information he desires. Under die Local Government (County Boroughs and Adjustments) Act, 1926, a borough must have a minimum population of 75,000 before application can be made for county borough status.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs how many migrants from the United Kingdom have entered Canada during the last 10 years?

The number of migrants from the United Kingdom entering Canada during the latest 10 years for which figures are available, that is, the 10 years ended 31st March, 1934, was 353,855.

:In view of the fact that during the same period something like 500,000 foreigners and 200,000 Americans entered Canada, does not the hon. Gentleman think the time has come when British migration should be further encouraged

That is a matter primarily for the Canadian Government. We are ready to do our part as soon as conditions are favourable.

How many British migrants have been deported from Canada during the past four years?

I shall require notice of that question.

asked the Prime Minister whether he can state what British Ministers will attend the conference at Stresa?

The British representatives will be my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and myself.

asked the Prime Minister what further period will elapse before the promised Bill is presented to preserve the country side against destruction by ribbon-building?

A Bill has already been prepared and is under consideration by His Majesty's Government. The Government, however, is not in a position to introduce the Bill until it can put before the House proposals which will effectively deal with the problem with due regard to the many interests concerned.

In the preparation of this Bill, will the Prime Minister bear in mind the extreme urgency of the matter and the necessity of introducing some provision to prevent the erection of buildings directly upon arterial roads?

Does the reply mean that the Bill will not be introduced this Session?

Oh, no. We are preparing it as fast as we can in view of the tremendously complicated problems and details which are involved.

Does the Bill include provision for compensating landlords?

Is it not true that this matter was put before the Minister of Health in 1918?

asked the Prime Minister whether, in view of the fact that it has now been established that written records exist of the evidence of a number of important witnesses before the 1918 McKinnon Wood inquiry, and in view of the important bearing of that evidence on the work of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Private Manufacture of Arms, he will cause further search to be made for the complete evidence and will cause it to be published?

I have had careful inquiry made. No verbatim record appears to have been made of the evidence taken by this committee. Copies have been found, however, of certain of the minutes of the committee, and these will be made available to the Royal Commission if they wish it.

Will it be possible for Members of the House to have copies of these minutes? I think I was a member of the inquiry, and I am unable to find them.

Will the Prime Minister consider making the minutes available to the general public, as copious extracts have been published in a pamphlet by Dr. Gilbert Slater, and the public would wish to know the remainder of the evidence?

In that case the evidence is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will consider the practicability of extending to other Mediterranean colonies and dependencies the far-reaching educational reforms at present being carried through in Cyprus; and whether he will ask the governors and others to report to him on this question?

It is not necessary for me to consider extending the Cyprus reforms to Malta for the reason that the position already achieved in Malta is considerably in advance of that reached in Cyprus. In 1932, as the right hon. Member will recollect, the important decision was taken that English should be the only language to be taught in the elementary schools in addition to the Maltese vernacular. In Gibraltar the schools are grant-aided but not directly administered by Government. English is taught in all the schools including the elementary schools.

Will the right hon. Gentleman extend his survey to Gibraltar and Palestine?

That is a separate matter.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been drawn to the decision of the Court of Appeal with regard to the case of the Consett Iron Company, Limited, v. Clavering; and, if so, whether he contemplates taking any action to amend the Mining Industry Act, 1926?

The answer to the first part of the question is "Yes." With regard to the second part, all I can say at the moment is that the position is being carefully considered.

Can the hon. Gentleman say whether any representations have been made to him on this subject?

Yes.

Having regard to the fact that the Act of 1926 was expressly passed for the purpose of dealing with cases of this kind, and that this extraordinary decision completely nullifies that Act, can we have an assurance that there will be no avoidable delay in introducing amending legislation?

I have already said that the matter is being carefully considered. More than that I cannot say now.

Are we to take it that in the near future the hon. Gentleman intends to make a full statement on the matter?

As soon as I am able to do so.

May we take it that some such legislation will be introduced during this Session?

I have said that I cannot add anything to the answer.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education whether any decision has been come to with regard to the building of a new school at Ellesmere, Shropshire; and, if not, what is the present situation?

The statutory period for the publication of notice of the proposal in question has only just expired, and no decision upon it has yet been reached. It may be desirable to hold a public inquiry before coming to a decision.

May I ask whether, in coming to a decision, the Minister will bear in mind that the inhabitants are very anxious to have some public inquiry?

asked the Financial Secretary to the War Office whether he is aware that Colonel Dawnay, who recently resigned from the staff of the British Broadcasting Corporation to return to duty in the Army, has now again left the Army to return to the British Broadcasting Corporation; and whether it is in accordance with the usual practice for an officer thus to alternate between service in the Army and other employment?

Colonel Dawnay has been on half-pay since 1st August, 1933, and is not being re-employed until 19th October, when he assumes command of the Irish Guards Regiment and Regimental District.

While thanking the hon. Gentleman, may I ask whether he is aware that after the interview given to the Press by this officer announcing that he was rejoining the Army and the fact that he was still signing letters on behalf of the British Broadcasting Corporation naturally caused some misapprehension?

There is no reason why he should not sign letters for the British Broadcasting Corporation. He has not yet returned to duty with the Army.

asked the Home Secretary whether the inquiries now being carried on by the Metropolitan Police in connection with the disappearance of Herr Jakob have disclosed the presence in this country of any counter-refugee organisation engaged in undesirable activities; and, in this case, whether any special steps are being taken by the Home Office to have any of the persons concerned deported?

Inquiries are still proceeding, and as my hon. Friend was informed on Wednesday last, it would be undesirable to make any statement.

asked the Home Secretary whether there has been any increased demand for naturalisation from foreign seamen borne in British ships following the recommendation of the Shipping Subsidy Committee that British seamen should be given preference in employment; and what policy it is proposed to adopt with regard to such applications?

The number of applications and of preliminary inquiries received by the Home Office in the first three months of this year indicates that there is an increased demand for naturalisation by seamen. In dealing with such applications my right hon. Friend's policy will be the same as it has been in the past. Each case is considered on its merits, and the question whether naturalisation shall ibe granted or refused to those having the statutory qualifications depends on whether my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the applicant is a suitable person to become a British subject.

May we take it that, in view of the shipping position, particular attention will be paid to these applications for naturalisation?

Every attention is given to all applications, as I have just said.

I am not asking that. I am asking whether, having regard to the particular subterfuges now being adopted, particular attention will be paid to all these cases?

asked the Home Secretary whether he has received any report from the coroner in connection with the death of a man who was buried by 1,500 tons of sand at Taylor's Hill sand-pit, Godstone; and whether there was any breach of the regulations which governs that, when men are working at the sand-pit face, the face of the pit should not exceed 15 feet in height?

I have been asked to reply. The accident was investigated, and the coroner's inquest was attended by one of His Majesty's inspectors of quarries. The quarry face was sloped back at an angle of 45 degrees to a vertical height of about 80 feet and the deceased man was working on the face, when, without warning, about 1,500 tons of sand slid down and overwhelmed him. There is no rule limiting the height of a quarry face to 15 feet, and the Statutory Rules relating to clearing back the overburden and the manner of working the face were fully complied with. The jury returned a verdict of accidental death and attached no blame to anyone.

I understood this was a sand-pit and not a quarry?

It is a quarry for the purpose of definition.

asked the Home Secretary whether he knows yet why Dr. Dora Fabian committed suicide?

The question how this lady came by her death is a matter for determination at the inquest, and I cannot anticipate what the verdict will be.

Can the hon. and gallant Member assure the House that the lady in question was not threatened by the police with deportation?