asked the Secretary for Mines the number of men rendered idle in the closing of Raglan colliery, Heol-y-cyw, Glamorgan; and whether he is making an attempt on behalf of the Government to enable the colliery to reopen and avert ruin to the community and greater hardship to the already distressed area of Glamorganshire?

The Brynwyth colliery owned by the Raglan Collieries. Limited, closed down on 23rd March. 1935, the number of men rendered idle being 514. I understand that the company is in voluntary liquidation, but that 54 men are at present retained. I regret the hardship resulting but, as the hon. Member is aware, the closing of any colliery is necessarily a question to be decided by those responsible for its working, and I am not in a position to intervene in the matter.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many coal mines are now working within the urban areas of Aspull, Blackrod, Hindley, Horwich and Westhoughton, and the number of persons employed in and around each pit, respectively, at the last convenient date?

At 13th April, 1935, eight mines were working in the urban areas named. The number of persons employed in and about each mine was as follows:

Name of mine.	No. of persons employed at 13th April, 1935
Alexandra	195
Blackrod	27
Ellerbeck, 1 and 2	73
Strange ways Hall	1,245
Montcliffe	27
Starkie, Westhoughton, 1 and 2	489
Eatock, 1 and 2	446

asked the Secretary for Mines how many men and boys have been dismissed or are under notice at the following Durham collieries since 1st January, 1935, and the reasons for such dismissals: Hylton, Louisa New Pit, South Moor William Pit, Hedley Pit, North Hetton, Houghton, Hetton Lyons, Silksworth, Thornley, Wheatley Hill, Sacriston, Dawdon, Cornsay, Morrison, West Stanley, Ushaw Moor, Sherburn Hill, Deaf Hill, Dunston, Murton, Monks wearmouth, Follonsby, Ryhope, Chester Moor, Burnhope, Ouston East, Brandon, and Washington Glebe?

The engagement and dismissal of the employés of individual concerns are not matters over which I have any control, and the information asked for is not in my possession. I would suggest that the hon. Member should obtain it through the usual industrial channels.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether his attention has been called to the statement in the annual report of the Central Electricity Board that in certain electricity stations there has been a saving in fuel economy in 1934 as compared with 1932 of over 7 per cent., equivalent to nearly £500,000; and what this economy represents in terms of coal production arid unemployment of miners?

I have seen the statement referred to. I have no official information on the subject, but I understand from the Central Electricity Board that the economy in coal consumption, in respect of the stations referred to in the statement, effected in 1934 as compared with 1932 was something of the order of 600,000 tons, which would represent the employment of about 2,150 miners. While increased efficiency in the production of electricity may result in decreased coal consumption for a given number of units, this is not the only factor affecting the amount of coal consumed by electricity undertakings.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that unemployed members of the Darwen Weavers, Winders, and Warpers' Association are suffering reductions of from 6d. to 2s. per week in their unemployed allowance, contrary to the undertaking that under the standstill arrangement no reductions would be made where there was no change of circumstances; and whether he will have inquiry made into this complaint with a view to the restoration of the original allowances and a return of the deductions made?

If the hon. Member will supply me with particulars which will make it possible to identify the cases he has in mind, I will ask the Unemployment Assistance Board to make inquiry.

asked the Minister of Labour how many persons were unemployed and the percentages of the total insured population in the urban council areas of Aspull, Blackrod, Hindley, Horwich, and Westhoughton, respectively, at the most convenient date?

The available statistics relate to employment exchange areas and not to local authority areas. The numbers of unemployed persons, aged 14 years and over (insured and uninsured), on the registers of the Hindley, Horwich and Westhoughton employment exchanges at 25th March, 1935, were as follow:

Hindley	…	…	2,586
Horwich	…	…	1,176
Westhoughton	…	…	1,690

Among insured persons, aged 16 to 64, within the area of these exchanges, the proportions recorded as unemployed at 25th March, 1935, were:

			Per cent.
Hindley	…	…	36.0
Horwich	…	…	15.4
Westhoughton	…	…	37.7

Separate figures are not available for Aspull and Blackrod.

asked the Minister of Labour the total number of Minister appointments that have been made on the staff of the Unemployment Assistance Board and on appeal tribunals, respectively; and what percentage of such number in each case are ex-service men?

The staff of the Unemployment Assistance Board is appointed by the Board and not by the Minister of Labour, and I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the appointments and nominations made by the Minister under the Seventh Schedule to the Unemployment Act, 1934, in connection with appeal tribunals. I have appointed 138 chairmen and 220 reserve chairmen and have nominated approximately 7,000 persons to form the panels of representatives of workpeople for appeal tribunals. I am not aware of the percentage of these persons who are ex-service men.

asked the Minister of Labour whether it is the intention of the Unemployment Assistance Board to grant extra allowances for the week commencing 6th May next; and, if so, when the decision of the Board will be made known?

I understand that it is the intention of the Unemployment Assistance Board to pay additional allowances in connection with the Jubilee at the rate of 2s. 6d. for each recipient of an allowance and 1s. for each dependant child.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what were the value and yardage of cotton textiles imported into Kenya and Tanganyika from the United Kingdom and Japan, respectively, in the first quarter of the year 1935?

I regret that, the figures are not yet available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether powers will be taken under Sub-section (2) of Section 5 of the Import Duties Act, 1932, to permit soya beans grown in Tanganyika to be exempt from the new duty to be imposed?

By virtue of the Import Duties (Mandated Territories) Preference Order, 1932, soya beans, the produce of Tanganyika, will be exempt from this duty subject to compliance with the statutory conditions governing the grant of Imperial Preference. No further powers are necessary for this purpose.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how many children attending public elementary schools do not receive milk under the scheme?

No figures are at present available as to the number of children attending public elementary schools who do not receive milk under the milk in schools scheme. Returns are now being submitted to the Board showing the number of children participating in the scheme at the end of March.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education how many grant-aided secondary schools provide 100 per cent. special places and in what areas such schools are situated?

The number of secondary schools in England and Wales where the award of 100 per cent. special places at the beginning of the school year 1934–35 has been approved is shown in the following table:

Area.	Number of school
ENGLAND.
Counties.
Durham	20
Essex	26
Isle of Wight	2
Middlesex	48
Wilts (including Swindon 3)	13
County Boroughs.
Barrow-in-Furness	2
Birmingham	18
Bolton	1
Bradford	10
Burnley	2
Doncaster	2
East Ham	2
Huddersfield	4
Manchester	8
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	4
Norwich	2
Nottingham	3
Oldham	1
Plymouth	4
Portsmouth	4
Sheffield	5
Smethwick	2
Stoke-on-Trent	3
Warrington	2
Total (England)	188
Wales.
Counties.
Brecon	6
Caernarvonshire	4
Glamorgan (including Rhondda 4)	32
Monmouthshire	15

Area.	Number of Schools.
County Boroughs.
Cardiff	9
Merthyr Tydfil	4
Swansea	6
Newport	2
Total (Wales)	78
Total (ENGLAND AND WALES) 266.

asked the Minister of Transport whether the Transport Advisory Council has taken any steps to consider the co-ordination of transport; and whether any report will be submitted to this House?

I am informed that the Council has not considered this matter.

asked the Minister of Transport the number of examiners employed by his Department in the examination of hours of work, etc., of the drivers of goods vehicles, and the number of examinations made to the latest convenient date?

The examination of records as to hours of work of drivers of goods vehicles is one of a number of duties entrusted to officers and examiners appointed by the Minister of Transport under the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933. The number of these officers at the present date is 238. Police constables are also authorised to examine these records. The total number of examinations made is not aggregated.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he has yet decided to take any action against the employers of a lorry driver who was charged at Cardiff Police Court on 27th March with driving more than five and a half hours and who had been dismissed from his employment?

It is not for me to decide whether action should be taken; the proceedings in question were instituted by the police.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that driving testers are still refusing to give any reason to unsuccessful applicants as to the causes of their failure; whether he is aware that such a case has just occurred at Brentford; and whether he will issue formal instructions to these officials that they are not to refuse to give the information required?

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a statement I made in answer to a similar question asked by the hon. Member for Newcastle-on-Tyne, Central (Mr. Denville) on 10th April.