asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether steps are being taken in, any of the Colonies to develop the growing of soya beans with a view to taking advantage of the preferential rates which will henceforward be available on soya beans imported into this country?

I understand that experiments are being conducted in the production of soya beans in Nyasaland and Tanganyika, and commercial production within the Empire will no doubt be assisted by the proposed imposition of duty on foreign soya beans. The primary object in imposing this duty was, however, to place soya beans in a similar position to other foreign products competing with colonial oilseeds and nuts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Government of Ceylon have taken any action to carry out the malaria preventive measures advised by the late Sir Ronald Ross in 1925 and Colonel Clemesha in 1928?

Sir Ronald Ross visted Ceylon in 1925 in a private capacity to advise planters upon the control of malaria on their estates. He issued a report to the Ceylon Association in London in April, 1926. There is no record in the Colonial Office of any report by Colonel Clemesha to the Ceylon Government. I am not in a position to say what action was taken by the Ceylon Government upon Sir R. Ross's report, or upon any recommendations that Colonel Clemesha may have made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how much money does the Government of Ceylon intend to spend on anti-malarial work during the current year?

Considerable expenditure additional to the provision in the Estimates has been voted by the State Council for anti-malaria work during the current year, but I have no detailed information as to the total amount which the Government of Ceylon intend to spend on such measures. The actual figure will, no doubt, depend to some extent on recommendations made by the expert on malaria who is at present visiting the island.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many deaths from malaria in Ceylon were reported in 1934, in 1933, and in 1932?

The Registrar-General's reports give the number of deaths from malaria in Ceylon for the year 1932 as 1,681; for 1933, 1,409. The figures for 1934 are not yet available. I will send them to my hon. and gallant Friend when I receive them.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will arrange that in the list of places licensed for vivisection for the year 1934 the names of companies owning such places shall be set out and the actual identity of ownership of places licensed for vivisection be given; and whether places licensed for vivisection can be grouped into categories according to the class of work carried on in them?

The person or body controlling the places registered under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 1876, for the performance therein of experiments on living animals can in most cases be gathered from the registered description given in Table I of the annual return. I will arrange that this shall be shown in all cases in the next issue of the return. I am advised that in view of the variety of the research work carried out at the respective laboratories, it is impracticable to group the registered places into categories according to the kind of work done in them.

asked the Home Secretary how many appeals had been received up to 31st March, 1935, under the Police (Appeals) Act, 1927, from men who had been dismissed or ordered to resign in lieu of dismissal from the Metropolitan Police, City of London Police, county police, and borough police, respectively; in how many cases were inquiries held; in how many cases was legal aid allowed and in how many refused; in how many cases were the appeals dismissed without an inquiry being held; in how many cases were the appeals dismissed after inquiry; in how many cases were the punishments appealed from varied; in how many cases were the appeals allowed; and how many appeals were outstanding on 31st March, 1935?

One hundred and ten appeals have been received of which seven were withdrawn or not proceeded with. The remainder were disposed of as shown in the subjoined schedule. There were no cases outstanding on 31st March, 1935.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many appeals had been received up to 31st March, 1935, under the Police (Appeals) Act, 1927, from men who had been dismissed or ordered to resign in lieu of dismissal from the county and burgh police, respectively; in how many cases were inquiries held; in how many cases was legal aid allowed and in how many refused; in how many cases were the appeals dismissed without

Nineteen appeals have been received and disposed of as shown in the subjoined schedule.

asked the Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that proceedings against a Mr. A. N. Youett were instituted in the court of the judicial officer, Quetta cantonment, in December, 1933, under Sections 468, 420, and 109 of the India Penal Code, in connection with a certain document, and that, after the proceedings had been prolonged till July, 1934, the case was withdrawn and the accused discharged; and will he state the reasons for the withdrawal of the case?

The Government of India have been asked for a report, and I will communicate with my hon. Friend when I have received it.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of collieries in Lancashire and Cheshire employing less than 30 persons, the number of accidents at such collieries in each of the last five years, the quantity of the coal produced, and the number of the said collieries supervised by a certificated mine manager?

In 1934, the number of coal mines in Lancashire and Cheshire employing less than 30 persons was 38, of which 16 were supervised by a certificated mine manager. The total output of coal at these mines in 1934 was 83,024 tons and the number of persons killed or disabled for more than three days by accidents during the last five years was as follows: