Written Answers
Naval And Military Pensions And Grants
asked the Minister of Pensions whether he will cause investigations to be made with a view to ascertaining the number of cases in which pension allowances extended to war orphans beyond the age of 16 years on account of incapacity have now ceased because the child has reached the age of 21; and the number of cases in which war orphans are at present receiving allowances which have been continued beyond the age of 16 on the grounds of incapacity?
I fear that the records of my Department would not enable the particulars asked for in the first part of the question to be obtained. With regard to the latter part of the question, it is estimated that at the beginning of this year there were about 2,000 children over the age of 16, one or both of whose parents were deceased, who were in receipt of extended allowances on the score of infirmity.
Germany (British Authors, Royalties)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that royalties due to British authors, whose works are published in translation in Germany, cannot be recovered by them owing to prohibition of payment by the German Government, while German authors, whose works are published in England, are receiving full payment from English firms; and whether any retaliatory measures can be taken to right this anomaly?
If my hon. Friend will be good enough to furnish me with detailed information, I shall be glad to give the matter consideration.
Factories, Scotland
asked the President of the Board of Trade how many new factories were opened in Scotland in each of the years 1932, 1933, and 1934; and how many were closed in each of the same years?
The following statement shows the number of factories (designed to provide employment for at least 25 workpeople) opened and closed in Scotland during the years 1932, 1933 and 1934.
| Year. | Opened. | Closed. |
| 1932 | 20 | 37 |
| 1933 | 16 | 31 |
| 1934 | 22 | 20 |
Transport
Built-Up Areas (Speed Limit)
asked the Minister of Transport to what extent he has been able to arrange for the de-restriction of those lengths of road referred to in the recent memorandum submitted to him by the motoring organisations as being stretches of road on which the 30-miles-per-hour limit was unnecessary?
My hon. Friend will, of course, realise that I cannot de-restrict roads, in cases where a local authority does not agree with my suggestions, except after holding a local inquiry. In a number of cases local authorities have already agreed at my request to de-restrict certain of these roads. In appropriate cases where they have not agreed, I have given instructions for local inquiries to be held. In regard to all the other roads I have called for detailed reports from my divisional road engineers.
Road Accidents (Hospital Treatment)
asked the Minister of Transport the total cost incurred by hospitals in Great Britain in treating road casualties; the amount claimed from his Department by these institutions; and the total paid?
According to a statement in "The Hospitals Year Book, 1935," 25,000 victims of road accidents were treated last year in the voluntary hospitals of Great Britain and Ireland at a cost of £235,000, of which £110,000 was recovered including £80,000 under the provisions of the Road Traffic Acts and the common law. Payments to hospitals in respect of the cost of such treatment, although they may be made in pursuance of the Road Traffic Act, are not made from funds under my control.
Ribbon Development
asked the Minister of Transport what is the approximate remaining mileage of by-pass roads in the country along which ribbon development has not taken place and which can be saved therefrom by the prospective Bill dealing with this matter?
As conditions vary so much from mile to mile on all roads in the country, it would not be practicable to give any accurate figure.
Post Office
Pension Payments, Leicester
asked the Postmaster-General the total amount of monies paid out from the post offices in the city of Leicester for the year 1934, or for the year ending at the most recent convenient date, in respect of war pensions, contributory widows', orphans', and old age pensions, and non-contributory pensions, and other issues under the control of his Department, including payments to the blind?
The following amounts (approximately) were paid out in the year ended 31st December, 1934, from post offices in the city of Leicester in respect of—
| £ | |
| Army and Navy and Air Force pensions and allowances | 260,000 |
| Contributory widows', orphans', and old age pensions and non-contributory pensions, including pensions to the blind | 520,000 |
Telephone Service (Rural Districts, Scotland)
asked the Postmaster-General in how many cases in the last three years guarantees have been demanded by the Post Office as a condition of extending the telephone in rural districts in Scotland; what was the total amount of such guarantees; in how may cases recourse has been had to the guarantors to make up any deficiency on the cost of the service; and what is the total amount of money paid to the General Post Office in respect of these guarantees?
During the past three years guarantees have been required in Scotland in 27 cases, all in connection with the provision of telephone call offices in rural districts. The total amount guaranteed is £594 10s. a year. Nine of the call offices have not yet been in service for a year, but it has been necessary to make demands upon the guarantors in respect of all but one of the remaining 18. These demands number 29 in the period stated; and the total amount paid or awaiting payment is £568 14s. 10d. As a result of the concession which I announced on 29th April concerning the provision of additional telephone facilities in rural districts, the guarantees in nearly half these cases will be cancelled as from 1st May.
Elementary Scholars, Leicester
asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education the number of children recorded as attending the public elementary schools of the city of Leicester at 29th March, 1935, or the nearest convenient date?
The number of children on the registers of the public elementary schools maintained by the Leicester local education authority on 31st March, 1935, was 30,187.
Kenya (Immigration)
asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the total figure of general immigration into Kenya for the year 1934, or for the year ending at the most recent convenient date, and compare it with the preceding year?
Owing to the need for economy, the Government of Kenya has discontinued publishing these statistics since 1932, and I regret, therefore, that the latest figures which I have are for that year. In 1932, 12,767 persons of all races entered Kenya at the Port of Mombasa, and 15,403 left. The figures for 1931 were—arrivals 16,006, departures 19,537. These figures relate only to the Port of Mombasa and are not, therefore, a completely accurate account of all arrivals and departures from Kenya.
Royal Navy (Storehousemen)
asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether it is the policy of his Department to withdraw store-housemen of United Kingdom origin in naval store departments at the various overseas ports; if this is the case, whether the policy is dictated by economy or by any other reason; and, if not, whether the substitution of two such storehouse-men at Gibraltar by locally recruited officials has any special significance?
It is not the policy to withdraw English store-housemen from abroad except in the interests of economy. The recent withdrawal of the two store-housemen from Gibraltar has no special significance.