asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state how many persons were employed in production in 1914 and how many in distributive trades; and comparable figures for the latest period for which figures are available?

I regret that comparable statistics are not available as to the numbers of persons employed in production and in the distributive trades, respectively, in 1914 and at any recent date. For the period from 1923 to 1934 statistics showing the changes in the numbers of insured persons in employment in each of 100 industry groups for which figures are available, including the distributive trades, will be found on pages 432–5 and 458–9 of the issue of the Ministry of Labour Gazette for December, 1934.

asked the Minister of Labour what instructions were given to the Government representatives to the International Labour Office Conference at Geneva regarding hours of labour?

It is not possible within the limits of an answer to a question to deal with the instructions given to the Government delegates, particularly in view of the complicated situation which arose as the result of developments at the conference.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether these instructions are instructions to support a 40-hours convention, or to support a convention for a number of specified trades?

There are instructions on points of general principle. The delegates have to judge on matters of detail as they arise from day to day. As I have said, the matters involved in this conference are so complicated that I could not possibly give a fair answer on all these points within the limits of a reply to a Parliamentary question.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why the Government representatives have felt disposed to oppose any suggestion of a reduction of hours?

Yes, on a proper occasion for debate.

Will the report of the proceedings be made available as early as possible?

I will consider that.

Will the right hon. Gentleman also consider embodying these instructions in a White Paper, so that the country and the House may know exactly what the policy of the Government is on this question?

There will be an opportunity later on to debate the whole subject.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how many times the Labour Government were asked to ratify the Washington Hours Convention and refused to do so?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the Labour Government did print a Bill?

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has considered representations submitted by the National Union of Distributive Workers asking for amending legislation relating to the hours of closing shops, the weekly half-holiday, and the weekly rest-day; and whether he can see his way clear to accede to this request?

The representations referred to have been noted for consideration when any legislation is undertaken to amend the Shops Acts. I am afraid that I cannot hold out any prospect of the introduction of such legislation at present.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that there is a tendency in this country towards the extension of opening on Sunday and that in some cases shop assistants and, shopkeepers are not getting one day's rest in seven?

asked the Home Secretary why no reply beyond a formal acknowledgment has been sent to the secretary-general of the League of Nations in reply to his circular of 6th October, 1934, sent out in accordance with the resolution of the 15th Assembly, requesting Governments to communicate, if possible annually, and if necessary with the collaboration of qualified associations, the experience obtained and any other observations relating either to the application of the standard minimum rules of the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission, or to reforms brought about in penitentiary matters; and whether he will arrange that a report be forwarded to the secretary-general before 1st July, in accordance with his request?

The Secretary-General was informed more than twelve months ago that His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom approve the standard minimum rules prepared by the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission and already apply them in practice. As regards any general developments in penitentiary methods, information is sent as a matter of course to the International Penal and Penitentiary Commission, which is the recognised International body for the collection and dissemination of such information and acts in close co-operation with the League. A reply to this effect was sent to the letter of October, 1934, from the Secretary-General of the League.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware of the rapid extension of the chain-letter scheme in which money is now demanded; and, seeing that this is an infraction of the Lottery and Betting Act, whether he will take steps, either by confiscation of such moneys or other effective means, to ensure the discontinuance of this practice?

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the prevalence of so-called chain-letter schemes, which induce the public to participate by holding out the lure of large financial rewards in return for a small initial outlay; and whether, in view of the mischief they cause and of the possibility of fraudulent practices to which they may give rise, he will take action to prohibit such schemes?

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the prevalence of so-called chain-letter schemes, which induce the public to participate by holding out the lure of large financial rewards in return for a small initial outlay; and whether, in view of the mischief they cause and of the possibility of fraudulent practices to which they may give rise, he will take any action to prohibit such schemes?

I have of course no authority to determine a question of law which can be decided only by a competent court, but I may observe that certain types of snowball schemes, to which these chain letter schemes bear some resemblance, have been held by the courts to be illegal lotteries. Quite apart, however, from any action which the authorities responsible for enforcing the law may take if they are advised that any particular scheme contravenes the law, it is to be hoped that recipients of these letters will, in their own interest, refuse to take any part in schemes which at their best are a snare and a delusion and at their worst provide scope for the dishonest exploitation of credulous members of the public.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since this question was put down, I have been inundated with letters and telephone messages from all over the country, insisting on the suppression of this scheme?

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the case of a boy at Oxford who has been sentenced to six years in a reformatory school, by a juvenile court, for stealing a perambulator; whether he has been able to look into all the facts of the case; and whether he is prepared to recommend a reduction of the sentence?

When my attention was called to this case about 10 days ago I caused inquiries to be made, and I am glad to have an opportunity of correcting the misleading impression which has been given in some of the published reports. The little boy referred to was brought before the Oxford Juvenile Court for having stolen a push-chair which had been left outside a store. He admitted the offence, and it was reported to the court that on two previous occasions he had been cautioned by the police, once for stealing money from a shop till, and on another occasion for being concerned with other boys in stealing money from automatic machines. When a visit was paid to the boy's home no less than 32 empty milk bottles were found belonging to five different firms, and the boy admitted stealing the milk from doorways in various roads and bringing it home. The justices, sitting in the Juvenile Court, had before them a full report of the boy's home surroundings and of the views of the representative of the education authority about him, and they decided, after careful consideration of all the circumstances and having regard to the welfare of the child, as they are required to do by Section 44 of the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, that it was necessary in the interests of the child that he should be removed from his present surroundings and given a new start. He was accordingly ordered to be sent to a school for young boys, approved for the purpose under the Act, where he will receive the education and training which he needs. The future of this child will be constantly under review, and I am satisfied that the justices acted in the boy's best interests and that there is no ground for any interference with their decision.

While thanking the right hon. Gentleman for that reply, may I ask whether it is a fact that the information which he has now given to the House of Commons was refused to the education committee, on their urgent demand for information?

I know nothing about that.

Does the right hon. Gentleman suggest any action being taken against certain newspapers for deliberately misrepresenting the facts?

As far as I am aware, there is no law which enables you to take action against a newspaper for misrepresenting facts. If there were, the courts would have a good deal to do.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is in a position to make a statement with regard to the inquiry taking place into the working of the Workmen's Compensation Act?

A general inquiry into every aspect of the working of the Workmen's Compensation Act would be a large undertaking, which would take up much time, but I have been considering whether there are not some specific questions which could be more speedily examined, and I hope it may be possible to make a statement on the subject very shortly.

Will the right hon. Gentleman keep in mind the specific question which was sent to the late Home Secretary by the Miners' Federation of Great Britain relating to a legal decision with regard to miners' nystagmus?

One of the specific matters which I had in mind when I gave my answer was the case of miners' nystagmus.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has approved the scheme for the improvement of the supply of water and establishment of an adequate sewerage system for the township of Skelton, near York; and, if so, what progress has been made towards carrying out such scheme?

A loan has been sanctioned for a scheme of water supply for Skelton and the neighbouring parish of Rawcliffe and a grant of £1,000 allocated to the water scheme on condition that a sewerage scheme is also carried out. I understand that loan application for the sewerage scheme will shortly be submitted and the works for water supply then commenced.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the mortgaging and transfer of medical practices in connection with panel patients controlled by financial houses; and is he prepared to investigate this matter?

My attention has been drawn to arrangements by which medical practitioners are able to obtain loans on the security of their income from insurance practice; but in the absence of specific evidence that these arrangements are exercising a prejudicial effect on the insurance service, I do not think this is a matter in which it would be proper for me to intervene?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that I did send him a Press cutting in which definite statements were made, and will he make investigations into that matter?

It is difficult for me to begin to examine statements in the Press. If the hon. Member has any particular facts of his own knowledge, I shall be glad to have a talk with him about them.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to look at the report sent to his predecessor by the Association of Insurance Committees on this subject?

Is it not a fact that patients always have a choice of doctor, and therefore they cannot be sold except from the point of view of goodwill and subject to the wish of the patients?

But if patients are being sold on the hoof by medical men, should it not be regarded by the medical profession as infamous conduct and a breach of professional etiquette?

(for Mr. THORNE) asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware that Mrs. A. E. Wickens, of 161, Charlemont Road, East Ham, claims that W. McGowering and Company, engineers, of Leyton, failed to pay contributions under the National Health Insurance and Widows', Orphans' and Old Age Contributory Pensions Acts, which they were liable to pay in respect of her husband, who was employed by them as a manual worker from 1931 to the time of his death in 1934, and that she has thereby been deprived of a weekly pension; and what action he intends taking in the matter?

I have been asked to reply. The attention of my right hon. Friend has been called to this case. Messrs. McGowering and Company dispute the contention that Mr. Wickens was insurably employed by them. An application has been made to my right hon. Friend on behalf of Mrs. Wickens for a formal decision whether her husband was insurably employed by the firm in question, and this application is under consideration.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that the principal repaid by the Treasury, in fulfilment of guarantees for the beet-sugar industry given under the Trade Facilities Acts, is more than 25 per cent. of the total repayments of principal by the Treasury under the Acts, whereas the guarantees for the beet industry are only 3 per cent. of the total guarantees; and what he proposes to do to control the loss to the Consolidated Fund caused by the Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation?

I am aware of the position set out in the first part of the question, and with regard to the second part I would refer the hon. Member to the last part of my reply to him on the 20th June, 1935.

Will the right hon. Gentleman assure those Members of this House who are nervous as to the future of this industry that he will consult Lord Weir on the matter?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that three Anglo-Dutch beet-sugar factories, valued in their respective companies' balance-sheets at 31st March, 1935, at £701,236, have supplied to their shareholders gross dividends of £2,217,936 and cash bonuses totalling £740,000 during a period when the three factories of the Second Anglo-Scottish Beet Sugar Corporation, Limited, similarly valued at £973,020, have earned no dividends at all and have cost the Consolidated Fund £741,400 in the repayments of a loan under the Trade Facilities Acts; and whether, in view of the inferior design, construction, and management indicated, he will consider whether these three factories and any net assets accompanying them furnish proper security for the £741,400 repaid on their behalf and, if not, what other security the Treasury holds or proposes to obtain?

I must refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on the 20th June.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say how the security in this case compares with the security in the case of the loan made to Duncan Stewart and Co., Limited, of which Lord Invernairn, Lord Weir's partner, is a director, and on which no interest has been paid for so many years?

That appears to be another question.

asked the Minister of Agriculture the total sums paid to date, respectively, in the form of subsidy to and in the form of excise duty by the beet-sugar industry since the subsidy was introduced; the total sum debited to the cost of the industry in the same period in the form of Customs duties lost to the Exchequer; and the estimated figures under the same three headings for the present year?

The total mount of subsidy paid up to and including 26th June, 1935, under the British Sugar (Subsidy) Act, 1925, and subsequent enactments, is £234,525,080; the amount of excise duty collected or to be collected upon the quantities of sugar and molasses upon which this subsidy has been paid is £15,110,000; and the additional sum which would have accrued to the Exchequer in the form of Customs duties, had these quantities of sugar and molasses been imported from foreign countries, would have been £13,350,000. The corresponding figures under the same three headings for this year are, respectively, £2,750,000, £2,280,000 and £2,920,000.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether the increases in the Post Office rates of pay to lower grade employés, including women cleaners, are now being extended to similar employés in the Employment Ex-changes, the Department of Health for Scotland, and other Government offices in Edinburgh?

Yes, Sir, in so far as the pay of such employés is by agreement fixed with reference to the Post Office rates.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that, in a recent request from the War Office for tenders for a contract, a slip was attached expressing the desire of the Department that ordinary time only and not overtime should be worked in the execution of the contract, and that any increase in labour necessitated by the contract should be met by the employment of addi- tional hands; whether he will consider the desirability of all the spending Departments adopting the same practice; whether he is aware that the War Office, on occasions but not always, supplies to the trade union concerned a copy of the notices and instructions regarding stores and material issued to persons asked to tender; and whether this practice can also be followed by all the Departments in all cases?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. I am making inquiries to ascertain to what extent there are differences between the practice of Departments in the matters referred to, and whether greater uniformity is practicable and desirable.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether his attention has been called to any shortage of milk in the Wold villages of Lincoln-shire; and, if so, whether he will draw the attention of the Milk Marketing Board to this shortage?

I was not aware of any shortage of milk in Lincolnshire, but if my hon. and gallant Friend will send me particulars of any cases of which he has knowledge, I will certainly draw the attention of the Milk Marketing Board to the matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any estimate has been made of the additional cost of milk to voluntary and other hospitals since the Milk Marketing Board was instituted; and whether the Board and/or the Government propose to take any action to relieve the hospitals of this additional burden?

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 2nd May to the hon. Member for St. Rollox (Mr. Leonard) and my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton (Sir J. Haslam), to which at the moment I have nothing to add.

Will the right hon. Gentleman make representations to the Milk Marketing Board on the question of granting hospitals and such institutions treatment similar to that received by ice-cream vendors?

It is difficult to suggest that a certain class of individuals should bear the loss on the supply to hospitals unless it is suggested to the people who supply hospitals.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that the consumers and the producers, as the case may be, are really bearing a large loss on milk sold to ice-cream vendors?

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he is aware that milk in the Yorkshire area, for which the producer gets 7d. per gallon, is retailed at 2s. per gallon; and whether he will take steps to see that such disparity of prices is not continued?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the reply I gave on 18th June to a similar question asked by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Barkston Ash (Colonel Ropner).

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether the National Stud has been operated at a profit or at a loss during the current year; and whether he will now consider the desirability either of closing down the stud or transferring it to some situation within Great Britain or Northern Ireland?

It is too early in the season to express an opinion on the financial results of the working of the National Stud during the current year. As regards the latter part of the question, I have the position of the Stud under constant review but I do not contemplate any change in the existing arrangements for the time being.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will inquire when the Royal Commission on Tithe anticipate that they will be in a position to make their report?

I am informed that the commission have completed the hearing of evidence but that it is not possible to say when they will be in a position to present their report.

Cannot the right hon. Gentleman give us some approximate idea, as there is great public interest in this matter?

No, Sir; I am not in a position to do that.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the companies department is watching the capital construction of share-ownership of certain British statutory companies, the control of which has passed to subsidiaries of the Public Utilities Securities Corporation of the United States in order to ascertain whether the statutory companies concerned are being subjected to any interlocking or interchanging financial operations?

My hon. and gallant Friend no doubt has in mind the position in regard to certain electric supply companies. Accordingly, I will, with the permission of my right hon. Friend, the Minister of Transport, send him, when available, the information which is being obtained for the hon. Member for Hanley (Mr. Hales) in response to his question of the 18th June?

Will my hon. Friend instruct the Department to take some steps if this interlocking process is found to be going on?

I think that that is another matter. Perhaps my hon. Friend will consider the information which I propose to send him and speak to me again about it.

asked the Secretary for Mines in respect of what areas of the country applications have been received under the Petroleum Production Act for facilities to drill for oil; and whether any such applications have yet received approval?

I have been asked to reply. I regret that, for reasons which were very fully dealt with during the Debates in Parliament on the Petroleum (Production) Bill, I am not able to disclose the areas in respect of which applications for licences have been received. No licences have yet been granted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, with regard to the commission which is being appointed to investigate the Northern Rhodesian riots, whether, in order to ascertain the views of the natives, he will take steps to secure the addition of a member closely connected with native interests?

As I informed the House on the 25th June, the commission has not been constituted on the basis of the representation of particular interests. They will have ample opportunity of ascertaining the views of the natives by examination of witnesses.

Is there any organisation among the natives through which they can appoint people who can do this job for them perhaps better than they could do it themselves?

I am anxious to see that the native interests do not suffer through lack of proper representation, and I can assure my hon. Friend that that matter will be watched.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any report on the issuing of an order to the missionary in charge at Fort Hall that coffee trees planted by the Kikuyu shall be uprooted?

No, Sir. My predecessor asked the Acting Governor for information on this matter, but there has not been time for a reply to be received. I will communicate with the hon. and gallant Member when I do receive it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has received any report on the question of the removal of Kikuyu natives from Tigoni to another area?

I have received a copy of a memorial from the natives of the Tigoni area, the original of which has I understand been sent to the Acting Governor for transmission to me in the usual way. There has not yet been time for him to send this on to me with his report and I shall await it.

Will the right hon. Gentleman be good enough to communicate with me when he receives it?

Yes, Sir.

(for Mr. BANFIELD) asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what steps have been taken to carry out the recommendations, in the report on closer union in East Africa, that the administration of all native affairs in Kenya Colony should be directly under a chief native commissioner, who should be given a position of enhanced authority and in whose hands part of the general revenue should be placed, and that as large a measure of responsibility and self-government as possible should be granted to native communities, sums being allocated to the native councils for specified purposes, such as the payment of the salaries of its local officers, the maintenance and construction of roads, education, etc.?

The chief native commissioner, who is responsible for all native administration in Kenya, has recently been given a position of enhanced authority, as described in some detail in my predecessor's despatch, published in Command Paper No. 4141, to which I would refer the hon. Member. Self-government in the native communities is being steadily developed. With regard to finance, certain changes on lines suggested in Lord Moyne's report (Cmd. 4093) are Contemplated, but the present financial position of the colony has, so far, prevented these from being put into effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether the Bill introduced in the legislative council of the Gold Coast dealing with forced labour is in harmony with the forced labour convention; and whether he proposes to sanction the section which retains to the chiefs their right to call out forced labour?

The Labour Ordinance which has recently been enacted by the Gold Coast Legislature has been transmitted to me for the significance of His Majesty's pleasure and is receiving my consideration.

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the considerations mentioned in the question, and be good enough to let me know his eventual decision?

Yes, Sir.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, with regard to the case of Sub-inspector-of-police Syed Arsad Ali, who was murdered a few days ago at Faridpur by a released detenu, he will state how long this man had been under detention, when he was released, and for what reason?

I have not yet heard the details of this case, but am expecting a further report which will no doubt supply the information requested.

Would it not be better to detain these people under lock and key rather than to let them loose and thus endanger the lives of civil servants?

I think it will be advisable to await the exact details of this case, and I will then communicate with my hon. and gallant Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs the names and holdings of the present shareholders in the concession for the construction of the port of Tangier?

Nearly the whole of the British holding of the 300 "A" shares of the Tangier Port Company is held by the British-Roumanian Corporation, while the majority of the "B" shares are held by the P. & O. Company. I regret I am unable to give any further particulars of the shareholders.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs what action it is proposed to take with reference to the request made by the Ethiopian Government in a note dispatched to the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, on 19th June, asking the Council to designate immediately neutral observers to go to Ethiopian territory and inspect the frontier districts, promising these observers all aid and assistance necessary for the purpose of investigating the situation actually existing on the frontier and for making an inquiry into recent incidents; and whether the Government will propose that the Council shall meet immediately to act on this request as a matter of procedure under paragraph 2 of Article 5 of the Covenant?

The request of the Ethiopian Government to which the hon. Member refers has only recently been received from the Secretary-General of the League of Nations, and I have not yet had an opportunity of studying it fully. I should prefer therefore to make no statement at present in regard to it.

Is not this a very reasonable request, with important precedents behind it; and could not we take certain provisional action in accordance with the precedent in similar cases?

Whether it be a reasonable request or not, I should prefer to make no statement about it at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the recent Anglo-German naval arrangement includes any provision for mutual inspection of naval establishments; and whether it is contemplated that naval forces of the two countries shall form part of the collective system of security of the League of Nations?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. It is the hope of His Majesty's Government that Germany will in the future again co-operate with the League as a member. If this hope is realised the position of the Germany Navy in any system of collective security will be the same as that of the navies of the other Powers which are members of the League.

Do the Government now realise the serious blunder they have made in their method of bringing about this agreement?

No, Sir, I disagree entirely with that comment.

Has not the Minister for League of Nations Affairs had to spend last week in explaining it away all over Europe?

No Sir, the suggestion contained in that supplementary question is not justified by the fact, and I regret that the hon. Member has made it.

With reference to the first part of the question, dealing with inspection, may I ask whether that was discussed with the German Government? Formerly they were inclined to agree to it.

The hon. Member had better put down a question on that subject. I have dealt with the question on the Paper.

asked the First Lord of the Admiralty whether he will explain under what circumstances the Government contemplate giving their consent, under Section (c) of the Anglo-German Naval Agreement, to the German Government, in the event of exceptional construction by other Powers, increasing its total tonnage above its 35 per cent. quota?

The portion of sub-paragraph (c), to which the hon. Member refers, reads as follows:

"If the general equilibrium of naval armaments, as normally maintained in the past, should be violently upset by, any abnormal and exceptional construction by other Powers, the German Government reserve the right to invite His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to examine the new situation thus created."

I can add nothing to this statement, which seems to me to be perfectly clear, but I would point out that, as stated in paragraph 3 of the Note, we recognise the right set out in sub-paragraph (c) on the understanding that the 35: 100 ratio will be maintained in default of agreement to the contrary between the two Governments.

May I ask what is the object of this examination to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred? Does this mean the British Government have a right to release Germany in certain circumstances from the obligation of the 35 per cent. quota?

I think the terms of the Note are perfectly clear, and I can add nothing to them.

In view of the lack of accurate definition in this very slipshod document, will the Government withdraw it?

(by Private Notice) asked the Minister of Labour whether, and, if so, when, he proposes to make an order under the Cotton Manufacturing Industry (Temporary Provisions) Act, 1934, and, if an order is made, from what date the rates of wages under the order will operate?

An order was made to-day, and the rates of wages under it will come into force on 15th July, 1935.