Written Answers
Portsmouth Training College
asked the President of the Board of Education whether he has sanctioned the proposed extension of the Portsmouth Training College hostel and, if so, when the work is likely to be undertaken?
Preliminary plans for the new buildings which it is proposed to erect for the Portsmouth Training College on the Milton Hostel site are at present receiving the Board's consideration. The local education authority will be at liberty to proceed with the work when final plans have been prepared and have been approved by the Board.
Coal Industry (Wages)
asked the Secretary for Mines the total wages paid in the mining industry for the 12 months ended 31st December, 1934, with separate figures for each county or district?
The information is as follows:
| District. | Estimated Total Wages Bill in the Coal Mining Industry during the year 1934.* |
| £ | |
| Scotland | 10,891,000 |
| Northumberland | 4,540,000 |
| Durham | 11,124,000 |
| South Wales and Monmouthshire. | 16,005,000 |
| Yorkshire | 15,734,000 |
| North Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. | 9,775,000 |
| South Derby, Leicester, Cannock Chase and Warwick. | 5,745,000 |
| Lancashire, Cheshire and North Staffordshire. | 9,394,000 |
| Cumberland, North Wales, South Staffordshire, Salop, Bristol, Forest of Dean, Somerset and Kent. | 4,789,000 |
| Total | £87,997,000 |
| * Excluding the value of allowances in kind. | |
Ancient Monuments (Guide Books)
asked the First Commissioner of Works in how many cases descriptive pamphlets are available for purchase to the public in connection with ancient monuments under the control of the Office of Works, and in how many cases no such booklets exist; when it is proposed to provide them in respect of Haughmond Abbey and Acton Burnell, Shropshire; and whether it is the general practice of the Department to do so?
Pamphlets or guide-books are on sale for 63 of the ancient monuments and historic buildings under the control of the Office of Works: all but five of these are official productions printed by His Majesty's Stationery Office. Guides to 35 more are in preparation or have been commissioned, and it is my intention to arrange for the production of such guide books or pamphlets for all the monuments where they would be worth while. Of 248 monuments that remain, some are barrows or other prehistoric remains for which a guide book would not be justified. But at a number of these monuments notes are available for the information of the public. A guide book to Haughmond Abbey is in preparation, but there are not yet sufficient visitors to Acton Burnell to justify giving this monument special priority in the production of a pamphlet.