asked the President of the Board of Education whether he can make any statement as to the negotiations in progress for the alterations of the Burnham scales?

The Burnham Committees met on 17th October last, when various matters relating to the salary scales were discussed. They then adjourned to a date to be fixed later.

asked the President of the Board of Education what proportion of the elementary schools in Great Britain are provided with playing-fields; and what steps are taken by his Department to encourage the provision of playing-fields for elementary schools not now in possession of them?

I regret that I have no figures which would enable me to answer the first part of my hon. Friend's question. As regards the second part, for many years past the Board of Education have emphasised the importance of adequate playing-fields for public elementary school children in England and Wales, particularly for the older boys and girls, and I am glad to say that the local education authorities and the school managers generally are showing an increasing regard to this matter. In this connection I would call my hon. Friend's attention to the Board's pamphlet on school playing-fields, of which I am sending him a copy.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he has received intimation of an imminent shortage of gas coal for use by the Greenock Corporation and others; whether he is aware that contracts entered into between the Corporation of Greenock and certain coal agents have been held up by the latter; that the pit-head prices of coal in many districts has been increased from 3s. 6d. to 8s. per ton; and that this increase is in addition to the normal seasonal increase, as is shown by a comparison with the prices for November last; and whether he will take action to ensure that the consumers of gas and coal shall not suffer the loss and inconvenience threatened by these movements?

I am aware generally of the circumstances mentioned in this question, but I would remind the hon. Member that the Government have no power to control either the supply of coal or its price. I have already discussed the question of supplies with the chairman of the Central Council of Colliery Owners, and I am satisfied that the Council will issue freely such additional allocations of tonnage as are necessary to meet the requirements of coal consumers. As regards prices, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave yesterday to the hon. Member for Bridgeton (Mr. Maxton).

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the detailed figures of the sales of oil by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company to Italy during the first 11 months of the year and in the corresponding period of last year?

I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, during the Debate on the 5th December. It is not usual to disclose detailed figures relative to the commercial transactions of an individual concern, and I regret that I cannot do so in this case.

asked the Secretary for Mines what quantities of oil were imported into Italy from Iran in 1934 and 1935, respectively, for comparable periods?

According to the Italian Official Trade Accounts, the quantities of oil imported into Italy from Iran during 1934 and the first six months of 1935 were as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what would be the cost if the non-contributory pensions at 70 were granted a means limit of £100 instead of the present limit?

In the absence of data bearing directly on this question, any estimate of cost must necessarily be speculative, but with this reservation I am advised that the additional cost of increasing to £100 the means limit (including earnings) governing non-contributory old age pensions at 70 would be between £5 millions and £6 millions a year at the present time and would increase steadily in the future.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state, as on the last convenient date, the number of persons in receipt of allowances from the Unemployment Assistance Board?

At 25th November, 1935, there were 661,044 men and 36,722 women, aged 18 to 64, on the registers of Employment Exchanges in Great Britain, with applications for unemployment allowances authorised for payment.

asked the Minister of Labour whether there are instructions laid down for the Unemployment Assistance Board to the effect that outstanding allowances due to a deceased person are not payable to the widow; and, if so, whether he can see his way to cancel this instruction?

I am informed that the board have been advised that they have no power to pay allowances generally in respect of deceased persons. The precise extent of the board's powers in this matter are, however, under further examination.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state the total insurable population in the country and the total insurable population in the special areas?

The total estimated number of persons, aged 14–64, insured under the Unemployment Insurance Act in Great Britain at July, 1935, was 13,708,000. The corresponding total in the special areas was 1,380,000.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will endeavour to provide in the new regulations of the Unemployment Assistance Board the retention by the employed dependants of a recipient of transitional payments of their full wages for a period before their marriage?

My hon. Friend can be assured that in drafting and submitting to my right hon. Friend any new regulations under the Unemployment Assistance Act, the board will have in mind the various considerations affecting the personal requirements of wage-earning members of applicants' households.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how soon it will be possible to carry out the plans for the new drainage system of Tel-Aviv, in Palestine; and for what reason these plans have only recently been submitted by the Crown agents to a firm of British consulting engineers for review and approval when they were submitted to the Government of Palestine two years ago?

I am unable to state how soon it will be possible to carry out these plans, but I may mention that, so far as I am aware, the Municipality's arrangements for financing them are not yet complete. I have no information as to the reasons for any delay which may have occurred in the submission of the plans.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs what is the area of the Dominions forming part of the British Empire in the continent of Africa; and what proportion this is of the whole continent?

According to the official handbooks, the approximate area of the Union of South Africa is 472,550 square miles; of the Mandated Territory of South-West Africa, 317,725 square miles, and of the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia, 150,344 square miles, making a total of 940,619 square miles, which represents approximately 8 per cent. of the total area of the whole continent of Africa (namely 11½ million square miles).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether, since it is the policy of the Government to encourage home production, he will take steps to see that the Royal Air Force units in England are provided with home-produced meat?

I regret that considerations of cost alone preclude the adoption of my hon. and gallant Friend's suggestion.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air to what extent the Air Ministry have adopted the policy of installing Diesel oil engines in place of coal-fired boilers; and whether the Government will reconsider this policy in view of the desirability of extending the market for British coal instead of increasing the country's dependence upon imported oil?

There has been no displacement of coal-fired boilers by Diesel oil-engines in so far as concerns the Air Ministry. The second part of the question does not therefore arise.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can give the House any information in connection with the death of a 15 year old boy, David Ralph Kearney, employed at the Lancaster Court Hotel, who was fatally injured in a lift accident at that address; whether he can state the cause of the accident; and whether he can give the House any information as to the number of fatal accidents to youths between the ages of 15 and 20 years that have occurred during the past 11 months?

Except for a brief newspaper report, I have no information at present as to this accident, but will make inquiry. I regret I cannot give the figures asked for in the question, but special inquiries have been instituted as to the numbers and circumstances of lift accidents on non-factory premises during the current year, so that fuller information on the subject should be available early in 1936.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can state the nett profits on the three licensed houses, Carlisle, Gretna and Cromarty Firth, respectively, under the Carlisle state-management scheme, from 31st March, 1935, to the nearest available date?

The Accounts of the State Management Districts are prepared for the financial year ending the 31st March. The latest accounts for the year ending 31st March, 1935, were published in September last as an Appendix to the Annual Report. I regret that it would not be practicable to furnish figures for any intermediate period.

asked the Home Secretary whether seeing that no one can be convicted of the offence of exceeding the speed limit on the evidence of one witness only, he will make inquiries into the conviction and endorsement of the licence of Mr. Wain at Sheffield on 3rd December on the evidence of one witness, with a view to quashing the conviction?

My right hon. Friend is making inquiries into the case referred to but in the meantime I may perhaps point out that the relevant provision of the Statute is not fully stated in the hon. Member's question. The provision is that a person shall not be liable to be convicted solely on the evidence of one witness to the effect that in the opinion of the witness the person prosecuted was driving at a speed in excess of the prescribed limit.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the number of firms engaged on the two-shift system of working and the number of women and young people employed on the two-shift system?

I would refer the hon. Member to the recently published report of the Departmental Committee on the Two Shift System, where figures are given showing that out of about 2,000 Two Shift Orders granted since 1920 up to the end of June, 1934, about 800 were still in use or likely to be used again. The numbers employed under those Orders were approximately 29,000 women and 7,000 young persons over 16, of whom about half would be so employed for part of the year only. The number of firms concerned would be somewhat less than the number of Orders, since separate Orders are often granted for different departments or processes. About 400 more Orders have been granted since the 30th June, 1934, but it would not be possible to say without special inquiry how many of these are still in use or how many persons are employed under them.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can now state what progress has been made by the conference of employers and employed concerning the provision of compensation for diseases of the lung caused by dust in card rooms in the cotton industry?

I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for Westhoughton (Mr. R. Davies) on the 5th instant. I am making inquiry as to how the matter now stands, and will let the hon. Member know the result.

asked the Home Secretary whether he can see his way clear to appoint a small independent committee, presided over by one of His Majesty's judges, to inquire into and report upon the circumstances under which two officers were dismissed from Oxford prison about two years ago in connection with the escape of a red-band prisoner named Sullivan?

This case has been most carefully reviewed recently and my right hon. Friend has failed to find any grounds for dissenting from the view formed by his predecessor. The enquiries which led to the dismissal of these two officers were conducted in a perfectly fair and impartial manner and there is no reason to reopen the case in the manlier suggested.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the proximity of petroleum tanks in the neighbourhood of bridges; whether in such cases it is the practice for these bridges to be equipped with fire-fighting appliances; and, in particular, if his attention has been drawn to the case of the Keadby bridge between Scunthorpe and Doncaster?

The attention of my right hon. Friend has not previously been called to this matter. I understand that the licences which are issued by the local authorities under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act for the storage of petroleum spirit generally contain a condition that the depot shall be equipped with fire-fighting appliances. In the case of the Keadby bridge my right hon. Friend is informed by the local authority concerned that the depot in proximity to the bridge is so equipped. My right hon. Friend has no reason to suppose that the arrangements there are inadequate, but he is causing further inquiry to be made.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will provide an opportunity for the report of the Broadcasting Committee to be debated in the House before any legislation is formed giving effect to any recommendations contained therein?

Until the report of the Broadcasting Committee has been received, I cannot foresee whether any legislation will be necessary. Perhaps my hon. and gallant Friend will repeat his question when the report of the Committee has been received.

asked the Postmaster-General whether he can give the House any information as to when the Report of the Committee on the British Broadcasting Corporation will be available?

I have not yet received the Report of the Broadcasting Committee and am, therefore, not in a position to say when it will be available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement as to the present position as regards reparations and inter-governmental debts; and whether it is proposed in the near future to hold a further conference of Ministers to consider the financial condition or credit requirements of any of the Continental States?

There has been no change in the position as regards reparations and inter-governmental debts. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether any investigation has been set on foot to ascertain the amount of long-term credit which would be required to improve the large acreage of cultivated land and rough grazing in Wales; and, if not, whether he will undertake one, with a view to increased land settlement?

An investigation with regard to the improvement of cultivated land and rough grazing in Wales has for several years been carried out under the direction of Professor R. G. Stapledon at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, with the assistance of Government grants, and a practical experiment is now taking place in Cardiganshire with the aid of a benefaction from Sir Julian Cahn. I would call my hon. Friend's attention to Professor Stapledon's recent book entitled "The Land; Now and To-morrow," which contains estimates such as are referred to by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the average acreage of land which in any normal year at the present time is taken from the cultivated land for the purpose of urbanisation?

The agricultural returns collected by the Ministry show that in the last five years there has been an average net reduction in the total agricultural area in England and Wales of 61,600 acres per annum. The information collected does not, however, enable me to say precisely how much of the area lost to agriculture is utilised for urban development.

asked the Minister of Agriculture if he is aware of the competition of Dutch and Belgian grape-growers which is killing the home trade for grapes; and whether the duty imposed during the summer months can be continued until January in the interests of those employed in the trade?

Imports of grapes from Belgium and the Netherlands since the imposition of Customs duties in 1932 have fallen to between 40 and 45 per cent. of imports from those countries in 1931. The bulk of these imports consist of hothouse grapes, upon which there is a duty throughout the year of 3d. per lb. Any alteration in the duty is a matter for consideration by the Import Duties Advisory Committee, and it is open to the trade interests concerned to submit an application to that Committee, if they consider that an increase in the duty would be justified.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, in view of the increasing use of Haifa as a naval port of call, he will investigate the facilities of the lower deck in regard to refreshments on shore?

A private house at Haifa has been placed at the disposal of the Naval Authorities and is utilised for this purpose. The provision and serving of refreshments there are carried out by the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes on similar lines to other Naval clubs and canteens on shore.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether he will state the number of third grade departmental clerks in his Department on the maximum of their scale, i.e., £252 14s. or £277 16s. per annum and the average length of time such officers have already served on their maximum?

No statistics of the kind required by my hon. Friend are available and to prepare them would involve time and labour incommensurate with the value of the information. It can, however, be stated that a large number of Third Grade Departmental Clerks in the Admiralty Service are in receipt of the maximum pay of the scale and that some of them have been on the maximum for a considerable period.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will appoint a departmental committee to inquire into the working of the licensing system of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, and the Road and Rail Act, 1934, and to recommend such changes as are necessary?

The legislation which established the licensing system for goods vehicles also set up the Transport Advisory Council, on which all forms of transport are represented, with the duty of keeping these matters under review.

asked the Minister of Transport, whether, in view of the perils to cyclists caused by the inadequate upkeep of many public roads by local authorities, particularly in permitting potholes, he will consider what action he could usefully take to diminish this state of affairs to which is in part attributable the weekly number of traffic fatalities and mishaps?

My Department is constantly in touch with the responsible local authorities concerned in all cases in which it is alleged that the state of the road has contributed to an accident, in order that any such defects may be remedied.

asked the Minister of Transport how many infants hold driving licences; and how many infants were convicted of driving offences during the last 12 months?

Information is not available.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware of the dangerous state of the main road from Hull to Leeds at the township of Howden; and will he take steps to straighten and widen the western end of this important main road?

The East Riding County Council propose to construct a by-pass at Howden on the Hull-Leeds trunk road.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that there is an old narrow wooden toll-bridge at Selby, on the main road from Hull to Leeds; and will he consider the building of a bridge suitable to modern requirements at this important point over the River Ouse?

The county councils of the East and West Riding have now under consideration a report prepared recently by a firm of consulting engineers which deals with a number of alternative proposals for constructing a by-pass at Selby, and a new bridge over the River Ouse. As soon as the councils submit a scheme it shall have my immediate attention.

asked the Minister of Transport whether, in connection with the schemes guaranteed by the State for the electrification of the railways, he will ensure that railway workers discharged in consequence thereof will receive compensation?

I understand that in the past railway companies have not had to discharge men as a result of electrification, and I see no reason to suppose that the schemes of electrification now proposed with a view to improving and increasing services should have such a result.

asked the Minister of Transport the total cost to date of motor-drivers' tests?

The expenditure, which is expected to be covered by fees, for this purpose has amounted to date to approximately £49,000.