asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has considered the Report of the Commissioner who was appointed to hold a local inquiry into the situation with respect to ring-net and drift-net fishing for herring in the Firth of Forth; and whether any decision has been reached as to the making of a by-law for the 1936 season?

The reply to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As the result of his inquiry the Commissioner finds that it is not proved to be impossible for the two methods of drift-nets and ring-nets to be worked together in the Firth of Forth if sufficient caution is exercised. The complaints of alleged damage by ring-net boats to drift-nets were much less numerous in 1935 than in 1934. The by-law, framed for the purpose of prohibiting the use of the ring-net in part of the Firth of Forth during the 1935 season, did not come into operation, and the Commissioner recommends that in this respect the status quo should be preserved at least for a while in order to see whether matters do not improve themselves.After consultation with the Fishery Board for Scotland I have decided to act on this recommendation. Accordingly, no similar by-law will be made for the 1936 season. I hope that by the exercise of care the results of the 1936 season with regard to damage to nets and gear will prove at least as satisfactory as those of the 1935 season.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements, if any, are made by his Department for the supply of lymph to public vaccinators; whether the Public Health Department has a vaccine institution, and, if so, where is this situated; and, if vaccinators make their own arrangements for obtaining lymph, whether he can state its usual source?

There are no public vaccinators in Scotland, but arrangements exist for the supply of lymph by the Department of Health for Scotland free of charge to vaccinators appointed in terms of the Vaccination (Scotland) Act, 1863, who care to apply for it. The Department have no vaccine institution, the lymph being obtained from a firm of lymph manufacturers. No information is available as to the source from which vaccinators who do not avail themselves of the Department's arrangements obtain their supplies of lymph.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs (1) whether he can state the date when the South African Government first submitted the draft of the Status Bill to the Imperial Government;(2) whether the Government is prepared to publish or lay upon the Table the correspondence with regard to the Status Bill passed in connection with the Union of South Africa?

There is no correspondence between His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom and His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa on the general subject of the Status of the Union Act, 1934. His Majesty's Government in the Union of South Africa consulted His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom with regard to a special point affecting trustee stocks and arising in connection with the proposed repeal of Section 65 of the South Africa Act. Full agreement was reached between the two Governments on this point and was confirmed by the passage of the Colonial Stock Act (1900) Declaration Act, 1934, by the Parliament of the Union of South Africa and of the Colonial Stock Act, 1934, by the United Kingdom Parliament.

asked the Minister of Health, whether, with a view to diminishing the atmospheric pollution of London, he has taken into consideration the desirability of using smokeless fuel in the various departments and offices under his control and the recommendation of similar action to other Government departments and offices?

I have been asked to reply. The desirability of using smokeless fuel in Government Offices is frequently under consideration. Such fuel is used whenever local circumstances make it possible without an unreasonable increase of cost.

asked the Minister of Health, whether he has considered the resolution of the Newcastle city council regarding the hardship suffered by claimants of old age pensions having regard to the low rate of interest now prevailing in respect of Government and other securities, and their suggestion that the calculation of a claimant's means, as set out in the Old Age Pensions Acts, should be amended with a view to a reduction of the hypothetical yearly value of a claimant's property; and whether the Government will give a sympathetic reply to this proposal?

I have been asked to reply. I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the 12th December to a Question by my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Knutsford (Brigadier-General Makins).

asked the Prime Minister whether he is now able to say when a White Paper will be laid outlining the policy of His Majesty's Government at the Naval Conference?

While my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is anxious to give the House, at the first appropriate time, information on all aspects of the questions now before the Naval Conference, he does not consider that the moment has come to lay a White Paper on this subject.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will consider the desirability of issuing a statement showing what action has been taken to give effect to the recommendations of the Committee on the Medical Branches of the Fighting Services (Cmd. 4394)?

I have been asked to reply. As was explained in the House on 1st May, 1934, the Government have adopted the recommendations of the Committee in their application to the medical branches of the Army and Royal Air Force. As regards the Royal Navy it was considered necessary to modify the scheme recommended in certain particulars. The changes which were duly promulgated took effect from the above mentioned date and I am sending my hon. and gallant Friend a copy of the

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he will make a statement giving particulars of the committees of inquiry which were set up by the Government during the last Parliament, also stating which have so far reported?

The following is a list of the Commissions and Committees (excluding Standing and Statutory Committees, etc.), appointed by the Government during the last Parliament, showing in each case the object of the inquiry and whether a report has been received:—

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware, that under some recent local Acts, which provide for payment by a local authority without production of probate, of a sum not exceeding £100 due to a deceased employé on account of wages, superannuation, or otherwise, the local authority is obliged on receipt of notice in writing of any claim of a creditor of the deceased employé within one month from the employé's death, to retain the amount due to the employé or a sum sufficient to satisfy the claim, until it has been satisfied, disproved, or withdrawn; and whether, in view of the probable delay in payment to the deceased's representatives and the difficulty for local authorities in satisfying themselves regarding claims, he will consider the insertion in future cases of better provision for this matter?

The legislation in question is designed to give local authorities a reasonable discretion as to the distribution of small amounts in their hands due to deceased employés without depriving other persons of their legal rights. The object of the special provision as to claims of creditors is to compensate creditors for the loss of their rights against the legal personal representative of the deceased, whose discharge would be necessary to protect the local authority if they had no statutory authority to pay without it. I regret that I cannot suggest a better method of making the desired provision.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can estimate what the cost to the Exchequer would be of a rebate of 2d. a gallon on petrol and other dutiable fuel oils used in agricultural tractors?

I regret that no information on which any reliable estimate could be based is available. I would add, however, that I understand that the majority of agricultural tractors use kerosene as their fuel; by Section 2 (7) (d) of the Finance Act, 1935, duty at the rate of 1d. per gallon only is payable in respect of kerosene (or other heavy oil) used in agricultural tractors not employed on road haulage.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what has been the amount received in Entertainments Duty in each month for which figures are available subsequent to July, 1935, and how such figures compare with similar months in 1934?

The approximate receipts from Entertainments Duty for each month from July to November, 1935, together with the corresponding figures for the same period of 1934, were as follow:—

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can provide a list of persons, organisations, and societies at present providing dramatic entertainments in this country who have obtained exemption from Entertainments Duty?

I regret that records are not available from which such a list could be compiled.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, in respect of the latest figures available, he can advise what is the approximate percentage of Entertainments Duty received, respectively, from theatres and variety theatres, cinemas, and musical concerts in all cases where the tax is paid by means of certified returns?

During the three months ended 30th November, 1935, approximately 15 per cent. of the Entertainments Duty revenue collected on the basis of certified returns was derived from theatres and music halls; the corresponding figure for cinemas was approximately 67 per cent. As regards musical concerts, I regret that separate information is not available.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has in contemplation the establishment of machinery designed to protect consumers against the high prices now prevailing for milk, bacon, and other prime foodstuffs?

Machinery for watching the interests of consumers already exists. The Food Council have the duty of considering questions relating to the supply and price of articles of food of general consumption and the Consumers' Committees appointed under the Agricultural Marketing Act, 1931, have the duty of considering the effect of agricultural marketing schemes on consumers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give the quantities of malt, unmalted corn, rice, maize, &c., sugar, glucose, and hops used in brewing in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the year ended 30th September, 1935; and also the quantities of malt, unmalted corn, rice, sugar, and molasses used for distilling during the distilling year ended 30th September, 1935; together with the number of bulk barrels of beer brewed, and the number of gallons of spirits distilled during the same period?

The quantities of certain materials used in brewing and the number of bulk barrels of beer brewed in Great Britain and Northern Ireland during the year ended 30th September, 1935, are as follow:

asked the Minister of Agriculture whether he will state the approximate number of horses imported from foreign countries during the 11 months of 1935 and for a similar period of 1934?

The following table shows the total number of horses (including ponies) imported into the United Kingdom and registered during the first 11 months of 1934 and 1935 as consigned from foreign countries.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he will inquire why so few men are employed on the road scheme between Haltwhistle and Bredon Mill; and if this is in any measure due to Government grants having been delayed for any cause?

The work, which is estimated to cost £20,000, comprises a new section of road in cutting. I am informed that 35 men on an average are employed on the works. Excavation is proceeding at each end and I am advised that as a matter of engineering practice no more could usefully be employed at present. As soon as a later stage of the works is reached, more labour will be engaged. The answer to the latter part of the question is in the negative, the grant from the Road Fund having been made in October, 1934.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty how many officers and men of the Atlantic Fleet who would normally have been at home for Christmas will now be absent in view of the international situation; and whether arrangements will be made in due course, on their return to this country, for them to receive extra leave on account of the Christmas leave which they have had to forgo?

Approximately 11,000 officers and men of the Home Fleet will be absent from England at Christmas. As soon as circumstances permit, arrangements will be made to give the men concerned the leave which it is at present necessary to defer.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether, in the case of an officer holding a regular commission in His Majesty's Army who has completed a period of service qualifying him for retired pay, sentence of dismissal from the service by general court-martial, when confirmed, involves forfeiture of such retired pay?

The rules governing the award of retired pay in the circumstances in question are contained in Article 547 of the Royal Warrant for Pay, etc., 1931, a copy of which I am sending to my hon, and gallant Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether and, if so, when he proposes to introduce legislation to give effect to the recommendations of the Report of the departmental committee on sterilisation (Cmd. 4485, 1933); and what have been the results of his consultation through the Board of Control with the Medical Research Council and the Registrar-General?

The Government do not propose to introduce legislation for this purpose at present. The consultation referred to in the latter part of the question is not complete, and inquiries on certain matters on which research was recommended by the Departmental Committee are still in progress.

asked the Minister of Health how many persons in this country are both blind and deaf and dumb?

No precise figures are available, but on the basis of the information given in the report made by the late Dr. Alfred Eichholz in 1932 the number is estimated at about 700.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of new houses built for sale in the city of Leicester in the years 1932, 1933, and 1934, and for 1935 up to the latest convenient date?

For the years ended 30th September, 1934, and 1935, the numbers of houses erected for sale were 1,380 and 1,939 respectively. I regret that information as to the numbers erected for sale in the two previous years is not available.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will state the number of new houses built and let in the city of Leicester for the years 1932, 1933, and 1934, respectively, and for 1935 up to the latest convenient date?

The numbers of houses built to let in Leicester during the years ending 30th September, 1934 and 1935, were 85 and 460 respectively. I regret that the figures in respect of earlier years are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, whether he has statistics showing how the imports of Japanese cotton goods into British colonies since their imposition have compared with the similar period immediately before their imposition; and whether he can issue similar figures for those colonies and mandated territories which have been prevented by treaties, or for other reasons, from imposing such quotas?

I am able to supply approximate figures only since the statistics of the various Dependencies are not all kept on a comparable basis. The imports of Japanese cotton piece goods into those Colonial Dependencies, with a few minor exceptions, in which the quota system is in force totalled in the first quarter of 1934 (when the quotas were not in operation), some 51 million linear yards. In the same period of 1935 the total was some 10 million linear yards. As regards those Dependencies in which the quota system is not in operation, the figures for the two quarters are 20 million linear yards and 27 million linear yards. These figures do not include imports into a few minor Dependencies, Hong Kong (the trade of which is predominately of an entrepot nature) and Palestine, for which comparable statistics are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies, in which colonies, protectorates, or dependencies legislation has been passed within the last ten years dealing with sedition, whether by enactment, re-enactment, or amendment, giving the name of the colony, protectorate, or dependency concerned, and the date and title of the legislative enactment?

The information is as follows:List of legislation passed in the Colonies, etc., during the last ten years relating to Sedition.Colony, etc., and Legislation.Cyprus:Cyprus Criminal Code Order in Council, 1928, sections 49 and 50.Cyprus Criminal Code Order in Council, 1928 (Amendment) Law, 1932, section 2 (No. 34 of 1932).The Seditious Publications (Amendment) Law, 1932 (No. 68 of 1932).Federated Malay States:The Seditious Publications (Prohibition) (Amendment) Enactment, 1929 (No. 7 of 1929).The Seditious Publications (Prohibition) Amendment Enactment, 1932 (No. 5 of 1932).Fiji:The Sedition Ordinance, 1931 (No. 29 of 1931).Gambia:The Criminal Code (Ordinance No. 25 of 1933) sections 46–54 inclusive.The Criminal Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 1934 (No. 31 of 1934) sections 4 and 5.Gold Coast and Northern Territories of the Johore:The Seditious Publications (Prohibition) Enactment, 1922, Amendment Enactment, 1930 (No. 13 of 1930).The Seditious Publications (Prohibition) Enactment, 1922, Amendment Enactment, 1931 (No. 2 of 1931).The Seditious Publications (Prohibition) Enactment, 1922, Amendment Enactment, 1932 (No. 2 of 1932).Kedah:The Seditious Documents Enactment, 1348 (No. 23 of 1348).

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Limited, is engaged on work for the Government; what steps are taken to see that the fairwages clause is carried out by this company; and is he aware of the wage rates operating in the works of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, Limited?

The company is engaged on work for the Air Ministry, and the fair-wages clause is included in all its contracts. No representations as to non-observance of this clause have been received, but if the hon. Member has any specific complaint in mind and will send me particulars, I will have the matter investigated.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the number of licensed houses, the number of on-licences, and the number of off-licences, respectively, in the petty sessional divisions, non-county boroughs, and county boroughs, including London, in England and Wales, respectively, together with similar figures for pre-1869 beer houses, registered clubs, retailers without justices' licences and theatres?

I would refer the hon. Member to the recently published Licensing Statistics for 1934, on page 25 of which are given the detailed particulars for which he asks in respect of counties (excluding County Boroughs) and County Boroughs. Separate figures for Petty Sessional Divisions and Non-County Boroughs, under the six different heads specified in the Question, could not, I am afraid, be produced without a considerable expenditure of time and labour.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will give the number of proceedings and convictions for drunkenness for England and Wales, respectively, in the petty sessional divisions, non-county boroughs, county boroughs, including London, for the calendar year 1934?

The figures are as follow:

asked the Minister of Transport how many fatal road accidents have occurred in each of the last 10 years in which the drivers of the motor-cars responsible for the accidents have not been found; and how many such drivers were ultimately traced as a result of wireless appeals?

I have been asked to reply. The information asked for is not available.

asked the Home Secretary how many cases of loitering with intent to commit a felony were dismissed in the courts in the years 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1934?

The numbers of suspected persons or reputed thieves proceeded against in Courts of Summary Jurisdiction in England and Wales under Section 4 of the Vagrancy Act, 1824 (as amended by Section 7 of the Penal Servitude Act, 1891), for frequenting or loitering in a public place with intent to commit felony, and the numbers of such persons in whose case the charge was withdrawn or dismissed during each of the years 1930 to 1934 were as follow:

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to an experiment performed by Dr. Adli Samaan at University College, London, the Report of which was published in the Journal of Physiology, Vol. 85, No. 1, 22nd August, 1935, under the title of The Effect of Pituitary (Posterior Lobe) Extract upon the Urinary Flow in non-anaesthetised Dogs; and whether he can state what anaesthetic, if any, was used by the experimenter who reports that five healthy bitches, trained to remain calm in a Pavlov stand and to receive a stomach tube without resentment, were operated upon aseptically?

A copy of Dr. Samaan's Paper referred to was forwarded by him to the Home Office. I have ascertained that the surgical operations described in the Paper were done under complete anaesthesia under the authority of Certificates B and E and that no procedure under the Act except the injection of pituitary extract was done without anaesthetics.

asked the Minister of Labour what results have accrued from the efforts of the Young Men's Christian Association and the Liverpool Education Committee in placing town boys on the land; and what is the nature of the assistance rendered by the Ministry?

Since 1st April, 1933, 566 boys, have been trained and placed in agricultural employment by the Young Men's Christian Association, and 54 boys by the Liverpool Local Education Authority, under agreements made with the Ministry. The Ministry of Labour makes a grant of £8 per head in respect of each boy who is trained and placed.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the rates of pay and hours of work of town boys found employment by the Young Men's Christian Association and the Liverpool Education Committee, respectively?

The rates of pay of boys placed in agricultural employment by the Young Men's Christian Association and the Liverpool Local Education Authority are not less than the minimum rates prescribed by the Agricultural Wages Committees. The hours of work are those customarily observed in the district.

asked the Minister of Labour what are the rates of wages and hours of employment of men transferred in agreement with the Jersey Farmers' Union; and how many men were found such employment during 1935?

Information concerning the rates of wages, which vary according to the nature of the work, and the hours of employment on seasonal agricultural work in Jersey for which British workers were engaged under the arrangements made in co-operation with the Jersey Farmers' Union, is contained in the leaflet given to applicants for the work, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy. 2,941 workpeople were found employment under these arrangements in 1935.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he can define what is meant by the words substantial change referred to in form B 3 z, paragraph 2, of the Unemployment Assistance Board?

The words "substantial change" must be interpreted in relation to the circumstances of the particular case, and can hardly be defined more precisely. If an applicant is in any doubt whether a change in his circumstances is substantial, his proper course is to report the matter.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that great resentment is felt by people who are in receipt of national assistance by the questions put by the inquiry agents who are employed under his Department; that many of these questions are humiliating and are backed up by unnecessary prying into the private affairs of the home; and will he make inquiries into these matters, and also make available for Members the instructions sent out to these inquiry agents?

I assume that the hon. Member refers to the inquiries made by officers of the Unemployment Assistance

asked the Minister of Labour whether he will state, on the last available date, the number of male and female unemployed persons in each of the special areas, and in the whole of Lancashire, respectively?

The following table gives the information desired: