asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the names of the various foreign countries with which trade agreements have been concluded, the dates at which such agreements came into effect, the dates at which they expire, and if any such agreements have lapsed?

of the existing duty; if the removal of the additional duty will assist to reduce production costs, as Cmd. 5067 states; why they were originally put on; and will he consider the total abolition of the duty to reduce production costs?

The following is a list of foreign countries with which trade agreements have been concluded. (This list does not include agreements relating solely to payments.)

Manufactures of wood and timber, with certain exceptions, became liable to additional duties under the Additional Import Duties No. 1 Order, which came into operation on the 26th April, 1932. On the representations of the flax-spinning industry, the Import Duties Advisory Committee recently recommended the removal of the additional duty from the blocks to which the hon. Member refers for reasons given in the report which has been presented to Parliament in Cmd. 5067. The Committee did not recommend the removal of the general ad valorem duty, and the Agreement concluded with Canada at Ottawa would prevent its removal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the attention of the British Ambassador in China has been called to the position of both British concessions and British trade in those parts of North China now menaced by a semi-autonomous government imposed by Japan; and what steps are being taken to protect our interests?

With regard to the first part of the question, I can assure the hon. Member that His Majesty's Ambassador is well aware of the British interests which it is his duty to protect. As regards the last part of the question, no special steps have so far been found necessary for the protection of British interests in North China, but the situation is being carefully watched.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that there is now no light-buoy at the eastern entrance to the Wallet Spitway; that this is the cause of needless difficulty and danger to numerous coasting vessels, and especially to London river sailing-barges bound North out of London river in thick or heavy weather; that during the Great War a light-buoy was found necessary for the safe navigation of His Majesty's ships; what would be the annual cost of maintaining such a buoy; and will he, by consultation with Trinity House or otherwise, secure that a light-buoy be at this point provided?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the southern entrance to the Spitway, which is at present marked by the Swin Spitway unlighted bell buoy. Following on the receipt in September last of an extensively signed petition in favour of the lighting of this buoy, the Trinity House proposed the replacement of the buoy by a lighted bell buoy, and this proposal having been sanctioned by the Board of Trade, arrangements have been made for the replacement to be effected on or about the 12th February. A Notice to Mariners to this effect was issued on the 10th January. This substitution of a lighted buoy for an unlighted buoy involves a capital expense of £615 and an increase in maintenance costs of £25 per annum.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in calculating the amount of subsidy which is considered necessary for the continuance of the beet sugar industry, it has been assumed that the factories will receive from the consumer of sugar in the price paid for the beet sugar factories' product the excise duty advantage amounting, at the present time, to 4s. 9d. per cwt. of white sugar; and what will be the estimated annual total cost of this additional assistance to the beet sugar industry on the basis of the present excise duty advantage?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. The cost for 1935–36 is estimated at approximately the same amount as for 1934–35, namely, about £2,900,000; and, on the basis of the present distribution of output between white and raw sugar, it is expected that the annual figure will continue at about this level.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he is aware that instructions have been given to close the hostel for Indian students at 21, Cromwell Road, London, S.W.7; and will he state if the report of the committee presided over by Mr. A. M. Greene, deputy high commissioner, presented in 1933, and the memorandum of students recently presented asking for the continuation of the hostel, were considered by the Secretary of State for India and by the Government of India before the decision was arrived at?

The question of the continuance of this hostel is one in which the decision rests with the Government of India and the local governments, at whose expense it was maintained. On the information in his possession my Noble Friend sees no reason to dissent from the decision which has been reached by the authorities in India, who had a summary of the report of the Departmental Committee before them.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland in what proportion of primary schools the classes for the children of 13 to 14 have been reorganised in accordance with the Hadow Committee's proposals; and what proportion of the total number of such children are included in such reorganisation?

The Hadow Committee considered educational problems in England and Wales and their proposals do not apply to Scotland. Eeorganisation of Scottish schools has, however, proceeded on somewhat similar lines, and at 31st July, 1935, of the 154,000 children over the age of 12 years in Primary Schools 83,000 were taught in specially organised courses in Post Primary Departments. In addition, 85,000 of the 97,000 pupils over the age of 12 in Secondary Schools were under instruction in the regularly organised courses of the upper departments of these schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is aware of the dissatisfaction regarding the refusal of the Department of Health for Scotland to sanction certain extensions of the Bo'ness fever hospital; whether he approves of this attitude; and, if so, what reasons of policy stand in the way of the proposed extensions being authorised?

I am informed that the Chairman of the Public Health Committee of West Lothian is meeting the Department of Health on 13th instant to discuss this matter, and in these circumstances I feel that it would be undesirable for me to make any statement at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he can state the number of boys under 19 years of age who are at present in Barlinnie prison awaiting transference to Borstal institutional treatment and the number undergoing Borstal treatment at present?

Five boys under 19 years of age have been detained during the past few days at Barlinnie of whom four are to be transferred to Polmont Borstal Institution to-day. The fifth boy who was sentenced yesterday will be removed within the next day or two. The total number of males at present undergoing Borstal treatment in Scotland is 219 of whom 24 are in the Borstal section of Barlinnie Prison.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is prepared to institute an inquiry into the allegations made by Lieutenant-detective Anderson against Chief Constable Keith of the Lanarkshire constabulary?

I referred a number of the allegations made by Mr. Anderson against the Chief Constable to the Lanarkshire County Council which, in its capacity as Police Authority, is the statutory disciplinary body in relation to the Chief Constable. The Police Authority investigated these complaints and were unanimously satisfied that they were without foundation. The remainder of the allegations were referred to the Criminal Authorities who made full investigation but found no cause for intervention. In the circumstances I do not propose to take steps to institute any further inquiry.

asked the President of the Board of Education whether provision is being made for the payment of maintenance grants to those young persons between the ages of 14 and 15 years who, in the event of the passage of the Education Bill, will get an additional year's schooling but who, under present unemployment regulations, would be sent to approved juvenile instructional centres and thereby qualify for a maintenance grant?

I am afraid the hon. Member is under a misapprehension. I am informed by my right hon. Friend, the Minister of s Labour, that young persons who attend Junior Instruction Centres do not thereby qualify for a maintenance grant. The position is that, where a parent who is entitled to benefit under the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1935, has a dependent child between the ages of 14 and 16 years in attendance at a Junior Instruction Centre, the parent would receive an additional allowance for the child. A similar additional allowance is payable in respect of such a child under full time instruction at a day school. These provisions will remain unaffected by the passage of the Bill to raise the school-leaving age. Similarly, the position of such children in the households of applicants for unemployment assistance will remain unaffected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will arrange for the report of the committee of investigation of the mui-tsai system in Hong Kong to be issued as a White Paper?

I am making arrangements for the issue of the report as a White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies the result of the test case in the proceedings instituted by the police authorities in Malta with the view of prohibiting football-pool betting?

I understand that judgment has not yet been given in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he can make any statement with regard to the ownership of the three islands in the Pacific, Jarvis, Baker, and Howland?

The question of the sovereignty over these islands is a matter which is being investigated, but I regret that I am not at present in a position to make any statement.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any machinery exists at the present time to enable volunteers from Newfoundland to join His Majesty's naval, aerial, and land forces; and, if not, will he take steps to facilitate it?

As I explained in a reply to my hon. Friend yesterday, preliminary examinations of local candidates for entry into the Royal Navy may be carried out by His Majesty's Ships visiting Newfoundland. If any of His Majesty's Ships are returning from Newfoundland to this country, suitable men may be given free passages to England where they would go through the normal procedure of recruitment. As regards the Royal Air Force, my reply of yesterday applies to Newfoundland so far as cadet-ships are concerned. It also applies as regards the Army.

asked the Undersecretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether any discussions have taken place lately between representatives of His Majesty's Government and Australian States regarding proposals for further emigration schemes; and, if so, can he make any statement on the matter?

There have been no such discussions with the Australian authorities recently.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has yet received a report from the committee set up to inquire into the question of dietetics and nutrition; and, if so, can he say what action he proposes to take in the matter?

My right hon. Friend has received a report from this Committee on the Nutritive Value of Milk, and he proposes to publish it.

asked the Minister of Health whether he will consider the advisability of making a special investigation of the circumstances attending the outbreak of variola minor which prevailed in certain limited areas of this country during the years 1922–34, with a view to ascertaining what were the causes of its greater incidence in mining areas and whether the disease affected mainly those areas where infant vaccination had declined most?

During the years referred to in the question smallpox occurred in no less than 49 of the 61 counties in England and Wales. The circumstances in which the disease occurred were described in the Annual Reports of the Chief Medical Officer of my Department, and also in a review published in 1931 entitled "A Review of Certain Present Aspects of Smallpox Prevention in relation particularly to the Vaccination Acts, 1867 to 1907". The published reports contain full statistics as to the numbers of vaccinated and unvaccinated children, respectively, who contracted the disease, and they afford ample evidence of the value of vaccination as a preventive of the disease. In these circumstances I do not think that any special investigation is necessary.

asked the Home Secretary what are the regulations governing medical attendance on persons detained under arrest at police stations pending appearance before the magistrates; and will he say whether such arrested persons have the right to see a doctor on request?

All police forces have instructions to take special care in regard to the treatment of prisoners suffering from illness, to call a doctor to examine any prisoner who complains of illness or shows symptoms of being in a feeble state of health and to have him removed to hospital if the doctor thinks it necessary. If such a person wished to call in a doctor selected by himself, steps would be taken to meet his wishes if possible, but the police would not wait for a request or complaint from him if they considered that he needed medical attention.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he can give the following figures relating to men employed at the Clay Cross Company's byproduct works at Clay Cross; the number of boys employed between the ages of 14 and 16 years and their average wage per hour; the number of persons from 16 to 18 years and their average wage per hour; and how many persons ranging from 14 years to 21 have worked seven days per week during the month of January, 1936?

I am not in possession of information on the points mentioned.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the number of adult labourers employed in the Clay Cross Company's by-product works at Clay Cross; how many of these men are receiving less than 10d. per hour; and how many men have worked seven days per week during the month of January, 1936?

I am not in possession of information on the points mentioned.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he can state the number of highway authorities who were, under the Restriction of Ribbon Development Act, 1935, authorised to use the powers given them by that Act; and how many have, in fact, exercised those powers?

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to Section 2 of the Act which which imposed restrictions in relation to some 43,000 miles of roads that were classified roads on the 17th May. 1935. I have no information that any of the 420 responsible highway authorities is failing to exercise the powers conferred by the Act. As regards unclassified roads, 32 authorities have applied for my approval to resolutions relating to some 3,000 miles of such roads.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, in view of the losses to the insured arising out of delay in correcting motor insurance law which necessitated the passing of the 1934 Emergency Act, he will introduce a Companies Act Amendment Bill to remedy the defects in the 1929 Act, before losses to the public compel emergency legislation which can cover only some of the flaws in the 1929 Act?

I would refer to the answer I gave to my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Spens) on 6th February, of which I am sending him a copy.