asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he has appointed, or proposes to appoint, as members of his personal staff any officers who have passed through the Imperial Defence College?

It may be convenient if I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave on 19th March to certain questions in regard to my staff. In making appointments I shall not overlook the value of the training given at the Imperial Defence College. The civil servant who is already with me entered the college for its second annual course in 1928, but left after approximately six weeks to fill a vacancy on the secretarial staff at 10, Downing Street.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether he has held, or intends to hold, any inquiry into the question of whether or not a military expeditionary force should form part of the British contribution to collective security immediately on the outbreak of war?

In such an eventuality any decision on this suggestion could only be taken by the Government of the day in the light of all the circumstances.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether in view of the increase in public expenditure involved in the Government's proposals relating to defence and of the necessity for ensuring that this money is laid out to the best advantage, he will consider setting up a, Departmental Committee to consider the system of accountancy and exchange of correspondence within and between the three services and their respective Departments, having regard to the fact that the present system is, in many respects, not in accordance with modern methods?

The organisations responsible for accountancy questions, and the methods of dealing with correspondence in and between the Defence Departments, are under constant review, and the appointment of a special committee for the purpose indicated is not called for at this juncture. If my hon. Friend has any suggestions for improvements in existing methods and will communicate them to the Departments concerned, they will be carefully considered.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he will state what the total output of completed aeroplanes was during the week in which the Minister for the Coordination of Defence took office, and what the estimated weekly output will be in June next?

It would not be in the public interest to give this information.

asked the Home Secretary whether, on applications being made for British naturalisation, any question is put to ascertain whether male applicants of military age are prepared to serve in His Majesty's forces if this country is involved in war?

No, Sir.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware of the anomalies arising out of the existing Income Tax allowances, whereby a wife brings to her husband a rebate of £70 but, when she becomes a widow without means, her rebateable value as a dependant drops to £25, and whereby an allowance of the tax on £50 is made to a widower or widow in respect of a female person taking charge of his or her children or acting in the capacity of housekeeper, but no similar allowance is made to a spinster in respect of the maintenance of a female relative or person taking charge of an infirm relative of the taxpayer; and whether he will amend the Income Tax allowance to remove these anomalies?

My right hon. Friend fears that he cannot say anything in anticipation of his Budget statement.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he can arrange for a reprint of the Report of the Royal Commission on Ecclesiastical Discipline, 1906, now out of print, if possible, with a digest or index?

The report has been out of print for some years, and there has been no evidence of a general demand for it which would justify a reprint.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he has now any statement to make in regard to trade negotiations with Denmark?

As a result of recent discussions the Danish Government have offered to issue during the present licensing period of four months supplementary licences for the import of United Kingdom goods to a value of approximately £500,000. The question of further negotiations is now under consideration.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Rumanian Government is still imposing a premium of 38 per cent. on moneys due to British creditors; and whether this premium operates between Rumania and Germany?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. As regards the second part of the question, the clearing arrangements between Rumania and Germany are such as to make impossible a direct comparison of any value; hut I will make further inquiries.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the Government has commenced negotiations for a new clearing agreement between this country and Rumania and whether any of the funds available will be utilised for payment of old outstanding debts?

Negotiations for a new agreement to deal with debts due from Rumania to persons in the United Kingdom are proceeding, and it is not possible to anticipate the form which any agreement that may be concluded will take. One of the principal objects of the negotiations is to provide for the payment of outstanding debts.

asked the Secretary for Mines the amount of overtime being worked in mines at present; and whether he receives regular reports on this matter?

It is impracticable to give any general figure, since overtime necessarily varies from mine to mine, and from day to day. I have, however, no reason to think that the amount of overtime is unduly high. As regards the second part of the question, His Majesty's Inspectors of Mines give constant attention to this matter and I call for reports of a general nature from time to time. As the hon. Member is aware, any particular complaint which is brought to my notice or to the notice of His Majesty's Inspectors is always promptly investigated.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether the inquiry into safety in mines has yet terminated its work; and what steps he proposes to take upon this vital matter to the miners of Britain?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative, and the second part, therefore, does not arise yet.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether any provisions have been made by regulations regarding the number of times the cage shall travel a given distance in any specified time; and will he consider dealing with the speeding-up methods adopted by many collieries in the process of winding coal, which is proving a matter of danger to the men so employed?

The answer to the first part of the question is "No." With regard to the second part, I am not clear as to what persons it is suggested are endangered, but I shall be glad to inquire into any cases brought to my notice.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that upon the carbonisation of coal benzol is recovered by 97 per cent. of the coke industry, whereas only 37 per cent. of the gas industry recovers this oil; and what steps he can take to increase the supply of this essential product?

One of the objects of guaranteed preference accorded by the British Hydrocarbon Oils Production Act, 1934 was to encourage the greater production of motor spirit from coal, and, as my hon. Friend will see by reference to page 17 of the last Annual Report of my Department, it is believed that this provision has already resulted in an increasing production of benzol at gas works. I am of opinion that for normal times the position is adequately met by the action already taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his attention has been drawn to the proposal to build 112 houses in Cowdenbeath, Fife, in which there will be no fireplaces in the sculleries; whether he knows that inconvenience will be experienced through the drying of wet pit-clothes in the kitchens of these houses; and will he take steps to see that proper fireplaces are included in the plans of these sculleries before the scheme is approved by his Department?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative. No objection would be taken by the Department of Health to the provision of fireplaces in the sculleries. The matter is, however, one for the local authority to decide in the light of local needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether it is proposed to take advantage of the presence in this country next year of representatives of Dominion Governments for His Majesty's Coronation in order to hold an Imperial Conference; and whether the British Government have been in communication with the Governments of the Dominions as to the bearing of renewed trade agreements with foreign countries upon the proposed revision of the Ottawa agreements?

As regards the first part of the question, we are hoping that it may be possible to arrange for an Imperial Conference to take place in London next year at the time of the Coronation, and communications on the subject are now passing with the Dominion Governments. As regards the second part, it is the practice of His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to inform His Majesty's Governments in the Dominions when trade negotiations with foreign countries take place, so that they may have an opportunity of expressing their views if they think their interests affected.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether he is aware that there is a working arrangement between the Union of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia whereby certain goods entering Rhodesia from the Union of South Africa receive greater preferences than are accorded for the same classes of goods from the United Kingdom; and will he make representations to Southern Rhodesia that they should accord imports from this country the same freedom of entry that this country grants to imports from Southern Rhodesia?

As regards the first part of the question, I take it that my hon. Friend refers to the agreement concluded in 1935 between the neighbouring countries of the Union of South Africa and Southern Rhodesia whereby the exchange of local goods takes place under special conditions. As regards the second part of the question the trade relations between the United Kingdom and Southern Rhodesia are governed by the trade agreement concluded between the two countries at Ottawa in 1932. This contains no provisions which would justify representations to the Government of Southern Rhodesia on the lines suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether the promised census of the Masarwa slaves of Bechuanaland has yet been taken; and, if so, when does he expect to receive a report upon the matter?

This census is now in progress, and I understand that up to January last over 2,000 Masarwa had been recorded. It is not possible to say when the work will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is satisfied that every effort is now being made to harvest and transport the exceptionally heavy crop of Uganda cotton; whether his attention has been drawn to the difficulty of placing adequate railway space for cotton seed at the disposal of the ginners and to their appeal to the Governor to assist administratively in transporting the whole resulting crop of cotton seed whilst it remains in good condition?

I am sure that the Protectorate Government does all it can to assist in this matter, but the railway cannot be expected to give preferential treatment to Uganda cotton seed as against other commodities which are offered. The administration of the railway endeavours to allot, space fairly. I have not received any information as to representations from the ginners to the Governor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether, in the event of it being found impracticable to proceed in the near future with the scheme for setting up a legislative council in Palestine, he will investigate the possibility of an early extension of municipal responsibility in the four principal cities of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jaffa?

Any extension of the existing powers of Municipalities in Palestine must depend on various local considerations and, in particular, on the financial position of each Municipality.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that on 11th March four marine firemen received a telegram from the Employment Exchange at Liverpool to proceed to steamship "Teacoa," Glasgow, and that when they arrived they were informed that by Ministry of Labour regulations they could not be signed on and that only Glasgow unemployed firemen could be engaged; and can he make a statement as regards the position?

I am having inquiries made and will communicate with the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he is able to publish a list of agreements which include holidays with pay for working people; what proportion of the working popula- tion is covered by such agreements; and what information in official records is available on this subject?

A list of the collective agreements known to be in operation, providing for annual holidays with pay for manual workers, was published in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for July, 1934. My right hon. Friend is arranging for the inclusion of a revised list in the next issue of the "Gazette," to be published on 18th April. The total number of manual workers covered by such agreements cannot be stated exactly, but is estimated at about 1½ million. The only information in the possession of the Department on this subject is that derived from these agreements.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for Air whether he is aware that over 100 Irishmen from the Irish Free State are being employed in building a new aerodrome near the road south of Abingdon, Berks, and that English labourers who have tried to get employed there are being refused a job; and whether he will take steps to see that Southern Irishmen are not employed at a low wage on a Government contract to the exclusion of Englishmen?

I am informed that the contractors are at present employing six labourers from the Irish Free State, all of whom have been working on the site for some time. They are receiving the standard rate of wages for the district. They represent under 2 per cent. of the total number of labourers and tradesmen employed on the site.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the number of prosecutions for exceeding the speed limit brought against motorists during the previous 12 months for offences between the Marble Arch and Hyde Park Corner, i.e., East Carriage Road, Hyde Park, Constitution Hill, and along the Mall?

During the 12 months ended 29th February last the number of prosecutions instituted by police for exceeding the 20 miles per hour speed limit on the thoroughfares named was as follows:

asked the Home Secretary whether he will state the number of prosecutions in Lancashire for exceeding the speed limits for the years 1930, 1932 and 1935, giving the number of cases dismissed, paid fines, and sent to. prison; also for the boroughs of Preston, Wigan, Bolton, Warrington, and Oldham, giving separate gures for each?

The desired information is not immediately available and it could not be supplied without having it extracted specially from the individual returns from each district.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has yet received a report on the case of a road offence at Watling Street, Grendon, on 11th February, in which a police car, travelling at 40 miles per hour over a blind bridge, was involved; and whether police court proceedings have been, or are to be, instituted against the officer concerned on the charge of driving to the public danger?

My right hon. Friend has caused inquiry to be made in this case and has been supplied with photographs of the scene. There is no bridge at this spot, and the range of the driver's vision over the brow of the hill which he was approaching is at least 100 yards. The police driver was on his right side of the road and had to brake suddenly to avoid a lorry which pulled out from behind an omnibus. The Chief Constable decided that there were no grounds for a charge of dangerous driving against the police driver; this view is confirmed by the evidence of the only independent witness and, on the full information my right hon. Friend now has before him, he sees no reason to dissent from the Chief Constable's view of the case.

asked the Home Secretary the number of reported cases of road accidents which have occurred during the 12 months ended 31st December, 1935, in which the motor patrol police service has been concerned; and in how many of these cases police court proceedings have been instituted against the drivers of the police motor cars?

During the period stated vehicles driven by Metropolitan police on patrolling duties of all kinds were involved in 1,012 accidents. This figure includes trivial accidents involving no personal injury, whether on the road or in the garage. Proceedings were taken against one driver for dangerous driving and driving without due care and attention, but both summonses were dismissed, the chairman stating that there was no evidence on which the bench could convict.

asked the Minister of Transport whether his attention has been drawn to the organising of motor rallies, such as the recent 300-mile odd non-stop journey between Yarmouth and Torquay; and whether he will take steps to prevent such events because of the strain imposed on those participating in them and the consequent danger to the general users of the roads?

I am sending the hon. Member a copy of the answer which I gave to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hitchin (Sir A. Wilson) on 2nd April.

asked the Minister of Transport when the bridge over the road between Lennoxtown and Fintry, in Stirlingshire, which was washed away by flooding in June, 1935, is likely to be completed?

The bridge may not be completed until September next, but I hope that half its width will be available for traffic in June. From mid-December until now, the swollen stream has prevented all work.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is now in a position to make a grant from the Road Fund towards the cost of the scheme submitted to him by the Stockport County Borough Council for the construction of a new road over the River Mersey from Mersey Bridge to Lancashire Bridge?

Yes, Sir. The grant will be issued to-day. The scheme is estimated to cost £128,000 and the Road Fund grant will be at the rate of 60 per cent.

asked the Minister of Transport whether he is aware that the railway companies issue week-end tickets, daily-voucher tickets, and bulk-travelling tickets subject to the conditions that the company will not be responsible for any claims for injury, fatal or otherwise, or loss or damage or delay to the ticket-holder or his property; that this is not intimated to the purchasers of the tickets and is only known to a small percentage of the travelling public; and will he take action to induce the railway companies to comply with the same statutory liabilities that apply to road passenger traffic?

While I have no legal powers in this matter, I am drawing the attention of the railway companies to the many representations I received. In the meantime, the main line railway companies have informed me that, excluding workmen, they have decided to apply this limitation in future only to passengers holding cheap day, half-day or evening tickets.

asked the Minister of Transport, whether, when making grants from the Road Fund to Highland local authorities, he will stipulate that no free labour must be demanded or accepted?

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to-day to his question on the same subject.

asked the Minister of Transport whether h is aware of the continued inconvenience to the users of temporary bridge over the Towy at Carmarthen and of the loss to the town, and that all preliminaries have been settled for the building of the new bridge; and will he inquire into the cause for the delay in starting on the work of construction and say when the work on the bridge will be commenced?

I understand that the county council have been engaged in settling certain matters with the engineers and the contractor. So far as I am concerned, I have already agreed to make a grant towards this work, and I have also confirmed the Compulsory Purchase Order. I still hope that the work will be started by the middle of this month.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has been made aware of the complaints of the tenants under the Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Provision Act, 1919, in Northern Ireland, that the conditions of their holdings are inferior to the conditions which ex-service men in the Free State are now enjoying; and whether he can take any steps to approximate the conditions between the ex-service men living under the Act upon both sides of the border?

I have been asked to reply. I am aware that difficulties have arisen as a result of the fact that the statutes governing the Irish Sailors' and Soldiers' Land Trust have in some respects received different interpretations in the Courts of Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State, and the desirability of overcoming these difficulties will be borne in mind. But I do not consider that at the present moment there are any steps which it would be practicable to take in the matter.

asked the Home Secretary whether there are now any facilities for prison officers to re-enlist or join the Territorial Army; and if he is aware that a number of prison officers have been refused permission to re-enlist or join the Territorial Army?

There is, of course, no desire to discourage men from joining the Territorial Army, but at the present time so high a percentage of the prison staffs are reservists who are liable to recall to the colours in the event of a national emergency, that it is impracticable to allow more officers to undertake obligations which might result in their withdrawal for military duty at a time when they would be urgently needed in the prison service.

asked the Home Secretary whether he will now cause the position of pre-war police pensioners and their widows to be entirely reviewed with the object of placing them financially in a position corresponding with that of post-war police pensioners and their dependants?

My right hon. Friend regrets that he cannot hold out any hope of the introduction of the legislation which would be needed to achieve the hon. Member's object.

asked the Home Secretary whether he has any statistics to show whether juvenile crime has increased or deceased in this country since the Children and Young Persons Act of 1933 was brought into force; and whether he will make a statement with regard to this matter?

The number of juveniles under 16 found guilty of indictable offences was in 1932, 13,778; in 1933, 14,412; and in 1934, 17,902. The Children and Young Persons Act, 1933, came into force on 1st November, 1933. It raised the age of a young person by one year and in 1934, 2,638 juveniles of 16 were found guilty of indictable offences. On the comparable figures for 1933 and 1934 there was an increase in round figures of 3,500 offences in 1934. The population of juveniles between the ages of 10 and under 16 in England and Wales for those same two years was in round figures 4,020,000 and 4,135,000—a rise of 115,000. The increase of 3,500 offences has therefore to be spread over 4,135,000 juveniles. It seems probable that some part of the increase is due to the fact that since the Act came into force more attention is being given to the problem of juvenile offenders and that there is less reluctance to bring them before the Juvenile Courts whose duty it is to have regard to the welfare of the juveniles brought before them.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the supply of anti-gas respirators to the civilian population in case of air attack?

Yes, Sir. A simple but effective form of respirator, for use by the civil population, has been devised and the final design is now being settled. The Government propose to accumulate sufficient stocks of this respirator to enable issue to be made to all persons in areas exposed to danger in the event of air attack. The issue would be made free of charge. In the event of attack from the air everyone would be advised to remain indoors in a gasproofed room in order to avoid danger of contamination; and the respirators for the use of the civil population would primarily be of service for the purpose of enabling people who were out of doors when a raid occurred or whose gasproofed rooms had been damaged, to get to a place of safety. The Government are fully alive to the need for providing for the needs of young children and babies and special methods of protection are being developed for this purpose. It may be anticipated that many factories in this country will seek to put on the market respirators of their own design and the Government have devised a scheme, the details of which are about to be published, by which manufacturers who make approved types of respirators and who accept various conditions, including liability to Government inspection, will be licensed to affix a Home Office certification mark to their respirators. Purchasers will be well advised not to regard respirators as satisfactory unless they bear this mark.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that there is no individual at Oxford Prison or at the Home Office who can state on oath the time at which Sullivan escaped from Oxford prison on 30th September, 1933, in consequence of there being no record kept of his going out or coming in; and whether there is any record kept at the present time when red-band men go out or come in?

The hon. Member is under a misapprehension if he thinks that because the movements of this prisoner were not booked on the morning of his escape, there is any doubt as to the facts. There is no dispute that he was let out of the Hall into the yard before breakfast. The evidence given at the time by the officer who let him out was perfectly clear. The enquiry made at the time also showed that no officer had re-admitted him. On those facts, it necessarily follows that the prisoner escaped before, and not after, the breakfast period. After the enquiry into this escape, it was arranged as an additional precaution that separate records should be kept of the movements of red-band men in and out of the Hall.

asked the Home Secretary how many sworn statements he has received which support the theory that Sullivan, the red-band prisoner, escaped from custody at Oxford Prison on 30th September, 1933, some time after 8.30 a.m.; and what check, if any, was in operation at the time of the outgoings and incomings of prisoners who were allowed to work without the usual disciplinary supervision?

Statutory declarations were made in 1935 by Sullivan and another ex-prisoner to the effect that the escape took place after breakfast. As already explained, these statements made 15 and 17 months after the event do not outweigh the evidence obtained at the time or the statements made by Sullivan in November, 1933, that the escape took place before breakfast. The statutory declarations made by the two dismissed officers in 1936 add nothing to the existing information. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer to the reply given to the hon. Member for the Colne Valley Division.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to a case at the quarter sessions held at Dudley last week when an ex-Service man, named Colbeck, was sent to prison for six months for obtaining 6s. credit by false pretences; that the accused was wounded in the Great War and on one occasion since had been certified as insane; and whether, as the medical officer of the prison considered the offender still not fully responsible for his actions, he will take steps to have the sentence reduced?

The attention of my right hon. Friend has not previously been drawn to this case, but he is making inquiries and will communicate with the lion. Member.

asked the hon. and gallant Member for Rye, as representing t he Forestry Commissioners, whether he is aware of the adverse expert criticism of the scheme for re-afforesting an exposed area near Postbridge, on Dart-moor, which is over the 1,200 feet level and facing the north-west; and whether, in view of the large areas of more or less derelict ground in England in the vicinity of the distressed areas and elsewhere, he will avoid planting in areas which a strong body of public opinion desires to leave unaltered?

The Forestry Commissioners are aware that some persons have criticised the proposed afforestation of parts of the area referred to, but in the opinion of the Commissioners and the forest officers concerned the criticism is ill-founded. This is confirmed by the existence of satisfactory plantations in the neighbourhood. With regard to the second part of the question the Commissioners desire to meet, so far as possible, the claims of amenity. It has to be borne in mind that the area of land available and suitable for afforestation is considerably less than is commonly reported and that any unnecessary restrictions render their large-scale programme correspondingly difficult to carry out.

asked the Minister of Health whether he has considered the memorandum of the Lancashire Industrial Development Council on the modernisation of industrial areas; and what conclusions he has arrived at?

Yes, Sir. My right hon. Friend received recently a deputation from the council and discussed with them their memorandum. My right hon. Friend hopes that the council will be able to continue and develop the useful work they are doing and he is keeping in touch with them on the matter.