asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware of the fact that the White Star Cunard liners purchase the bulk of their cream for the Atlantic trip at Cherbourg, obtaining only sufficient supplies in this country to get them across to France; and whether, in view of the fact that this company is subsidised by the Government, he will take steps to ensure that the bulk of these supplies are purchased in this country?

I have no information on this subject which is, in any case, entirely a matter for the company concerned.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will take steps to ensure that in any trade agreements affecting agricultural products, particularly dairy products, an undertaking will be given that in the event of a marketing scheme for the products in question being set up then the importing country will agree to conform to any minimum prices which might be prescribed from time to time by a board or boards administering the scheme for the regulated marketing of such products?

I have taken note of my hon. Friend's suggestion. I have no doubt, however, that my hon. Friend is aware that under Section 1 of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1933 the Board of Trade have certain powers to regulate the volume of imports of agricultural products when a marketing scheme in respect of those products is set up in this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture under which trade agreements the large increase in the recent imports of eggs has been made possible; when these agreements expire; and what action the Government proposes to take to protect the home industry?

His Majesty's Government have undertaken in trade agreements with the following countries not to raise the existing duties on imports of eggs in shell: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland and Sweden. The earliest date by which the last of these agreements can be terminated is 31st December, 1936. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Moseley (Sir P. Hannon) on 23rd March, a copy of which I am sending to my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been called to the death of a boy of six years of age at the Burnham-on-Sea Children's Home, on 9th February, in respect of which a jury returned a verdict that the cause of death was shock caused by intense cold in a case of malnutrition of body and multiple minor injuries; and whether he will ascertain and inform the House what were the multiple minor injuries from which the child was suffering?

I am aware of this case, which has received careful consideration and has been fully investigated by a special committee appointed by the County Council as a, result of which the appointment of the matron of the Home has been terminated.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India on how many occasions the Government of India has been defeated in the Indian Legislative Assembly in the year 1936; and whether these defeats were on major issues of policy?

During the present year the Government has been defeated on 14 occasions in the Legislative Assembly. How far these occasions are to be regarded as affecting major issues of policy is a matter of opinion.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether, on the occasion when a motion to reduce the salaries of the members of the executive council of the Governor-General to a nominal amount was carried in the Indian Legislative Assembly last March, he will say how many members voted against the Government, including those not belonging to the Congress party; whether those who voted against the Government included Hindus, Moslems, and Sikhs; and how many elected Indians voted for the Government?

The number of members who voted against the Government on the motion to reduce the demand under the head "Executive Council" was 68. These included Hindus, Moslems, and Sikhs. The number of elected Indians included in the Government vote of 62 was 17.

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what was the total number of vacancies in the junior grade of the general clerical class during each year from the 1st April, 1928, to the 31st March, 1936, which occurred in each of the following departments: Foreign Office, India Office, War Office, Home Office, Scottish Office, His Majesty's Treasury, Board of Trade, His Majesty's Office of Works, His Majesty's Stationery Office, His Majesty's Land Registry, Paymaster General's Office, and the Admiralty?

This information is not available in a collected form, kind I regret that it could not be com- piled without a disproportionate expenditure of time and labour.

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 Lancashire County Council for constructing a by-pass road at Formby, on the Liverpool-Southport road?

Yes Sir. I have made a grant of 60 per cent. from the Road Fund towards the cost (estimated at nearly £200,000) of this scheme.