asked the Minister of Labour whether he is aware that navigational and engineering officers of the mercantine marine taking advantage of temporary unemployment to qualify themselves, by training, for employment in higher grades are at some Employment Exchanges being refused unemployment benefit on the ground that they are not available for work; and whether he will take steps to have such men brought within the scope of the benefit regulations at all ports?

In cases of the kind referred to the question of eligibility for benefit depends on whether the applicant remains available for work, and this has to be decided by the statutory machinery. The circumstances of particular cases no doubt differ, but I am not aware that the same principles are not applied to all cases. If the hon. Member has any evidence to the contrary I shall be glad to make inquiry.

asked the Minister of Labour the total amount paid in unemployment assistance since the Order in Council of 1931 and the difference between that amount and the sum which would have been paid in unemployment benefit if the means test had not been in operation?

The total expenditure (excluding the cost of administration) out of the unemployment fund to 31st March, 1936, on transitional payments under the provisions of the Unemployment Insurance (National Economy) (No. 2) Order, 1931, and on unemployment allowances is approximately £198,000,000. With regard to the saving due to the means test an estimate is possible only for the period of the operation of the Transitional Payments Scheme (November, 1931 to January, 1935) and in this connection I would refer to the reply given by my predecessor to the hon. Member on 7th May, 1935, of which I am sending the hon. Member a copy.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of rivet works on the North-east coast which are at present closed down; and how many men normally employed in such works are on the unemployment register?

My information is that the number of such firms is two and the number of men formerly employed in them and now on the unemployment register is approximately 190 of whom 27 are registered as rivet makers.

asked the President of the Board of Trade the volume and value of the foreign rivets imported into this country in each of the last two years?

Separate particulars of the imports of rivets into the United Kingdom are not available, but the total imports of iron and steel rivets and washers during the years 1934 and 1935 were as follow:

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether, with a view to avoiding the addition of large numbers of civil servants to the existing staff and the necessity at a later stage of another economy investigation, as a result of the new defence proposals, he will institute an inquiry into each Department to see whether there is any surplus labour which can be transferred to fill any new posts which may be created?

The existing arrangements provide for continuous consultation between Departments and the Treasury in order to secure due economy in staffing arrangements. As part of these arrangements, transfers to expanding Departments are arranged wherever practicable. I see no need for a special inquiry of the nature suggested.

asked the Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence whether, with a view to public economy, he will take such clerical staff as he requires so far as possible from the existing Civil Service?

The members of the clerical staff of my office have all been recruited from the Civi!l Service, and no additions are in contemplation at present.

asked Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the repercussions caused by the introduction of conscription in Austria and of our treaty obligations, he has any statement to make in regard to Central Europe?

I would refer the hon. and gallant Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to a question by him on Monday last, and to the reply given yesterday to my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Chatham (Captain Plugge), to which I have nothing to add.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether it is intended to open negotiations with the Netherlands for the signature of a trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the Netherlands?

I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Exeter (Mr. Reed) on la10th March last.

asked the Under-Secretary of State. for India why Mr. Subhas C. Bose had his passport seized at Port Said; why a policeman was detailed to mount guard over him whilst on board at that port; why the Austrian police, at the request, of the British authorities, closely watched him at Badgastein; and why this personal interference was employed in this; ecase 1?

I hare no information as to the first two parts of the question, which relate to action stated to have been taken by the Egyptian authorities. With regard to the third part it was important that the British authorities should be informed of Mr. Bose's whereabouts, but I have no reason for thinking that the measures taken were more than was necessary for the purpose or that they amounted to personal interference.

asked the Under-Secretary of State for India whether he can make a statement with regard to the recent disturbances at Poona?

The disturbance at Poona on the 24th April arose during a religious festival which the Hindus were celebrating with music at a shrine in a public road. The district magistrate, after consultation with the leaders of the Hindu and Muslim communities, had given his permission to the celebration on condition that only soft music should be played and only at stated hours and that there should be no obstruction to traffic. Trouble started when a crowd of Muhammedans began to throw stones at the worshippers, and the Hindus retaliated. In separating the rival crowds, members of which on both sides were armed with lathis, the police suffered several casualties, and eventually worship was discontinued. Later in the day the situation deteriorated and order was restored only after a company of British troops had been called out. They were withdrawn by mid-day on the 25th and neither they nor the police had to resort to firing. The casualties amount to two dead, of whom one was a Muhammedan and one a Hindu, and 159 injured (including police), of whom only 26 were detained in hospital. No further trouble has been reported.

asked the Secretary for Mines how many men have been suspended from working at the Clay Cross Company's pit known as Park House No. 7 since January of this year; the reason for their suspension; how many new men have been employed; and why preference was not given to the former employeés who were suspended?

I regret that I have no information because, as I informed the hon. Member some weeks ago, questions relating to the individual contracts of employment of workmen in mines are not within the province of my Department. They are more properly and suitably dealt with by the trade union concerned.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he is aware that in some of the Derbyshire collieries where miners receive a coal allowance as part of their wages the owners are supplying an inferior quality of coal known to be unsaleable, resulting in an increased expenditure by the miners for fuel supplies; and will he take steps to put an end to this, as being contrary to the spirit of the recent agreements regarding wages and conditions in the mining industry 1?

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. With regard to the second part, the matter is not in any case one in which I could interfere.

asked the Secretary for Mines whether he will give the number of coal-cutting machines in use; the number of conveyors in use; the total output of coal obtained by machines; and the percentage of the total output cut by machines in 1935 in the mines of Great Britain and South Wales, respectively?

The information is is follows:

asked the Secretary for Mines the average output per person employed in mines in South Wales and Monmouthshire in 1935 and the average wages paid per person for the same year?

During the year ended 31st January, 1936, the average output of coal per person employed in mines in South Wales and Monmouthshire was 269 tons, and the average cash earnings per person employed during the same period was £123.

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of fatal and non-fatal accidents that happened to boys under 16 years of age in the mines of Great Britain in 1935?

During 1935, 30 boys under 16 years of age were killed by accidents at mines under the Coal Mines Act and there were 210 cases of serious injury. Particulars of the less serious accidents are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the departmental committee dealing with the entry of women into the diplomatic and consular service has yet reeported?

Yes, Sir. The report of the interpartmental committee, together with the decision of His Majesty's Government upon it, has been issued as a White Paper (Command Paper 5166), copies of which were made available in the Vote Office on Tuesday last.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether any experiments have been, or are being, made in the use of poison gases; if any quantity is being prepared and stored; and if it is intended to use the same in the event of war 7?

Experiments are made with poisonous gases in order to devise measures of protection against them, and for this purpose small quantities are prepared and stored. As regards the last part of the question, I would refer the hon. Member to the Geneva Gas Protocol of 1925.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether the 5th and 6th Royal Warwicks are included among the battalions which are to he converted into anti-aircraft and searchlight units?

No final decision has yet been taken on the scheme to convert Territorial infantry battalions into anti-aircraft and searchlight units for the defence of the north and midlands, and I regret that I am not in a position, therefore, to answer the hon. and gallant Member's inquiry.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty if he has any statement to make concerning the recently reported case of sabotage in one of His Majesty's submarines?

The matter is under investigation and I regret that I am unable to give any further information.

asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether it is proposed to establis ah a naval training depot at Rosyth; and whether any other schemes are in contemplation for utilising other parts of the dockyard?

It is hoped to be able to make a statement in the near future about the provision of more accommodation for naval training in the Rosyth district. In answer to the second part of the question, I can add nothing at present to the reply given to the hon. Member for Linlithgow on the 18th December.