asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he will state the figures of the output and representative product prices of the iron and steel industry for 1931, 1934 and 1935, respectively?

According to statistics published by the British Iron and Steel Federation, the output of pig iron and of steel ingots and castings in the years 1931, 1934 and 1935 was as follows:

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether, according to the information in the possession of his Department, any of the larger shipping lines are finding any difficulty in recruiting the best type of younger officer; and whether, in that case, he can state his reasons?

I am not aware of any difficulty in recruiting navigating officers. I am informed there is a shortage of engineer officers and that this is under consideration by the shipping industry.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is aware that great difficulties are experienced on the North-east Coast by inventors in poor circumstances in obtaining financial and technical facilities for perfecting and developing their inventions, many of which are of public importance; and whether the Government will consider the feasibility of providing, through the Commissioner for the Special Areas or otherwise, financial assistance for such purpose and for enabling these men to have access to technical plant belonging to technical colleges and similar institutions for experimental work?

I am not aware that inventors on the North-east Coast have any greater difficulty than inventors elsewhere in obtaining facilities for the perfecting and developing of their inventions. I am afraid that it would not be practicable for the Government to provide facilities such as the hon. and learned Baronet suggests.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is intended to enforce the abolition of death duties upon the estates of members of His Majesty's Forces who meet their deaths as a result of the performance of their service duties?

I would refer my Noble Friend to the reply which I gave on the 23rd April to the hon. Member for Altrincham (Sir E. Grigg).

asked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he has considered the request of the Institute of Professional Civil Servants for the payment of equal pay for specialised posts; and whether the Government, in its rejection of equal pay for the common classes, also adopts this policy towards its professional experts of both classes who have equal qualifications?

A claim was received from the Institution of Professional Civil Servant last year that women in certain scientific and technical grades should be granted the same scales of pay as had been agreed for men. This claim was refused. A further claim has recently been received. The general principles governing the payment of women in the Civil Service apply in scientific and technical grades as well as in the other common classes.

asked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been drawn to the continual low flying by aeroplanes over the Wembley Stadium on Saturday afternoon, 25th April; and can he state whether the Metropolitan Police authorities intend to take any action to prevent a recurrence of such incidents?

The flying which took place in the vicinity of Wembley Stadium on the 25th April did not, in the opinion of the police, call for any action on their part. The police have no power to prohibit a projected flight, but if it appeared that a projected flight would involve breaches of the law they would consult the Air Ministry as to the measures to be taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland the number of young men serving sentences at the Polmont Borstal Institution; how many of those serving sentences were without legal assistance at their trial; and how many have been sentenced to such imprisonment for their first offence?

189 persons are undergoing Borstal detention at Polmont, of whom six were sentenced for first offences. Information is not available as to the number who were not legally represented at their trial. Every prisoner before trial is, however, asked whether he desires the services of an Agent of the Poor or some other law agent, and if the prisoner desires legal assistance written intimation to that effect is made to the Poor's Agent or other law agent.

asked the Minister of Health whether any circular has been addressed by him during the past three years to local authorities advising them to insist upon the increased use by their contractors of coastal shipping for the transport of heavy materials wherever possible, in order to reduce traffic congestion?

No, Sir, but as my right hon. Friend promised just before Easter he is examining this matter generally with the Board of Trade.

asked the Minister of Health whether his attention has been drawn to the refusal of the Birkenhead Town Council to permit the exhibition of recruiting posters; and what action he proposes to take?

No, Sir. The matter is not one in which my right hon. Friend has any power to control the action of a local authority.

asked the Minister of Health whether he is aware of the growing criticisms of the position of women as compared with men under health insurance; and whether he will appoint a committee to consider whether modifications in existing legislation are desirable?

My right hon. Friend cannot admit that the position of women under National Health Insurance compares unfavourably with that of men, and he is not aware that there is any widespread criticism of the relative positions of men and women under the scheme. He does not, therefore, see any necessity for the appointment of a committee as suggested by my hon. Friend.

asked the Minister of Health whether he can give the infant mortality rates for 1934 and 1935 for New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, Iceland, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom?

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many instances of arms smuggling into Palestine have come to notice during the last two years; and whether he is satisfied that the measures taken by the Palestinian authorities to prevent such smuggling are adequate?

I have asked the High Commissioner for the information requested in the first part of the question. As to the second part, I can assure the hon. and gallant Member that all possible steps are taken by the authorities in Palestine to check this traffic.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any further statement to make regarding the disturbances in Jaffa on Sunday the 19th April; in particular, whether the High Commissioner has issued any statement in connection therewith; and, if so, what were its contents?

The statement which I circulated in the OFFICIAL REPORT on 23rd April contains such information regarding the events of Sunday, the 19th April, as was then available. I have since received the text of the communiqué issued by the High Commissioner on that day, which is as follows:

"The High Commissioner regrets to announce that disturbances occurred in Jaffa this morning involving several casualties. Owing to false rumours (which were at once officially contradicted) that Arabs had been killed crowds assembled about 11 o'clock in the Manshia quarter of Jaffa and disturbances arose in the course of which several attacks were made on Jews. The police intervened promptly and by early afternoon order was restored and the situation was completely under control.

The casualties so far as is known were as follows: Seven Jews were killed, 11 seriously injured, and 28 slightly injured. Two Arabs were killed, one seriously injured and 14 slightly injured. Three rounds in all were fired under direct control of superior police officers after due warning had been given, one round when the crowd refused to disperse and two rounds in order to stop a murderous assault actually in progress. The death of two Arabs mentioned above as killed resulted from these shots.

As a precautionary measure the Defence Order-in-Council has been proclaimed empowering the High Commissioner to put emergency regulations into operation and a curfew regulation has accordingly been imposed at Jaffa and Tel Aviv requiring inhabitants to be within doors between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m. No incidents are reported from any other part of the country."

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he will set up an inquiry into the methods of judicial procedure in Somaliland, especially with a view to securing for prisoners under process of trial on a capital offence the right to employ counsel and delay of execution in the event of an appeal being made to His Majesty in Council?

As I informed my hon. and gallant Friend the Member for Hitchin (Sir A. Wilson) on 2nd April I am reviewing the question of the appearance of Counsel in the Courts in Somaliland in consultation with the Governor. In the case of a person sentenced to death appealing from a decision of these Courts to His Majesty in Council execution would be delayed pending the result of the appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he has any statement to make as to the proposal to create a national park in Malaya to be called the King George V Park and to be used for the preservation of the local fauna and flora?

The area with the title of the King George V National Park has been formally declared in the three Malay States concerned to be permanently set aside for the preservation of wild life.

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Germans in Tanganyika territory have applied for British nationality during the past three years?

Six such applications, have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for War the minimum rate of retired pay for Army officers promoted from the ranks, and how this amount compares with the rate for comparable ranks in the other Services?

An army officer promoted from the ranks and eligible to retire voluntarily after 15 years reckonable service would be awarded retired pay of £135 15s. per annum. The conditions of retirement of Naval and Air Force officers are on a different basis from the conditions of retirement of Army officers and no direct comparison can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will give reconsideration to the case of Maurice M. Newman, who served as Gunner No. 833,454, Royal Artillery, and who, during the period of his service, developed an illness which necessitated the amputation of a leg, with the result that he has been discharged from the Army without an award?

I have reconsidered this case, but, as the disability which led to the amputation of the leg was not in any way due to military service, I regret that Mr. Newman cannot be awarded a disability pension.

asked the Secretary of State for War whether he will review the sums of money available as training grants for battalions of the Territorial Army, after the Territorial Army Associations have allotted what their budgets will permit, with a view to bringing up the training grant for each unit to a figure at least comparable with the sum paid 10 or 15 years ago?

The grant allotted to the Territorial Army for training and instruction outside the camp period in 1936 is £144,600 as compared with £160,000 in 1926. Having regard to the fall in strength of the Territorial Army, and the reductions in rates of pay and in the cost of travelling over the period in question, I am satisfied that the sum allotted in the current year should enable appreciably more training to be carried out than that allotted 10 years ago.