asked the Minister of Labour the number of cases that were brought to his notice during the 12 months ended to the last convenient date of employers who failed to stamp the unemployment cards of their employés; and in how many cases were criminal proceedings taken, in addition to civil actions, for the recovery of the arrears?

No record is kept of the particulars asked for in the first part of the question. During the year 1935 criminal proceedings were taken in 1,599 cases and civil proceedings were taken in 175 cases of failure duly to stamp unemployment books.

Will the Minister say how many successful prosecutions were undertaken?

Only 29 were unsuccessful.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether stamps were affixed to the cards in all these cases?

I should require notice of that question.

Have any of the insured persons lost benefit?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that certain cases have occurred where men who have missed having their cards stamped, have been thrown out of insurance benefit, with the exception of Pensions? I can give him particulars of such cases.

I shall be very glad to receive and to look into them.

asked the Minister of Labour how many Employment Exchanges are now exhibiting coloured recruiting posters?

Departmental instructions provide for the poster referred to in my answer to my hon. and gallant Friend's question on 30th April, which has a coloured border and coloured lettering, to be exhibited in each of the 1,184 local offices of the Ministry. In view of my hon. Friend's suggestion that the poster was not exhibited at all Exchanges, I have taken steps to secure that the instruction is observed in all cases.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that a number of the young men offering themselves as recruits are refused because they do not reach the physical standard necessary, and that if instead of using these posters he would withdraw the means test, it might provide the number of recruits, and there would be no necessity to advertise?

Will the right hon. Gentleman issue instructions to all Employment Exchanges to exhibit these posters?

I am doing that.

Does the right hon. Gentleman expect to get recruits for a Government that will not fight?

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has considered the representations made to him by Sir Benjamin Dawson, of Bradford, on the subject of a reduced working week as a means of solving unemployment; and whether he is prepared to make any statement on the matter?

Sir Benjamin Dawson was good enough to discuss this matter with my predecessor. He recognised that it was a necessary condition that there should be an international agreement in regard to the reduction of hours and the maintenance of wages, and in this connection I would suggest that the hon. Member should take into consideration the replies of the various countries to the International Labour Organisation relative to the discussion on the reduction of hours in the textile industries at the coming International Labour Conference. I should like to add that I regret that discussions on the subject of wages and working conditions in the wool textile industry appear to have broken down, and to express the hope that it will be found possible to take steps to secure agreed conditions as to hours and wages in that industry.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that this eminent Conservative is now so disappointed and disillusioned that anything may happen to his political allegiances?

I am not aware of that.

Can my right hon. Friend assure the House that his consultations with the representatives of industry are still taking place with reference to the reduction of the working week?

Certainly.

asked the Minister of Labour what arrangements are in existence at seaside resorts to supervise the employment of girls sent there for domestic service at boarding houses; and whether there are local welfare committees to see that the conditions and hours are reasonable?

Women and girls who take up at holiday resorts domestic employment found for them by the Ministry are given full particulars in writing of the wages and other conditions, and are advised to apply to the Exchange in the district if in need of assistance. Arrangements are made, with the advice of the women's sub-committee of the local employment committees and of juvenile advisory committees for cooperation with voluntary bodies, such as the Girls' Friendly Society, the Young Women's Christian Association, and the Travellers' Aid Society, in the organisation of welfare arrangements.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say whether these committees are functioning successfully in North Wales?

I think so, but if the hon. Member has any particular case in mind and would like me to make inquiries, I will certainly do so.

Is not the real problem that of the Welsh girls in domestic service away from Wales, and not the question of domestic service in Wales?

Is not the problem due to the fact that the girls are compelled to leave Wales?

asked the Minister of Labour why unemployed men who previously worked at Beamish, Tanfield, Lea, and other collieries in that district are not offered the vacancies at these collieries, but instead men dismissed from the South Moor group of collieries have been supplied by the Employment Exchange with cards to enable them to obtain employment at the first-mentioned collieries?

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

asked the Minister of Labour whether he has any statement to make concerning the report of the Departmental inquiry into the question of signing-on at Employment Exchanges, which was submitted to him some months ago; and whether any action is contemplated which will remove some of the anomalies which at present exist in Lancashire?

The general examination of this matter has not yet been completed. I have however given further consideration to the arrangements at the Great Harwood Employment Exchange, about which my hon. and gallant Friend has made representations to me previously, and I propose for the time being to reduce the number of weekly signatures ordinarily required at that exchange to two a week.

Will the right hon. Gentleman say whether inquiries will be made in the spring?

When will the right hon. Gentleman be able to tell us what he has discovered with regard to the anomaly to which the deputation drew his attention many weeks ago whereby the workers in this industry can earn far less while working than they would get if unemployed?

That is another issue.

asked the Minister of Labour whether he proposes to take action to remove the anomalies that exist as regards the blinded soldier and the civilian blind in the determination of allowances under the Unemployment Assistance Act, 1934?

I cannot anticipate the proposals that will be made in the new draft Regulations.

asked the Minister of Labour the number of juvenile unemployed in Doncaster, Bentley, and Adwick-le-Street at the last available date?

The number of juveniles aged under 18 years registered as unemployed at the Doncaster Employment Exchange on 23rd March, 1936, was 840. Separate figures are not available for Bentley and Adwick, which are within the area of the Doncaster Employment Exchange.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that out of 691 applications made by miners from South Wales to the Silicosis Medical Board for certificates of disablement or suspension during 1934 and 1935, no fewer than 311 of these applications were refused such certificates, notwithstanding that each of these workmen had been certified by their panel doctors and by the regional medical officer of the Ministry of Health to be suffering from silicosis or anthracosis; and what steps he proposes to take to so amend the provisions of the various Industries (Silicosis) Orders, 1931 to 1934, as to make it possible for these workmen to claim compensation for the disablement which arises from and is caused by the inhalation of coal and stone dust in the course of their employment?

I am aware that there have lately been a considerable number of cases of miners suffering from lung troubles which the expert medical board could not find to be silicosis. It is impossible, in the present state of knowledge, to tell whether or how far they may have been due to employment, but the matter is being investigated by the Industrial Pulmonary Diseases Committee of the Medical Research Council. Consideration of further action must await results of such research. I should add that under the arrangements made with the Ministry of Health, the regional medical officer does not diagnose and certify silicosis but merely conducts a preliminary examination to ascertain whether there is reasonble cause to suspect the presence of the disease.

Seeing that the Ministry of Health doctor is satisfied that these men's illnesses are affected by their employment, will the Minister see that the scheme is so widened as to bring these men within the compensation law, in view of the fact that they have been certified by the Ministry of Health doctor?

I do not know whether the hon. Member appreciates the fact that the regional medical officers' function is to certify only that there is cause to suspect silicosis. The Home Secretary's powers are limited under the Act to making schemes for silicosis.

I appreciate that, but does the hon. Member appreciate the fact that 311 suspected cases turned down in three years is alarming and calls for a widening of the scheme?

That is why the medical aspect of this matter, which must be settled before we proceed further, must be investigated.

The Medical Board have been inquiring into this matter for a long time. Can the Minister say how soon they are likely to report?

; I cannot say how long they have been inquiring, but it is a very difficult research, and will take some time.

Can the Minister say how many of the cases turned down have been diagnosed as tuberculosis cases and afterwards proved to be silicosis cases?

Not without notice.

In view of the Minister's own statement as to the restricted powers of the Home Office, will he not ask his Departmental chief to promote legislation to remedy it?

Before that question can really arise, the medical aspect of this matter must be settled beyond reasonable doubts.

What my hon. Friend wishes to know is whether the Home Secretary will consider the introduction of fresh legislation to amend the scope of the Workmen's Compensation Act.

asked the Home Secretary whether he is aware that Mr. George H. Dando, of 24, Coombend, Radstock, Bath, has been refused by the Silicosis Medical Board a certificate of disablement, although he has been employed for 40 years by the Somerset Collieries, Limited, Radstock, and for 20 years was engaged in drilling in hard rock; that the board's refusal is based on the fact that the applicant ceased to be employed in the process specified in the order on 16th October, 1931, and that the board has refused to consider the antedating of a certificate so as to bring the workman within the order in spite of medical evidence that he has suffered from silicosis since February, 1932; and will he have this case re-examined?

My information is that the Medical Board have not refused a certificate of disablement, nor have they refused to consider the antedating of the certificate. The position is that the Somerset Miners' Association applied to the board last January on the workman's behalf for a certificate of disablement and asked that the certificate should be dated back to October, 1934, so as to bring the case within the Compensation Scheme. The board, however, after considering the medical evidence submitted by the association, and taking into account the fact that the workman had been employed since March, 1933, in work above ground, and still was so employed, informed the association that they would not feel justified in antedating the certificate as requested. In view of this, the association withdrew their application.

May I ask what reasons justify the Board in refusing to antedate this certificate when there was ample evidence to prove that the man had been disabled by silicosis since 1932?

If he had been disabled by silicosis since 1932 it would have been wiser for the trade union to have brought his case forward earlier.

Is the Minister aware of the fact that the man was brought from underground to work on the surface because the employer offered him work which he thought would improve his condition, and that now the man has been penalised for stopping at work?

asked the Secretary for Mines the number of boys between the ages of 14 and 16, and between the ages of 16 and 18, killed in the mines in Yorkshire for the year 1935?

During 1935, six boys under 16 years of age and nine boys over 16 but under 18 years of age were killed by accidents at mines under the Coal Mines Act in Yorkshire.

Would the Government consider passing a law to keep children under 16 out of the mines? Would the Prime Minister not consider that proposal?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the owners of dwelling-houses who are required by local authorities to incur capital expenditure to improve their property are permitted by his Department to include such expenditure on their Income Tax, Schedule A, Maintenance Claims, as an item in respect of which they can obtain relief?

I assume that the expenditure to which my hon. Friend refers is such as would not be allowable under the provisions of Rule 8 of No. V of Schedule A, Income Tax Act, 1918; in which case the answer to his question is in the negative.

Does not my right hon. Friend think the time has come to place them on the same footing as regards Income Tax?

What my hon. Friend is asking is that capital expenditure should be treated as expenditure out of income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider the advisability of appointing a committee to see how far it may be practicable to impose a special tax on the profits arising out of the Government's re-armament programme?

No, Sir. I do not consider that the appointment of such a committee is called for.

If such a tax is practicable, does not the right hon. Gentleman think it is desirable?

I hope it will not be found to be necessary.

Would it not mean an examination of all sub-contracts as well as main contracts?

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer the total amount of foreign and Empire borrowing in Great Britain, respectively, over the last 50 years from all sources; what is the amount of foreign and Empire loans which have had to be written off as a bad debt; and what is the amount which at present is in arrears of interest?

; I fear that no statistics are available which would enable me to answer my hon. Friend's question. I would, however, refer him to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for the Wood Green Division of Middlesex (Mr. Baxter) on 5th March last.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he anticipates the report of the committee appointed to advise him regarding the restrictions on foreign borrowing in Britain; and will he give the House an opportunity of considering the report before any change in Treasury policy is made?

As stated in the reply given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Ripon (Major Hills) on 7th April, I have not at present in mind any radical alteration of the restrictions on foreign issues. I presume my hon. Friend understands that the Advisory Committee is a standing committee. It was appointed to advise me upon particular applications and, as occasion arises, upon the scope of the restrictions. I have not as yet received any report from the committee on the latter point, and I cannot of course forecast when any such report is likely to be received.

When this committee was originally appointed were not two of the gentlemen appointed directors of Vickers, and does the right hon. Gentleman think it desirable that directors of an armament firm should be appointed to such a committee?

I do not think that their connection with Vickers has any bearing on their aptitude to serve on a committee of this kind.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will give an assurance that the negotiations opened in 1935 for a loan to Italy will in no circumstances be reconsidered by His Majesty's Government?

I am not aware that any negotiations were opened in 1935 for a loan to Italy, nor do I know of any such negotiations having been suggested since.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether any arrangement upon the issue of import licences in the interests of British industry has yet been made with Denmark; and whether it is proposed to safeguard the position in any new trade treaty?

As regards the first part of the question, I would refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given on 8th April to the hon. Member for Lincoln (Mr. Liddall). The answer to the second part is in the affirmative.

In view of the apprehension which has been caused to British industry by the refusal to issue licences in the past, may I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether he will be able to assure industry in general that the difficulties in future will be overcome by some condition being imposed on Denmark that these licences shall be reasonably issued?

I would point out that in my reply I said that as a result of recent discussions it is proposed to safeguard the position in any new trade treaty.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is prepared to issue licences for the import from Italy of goods the property of British subjects in all cases where the contract to purchase the goods had been entered into before the imposition of sanctions?

Under Article 1 of the Treaty of Peace (Covenant of the League of Nations) No. 2 Order, 1935, the Board of Trade are empowered to issue licences for the import of any goods consigned from, or grown, produced or manufactured in Italian territory, if satis- fied that the price of the goods was wholly paid on or before 19th October, 1935. This provision is in accordance with the decision of the Co-ordination Committee taken at Geneva on 2nd November, 1935.

Have the coordinating committee any proposals for compensating Britons who have suffered great losses as a result of the imposition of sanctions?

None that I know of.

asked the President of the Board of Trade how many applications he has received for compensation in respect of losses incurred by British traders as a sequel to the imposition of sanctions against Italy?

I can only say that I have received a number of inquiries as to the possibility of compensation for alleged losses in such cases.

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that some people have been completely ruined; and may I ask whether it is proposed to give these British subjects any help?

I am prepared to listen to any representations made on behalf of British firms.

Is it not a fact that some of the men thrown out of work have come on to unemployment insurance and have had to submit to the means test?

asked the President of the Board of Trade what proportion of the recent advance in retail prices of shoes is due to the Additional Import Duties Order on box, willow calf, and certain other dressed leather?

I am informed that the advance in boot and shoe prices is not uniform or general. The classes of leather to which the recent Order applies account for only a small part of the consumption of leather by boot and shoe manufacturers and substantial supplies of home-produced leather of these classes are available. The amount of the increase in duty on foreign leather would be equivalent to about 3d. on a pair of shoes of average grade in which such leather is used.

Will the right hon. Gentleman assure us, in view of his honourable past, that he will discourage the Advisory Board from constantly imposing new duties and putting up prices to the consumers of this country?

Is it not a fact that this addition was made by the Tariff Advisory Committee after having listened to the representations from the trade concerned?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that since the Order was issued, pricer of boots and shoes have advanced all round from 6d. to 1s. per pair?

I have already pointed out in the answer that the increase in the duty on leather is equivalent to about 3d. on the price of a pair of shoes.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that at the iron and steel works of Messrs. William Dixon and Company, Limited, of Glasgow, a large volume of gas of high calorific value is being burnt to waste day and night; that such waste gas has been offered to the Glasgow Corporation for their gas department at a reasonable price and has been refused by them; will he state the grounds for their refusal; and whether he will be prepared to take any action in the matter?

This is one of the questions that are being investigated by a committee which I appointed last year to consider the possibility of co-ordinating the manufacture and distribution of gas in the West of Scotland.

Can the right hon. Gentleman say when this committee is likely to report, and whether he has taken into consideration the provision of a gas grid in the county of Durham?

No, Sir. The question which is on the Paper has no bearing on that. The committee has already completed the taking of evidence, and will shortly proceed with the drafting of its report.

Would it not be possible to submit to this committee the desirability of considering gas grids in other parts of the country?

Not to this committee; it would have to be to another committee.

Will the right hon. Gentleman answer that part of the question which asks whether he can state the grounds for the refusal?

I cannot state any grounds which will appear in the report, because I have not received the report. I doubt very much whether it is completed.

Surely the Glasgow Corporation could tell him the simple fact that the reason why they declined this supply is that they have an adequate supply of their own?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs upon how many occasions during the year ended with March, 1936, the Canadian Tariff Board bas heard applications on behalf of the industry of this country for reduction of tariffs in pursuance of the Ottawa Agreements; to what tariff items these have related; and what results have been announced, respectively?

I understand that the Canadian Tariff Board has considered nine tariff items on behalf of United Kingdom industries during the year ending March, 1936. The changes recommended by the Tariff Board in respect of these items have all been incorporated in the recent Canadian Budget. As the particulars of the items involve a tabular statement, I will, with my hon. and learned Friend's permission, circulate these in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

May I ask the right hon. Gentleman whether, in his view, the machinery by which British industry can make application at Ottawa is working satisfactorily, and whether industry has taken reasonable advantage of that machinery?

; That is another question. Perhaps my hon. and learned Friend would be good enough to put it on the Paper.

asked the President of the Board of Trade whether the present Anglo-Argentine Trade Agreement will terminate on 6th November, 1936; and, if not, what provision will be made to secure the imposition of an adequate levy on imports of meat from the Argentine on that date?

Under the Trade Agreement concluded in 1933 between the Governments of the United Kingdom and of Argentina, six months' notice of termination of the agreement may be given by either party at any date after 6th May, 1936. Discussions are now proceeding between representatives of the two Governments for revision of this agreement. Accordingly, the two Governments have agreed to exchange notes, the effect of which is to enable the agreement to be terminated on 7th November next, even though the notice of termination may be withheld till 7th July.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that the denouncement of that agreement will give great pleasure and delight to the livestock industry in this country?

Will the right hon. Gentleman bear in mind the importance of the coal export trade to the Argentine?

Is the right hon. Gentleman aware that his answer will not give pleasure to the consumers of beef in this country?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether, in view of the difficulties of re-establishing the Empire Marketing Board in its previous form, he will approach the Dominion Governments with a view to entering into bilateral or multilateral agreements to extend publicity on behalf of British and Empire products?

asked the Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs whether His Majesty's Government recognise that the need for Empire publicity has not ceased as a result of the introduction of tariff preferences; and, if so, what steps he is taking to re-establish those activities relating to publicity and market promotion which have been discontinued since the abolition of the Empire Marketing Board?

I do not think that, in present circumstances, any useful purpose would be served by an approach to the Dominion Governments with a view to re-opening the question of publicity, which was settled with them as recently as 1933. As my Noble Friend informed my hon. Friend the Member for Norwood (Mr. Sandys) on 23rd March, several of the Governments concerned are themselves active in regard to publicity and market promotion on their own behalf.

Could not my right hon. Friend recognise that if this publicity ceases altogether the volume of inter-Imperial trade is likely to be adversely affected?

Has there been any intimation from any Dominion Government that they intend to change their policy and contribute towards publicity in this country for Dominion products?

I have had no such intimation and, in regard to the other question which was asked, as I pointed out in the original reply, the publicity did not stop altogether, but is being carried on by various Governments concerned.